I'm hyped to start college, majoring in CS, am I insane?

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
25,074
4
0
:D Am I a nut for WANTING to get started on CS? I'm starting in January (wanted to start late so I could be relaxed).

Who here is majoring in CS? How's it going for you so far?
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,419
1,599
126
It's alright, not what I expected. Although I admit, I'm semi enjoying college, whereas I hated high school.

But yeah, CS isn't exactly what I expected. It's really aggravating when you're just learning and you're making some really stupid mistake that screws you over. The repetition isn't very fun either, and neither is debugging. The worst is when your whole program f's up because you're missing a ; or a . or something along those lines. But once you actually know what you're doing it's not that bad anymore.
 

MaxDSP

Lifer
May 15, 2001
10,056
0
71
i enrolled in college last year majoring in CIS, but as I was nearing the end of my Computer Science AP course in high school, I changed my major to Telecomm Mgmt.

Take it for what it's worth ;)
 

Capn

Platinum Member
Jun 27, 2000
2,716
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hey, UML, I knew a guy who went there. He dropped out and works nights at Walmart now, hope you fare better. :)
 

Robert01

Golden Member
Aug 13, 2000
1,426
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You're not insane unless you want to have some sleep or a social life of some sort.
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
25,074
4
0


<< hey, UML, I knew a guy who went there. He dropped out and works nights at Walmart now, hope you fare better. :) >>


ouch! I have higher goals than Wal Mart, I should be ok (I hope!) :D
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
CS classes are usually interesting, and GE classes usually arent. Your instructors will make ALL the difference.
 

MWink

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
3,642
1
76
I totally agree with NeuroSynapsis. I hate my CS classes so much I changed my major from Comp Eng to Info Systems.

I HATE PROGRAMMING!!! :|
 

GT578

Senior member
Feb 7, 2000
721
0
0
CS is not for everyone....I hated my CS classes at GATECH......its either you get it or you don't...and I didn't get it easily.....so I had to put in tons of hours to learn...
 

Burnt

Platinum Member
Mar 20, 2001
2,211
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I'm in CS at Virginia Tech, the intro courses are boring if you know what you're doing already.
 

Jzero

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
18,834
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Unfortunately CS is still a little too young and is still being taught by recovering mathematicians who are academic snobs. They resent the fact that people go to college looking for job training and not wanting to amass useless theoretical knowledge and collect letters to tack on the end of their name. They don't understand that there is a lot more to CS than programming.

Que sera. If you enjoy programming you will enjoy CS. If programming comes to you easily as it did for me, you'll also likely find CS to be fairly easy.
Unfortunately, as someone who wanted to be in network engineering/security/administration (which I am now) I wanted to learn more about the "other" side of computer science--HCI, security practices, network practices and theories....these subjects were briefly covered in topical courses, but never in significant detail. Would have helped.
 

areohbe

Banned
Oct 14, 2001
712
0
0
But yeah, CS isn't exactly what I expected. It's really aggravating when you're just learning and you're making some really stupid mistake that screws you over. The repetition isn't very fun either, and neither is debugging. The worst is when your whole program f's up because you're missing a ; or a . or something along those lines. But once you actually know what you're doing it's not that bad anymore.

I just spent two hours stressing over my c++ program because i typed an i instead of a j somewhere... NOT FUN
 

Jzero

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
18,834
1
0


<< I just spent two hours stressing over my c++ program because i typed an i instead of a j somewhere... NOT FUN >>



Haha
That'll learn you not to use nondescript iterators.
And if you used i or j for anything OTHER than an iterator, shame on you! :)
 

yoda291

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
5,079
0
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That depends, Is the computer an extension of you, or are you an extension of the computer?

In the case of the former, prolly not, tho you might be happier in IS.
'
In the case of the latter, welcome to the family
 

FatAlbo

Golden Member
May 11, 2000
1,423
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First year Comp E. major at the University of Washington here. I'm finishing up my first CSE core class and I have to admit that it's smacked me back into reality. CS/CE is not just about programming. There's a lot of theory involved. If all you want to do is code for a living, look into a professional program that ignores a good chunk of theory.

These are merely my opinions based on my experiences. Your mileage may vary.
 

PrincessGuard

Golden Member
Feb 5, 2001
1,435
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I'm not CS (I'm an EE major) but I've taken a bunch of CS classes for fun... :confused:

Some people think that just because they refer to processors by code name and play Counter-Strike, they'll fly through CS. I've never seen so many people fail a class as I saw in Intro to C Programming (the very first course in the CS major)...

And programming is the easy part. :D Out of the 180 units you need for the major here at UC Davis, only about 20 are from programming courses.

But I'm not trying to discourage you. These concepts come easy to some and not to others. Even if you're not a geek, you can still do well in CS. There's no harm in trying. And it's a hell of a lot easier to get out of an engineering major than into one later.
 

areohbe

Banned
Oct 14, 2001
712
0
0
hey PrincessGuard, i'm going to be transferring into the UC Davis Comp Sci program next fall (the letters and science program, not the engineering one)... you say only about 20 units is for programming? any idea what the rest are? anything interesting???
 

yoda291

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
5,079
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<< I'm not CS (I'm an EE major) but I've taken a bunch of CS classes for fun... :confused:

Some people think that just because they refer to processors by code name and play Counter-Strike, they'll fly through CS. I've never seen so many people fail a class as I saw in Intro to C Programming (the very first course in the CS major)...

And programming is the easy part. :D Out of the 180 units you need for the major here at UC Davis, only about 20 are from programming courses.

But I'm not trying to discourage you. These concepts come easy to some and not to others. Even if you're not a geek, you can still do well in CS. There's no harm in trying. And it's a hell of a lot easier to get out of an engineering major than into one later.
>>



I'l have you know that me and my Processor Codename:Jolly Roger are doing fine in CS. lol your post was funny, but I don't know why.
 

splice

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2001
1,275
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Most people fail first year CS classes. Where I go to school they had a 60% failure rate in CS1 before they implemented an enterance exam. It's definatly not for eveyone. I'm currently a Senior getting ready for my last semester in CS, ooh yeah I'm sick of school.
 

Jzero

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
18,834
1
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The best was the girl my first year who appeared to have never touched a computer in her life.
When we went around the first day and introduced ourselves one of the questions was "why CS" and she said "I don't know anything about it, but my mom said I'd make a lot of money if it was my major."

What is this, McDonald's? I take a #3 College Education with a large B.S.
You MIGHT make a lot of money. Of course you've got to GRADUATE first.....

She didn't make it one semester.
 

JC

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2000
5,833
64
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Wow, that's cool, I didn't know you could major in CounterStrike now...how times change ;)
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0


<< Some people think that just because they refer to processors by code name and play Counter-Strike, they'll fly through CS. I've never seen so many people fail a class as I saw in Intro to C Programming (the very first course in the CS major)... >>




Oh so true. When I took that class (ours was intro to C++, but baically the same thing, as we barely touched objects/classes) the first day, it was standing room only, bunch of people trying to get add slips, etc.
At the final - the room was maybe half full, at most.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,344
126


<< CS classes are usually interesting, and GE classes usually arent. Your instructors will make ALL the difference. >>



That's funny because my experience was the COMPLETE opposite :)