#WallOfText NeedMoreSleep Help Me Please TechTalk

[cs-major]

Computer Science... Yay~...

My name’s Jay, and I’m in Computer Science because that’s where all the future jobs are.

In the past, IT has been a joke. Half the time, their first suggestion would be “turn it off and on again” and it would work, but computers are getting smarter, more complicated. Eventually, they’ll be able to do the “off and on again” thing on their own. But that won’t mean IT will be useless. That just means the job becomes even more important. No longer will they be plugging in consoles and holding power buttons, but solving real problems.

I’m not sure what those problems would be, yet—but that’s why I’m taking these classes! To learn. Learn how to make programs and what it means to be a programmer, and how to use computers and technology.

So, that’s why I chose Computer Science, but why did I pick Kansas State University, you ask?

The money.

I was offered the lowest price with the highest scholarship. That’s the short answer; and, while that’s a decent part of why I came here, there’s more, equally important reasons.

I enjoyed my visit. When I first visited Manhattan, it seemed like a quaint little town with a few restaurants and a barbershop, but now that I’ve gotten to know it, I’m even more happy I stayed. The buildings were all new, Wefald Hall—the dorm I’ve lived in both years—was weeks away from completion… it had the best amenities for the lowest cost, and I knew I’d get a quality education here. The choice seemed obvious.

Now, to get back on track for the assignment, I’ll continue to talk about myself.

I do have hobbies. Not many hobbies, but they’re there. For example, I love to ski! I don’t get to often—not much snow in Kansas, and even fewer mountains—but every once in a while, I’ll go west to Colorado for some good slopes.

I also enjoy fictional writing. It’s been a long while since I’ve been able to pick up the proverbial pen, but I still consider myself a writer. I’m just taking an extended hiatus!

Then Netflix. But everyone watches TV and stuff, so I guess that doesn’t really count.

Next, my family. We’re not exactly close, me and them, but they’re pretty tightly knit. I was glad to get out of the house, but I do miss them sometimes. (though “sometimes” is probably an exaggeration)

They were good parents, and my brother isn’t a hellspawn, but that’s not why I feel out of place there. I can’t really explain it, either. I just feel like I belong elsewhere, and I’m not sure where that is, yet. I’ll find it in time, though.

I have, and still work, at the local soccer complex, back in Overland park (where I’m from, which will have a paragraph all its own after this one, now that I realize I skipped it). It’s a good job, pays well, isn’t too busy, has good hours, only open on the weekend, etc. There’s nothing really exciting about it—I mean, I’m a concessions attendant. I get people food and take their money—but it’s still a job, and I need money.

Overland Park! I completely missed that question, somehow… maybe I was just so focused on the question that usually comes first, “Why K-State?” but that’s in the past. Let’s continue.

Overland Park is a suburb of Kansas City, next to Olathe, Lenexa, and (on the other side of the state line) Grandview. We lived in a cul-de-sac and made friends with the neighbors. The school was just down the road and nobody really made a fuss. It was quiet. It was nice. But, now that I’m out in the world, where it’s always a hustle and a bustle, I’m not sure I could go back. At least, not to stay for any extended period of time. Weekends are good, a week at the most. This summer was terrible. Months back there… I was bored out of my mind!! But, again, now I’m back and I can get into the swing of things once more.

Most people fear spiders or drowning. Personally, I’m afraid of heights. Or, more accurately, falling from heights… actually, scratch that, I’m most afraid of the sudden stop at the end. Yeah, that’s accurate. Oh, and death. But the only people not afraid of death are those who don’t care if they live anymore, so it’s probably a good thing I fear death. And I’d reverse the order, if I were putting them on a “most to least” list. Like, death, then heights, etc. etc. etc.

Of course, there isn’t a question about fears, but one does ask about my plans after college, and that’s my next biggest fear. The future. I have no idea what it holds for me. Heck, I don’t know what I’m going to do for dinner, let alone a career! I have an idea, like everyone else—finish college, get a degree, then find something that I can get paid for that doesn’t make me want to rip out my eyeballs and swallow them, then grow old and die. Easy. Now, all the details still elude me, but I think that’s kind of the best part of life. I don’t know what’s coming next, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be okay, and that’s enough for me.

And this is the part of the assignment where I’m not really talking about myself, anymore. The textbook!! The chapter that I look forward to most would have to be Computers that Learn and Adapt. AI (Artificial Intelligence) has always been something I thought was interesting. A man-made computer that could talk back to you… THE FUTURE!!! (insert Squidward meme) It will have access to computers in such a way that nobody ever has. If we integrate humans and computers even more, we may also create some way to essentially “plug people in” to have a direct interface with the machine. That’s something else I’m interested in, but less so, as I didn’t really enjoy Biology class in high school.

The other chapter I’d say I’m looking forward to is Speed: Parallel Computers. I have a computer (what I’m typing this essay on) that can load a google page in less than a second, generating thousands upon thousands of bits of data and almost as many search results. I want to know just how fast that process can get. When will we reach the atomic wall? When we make computers so small we can’t make them any smaller? How long until that happens? What will we do after that?

The next question asks about what online sources I get for tech news. It may be unpatriotic to say, but I actually usually go to BBC News: Technology. I feel like it gives a slightly wider view of the world news. In fact, I go to the page now, and the first story displayed is about a Chinese man who was jailed for helping internet-goers evade state blocks! International~~~ That’s another thing that’s gotten me into technology. The tech brings with it neigh infinite ways of bettering our world—but with it, just as many ways to ruin it. We need people who will make sure nobody abuses its power. And I hope to be able to make that a reality, somehow…

 And that’s a brief biography of me. Well over a thousand words and touching on every topic possible. I hope it doesn’t seem like it jumps around too much. It can be difficult to go from “family life” to “external references for technology news,” but I think I did an okay job.

Guess you’ll be the judge of that, though, won’t you?