Community Within GEECS

You belong here. Read that again. If you are new to CS, it is really easy to convince yourself that you are not good enough but remember, you are here for a reason. 

I made the switch to CS early this semester and joined GEECS. After an online freshman year due to COVID, I finally felt like I found my community here on campus and if that is something you are struggling with, I hope you can find your community within GEECS too. 

Undoubtedly, the switch to CS has created a whirlwind of emotions for me. As a first generation college student, my parents always seem to ask, “are you sure you can do this programming stuff?”. While I know they mean well, it can be tough trying to explain to everyone why you’re so excited about switching majors, especially if they aren’t familiar with the CS track. 

It can definitely be intimidating, but I encourage you to continue to find community on campus and within GEECS. I joined the mentorship program and it has been one of my favorite experiences this semester. Going out to eat, talking with other awesome girls, and sharing experiences has helped me after feeling like the pandemic stole my chance at having fun, in-person interactions in college. GEECS has instilled confidence in me and at every meeting I feel more inspired than before. It has also helped me identify instances where I feel imposter syndrome and provided a community to talk and hear about others’ similar experiences.

Whether you are new to CS or a senior about to graduate, we were all “new to CS” at some point and the most important thing is you are here now. 

Jennifer Weir