Great post! I really enjoyed reading about your detailed journey and honest take on the Security+ SY0-701 exam. I recently passed this certification as well, and I can totally relate to your experience with the tricky questions and PBQs at the beginning.
For my preparation, I used the SY0-701 practice test designed by P2PExams, which turned out to be very helpful. Their question patterns were quite similar to the real exam, and the detailed explanations helped me understand the reasoning behind each answer. It definitely boosted my confidence before the actual test.
Congratulations on earning your first CompTIA certification!