As I navigate my senior year at Pomona College, I find myself reminiscing about my freshman year and the experiences that shaped me. Two vivid memories stand out: my friendships with six seniors and my tumultuous relationship with my introductory computer science class, CS 051. These experiences, though seemingly unrelated at the time, have come full circle as I work on my senior thesis today.
Learning from Seniors and Struggling Through My First Computer Science Experience
One of my most cherished memories from my freshman year was the time spent with six seniors who became my friends and mentors. Their intelligence and dedication, particularly as they worked on their senior theses, left me both inspired and intimidated.
Listening to their discussions on chemistry, neuroscience, and public policy analysis projects, I often wondered whether I would ever be capable of completing such a significant academic endeavor. Their mix of excitement, stress, and exhaustion painted a vivid picture of the challenges that awaited me in my final year.
My introduction to computer science through CS 051 was anything but smooth. As a requirement for my cognitive science major, the course was my first real exposure to programming, and it proved to be overwhelming. I dreaded my Monday evening lab sessions, where a single problem could consume hours of my time.
However, despite my struggles, I found moments of enjoyment—especially when I used my newly learned skills to build a Korean drama recommender in Python. This paradoxical relationship with coding left me convinced that I would never voluntarily engage with it again.
Embracing the Challenges of Coding Again in My Senior Year Journey
Fast forward to my senior year, and ironically, I find myself once again immersed in Python as I work on my cognitive science thesis. Having avoided coding for nearly four years, I am now confronted with the same debugging frustrations that plagued me in CS 051.
Just as my senior friends once vented their struggles to me, I now find myself wanting to do the same. To make the process more bearable, I have embraced small comforts, like sipping wine while coding, in an attempt to romanticize my thesis work. This lighthearted ritual adds a touch of amusement to my otherwise stressful academic workload.
Despite the challenges, I know that I will persevere, just as my senior friends did before me. Writing a thesis is daunting, and the road ahead—filled with data collection, analysis, and writing—feels overwhelming. However, I have come to accept that stressful weekends are part of the journey, and I am finding ways to make them more enjoyable.
Years from now, I will likely look back and laugh at the image of myself coding with a glass of wine in hand. For now, I remind myself that no matter how difficult the process may be, I will make it through—just as I always have.