I am not terribly experienced in computer science, but I have always been interested in the subject. Because my high school did not offer any sort of computer science course except web design, I decided three years ago that I would take a class in java over summer. This was all the experience that I would get up to this point, but it has ultimately shaped my decision to become a computer science major at Duke.
Computer Autobiography
I first started using a computer when I was around 5 years old, and still remember getting very excited every time my dad would let me play video games on it. My favorite was some sort of vertical scrolling space shooter that I cant remember the name of, but I do remember vividly getting to level 100 and then dying on the last boss. I have used a wide range of computers – currently in my household we have one windows desktops, 3 windows laptops, and 2 Mac OS laptops. I have played around with various flavors of linux occasionally, with the most recent time being on the duke public computers which run centOS. I use computers a daily basis not only to check facebook and chat online, but also to do some homework and play internet games. I also use my laptop to watch movies and listen to music because I lack a portable music player. This usually ends with me doing homework in front of my computer while listening to music, which then subsequently leads to me procrastinating on facebook.
The event that got me interested in computer science was when I first decided to open up my desktop computer for fun when I was around 13. The insides of electronics had always fascinated me, and my interest in hardware led also to my interest in programming as well. Unfortunately, my high school did not offer any sort of computer science class, so I was forced to take a beginners class in java over the summer of my freshman year, which piqued my interest even more.
Reading the articles “Programming doesn't begin to define computer science” by Jim Morris and “A Techie, Absolutely, and More” by Steve Lohr, have opened my eyes to the truly groundbreaking field that computer science has developed into in modern times. Currently, though I a computer science major, I plan on completing premed requirements and using my computer science skills to help contribute technologically to the medical field. The Morris article’s section on the relation between computer science and medicine provided a clear example as to what my academic goals could lead to, and has made me very excited to see what is in store for the years to come. The Lohr article again made me feel that I was not alone in my somewhat unorthodox mix of major and ambition, as computer science majors are no longer thought of to be exclusively nerdy, antisocial humans.
For this course, I hope mainly to refresh my program writing abilities, so I am looking most forward to writing basic algorithmic programs to recharge my logic skills and problem tackling skills. However, in the future I hope to help develop programs which can provide breakthroughs in the medical field. Other than that, I do not forsee myself using computers much differently in the future – it will still be my primary means of entertainment and communication, with a little productivity on the side.