u/SnooConfections1353

Unpopular opinion: Georgia Tech's OMSCS classes are unnecessarily difficult and tedious. Or maybe the difficulty is necessary, depending on your goals.

For context, I'm currently taking a robotics course at a different institution that combines theory, hands-on work, projects, and research. Comparing the two, I find OMSCS unnecessarily more difficult. Sometimes it feels like doing “wax on, wax off” with Mr. Miyagi. I don't know about others, but I learn best when I understand maybe 50% of the theory, then work on a practical project that helps another 25–35% click. The rest I pick up on my own when I want to explore something in more depth.

Maybe OMSCS just isn't for me, but I feel like the amount of tedious coursework ends up pushing students to rely more on AI just to get through it. I wonder if a combination of practical projects and oral assessments, where students actually explain what they've learned, would be more effective than endless problem sets and assignments.

I'm not against academic rigor. I just don't think making something more tedious necessarily means students are learning more. And for those who breezed through these courses, maybe you're just smarter than me. I'm just sharing what my experience has been like.

I remember people saying, "Why do we need all this math in CS? You don't even use it in software engineering." And for a while, they were kind of right. You could make $150k-$300k building React components, wiring up APIs, doing CRUD work, and barely touch calculus, linear algebra, probability, optimization, or any of the harder stuff. No shade, but did people really think that kind of work was going to stay that valuable forever?

Now the straightforward implementation stuff is the first thing getting squeezed. AI is already pretty good at boilerplate, basic components, API glue, tests, and a lot of repetitive coding. That doesn't mean frontend or regular software engineering is cooked, but the bar is definitely getting higher. Meanwhile, a lot of the harder-to-fill jobs are the ones that need deeper technical skills: AI/ML, robotics, controls, optimization, distributed systems, research engineering, computer vision, large-scale systems, etc. And suddenly all that "useless" math is looking real useful lol.

I'm not saying everyone needs to become an AI researcher. I just think a lot of people confused "I don't use this in my current job" with "this has no value in my career." If AI can do more of the straightforward coding, then you probably need to bring more to the table than just being able to crank out code. Being able to actually understand the problem, reason through the hard parts, and design the system is starting to matter way more. Kinda wild how fast that flipped.

I’m a current grad student here. I got my CS degree from a state school and have had quite a bit of experience working in tech on both coasts. Even though I’m a student now, I still feel a little like an outsider looking in.

From my perspective, Dartmouth students are surprisingly wholesome. I say surprisingly because there are obviously a lot of students here who come from privileged backgrounds, and I assumed there would be more people who think they’re the smartest person in the room. But compared with students I’ve met from places like Stanford, Columbia, and other highly competitive schools, Dartmouth students don’t seem as interested in constantly trying to outcompete each other. Being “normal” seems pretty normal here, if that makes sense. They seem a lot more grounded(relatively speaking). I notice something similar with the alumni too. A lot of them seem to become accomplished but still relatively normal professionals. I’m sure there are fraudsters and huge egos here too, but they seem farther and fewer between. Maybe part of that is just because Dartmouth is smaller.

When I think about the value of college in the age of AI, I think it’s becoming less about access to information and more about what you do with it. How do you turn information into actual knowledge? How do you use that knowledge to improve yourself intellectually, personally, and professionally or even your community? And I think part of that education is also learning how to deal with people: how to build relationships, communicate well, disagree respectfully while still standing your ground, work with people who are different from you, negotiate fairly, treat people from all backgrounds with respect and decency, and build consensus when everyone doesn’t necessarily agree.

That kind of stuff is harder to download from a textbook or get from an AI model. Whether it’s the kind of people Dartmouth attracts, the culture of the student body, or the faculty and administration, it feels like they’re doing something right. My partner has noticed something similar at Amherst too. Obviously, both of our perspectives are anecdotal and probably somewhat biased, so take all of this with a grain of salt.

I get why some people are against unions and why some people support them. I also know unions have had mixed results in other industries. But one thing I keep thinkingg about is how little say individual software engineers actually have over where the industry is going.

