User Seeks Feedback on TryHackMe Progress and Ethical Hacking Practices

The user created a TryHackMe account a year ago, completed some free foundational rooms, then paused for a year. After finishing exams, they resumed with a premium subscription and shared a screenshot of their progress over the past 14 days. They asked two questions: whether using AI for hints is acceptable after being stuck, and if relying on pre-made payloads is acceptable when confident about a vulnerability.