Why I Chose Computer Science As My Major At University
Students around the world usually enroll in university at around the age of 18. However, almost all Singaporean males enter university at 21 instead. This is due to the mandatory 2-year military service that every son has to undergo. With the additional 2 years before entering college, some believe that it is an added bonus in the sense that you will have more time to think and decide on the major that you are interested in. While others deem it to be a waste of time.
Personally, I only made the decision to get a computer science degree at the age of 20. With the additional time to think, I was able to follow my gut and choose a degree that I believe would suit me the most. Furthermore, at the National University of Singapore (NUS), we needed to decide on our major before enrolling ourselves in the university. Unlike other universities that require students to decide at the end of their sophomore year.
This was my thought process during then and these are some of the reasons why I chose Computer Science as my major at NUS.
Flexibility
When I was 19, the number 1 trait that I wanted in my future job was flexibility. With the flexibility of timing and work, I was not bounded to a typical 9–5 career. I would not need to sit in a cubicle for the whole day and stare at numbers or answer any calls, etc. My impression of working adults was largely depressing such that no one really likes their jobs, therefore I thought that it was a kind of escape. On public transport, you will frequently see working adults’ faces, dreading going to work every day, and I did not want any part of that.
As I started reading productivity books then, I was hooked on the idea that “The 4-Hour Workweek” was talked about by Tim Ferriss. And I believed that the Computer Science degree seemed like the only degree that could offer me that flexibility.
Since I just need my laptop and an internet connection, I would be able to work on my projects or full-time career in any country that I want. Even though the idea of remote work was not strong then, I believe that the idea would work. Fast forward to today, I have already completed 2 internships that are fully remote, 1 of which was done in San Francisco.
Difficulty
Coming from an Asian family, stability is the most important quality when finding a full-time career. Therefore, my parents wanted to me to either sign on to the Army as an officer or study Mechanical Engineering. Both of which I had no interest in. But the one thing I know about Computer Science was that it is very difficult.
With a slightly above-average grade in school, I knew that it would be challenging but definitely, but I would be able to get through it somehow. Knowing that I did not want to cruise through university and start with a job that I dislike, I decided to follow my gut and apply for the Computer Science major.
Compensation
Many people know that tech careers pay well, especially software engineers. Some may even amount to up to $200k per annum in the states. On average, junior or entry engineers would comfortably get a job with $120k per annum. Back then, I did not know these numbers and I foolishly thought that getting $8k per month at the mid-stage of my career would be high enough for all my expenses and live a comfortable life. This is a salary that some people only dream of or only achieve once they are at the later stage of their careers.
With this added knowledge, the amount that I will be receiving when I graduate is definitely a bonus and a form of luxury. This is why I believe that knowledge is a privilege.
The journey in university as a computer science graduate is definitely tough and there are numerous lessons to be learned from it. But it seems like in this age that we live in, it is most certainly worthwhile.
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