Who Am I? (And SQL vs NoSQL)

My Background

I'm a student at Penn State University in the college of IST. I'm currently studying cyber security, but I'm also interested in app/web development. I don't have very much experience other than some general programming classes, but now I'm starting to branch out into more specific areas. Most of the experience that I do have is in java, but I have done some work with python. I also worked with a small team to build an app in android studio which gave me exposure to an IDE that is used to make tons of mobile apps and to collaboration tools like GitHub.

Why Cyber Security

I chose to study cyber security because I want to help prevent data breaches and protect people's information. Cyber security is also particularly interesting because you get experience from both sides of the fight. You can try to break into systems to find weaknesses and then you use that information to try to stop other people from breaking into the system. It also is necessary in nearly every industry because of how important companies' digital assets are. Everyone from NASA to Pepsi needs someone who knows cyber security which gives a lot of options for what industry to work in.

Job Goals

I'm not sure exactly what kind of job I want after I graduate. Penetration testing seems interesting, but I won't really know until I have more experience in that area. Maybe I'll try to combine my interests by doing security as part of an application development team. Mostly though I just need to try more things before I decide what area I want to ultimately go into. Regardless of what specific area I got into, I still want to help protect people's information and finances.

Personal Interests in Tech

App Development

I would like to develop some small applications that save people time. If an app saves someone even just 10 seconds a day, then eventually it starts to add up. Applications that manage small annoying tasks for people or keep them organized have a lot of potential to provide a big return for a relatively small investment, and it's very satisfying to make things that are immediately useful. Also, even if no one ever uses it other than yourself it can still provide you enough benefit to have been worth the time.

Programming competitions

I have participated in a few programming competitions and I always find them enjoyable. During my time in college, I will definitely seek out more to participate in to gain experience and just to have fun. They provide a good way to work with a team towards a very tangible goal, and it's very satisfying to finally get a program working. Another added benefit is that when a company runs the competition, there is often an opportunity to get an internship if you do well. Internships obviously have the possibility of turning into a job, so it can be a very worthwhile thing to do with your time.