Why I Chose Computer Science (and Why I’m Sticking With It)

Growing up, I always thought I would be a lawyer. I loved debate, logic, and the idea of fighting for what was right. So, when I started college, choosing Political Science as my major felt like the obvious path. For two years, I studied political systems, law, and policy, chasing the dream I thought I was supposed to have.

But somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling right.

It’s not that I didn’t find Political Science interesting—because I did. But deep down, I realized I wasn’t passionate about it. I couldn’t picture myself spending the rest of my life in courtrooms or government offices. So I made one of the hardest decisions you can make as a college student: I admitted it wasn’t for me.

When I told my advisor I wanted to change majors, he didn’t exactly offer a pep talk. He told me he didn’t think I would make it. Honestly, that stung. But it also made me more determined to find the right path for myself.

With a nudge from my mom—and a little inspiration from my love for Star Trek—I decided to take a chance and sign up for a programming class. I had never programmed a single day in my life. I barely even knew what to expect. But I gave it everything I had.

And you know what? I got a B.

Maybe for some people that’s just “an okay grade,” but for someone starting from zero, it felt like a victory. It felt like proof that maybe, just maybe, I had found something that made sense for me.

After that, I officially changed my major to Computer Science—and I haven’t looked back since.

I realized that I had always loved computers. I was the kid who would mess around with settings, try to fix things that were broken, and lose hours experimenting with tech. I just didn’t realize there was a way to turn that curiosity into a career.

Programming challenges me every single day. It’s not always easy. There are moments where I stare at my screen for what feels like forever, wondering if I’m doing anything right. But there’s also nothing like the feeling of getting a program to finally work after hours of trying.

Changing majors felt scary, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made—and even prouder that I trusted myself enough to start over. I might not be wearing a lawyer’s suit and arguing in courtrooms, but I’m building something just as powerful: a future that actually feels like mine.

And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.