We complain about bad software, AI slop, layoffs, outsourcing, unrealistic deadlines, and companies pushing things out before they’re ready, but what can one engineer really do? You can say something is a bad idea, unsafe, or rushed, but if the business wants it shipped, your leverage is pretty limited. And the financial pressure coming from executives, investors, and the market is obviously much stronger than the opinion of one engineer.

I also think engineers create a lot more intellectual value than we get credit for. People will say, "You don't own the IP, the company does," which is legally true in a lot of cases, but engineers are still the ones coming up with the architecture, designs, algorithms, systems, processes, and technical ideas that make the product work.

And this gets more serious when software is controlling cars, robots, medical systems, infrastructure, weapons, and other physicl systems. Bad software isn’t always just an annoying bug anymore. People can actually get hurt or killed. If engineers think something is unsafe or being rushed for profit, should we have more collective power to push back?

I’m not saying unions are automatically good or management is automaticaly bad. I’m just wondering whether software engineers should seriously start thinking about unionizing, because right now the balance of power feels pretty one-sided.

I think the characters in NSFW are more like aspirational Millennial characters than Gen Z. They use Gen Z slang and references, but that’s kind of where it ends.

No offense to Gen Z, but I think we’re failing Gen Z in a lot of ways as a society, especially when it comes to social interaction. You can see it in dating, friendships, social anxiety, and just how people interact with each other in real life. It feels very different from how the characters in NSFW are portrayed.

To me, the characters feel more like how Millennials imagined young adulthood. They’re confident, social, sexually open, and constantly interacting with people in real life. They just happen to talk like Gen Z.

There’s so much gloom around AI right now. AI can do this, build this, create that, and eventually it’s going to replace engineers. But anyone who has actually built something and had to keep it running knows that building the thing is the easy part. Maintaining something, and improving it over time is the hardest part. Things constantly change. Requirements change, users change, technology changes, priorities change, and sometimes the assumptions you made when you first built something aren’t even true a year later. The longer a system exists, the more context you have to keep track of. Why was this decision made? What depends on it? What breaks if we change it? What are we going to need two years from now? How do we improve one part without screwing up something else?

Being an engineer isn’t just reading a ticket, looking at the requirements, and wrting the code. It’s having the technical knowledge, context, and experience to take something from an idea through planning, design, and delivery, and then actually own it afterward. You maintain it, build on top of it, adapt it as things change, and hopefuly make it better over time. AI is going to make building things a lot easier, no question. Maybe someday it gets really good at all of the other stuff too. But creating something and actually owning and evolving it for years are two very different problems. Right now, that second part still requires a lot of human judgment, context, and experience, and I think we sometimes underestimate just how much of engineering is really about that.

Companies are already using AI to cut jobs and get more work out of fewer people. I think engineers should flip the table and use AI the same way, except to build our own stuff and compete with them. If you already have engineering experience plus actual domain knowledge, AI gives you a ridiculous amount of leverage to build products with smaller teams and potentially undercut companies that used to need way more people and money to do the same thing. Obviously it’s still an uphill battle because they have funding, customers, connections, and distribution, but the barrier to building something real is getting lower.

Georgia Tech gives us a pretty damn good technical foundation. Don’t just go through OMSCS, grind LeetCode, and use the degree to work for the man. Take what you learn, combine it with your experience and domain knowledge, use AI as leverage, and build something great.

There’s another post here about how we need to be more gatekeepy in tech, and I actually agree, but from a completely different perspective. I think we need to be more gatekeepy with our own knowledge.

Companies have shown again and again that they will always protect themselves first. The one time workers really had the upper hand and companies had to compete for talent, raise salaries, offer flexibility, and actually worry about retention, they immediately started looking for ways to flip the script back in their favor. Layoffs, outsourcing, offshoring, automation, RTO, shrinking teams, you name it. If the tables are turned, companies are not going to hesitate to get rid of us.

