title: Python: Find in list
body: <p>I use the following to check if <code>item</code> is in <code>my_list</code>:</p>
  <pre><code>if item in my_list:
      print(&quot;Desired item is in list&quot;)
  </code></pre>
  <p>But sometimes, it doesn't find the item. Why is this?</p>
  <hr />
  <p>Is &quot;<code>if item in my_list:</code>&quot; the most &quot;pythonic&quot; way of finding an item in a list?</p>