My experiences so far while working towards my Computer Science major has mainly been interacting with several different coding languages. I find myself simply relearning the basics of a coding language every time I transition to a new one. While it is good to refine one’s knowledge on the simple programs one can make, there comes a time when a programmer needs to move beyond the fundamentals. I took a Statistics course not too long ago where we used R Studio, and I was able to see the distribution of data points as we added more and more, resulting in what became more and more like a normal curve. While minimal coding occurred there, it was definitely interesting to see new code in action, something I hope to experience more as I progress through my degree.
My primary interest in studying Computer Science is Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. It amazes me that a program is able to learn like us humans, through trial and error, to be able to complete a task we would normally complete, but at much faster speeds. I watched a YouTuber by the alias “Code Bullet” who made a program that taught itself how to play “Snake” through trial and error. In our modern age, we are on the cusp of normalizing automatic vehicles; we are using face recognition as a lock for our mobile devices; we are having our online experiences personalized just for us. These are just three examples of how our machine learning is being integrated into our everyday lives.
For each ICS course I have taken so far, they have all required some form of group project. The randomized groups allowed for me to learn how to read an atmosphere and acting appropriately. Most of the groupmates I have had are very collaborative, realizing that we have the common goal of finishing our assignments, but some have slacked or freeloaded off of diligent students. I hope to develop good managerial skills in order to keep on top of my group assignments, regardless of how much contribution each team member gives. I really like learning via seeing how others solved a problem differently from mine. I feel that in a coding environment, that sort of collaboration can really heighten one’s expertise of code.