I recently took my last exam and am looking forward to graduating in September/October 🙌
This article answers the following questions:
- Does University make sense?
- What did I learn at university?
- How to get the most out of it?
NOTE ⚠️ My considerations are computer science student to computer science student, what I say is based on personal experience and can vary greatly, everyone is different.
Does University make sense?
Short answer: YES.
It still opens doors that would otherwise be closed to you… but having a bachelor’s or master’s degree written on your CV does not automatically guarantee success. (Especially if your university is not among the top-ranked ones).
You have to supplement your time with experiences and projects that can be useful out there, to get noticed among the masses you have to act differently from the masses
If you are still not convinced, it is because you have a plan B in mind. Answer these questions if you are in doubt about what to do:
- Does this path bring me closer to my long-term goal?
- What do the statistics say about people following this path?
- How easy is it to turn around once you have started?
What Did I learn at university?
A bunch of technical stuff, that’s for sure. Now… I know what you’re thinking. I see you 🙄
You are the classic computer science student who thinks that university does not prepare you enough for the actual job, the technologies explained are outdated or too theoretical.
The truth is that adjustments can be made, always, but the average level is not that bad. Remember what I said in the previous block: you have to supplement to complete your preparation.
I can say without any fear that I have learned a framework for efficiently studying and understanding complex topics. I have learned to formalise my ideas and measure requirements and results.
Every course I have taken, especially those in mathematics and theory, has formed and improved this basis on which anything can be built. 🏗️
Is university the one and only way to get there? NO ❌
Is it the most standardized one? Probably 🙂
Do all those who attend university acquire these extraordinary skills? No, sadly 🎯
As always, the reality is much more complicated, but the good news is that there are things you can do to make the most of the experience.
How to get the most out of it?
Networking
The students around you have their own lives…. I know… it’s shocking.
We hardly ever think about the people around us, but they can make a difference, in the future when you need a referral having a good network of people will be essential.
Not only in the future but talking to people with different interests and skills could lead you to give shape to that intuition you had in the last period.
Experiences
This is probably the most important aspect that is often not sufficiently explored (I also feel that I could have done much more on this point).
Experiences… do you have any idea how many experiences you can have while you are at university that you cannot have once you leave?
I’m talking about Erasmus, hackathons, internships in big companies, networking events and much more, these are unmissable opportunities that can really change your personal and working life.
Direction
University is also a good starting point, a place to find one’s place in the world, a place to define one’s direction and to focus one’s interests.
Many people take a gap year to find a direction…. I say go to university, get curious, exploit the system, make the most of it and find your own path.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped you, do you have questions about my journey? Get in touch.