[intervenient]

I think it's about time I gave up anything related to math, science, or computer science.

I'm not smart enough or interested in proofy math
I failed out of statistics

And after finally giving computer science a try again, mid-quarter, I realize that I'm just not able to keep up with the projects and course load, both time wise and mentally.


I'm sure a lot of you have experienced this with your peers, when did they start moving on to subjects they could actually handle, and what were they?


Thanks.

[darek9576]

I find Computer Science hard but i do it because i know i will enjoy the job after uni. I am ready to struggle through uni - i am not the greatest student - but i know i can do the things that i will be doing at a grad job. How do i know it? I had a little preview of my life after uni when i was an intern. I enjoyed it a lot so decided to finish school. Dont give up. You will "get it" one day and you will be happy.

[intervenient]

I thought I did, maybe not love but enjoyed it enough, but my current performance in class shows that I'm just not capable.

I'm just not smart enough or whatever. I'll have a crappy job with my expensive degree that I wasted on something dumb because I played pretend scientist for two whole years of my education

[jon.kiparsky]

intervenient, on 06 May 2012 - 09:36 PM, said:

I thought I did, maybe not love but enjoyed it enough, but my current performance in class shows that I'm just not capable.

I'm just not smart enough or whatever. I'll have a crappy job with my expensive degree that I wasted on something dumb because I played pretend scientist for two whole years of my education

If you're smart enough to figure that out, then you're smart enough to figure out any damned thing, including CS. Now get back to work, fool.

[modi123_1]

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I think it's about time I gave up anything related to math, science, or computer science.

Intermittent gut checks area always good. Not only do you get to keep on a fun path but you can build up smooth abs!

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I'm not smart enough or interested in proofy math

If you say so.

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I failed out of statistics

That blows.

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And after finally giving computer science a try again, mid-quarter, I realize that I'm just not able to keep up with the projects and course load, both time wise and mentally.

Have you thought about restructuring your classes? Balance a few comp sci classes with some humanities and english?

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I'm sure a lot of you have experienced this with your peers, when did they start moving on to subjects they could actually handle, and what were they?

Most were after the first year or so.. they moved to a 'management info science' because it wasn't quite the full on shame of a business degree and let them keep their cloak of 'tech-know-how'.

What are your alternatives? What do *YOU* enjoy? why are you worried about *MY* peers when if you are going to go through an educational crisis it should be all about you! I mean - it's you're party you are trying to enjoy, right?

That being said - instead of boring you with stories of my trials and overcoming adversity (without a helmet!) - let's get down to brass tacks on you. Why did you pick computer science? What was your game plan? How hold are you? Is this your first go around with the college experience? what do you enjoy doing outside of computer science programming? Ideal job wise and all that jazz.

[intervenient]

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Have you thought about restructuring your classes? Balance a few comp sci classes with some humanities and english?

Can't. Started too late, playing catch up.

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What are your alternatives?

At my school? Pretty much a humanities or social science degree. Bleh.

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Why did you pick computer science?

Standard fare: loved computers as a kid, liked all the stuff coming out of mobile, and enjoyed my first programming course.

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What was your game plan?

Get a computer science degree, and become a software engineer, or a web developer. If I did well enough, and my interest sustained, perhaps do a masters or phd involving human computer interaction. I love interface design, and UI, and a lot of the topics like computer vision, and the like sound really interesting and useful.

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How old are you?

20.

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Is this your first go around with the college experience?

Yes.

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what do you enjoy doing outside of computer science programming?

Playing tennis, keeping up with consumer electronics news, hanging out with my girlfriend, reading, etc.

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Ideal job wise and all that jazz.

Honestly, probably a software engineer. When I have my eye on the prize, and I really know what I'm doing, I really enjoy sitting down and coding for hours, debugging, and solving problems. I love puzzles and problem solving, so it seemed like a natural fit.