Meanwhile, people in tech are almost absurdly open about everything. We share knowledge, best practices, processes, tools, architecture decisions, documentation, interview strategies, and every trick we have learned along the way. People will say gatekeeping knowledge is selfish and that it slows down progress. Yes, sometimes we probably should be a little selfish. You do not need to share every piece of knowledge that makes you valuable or constantly teach everyone exactly how to do what you do. Let some things look like magic. Let people know that when you are around, certain problems somehow get solved.

Some people are probably going to say it is already too late. Maybe it is, to some extent. The best time to start doing this probably would have been 15 years ago, before we collectively put so much of our knowledge out there for free. But the second best time is now. Even if being more protective of our expertise only buys workers another 5 or 10 years of leverage, that is still 5 or 10 years. Let companies fuck around with your money and find out what happens when the person who actually knew how everything worked is gone.

I am not saying sabotage your team, intentionally write bad code, or hide information that would put a project at risk. I am saying stop acting like your employer has the same sense of loyalty toward you that you are expected to have toward them. Companies protect their competitive advantage. Workers should probably start protecting some of theirs too.

I’m actually kind of glad NSFW got canceled.

Don’t get me wrong, I warmed up to the show and ended up really liking it, so I’ll genuinely be sad if it doesn’t get picked up somewhere else. But I also think a lot of the criticism people have made about Mindy Kaling and her production company is fair. It feels like some of these shows have started to get a little phoned in.

I don’t think NSFW is nearly as bad as some people make it out to be, but if you look at the recent Mindy Kaling-produced shows, there does seem to be this gradual decline in the writing and overall quality. Not necessarily terrible shows, just increasingly formulaic and less polished.

So weirdly, I think the cancellation might actually be good for NSFW in the long run. If another network or streamer picks it up, hopefully it forces everyone involved to really look at what worked, what didn’t, and come back with a better-written and better-produced version of the show.

I want NSFW to survive. I just think it could be a much better show than what we got in the first season.

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I figured there might be some consultants or current/incoming MBA candidates here who would be interested in a short-term strategy project.

I’m helping a small woman-owned business that currently has a NASA contract, is expanding into work in the legal field, and has a couple of SaaS products currently being developed.

What we really need help with is figuring out how to make money from all of this. We want someone who can look at the business, identify the strongest revenue opportunities, help us understand what we should charge, which areas are actually worth pursuing, what could realistically become profitable, and where we should focus our time and capital.

So the work would really be about helping us build a clearer revenue and profitability strategy.

Maybe this is wishful thinking, but I figured there might also be some current or incoming MBA students here, including people from T15/M7 programs, who want to build out their portfolio, get some real-world strategy experience, or test their consulting/case strategy skills on an actual business.

Ideally, we’re looking for someone with consulting, corporate strategy, finance, or growth experience, but we’re open to someone who is still in school if they’re strong analytically and interested in working through a real business problem.

This would be a relatively short engagement. If it sounds interesting, feel free to comment or DM

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I figured there might be some consultants or current/incoming MBA candidates here who would be interested in a short-term strategy project.

I’m helping a small woman-owned business that currently has a NASA contract, is expanding into work in the legal field, and has a couple of SaaS products currently being developed.

What we really need help with is figuring out how to make money from all of this. We want someone who can look at the business, identify the strongest revenue opportunities, help us understand what we should charge, which areas are actually worth pursuing, what could realistically become profitable, and where we should focus our time and capital.

So the work would really be about helping us build a clearer revenue and profitability strategy.

Maybe this is wishful thinking, but I figured there might also be some current or incoming MBA students here, including people from T15/M7 programs, who want to build out their portfolio, get some real-world strategy experience, or test their consulting/case strategy skills on an actual business.

Ideally, we’re looking for someone with consulting, corporate strategy, finance, or growth experience, but we’re open to someone who is still in school if they’re strong analytically and interested in working through a real business problem.

This would be a relatively short engagement. If it sounds interesting, feel free to comment or DM

Finally watched Adults after seeing all the Adults fans come in here raving about it and saying Not Suitable for Work is basically a ripoff.

I gotta say, Adults is really funny. The actors are great and the writing is genuinely good. But at the same time, I’m a little disgusted by how much of a loser everyone in the group is lol. Like I enjoy watching them, but half the time I’m thinking, “Guys, please get your lives together.”

