Comment Been there - it gets better (Score 1) 1177
I can relate to having a horrible last semester or two in CS and just wishing it was all over - I imagine most people go through this. I barely finished up my last two semesters of CS 3 years ago, partially due to lack of interest. I found myself pulling all-nighters to finish projects that didn't matter to me, and if something did interest me, I never had time to pursue it due to projects or exams in other courses. I finished with a GPA very similar to yours (although the job market was a bit better back then). One thing to remember is that although the piece of paper that says 'graduate' on it is valuable in finding that first job, it is no guarantee of future success. Some of the most brilliant CS people I've met coasted through college classes doing only what was necessary to pass a class as their real interests were elsewhere. Although I admire those who buckled down and had the immaculate transcript, the degree is really all that matters.
Since graduating, I have enjoyed every day in the CS field (well, getting laid off wasn't great, but definitely not isolated to CS jobs and it wasn't too tough to find another one). I work as a consultant and programmer which has turned out to be a great path for me - the advantage is that every few months I get to go to a new client working with technologies that I might not have used together before, and implement solutions to problems based on what is available at that client. This never gets old and can be very rewarding. The biggest thing to remember is that CS doesn't necessarily mean sitting in a cube writing code. CS is a very big and varied field where you can do research, teach, work in business, work in a lab situation, etc. There are many options out there and you just have to pick one that works for you! Pay attention to the replies that talk about mixing fields together. Computers are everywhere and with the background knowledge, can be applied to anything. One last thing before I write a book - have interests outside of CS! Join an amateur sports team, remodel a car, or volunteer somewhere. Without something outside of a computer to focus on, you might just go crazy!
Since graduating, I have enjoyed every day in the CS field (well, getting laid off wasn't great, but definitely not isolated to CS jobs and it wasn't too tough to find another one). I work as a consultant and programmer which has turned out to be a great path for me - the advantage is that every few months I get to go to a new client working with technologies that I might not have used together before, and implement solutions to problems based on what is available at that client. This never gets old and can be very rewarding. The biggest thing to remember is that CS doesn't necessarily mean sitting in a cube writing code. CS is a very big and varied field where you can do research, teach, work in business, work in a lab situation, etc. There are many options out there and you just have to pick one that works for you! Pay attention to the replies that talk about mixing fields together. Computers are everywhere and with the background knowledge, can be applied to anything. One last thing before I write a book - have interests outside of CS! Join an amateur sports team, remodel a car, or volunteer somewhere. Without something outside of a computer to focus on, you might just go crazy!