[modi123_1]

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I'll have a crappy job with my expensive degree that I wasted on something dumb because I played pretend scientist for two whole years of my education

Then find a new degree with the career prospects you enjoy.. that might entail, leaving, that school.
http://www.humanfact...ads/degrees.asp

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Can't. Started too late, playing catch up.

what do you mean you can't? I am talking about future semesters since I believe this one should be winding down.

Over all either ditch the semester, or study harder.

What part of the curriculum is your mill stone? Have you gone in to get more help from the teachers after class? A TA perhaps?

[jon.kiparsky]

intervenient, on 08 May 2012 - 01:43 AM, said:

Can't. Started too late, playing catch up.

For fake socks, man. You're twenty years old.

[modi123_1]

Bwahaha.. jon - yes, that's where I was ambling towards.

There's always the Air Force/Navy/Army... Some of them are good at placing your in tech-orientated careers..

[time4f5]

If IT is a option, that track isn't as math intensive as CS. If you want to stay in CS, have you considered taking the math by itself. If they offer it during the summer, take it. you dont' want to look back on a degree that you hate like social science or whatever. I'm interpreting your response of "bleh" as hate. take the stats class again, try another professor. if not an option try community college for that class. try U of phoenix. anything where you can get through the class. But you have to want it. I work with someone who says that he wants it, but gives up way too easily in Calculus.

[intervenient]

time4f5, on 08 May 2012 - 06:27 PM, said:

If IT is a option, that track isn't as math intensive as CS. If you want to stay in CS, have you considered taking the math by itself. If they offer it during the summer, take it. you dont' want to look back on a degree that you hate like social science or whatever. I'm interpreting your response of "bleh" as hate. take the stats class again, try another professor. if not an option try community college for that class. try U of phoenix. anything where you can get through the class. But you have to want it. I work with someone who says that he wants it, but gives up way too easily in Calculus.

I wasn't good at stats, but I feel like I'm decent enough at math. As in Calc I, II, Bs in linear algebra and diffEqs. I enjoy math, at least on the computational level.


Part of the problem that I was having, was a project we were doing that involves a bit more knowledge object oriented programming that we'd been exposed to during the quarter. The people who've done side programming in Java did really well, while the rest of us, who took the previous course which was taught in C, ended up doing very poorly.


So, yeah, nose to the grindstone, burn the midnight oil, etc etc.


Edit:: I also didn't FAIL the stats class (I got a C), but I meant "failed out" as in failing to either both love it and do good enough i.e.. better than barely passing.

This post has been edited by intervenient: 08 May 2012 - 12:43 PM

[modi123_1]

That's the spirit!

[xCmac]

You dont need a degree to be a great software engineer, alot of places will hire just based off experience but of course you'll have to have a damn good portfolio to show for it! However, having a degree does give you the upper hand, especially in finding a job, college can open you up to networking with some really important people, you never know who those professors are friends with!

With that being said, typically in life.... nothing that is worth working for is gonna come to you easy, in most of this forums cases: computer science. Im not sure how far you are into your degree[excluding the core classes] but typically calculus and the beginner intro CS courses are all the weed eater courses, they weed out the people that wont make the cut that's not to say you are a weed by any means.... Some of these courses will come alot easier to some than others, who knows maybe youre not great at OOD but you could be awesome with algorithms?

Some people will have to work twice as hard for one thing as some other people, yeah its not fair , but its always worth it in the end!

This past semester I was failing my Calculus class towards the beginning of the semester, By the time finals rolled around I had quit my job and studied my ass off right up until the final, and I came out with a B. That B was far more satisfying than any paycheck I Could've gotten at that job I hated anyway.

Keep your head up man, its gonna be a bumpy ride but that highway in the end will be worth it!

[jjames967]

It really all depends on what kind of job you're looking for. With real programming skills in multiple languages and good common sense, you can land a job. It just may be a little more difficult without the CS degree.

However, if you want game programming, then you may be out of luck. Most games now need a strong understanding of math and physics.