Since I’ll be using this blog to document my final quarter at OSU, it seems only fitting to start with how I got here. My name’s Taylor, I live in Seattle, and I’m 27 years old.
(In the paraphrased words of Charlotte Lucas, from the cinematic masterpiece Pride and Prejudice (2005) dir. Joe Wright, “I’ve no money and [hopefully some] prospects. I’m [not actually] a burden on my parents, [but I am] frightened.”)
My first degree was a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Washington. Initially, I had gone into that degree with the intention of going to medical school and becoming a doctor; that plan lasted until almost the end of undergrad, when I started seriously looking at what it would take to get into med school and realized it wasn’t remotely worth it. (Incidentally, none of my pre-med friends went to med school either. Take from that what you will.)
Instead of hopping straight into more school, I decided a break was in order, so I got an administrative job at a hospital and enjoyed not having homework for the first time in 16 years. And that was great! Until about 2021… It had been a year of lockdown and COVID restrictions, I was starting to get tired of my job, and I had just turned 25: a perfect storm for a quarter-life crisis. I was just feeling stuck, and I knew it was time to move forward.
I spent some time looking at grad school options that were related to biology, but by that point the field had lost some of its appeal. So I decided, forget about the sunk cost fallacy, what’s a major I wish I would have chosen if I could go back and do undergrad again? Computer science came to mind pretty immediately. I loved the idea of breaking down how things worked and the sort of puzzle aspect of writing new programs. I never considered it at UW (it’s just about the most competitive major they have), but this was a clean start, so why not give it a go?
And then came OSU! (Not really. I do recognize that many things that sound fun in theory are in fact painstakingly boring, so I took an intro class at a community college as a sort of trial run. But then after that came OSU!)
When I started this program, the idea of getting another degree and finding a new job felt like this distant plan that would happen at some point in the nebulous future. But now two and a half years later, I’m in my last quarter, and suddenly that reality is frighteningly close. I have no regrets about making the switch to CS, and I really am excited to join this field and start my career; that said, the thought of entering the job market and applying what I’ve learned is still a little terrifying.
But right now, I intend to enjoy this last quarter and really have some fun working on this project. I’m looking forward to being on this ride with you all!
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