And I keep having this weird reaction where watching them makes me feel better about my own life because at least I’m not that much of a mess lol. But at the same time, if they’re even somewhat representative of current-day zillennials, then we are absolutely cooked.

I hope that doesn’t make me a bad person lol.

I know the CS job market has been bad (it actually has gone better this year), and there are many hardworking Americans doing everything right and still struggling. This isn't a "just work harder" argument, and I'm not saying the system is fair. But as the child of immigrants whose parents were both college educated in their home country and still ended up doing factory work here, I think a lot of Americans underestimate what hustling looks like in much of the rest of the world.

Look at South Koreans preparing for the Suneung, Indians competing for IITs and a limited number of good jobs, Chinese students taking the gaokao, or people across Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America competing for scholarships, visas, professional jobs, and opportunities that can completely change their family's trajectory. The level of competition and sacrifice can be brutal. Compared with that environment, Americans often pale in comparison when it comes to how aggressively people are conditioned to compete for opportunity.

I'm not saying this is how it should be. A lot of it is unhealthy, unfair, and probably shouldn't exist at all. But unfortunately, these are the rules created by people who currently hold power. Until enough people gain the power to change those rules, the reality for everyone else is that you often have to claw your way upward within the system that exists. You can recognize that the game is unfair but still find a way to beat it.

Trump does not really seem to have a long-term vision for the military. A lot of the time, it feels like he just goes with whatever the people around him are saying. His administration’s mix of isolationism, strong Israeli influence, and unpredictable foreign policy could end up being terrible for the American defense industry.

We are pushing away allies who also happen to be major customers of American defense companies. Even with the massive defense budget being proposed, which probably will not pass in its current form, I do not think it will make up for the business we could lose overseas. We are also giving those countries a reason to build their own weapons, buy from other suppliers, and become less dependent on the United States. Trump has even helped create a situation where buying Chinese weapons is becoming a serious option for some countries.

The one good thing that came out of the Iran war is that Christian Brose was proven right. Modern wars are going to require large numbers of cheaper, autonomous, and distributed systems instead of relying almost entirely on a small number of extremely expensive platforms. That is obviously good for Anduril’s overall argument.

But being right about the future of warfare does not automatically make Anduril a great investment. It still needs stable defense policy, predictable procurement, and access to allied markets.

I am not saying this just to attack Trump or criticize every one of his policies. I also think a President AOC could hurt the defense industry in different ways and potentially have a similar overall effect.

I just think this is worth talking about because what happens over the next few years could determine whether Anduril becomes the next Palantir or SpaceX, or whether it ends up being the next Peloton.

An MBA can be transformative, additive, redundant, or, in some cases, even harmful to your resume. It really depends on where you are in your career and what you expect to get out of it. After thinking about it for years, stalking this subreddit, and reading way too many other forums online, I finally decided to apply.

First is communication. I’m a veteran and an engineer, so I naturally speak in jargon and technical terms. That does not always translate well when I’m talking to customers, executives, investors, or other stakeholders. I’m also a first-generation immigrant, English is my second language, and I’m a nerd with zero media training. I even took an improv class to improve my communication skills. An in-person MBA gives you constant practice through presentations, group work, networking, and conversations with people from completely different backgrounds. You quickly realize that it does not matter how smart your idea is if the person receiving it does not understand it the way you intended.

Second is the network. I have a strong network from the military, and I never would have built it without joining. I’m now part of a community where people may trust or welcome me because we share that experience. For some people, getting into certain rooms is easier because of their family, friends, social circles, background, race, or even how they look. For me, the right MBA can help open doors and put me in rooms that would be much harder to enter otherwise.

Third is the knowledge. In the age of ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI tools, information is everywhere, but information is not the same as knowledge. The real challenge is figuring out how to find the right information, challenge it, apply it, and turn it into actual judgment. The right MBA can provide the structure, pressure, pedagogy, and environment to do that.

