revealing my most crucial insight from studying computer science at an ivy league college
i had to deal with major uncertainty. yes, this a pun.
I graduated from Brown with a degree in Computer Science and Economics.
I’ll keep it real with you all. I didn’t pick these two majors out of academic interest. But it’s not because I had big money FAANG or Wall Street dreams either.
Rather, it was a choice born out of pure, hot, college-aged uncertainty.
Sophomore year, I (and a thousand other peers) received the dreaded email from Brown’s academic office.
In summary it read: “enough frolicking around you good for nothing elf! the time has come to pick your major and embark on your newest quest! btw the job market sucks rn so good luck with whatever you choose”.
I countered this obvious act of aggression with my unique blend of fight AND flight: procrastination. In other words, I chose the “I’ll pick the 2 broadest majors ~muahahaha~ future Raymond can figure what to do with this mess” option. Those two majors happened were computer science and economics.
With that being said, I had a great time working toward my degree. Both areas of my studies endowed me with niche technical skills, as well as frameworks for better understanding life and what’s to come in the future.
i have developed a positive outlook on the technological potential of the future and have courage and confidence in myself and my peers to effectively navigate through it.
My main learning isn’t a skill. It’s a perspective, and it’s the ultimate reason why I would recommend others to study computer science in college.
Here it is:
I have developed a positive outlook on the technological potential of the future and have courage and confidence in myself and my peers to effectively navigate through it.
This might seem a bit wishy-washy. But being in the corporate world during an “AI revolution”, I’ve experienced first-hand just how change-adverse our workforce is. I’ve encountered many (but not all!) colleagues who resist learning Python or even transitioning to tools like Google Sheets from Microsoft Excel. They dread the idea of having to switch processes or workflows, even if they provide the guarantee of optimization.
On the other hand, I find technological change to be an inherent part of the process.
To me, it’s like watching a digital metamorphosis, where each new software or programming language is a chrysalis; a promise to emerge as something more efficient, more powerful. I hold trust in myself that, while adjusting to new technologies will take incremental time and effort, the end result will be a richer, more versatile skill set.
i developed this growth mindset by studying computer science.
This positive outlook on technology and self ability wasn’t something I always held.
Like I said in the intro, I didn’t really care for tech (or anything) when I started university. Belief in self ability was something that I had in high school, had destroyed through my first semester at Brown, and took years to rebuild.
I remember entering each new class of the CS core curriculum with buckets of anxiety and self doubt, and rightfully so. The CS degree is structured in a way to challenge students to learn quickly and adapt, forcing us to learn how to learn. And I wasn’t taught how to learn in high school.
We would spend a semester learning Object-Oriented Programming in Java, just to completely shift gears over to Algorithms and Data structures in Python the following semester. And when you finally started to get a hang of Python, it would be time to get down and dirty with Systems Programming in C and assembly.
In each of those classes I felt like I was standing on a wooden plank and paddle-boarding in a pit of fire. It was tough, but I made it out each semester with all my limbs intact. Scarred, wounded, maybe a little sad, but alive.
Though I didn’t realize it at the time, the computer science curriculum was essentially exposure therapy.
Through constant repetition and growth, I proved to myself that I could be thrown into the fire among some of the smartest kids I’ve met, study a difficult discipline, and make it out alive.
i’m confident in our future.
Many of us are experiencing a worldwide technological tectonic shift for the first time in our lives (the last one was the internet revolution during the 80s and 90s).
I know my parents are pretty intimidated by the potential of AI, especially the effects it will have on the job market and my career journey. On the other hand, I’m very excited about the current applications and future potentials of Generative AI. Hearing and seeing big corps shifting toward implementing data science driven approaches to analysis fills me with optimism.
I think it’s because I sense potential from it all. And this undoubtedly stems from an inherent confidence that I can learn and master these new technologies if needed. It may take time and effort, but I know I can learn anything.
whether you will shape the future or navigate it, a computer science degree will set you up for success.
Whether you are conscious of it or not (and whether you like it or not), you must pick between two options in your career journey:
- Will you take the path of shaping the future by becoming a trailblazer/entrepreneur?
- Or will you gracefully navigate through the future by becoming a well-rounded and adaptable employee?
I hold zero judgment on which side you’re on; it’s something I’m still deciding for myself as well. But one thing is for certain: in today’s day and age, being tech-positive is necessary to thrive in the near future.
We’ve found ourselves in a world where adaptability and continuous growth are key. I believe that those who are willing to embrace change and the positive flow of technology will find success.
But regardless of what you decide to study in university, I hope it fills you with fulfillment and wonder about our world. Armed with a positive outlook and belief in our own abilities, I trust we can navigate through life’s challenges with grace and purpose.
I post weekly about the stuff I’m figuring out in real-time — everything from tips and tricks to reflections on the ups and downs of high school, college, and life as a new grad.
