It would be nice if SQL Server would do allow referring to prior derived columns in same list. That was convenient in Teradata. You could say SELECT X = a, Y = b, Z = X + Y.
one thing i really liked about oracle was select list expressions that didn't have an alias would have a column header that showed the expression rather than no column name like ssms
But the time it saves is just huge. I'm never tracking down a missing comma, easier insert using column insert instead of the extra keystrokes to get switch column select to multi-column end of line insert instead of column selecting, etc.
I was probably majority of my development in SQL for 10 years before I switched to it. Was very much against it and skeptical. Now I use it in every language where possible
So after 10 years of C/C++/VB/C#, then 10 more years of SQL, only then - that's a long time I do kind of regret not trying it earlier.