Fourth is checking the box. Some people already have the experience, leadership ability, communication skills, and network, but depending on their industry or target role, not having the credential can still hold them back. It may be unnecessary in a practical sense, but it can still be the box preventing someone from moving to the next level. Online and affordable degrees are great options for this.

Fifth is the brand. People are biased toward certain schools, whether they want to admit it or not. It does not necessarily have to be M7. A school may carry weight regionally, within a certain industry, or because of its alumni network and affinity groups. That brand can help you stand out in a pile of resumes, build credibility, change industries, raise money, or simply get people to take you more seriously.

Of course, there is an alternative. I could spend more time networking on my own, continue studying independently, take more improv or communication classes, and find other ways to develop these skills. I might get many of the same results in a shorter or longer amount of time and definitely for less money. What that path may not give me is the same credential, brand, or built-in access to certain networks and opportunities.

I do not expect an MBA to magically transform my career. For me, it is the combination of what i mentioned above in varying degrees is the reason why I finally decided to apply.

Yes to Pax Silica, basta done right, Filipinos are driving the effort, and the Philippines actually benefits. For context, Filipino ako. I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from a state university in the U.S. and a master’s degree in Computer Engineering from an Ivy League university, think Cornell, Dartmouth, or Columbia. I also work in AI and robotics at the bleeding edge of technology, so this is not just based on something I watched on TikTok or YouTube. I know what I am talking about.

The AI revolution is a once-in-a-lifetime technological transformation. Parang invention of the steam engine, nuclear technology, or the internet. Bihira mangyari ang ganitong klaseng shift, and the Philippines already has many of the ingredients needed to benefit from it. Think of AI as a five-layer cake. At the bottom is energy, followed by semiconductor chips, data centers and cloud infrastructure, AI models, and finally the inference and application layer, meaning the actual products and services people use.

Sa U.S., companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia are leading across different parts of the AI stack, from chips and infrastructure to models and applications. But even the U.S. still depends heavily on international supply chains, especially in Asia, for advanced chip fabrication, raw materials, specialized equipment, and talent. Taiwan has become one of the most important countries in the world because it mastered advanced semiconductor manufacturing, but it also depends on materials, equipment, energy, and partners from other countries, including the Philippines.

Dito pumapasok ang Philippines. We already have a large electronics and semiconductor industry, a young workforce, mineral resources, and a strategic location in Asia. We are also well positioned to expand solar, hydro, geothermal, offshore wind, and potentially nuclear power. Yes, heavily reliant pa rin tayo on imported oil because of corruption, privatization, and global events that happened during the 1970s and 1980s, pero ibang discussion na iyon. The point is that the Philippines has the resources and geographic advantages needed to build a more independent and sustainable energy system.

Compared with many developed countries, mas mura rin magtayo at mag-operate ng infrastructure dito. Of course, the AI and semiconductor development connected to Pax Silica can have serious environmental consequences. Data centers require massive amounts of electricity and water, while irresponsible mining can destroy communities and ecosystems. Pero hindi ibig sabihin na automatic na masama ang AI development or Pax Silica. With proper engineering, environmental protections, clean energy, water recycling, community participation, and strict enforcement, it can be done more sustainably. There are even ongoing studies into using bio-based materials, including wood-derived materials, in parts of semiconductor manufacturing.

Ang tunay na problem sa Pax Silica is not the technology itself. The danger is corruption, political capture, economic imperialism, and Filipino politicians who are willing to sell our land, resources, and labor while foreign corporations take most of the value. We cannot be satisfied with merely hosting foreign data centers, exporting raw materials, or providing cheap labor. Kailangan Filipino companies, engineers, scientists, universities, workers, and communities ang kasama sa ownership and decision-making. We need real technology transfer, local research and development, scholarships, high-paying technical jobs, domestic manufacturing, environmental safeguards, and Filipino ownership of the infrastructure being built.

