Making the Switch to a CS Major
I think we can all agree that change is scary and this is something I have always struggled with. When I entered UofM, I was set on going to medical school. However, a friend recommended I take EECS 183. Once I took it, I enjoyed it so much I decided to change the trajectory of my career.
I was extremely sure of my decision and had no doubt that this is what I wanted to do as my job. I wasn’t scared, even if my Hispanic parents did not fully understand what I was now going to be majoring in. It didn’t matter, I knew I enjoyed coding and was excited to make the switch. I decided to change my major towards the end of my second semester of freshman year. I took the summer to get a regular retail job, but little did I know what awaited my incoming sophomore year.
When I was taking EECS183, I joined GEECS to get a look into the CS community. I felt very welcomed and included, this is one of the reasons I decided to switch to computer science. However, once I began more CS classes and started immersing myself more in the CS community, I became intimidated. I felt like I was behind because I had no idea about how competitive computer science turned out to be.
The beginning of this semester proved difficult for me as I felt like I was drowning in all this new information. I felt like I was rapidly falling behind as I spoke to more and more seasoned CS students.
I then spoke to someone who already works in the technology industry and she gave me advice that changed my perspective. She told me that pursuing a career in Computer Science is all about balance. You can have a life and study CS at your own pace. As the famous saying goes: Comparison is the thief of joy.
So, my advice is to get involved. Learn about the computer science field as much as you can, but do not overwhelm yourself. Know that you are unique and so is your future, so it does not matter if you come into college already knowing how to code or if you learn at the end of your sophomore year. The only thing that matters is that you are happy with making the switch to CS.
Andrea Lesmes