Final Thoughts

Oh boy, what a semester. This is the last time I’ll be a full-time student, and it feels a bit odd leaving that behind. That said, I’m glad it’s ending with a bang. I got to take nothing but CS classes this semester, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a- well. wait. What’s the proper term? Computer Scientist? Programmer? Developer?

I’m not sure any of us is strictly any of these things, even when we only consider what we “do.” I know I’m not. I love the music I make and the history I read too much to detach myself from these things, and that’s an idea I’d like to keep afloat as I go out into the world. Still, it feels good to “do” something, and to do it well enough to be proud of it, and after this semester I feel like I can “do” this CompSci-Programming-Development hybrid pretty well. There’s been a lot of challenges along the way, and a lot of doubt, yet at the end of every semester I feel stronger in many ways. This semester has been no different. In particular, it’s been Glenn Downing’s team-centric real-world oriented teaching style that has helped me to grow into somebody who can go out and contribute to a project and be proud of their work.

What I mean to say is that despite the challenges of CS, or maybe because of them, it’s worth the effort. If you’re reading this and you’re deciding whether or not to take SWE or OOP, do it. It might get hard at times, but this class is worthwhile. Thanks to this class, I managed to get my first internship. That may seem like a small, natural step to you, reader, but it’s been a struggle for me to reach this point, both mentally and in ability. Now, don’t take this the wrong way, your life won’t change by taking one course. But you will grow by continuing to pursue your goals and learning all you can, and if you had to choose a struggle, you’d do well to struggle here.

Until next time, friends.