Hindi puwedeng tayo ang magmina, tayo ang mawalan ng lupa, tayo ang magbigay ng murang labor, tayo and mag sa suffer ng envorinmental impacts, tapos ibang bansa at foreign corporations and a few corrupt Filipinos lang ang yayaman. But if Pax Silica is done right, led by the right people, and structured so Filipinos capture the long-term value, the AI revolution could become an opportunity for the Philippines to rise like a phoenix and become a major regional economic and technological powerhouse. So yes to Pax Silica, but only if Filipinos are not merely workers or spectators. We must be builders, owners, researchers, engineers, and leaders.

Yes to Pax Silica, basta done right, Filipinos are driving the effort, and the Philippines actually benefits. For context, Filipino ako. I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from a state university in the U.S. and a master’s degree in Computer Engineering from an Ivy League university, think Cornell, Dartmouth, or Columbia. I also work in AI and robotics at the bleeding edge of technology, so this is not just based on something I watched on TikTok or YouTube. I know what I am talking about.

The AI revolution is a once-in-a-lifetime technological transformation. Parang invention of the steam engine, nuclear technology, or the internet. Bihira mangyari ang ganitong klaseng shift, and the Philippines already has many of the ingredients needed to benefit from it. Think of AI as a five-layer cake. At the bottom is energy, followed by semiconductor chips, data centers and cloud infrastructure, AI models, and finally the inference and application layer, meaning the actual products and services people use.

Sa U.S., companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia are leading across different parts of the AI stack, from chips and infrastructure to models and applications. But even the U.S. still depends heavily on international supply chains, especially in Asia, for advanced chip fabrication, raw materials, specialized equipment, and talent. Taiwan has become one of the most important countries in the world because it mastered advanced semiconductor manufacturing, but it also depends on materials, equipment, energy, and partners from other countries, including the Philippines.

Dito pumapasok ang Philippines. We already have a large electronics and semiconductor industry, a young workforce, mineral resources, and a strategic location in Asia. We are also well positioned to expand solar, hydro, geothermal, offshore wind, and potentially nuclear power. Yes, heavily reliant pa rin tayo on imported oil because of corruption, privatization, and global events that happened during the 1970s and 1980s, pero ibang discussion na iyon. The point is that the Philippines has the resources and geographic advantages needed to build a more independent and sustainable energy system.

Compared with many developed countries, mas mura rin magtayo at mag-operate ng infrastructure dito. Of course, the AI and semiconductor development connected to Pax Silica can have serious environmental consequences. Data centers require massive amounts of electricity and water, while irresponsible mining can destroy communities and ecosystems. Pero hindi ibig sabihin na automatic na masama ang AI development or Pax Silica. With proper engineering, environmental protections, clean energy, water recycling, community participation, and strict enforcement, it can be done more sustainably. There are even ongoing studies into using bio-based materials, including wood-derived materials, in parts of semiconductor manufacturing.

Ang tunay na problem sa Pax Silica is not the technology itself. The danger is corruption, political capture, economic imperialism, and Filipino politicians who are willing to sell our land, resources, and labor while foreign corporations take most of the value. We cannot be satisfied with merely hosting foreign data centers, exporting raw materials, or providing cheap labor. Kailangan Filipino companies, engineers, scientists, universities, workers, and communities ang kasama sa ownership and decision-making. We need real technology transfer, local research and development, scholarships, high-paying technical jobs, domestic manufacturing, environmental safeguards, and Filipino ownership of the infrastructure being built.

Hindi puwedeng tayo ang magmina, tayo ang mawalan ng lupa, tayo ang magbigay ng murang labor, tayo and mag sa suffer ng envorinmental impacts, tapos ibang bansa at foreign corporations and a few corrupt Filipinos lang ang yayaman. But if Pax Silica is done right, led by the right people, and structured so Filipinos capture the long-term value, the AI revolution could become an opportunity for the Philippines to rise like a phoenix and become a major regional economic and technological powerhouse. So yes to Pax Silica, but only if Filipinos are not merely workers or spectators. We must be builders, owners, researchers, engineers, and leaders.

