I was in middle school when I discovered one of my favorite shows, NCIS. I was especially drawn to the characters of Special Agent Tim McGee and forensic scientist Abby Sciuto. I was impressed and fascinated by their expertise in cybersecurity and digital forensics. This inspired me to look into the field of Computer Science when it came time to choose a major in college. Of course, I’m aware that what’s shown on TV is often romanticized and far from reality.
Early on in my college career, I did have doubts about my choice of major. When I met other Computer Science students, I felt like I was lagging behind. Everyone seemed knowledgeable and already had stories to share about making their own websites or programming for fun. I worried that maybe Computer Science wasn’t for me. What if it did not turn out to be my passion? College is an investment and I did not want my time and money to go to waste.
I am now in my third year and my outlook has changed since then. I realized that I couldn’t possibly know if Computer Science was for me unless I had experience with it. Just like with everything else. Take my favorite subject, math, for example. While others around me grumbled about math homework, I’d be eager to get started. I loved math. Perhaps, because I was good at it and I knew it. I started to think of Computer Science in that way. If I continue to work hard at it, I’ll gain experience and become better. As I improve and become better, I’ll enjoy it more. And the more I enjoy it, the greater the chance I’ll become passionate about it.