history of 4 years of study at a university to become a programmer
In June 2024, we successfully defended our diplomas. “We” are all those who survived until the last semester, but it is worth saying that only 60-70% of students survived until it. Some could not cope with their studies, some could not pass their coursework or exams, some voluntarily left, and some took academic etc.
To complete the picture, I will say a few words about my classmates. Almost all of them were quite friendly and often hung out in spontaneously formed groups. From personal observations, I can say that only 2-3 students were interested in programming. It was these 2-3 students who got jobs as programmers. A couple of people went to IT-related positions, like project manager/project manager. I know little about the fates of the rest, since I was not particularly sociable, but I doubt that they became programmers.
Summary
Some people say that it is worth studying at a university because of the deferment, useful knowledge, network and connections. However, I will say this about the network. In 4 years at the university, I found a maximum of a couple of dozen classmates, a few good acquaintances, and only one close friend, and even then he took an academic leave. Whether 4 years of study are worth it is up to you to decide. I have not yet noticed any significant benefits from these acquaintances. Perhaps it is too early to draw conclusions. In addition, I am a bit of an antisocial type and feel that I lack communication skills – perhaps this is the reason.
However, I still found some advantages for myself: a deferment from the army, at least some communication and socialization, as well as the discovery of new opportunities and paths for further development. For example, a tour for students of the office of an IT company in my second year helped me not to quit my studies. I began to study programming more diligently, and I had a goal to get a job there.
It's hard to describe the impressions from this tour. I'm a 19-year-old kid who grew up in a village all his life and cleaned manure on a farm, and I saw how IT specialists work. A spacious, cozy and bright office, with air conditioning, with coffee machines with free candies, with rest rooms, with gyms, with the opportunity to play table tennis – for me it was something out of the realm of fantasy. Of course, you just get used to it over time, and some conditions change, for example, the free candies disappeared 🙁
Looking back on four years of study, I understand that this path was full of trials, sad, difficult and happy moments. These years taught me important things: not to put off work until the last minute, to make backups of work on the cloud and the ability to not give up. I realized that every, even the most insignificant knowledge and skill can be useful in the future.
That's all! Thank you for reading to the end.
