I just wanted to say, "GUESS WHAT?"

(You ask, "What?")

I've been in a pickle. See, I was schooling myself in computer networking. It's not really a degree, but rather a "concentration" that bundles an unknown "Associates Degree in Microsoft Networking" with Microsoft and CompTIA certifications. It was okay, but it soon got very old. To be honest, there was a lot of just plain old memorization and a lot of "this is what [networking component] should do, but it doesn't always, and here are ways it can differ" and a lot of "when troubleshooting [networking component], you should always try this first, but it won't always work, so just be a good troubleshooter." In other words, I quickly realized there's a theoretical science behind networking, but in practical application? Everything you know should be suspended because each network is basically a wad of cables and a lot of prayer. That's not the life for me. I want strict rules. Give me something like Mathematics and I'll eat it up! Perfect, ultimate IF/THEN rules that never change from equation to equation. Addition is addition, multiplaction is multiplication. When it gets complicated, it's still just addition and multiplication.

So I decided to transfer to a university that offered Computer Science: Indiana Wesleyan University. Not exactly what I expected, but I quickly realized the vastly different approach to programming from networking. I mean, the intoductory class was nothing I haven't already learned, but I like it all the same once the professor started giving us more freedom in our programs. There were problems, of course, but it was always something like "oops, I forgot a semicolon!" and nothing like in networking where you do everything you're supposed to and it just doesn't work because it doesn't want to. I can't stand that!

And then I met the love of my life. Macroeconomics. It was perfect in every way. It was as logical as math and programming! Once you learned a rule and took it to the next step to make it more complicated, it still made sense. If you made a mistake, you could rest assured that you were the one in error and that it wasn't some complicated relative unknown variable like the rainy weather that was breaking all the rules. It was heaven. My first class of the day at 7:50am and I was wide awake and taking it all in: "Oh, so that's why Obama is pursuing that terrible plan!" "I see, so when they print money, it artificially lowers interest rates on savings and that's why we get asset bubbles!" "Woah, so that's why a recession happens?" "Why can't the government take this class and solve all our problems right now?!" Great revelations such as these made it all the more attractive.

And thus came my pickle: Do I do what is probably the smart thing and stay with a major in Computer Science? Do I bundle my lifetime hobby with a degree so I can work on something I already know so very well? Or do I switch to Economics? Do I advance a relatively new, although still very strong, hobby of political commentary and get a degree in something related so I then have authority in what I say? I know what jobs a Computer Science degree can get, but how does an Economics degree help me get a job, anyway? WHAT DO I DO? Well, pray, of course. Which I am still doing. But an opportunity presented itself during one of the awesome lunches my Economics professor holds before every exam!

He asked me what my major was, and I told him. Then I said, "Although, I was wanting to ask you who I would talk to about switching my major to Economics?" And he gave the perfect answer: "Well, me!" Apparently, he's the Economics program advisor, which is... Perfect. I can't say it any other way. It was always in the back of my mind that if he was the advisor, then I would have a really hard time staying with Computer Science. When it turned out that he actually was, I literally said, "Niiiice!" After that, he said they have brochures that explain what jobs an Economics major can get (mostly investment, banking or government, which is awesome) and that since I caught him before I was a Junior, I could still probably get Computer Science AND Economics done in the same time.

Woah, what? Double major? I had considered it before, but I thought it was far too weird. Programming and investment? What? I had abandoned that idea. On the one hand, it would give me two completely different sets of jobs to pick from, but, on the other, I could double major Computer Science and Mathematics and be so much more "buffed" in one job area. Apparently, though, he's had several CS/Econ majors before. I knew he was trying to prove a point when he changed his tone and asked why I picked Computer Science. I knew it was a trick question, but I just went for it and explained to him that I was in computer networking, but it's so unpredictable and I went with CS because it's far more rule-based and if something doesn't work, it's not something out of your control. And he, also, literally said, "Aha! That's why you like Economics so much, too! It's the logic!" At that point, I knew what I was gonna do.

Well, relatively speaking. I'm still praying about it. Seriously, with something that's literally going to impact the rest of my natural life, I need some divine help here! I think I've got a green light. I'm excited and can't wait until the Fall. I figure the only thing that could hold me back is money. I still haven't formed an opinion on loans. I'm usually of the opinion that loans should be avoided at all costs... But since I'm paying for college myself, I have to take all the government aid I can get. FAFSA and Stafford loans. It makes me unhappy, but is there any other choice? On the bright side, since Indiana has such a nice grant, I don't have to draw so much on loans. With my estimates, I can live at home for a year after I graduate and be able to pay back my loans if that's all I did. Is that Biblical? I don't know. Bill Gothard doesn't seem to think so, but the Israelites got their law from God Himself and in that law were several things about helping alleviate loans that people couldn't pay back. I mean, these laws were for paying back loans, not preventing loans. He obviously allowed for loans and debt if they were planned wisely.

So I don't know. I guess I'll wait and see how it all unfolds. But, to be honest, it's not like I have any other alternatives if I can't go to school. I do so well in the academic setting, too. I love it there! I'm expecting all As again this semester, too. Maybe some Bs. We'll see. It's not like I want a bunch of As to show off... If I don't get an A, that proves to me that I didn't work hard enough. Oh well. We'll see after Wednesday! My final final! (Hah... Final final. I made a funny!)

But, indeed. My plan for the future: Double major in Computer Science and Economics. Hopefully, I'll be able to use these skills to either work at a university (my personal choice would be, of course, IWU) or maybe even a bank. Maybe I could write banking software? That would be awesome. Maybe CS/Econ is a good thing, after all! Totally different, yet so very similar.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 19th, 2009 at 10:52 pm and is filed under General.