Thread: Hello

Hello everyone,

I'm 27 years old, happily married, and in my third year of college to better my family. Computers have always been a great interest of mine which started back when I was around 12. I started teaching myself html to design websites at around that age. From there I created a fairly active website, learned css and bought a vBulletin license to start playing with php. Three years ago I realized I wasn't going to get where I wanted to be in life without a college education so I went back to school. I continue to work fulltime as well as go to school fulltime which is a lot to take on; however, I am very motivated and proud to say I completed my AAS in two years and hopefully will finish my Bachelors in the next two.

Computer programming has always been a great interest of mine which led me to pursue Computer Science as a degree. I am finally into my core classes which I am currently learning Java programming in. I look forward to continuing to learn and develop my skills in this programming language and after doing some reading and research stumbled upon this website which I think will be a great resource for me. I look forward to becoming an active member and learning more on this forum!

Welcome jRele

Welcome. I am in a similar situation. FT work and study. It's quite a bit to take on and I often find myself burnt out.

I lurk more than I post but have found a little extra time to get more involved at the moment.

Have fun, it's a great community with some clever folk.

Thanks jps and Kewish. I think that the best thing you can do to keep yourself from being burnt out is to keep your eye on the end goal, or even smaller goals along the way. Don't lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel. Remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing. It is to better your life and to help support your family’s needs. I have done a small amount of reading here so far and I would have to agree with you. It seems like a great community and was a reason I decided to join.

Spot on. All counts.

I only burn myself out because I shoot for high distinctions and nothing less. And I'm a sucker for helping other students so I create Skype groups for each unit. Conversations that I must participate in. I have had weeks that can be as much at 100+ hours between work and study. Then followed by some corrective measures at my Chiropractor to straighten me out again. I really should focus on my posture when at the computer as much as I do the code.

Good luck and enjoy it here.

On another note, I find it interesting that you are just hitting your core units in your third year. Seems like an odd structure for a degree. We have 1st, 2nd and 3rd year core subjects. Followed by some relevant electives both normal and advanced. Finally your minor stream subjects. Regardless, well done on going back to study!

Kewish,

Yes, I wish I could have been working on my core units earlier on; however, I was at a two year University closer to home that I had to take all of my general education classes at which got my AAS degree. I just transferred over to a four year University this fall to begin work on my Bachelor degree and am now working on all of my core classes if that makes any sense. I did take some computer science classes in my first two years, but this is my first programming class where I am actually learning something new "Java."

Ah righto. That makes sense. I have the benefit of being totally online so I forget sometimes that people need to go on campus physically. Have a blast with Java

Thanks, you too!