I started “coding” in high school by customizing MySpace and Friendster pages. From there, I took computer hardware, AP programming in Java, and a bunch of STEM classes like chemistry, physics, statistics, and calculus. I graduated during the Great Recession. My mom got laid off, and we were a household that needed two incomes just to survive. I had a full-tuition scholarship, but I still could not afford books, transportation, living expenses, and everything else that came with college. Couldn't even qualify for any types of student loan because of our financial situation (and not knowing how the system really works because my parents never went to college). It was also almost impossible to find a decent job right out of high school without a degree. On top of that, I did not have a good relationship with my traditional immigrant parents, mainly because I was LGBT, and I was homeless at one point.

I ended up working back kitchen restaurant jobs (dishwasher and fast food) in two different nearby towns. Between walking and taking the bus, I spent about three hours commuting every day. I did that for almost a year while waiting to ship out to Navy boot camp. In the Navy, I was literally a janitor, warehouse worker, and back-kitchen worker. Eventually, I gained enough trust to move into more technical work. I started doing database administration, systems administration, data analysis, networking, and communications. I deployed overseas, including to war-zone areas, and took college classes whenever I could. I failed a bunch of them. It was not because I was dumb. School just had to take a back seat to work, deployments, and whatever else I needed to do to survive.

After I got out, I kept pursuing computer science. I went to a coding boot camp and finally got my CS degree. A small company took a chance on me at $60,000 a year. Eight years later, my salary has more than quadrupled. I am still not making the huge big-tech salaries people post about online, and like everyone else, I am concerned about what AI will do to our industry. It took a lot to get to where I am, but some may have had it harder. I am tired but I am not defeated. Would I choose a different career if I could go back? No. Everything I went through helped make me who I am today.

For the past few months, I have also been building my own business. It is starting to get some traction, and I am having conversations about funding. Who knows where it will go, but the combination of my life experience and technical skills is what gave me the confidence to make that leap. Life has highs and lows. When things are going well, enjoy it, but remember it will not always stay that way. Save money and prepare for rainy days. When things are going badly, it is okay to be sad. It is okay to be tired. But keep going because the storm will pass. Eventually, the rain stops.

I started “coding” in high school by customizing MySpace and Friendster pages. From there, I took computer hardware, AP programming in Java, and a bunch of STEM classes like chemistry, physics, statistics, and calculus. I graduated during the Great Recession. My mom got laid off, and we were a household that needed two incomes just to survive. I had a full-tuition scholarship, but I still could not afford books, transportation, living expenses, and everything else that came with college. Couldn't even qualify for any types of student loan because of our financial situation (and not knowing how the system really works because my parents never went to college). It was also almost impossible to find a decent job right out of high school without a degree. On top of that, I did not have a good relationship with my traditional immigrant parents, mainly because I was LGBT, and I was homeless at one point.

I ended up working back kitchen restaurant jobs (dishwasher and fast food) in two different nearby towns. Between walking and taking the bus, I spent about three hours commuting every day. I did that for almost a year while waiting to ship out to Navy boot camp. In the Navy, I was literally a janitor, warehouse worker, and back-kitchen worker. Eventually, I gained enough trust to move into more technical work. I started doing database administration, systems administration, data analysis, networking, and communications. I deployed overseas, including to war-zone areas, and took college classes whenever I could. I failed a bunch of them. It was not because I was dumb. School just had to take a back seat to work, deployments, and whatever else I needed to do to survive.

After I got out, I kept pursuing computer science. I went to a coding boot camp and finally got my CS degree. A small company took a chance on me at $60,000 a year. Eight years later, my salary has more than quadrupled. I am still not making the huge big-tech salaries people post about online, and like everyone else, I am concerned about what AI will do to our industry. It took a lot to get to where I am, but some may have had it harder. I am tired but I am not defeated. Would I choose a different career if I could go back? No. Everything I went through helped make me who I am today.

For the past few months, I have also been building my own business. It is starting to get some traction, and I am having conversations about funding. Who knows where it will go, but the combination of my life experience and technical skills is what gave me the confidence to make that leap. Life has highs and lows. When things are going well, enjoy it, but remember it will not always stay that way. Save money and prepare for rainy days. When things are going badly, it is okay to be sad. It is okay to be tired. But keep going because the storm will pass. Eventually, the rain stops.