The latest articles on DEV Community by Belal Elsabbagh (@belsabbagh). https://dev.to/belsabbagh https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F916770%2F462de815-4227-43b0-b95e-f403594813f1.jpg https://dev.to/belsabbagh en Belal Elsabbagh Fri, 31 May 2024 22:25:03 +0000 https://dev.to/belsabbagh/why-are-you-here-1ili https://dev.to/belsabbagh/why-are-you-here-1ili <p>I should preface this by saying that I don't mean to be elitist or keep any sort of gate. I am just wondering what you may think.</p> <p>I started studying for my computer science bachelor's degree in 2020. Computing at the time was a lot different from computing now. Back then, cloud computing was all the rage given the pandemic that made cloud computing a real useful tool. It took its time as the main trend in computing up until web 3 was being discussed as a technology that is "just around the corner." We never quite got there and the focus shifted towards generative AI.</p> <p>This field changes significantly faster than most other fields that people may choose to study with passion. It's hyper-sonic compared to a field like law or medicine. It occurs to me that the field I started studying in 2020, despite being fundamentally the same, is a lot different nowadays than it was when I started. I asked myself, "Why did I choose computer science?"</p> <p>I won't bore you with my on soul-searching, but long story short, I was always the computer guy around my social circle and I guess I felt most excited about and most ready for this field. When observing my peers, I found that they questioned their existence in my college program whenever a new trend came out or an impressive innovation was announced. Some of my peers would lose their motivation and self-esteem, while others would work extra hard to try and keep up, and both reactions resulted in some sort of hate or resentment towards the field.</p> <p>Now, I may have stuck long enough to answer the title question and realize I like what I'm doing, but I don't guarantee that for everyone else. Whether you're studying for a degree or you're self-learning purely to not miss out on the trends, I believe it is important you ask yourself why you think you're here.</p> <p>I'm not an expert on psychology to explain how having a purpose helps you, but just knowing why you're here makes a world of difference. You'll have your own goals and specialization interests. Suddenly, computer science won't look like a spaghetti of paths that you can take. You'll have a path that's enticing for you to walk.</p> <p>I hope I was able to express what I thought well, and I hope these fleeting thoughts helped. :)</p> career learning discuss