Egg-timer effect—when beginners haven’t mastered turning chains yet

I went to the city library and picked up a book on crocheting for beginners.
And now I finally know what it’s called when you start crocheting a pot holder with lots of stitches, then they somehow decrease, and then you quickly add more, and then it looks weird.
So that’s the “egg timer effect”—you get it when you forget the turning chains.

But since I can do the turning chains now, I don’t make crocheted egg-timer effects anymore
and I like that

I just wanted to let you all know what it’s called
so you’ll know too
in case anyone’s interested
I’m probably not the only beginner who’s struggling—or has struggled—with this kind of thing.

How long did your egg-timer phase last?