Do I regret going into computer science?

An answer to a question on Quora

I am stimulated by the concepts in computing and programming. That said, I do not view myself as a computer scientist, even though I attained a 1:1 Computer Science degree almost a decade ago.

While studying at university, I taught myself to program for the web using PHP & MySQL. I built (pretty awful) websites in my bedroom. Made some half-decent passive income from them.

What do I do now? I teach various computing and web subjects at university. I am involved in a web technology startup for the movie industry. I help out friends with their websites for no charge and give advice to help people avoid the pitfalls of the web.

Could I hold down a full-time job in the computing field? Nope. Could I hold down a full-time job in any field? Probably not. This was the case ten years ago and it’s still the case now.

I always enjoyed programming because it affords the opportunity to build things, to create. Code can be art.

But I also write fiction.

Turns out I’m more of an artist than I realised. Or, rather, I have felt a growing need for artistic expression, hence the fiction writing.

I also enjoy helping people, hence the teaching.

So when I think about “going into” computer science, I don’t view it as a final destination. I feel as though I have reached where I am now by travelling through computer science. And the journey will continue to places unknown, I am sure.

So, in short, no I do not regret going into computer science. It has enabled me to do many things that I enjoy today. It has not restricted me in any way, but rather has given me the freedom to explore and enjoy many different areas of my personal and professional life.

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