Is being a programmer worth it?

snowflacke · 2016-06-10T09:43:59+00:00

Based on the fact that you are 17, I would strongly recommend an undergraduate in computer science or related field. You in the beginning and you will have a wider catalog of choices at the end which I would recommend because you don't really know what you are signing up for. Don't make a specific choice yet. Forget courses. You are young, no adult stuff to do (I assume), no kids (I assume) and so on, it would be stupid to not get a proper education.

Is it worth? 100%, hands down. Don't choose it for the advantages or disadvantages. You will understand when you get good at it that it is the second most powerful profession after physics.

Docbear64 · 2016-06-10T05:52:14+00:00

I enjoy it but I had to learn to enjoy it. If you derive pleasure from figuring shit out and building logical structures go for it. It can be high pressure and depending on your field of study some work environments are better than others.

Do you have a specific field of programming you want to pursue? Web? App? Game? Network? Lots of options out there.

I will say Apekx9 isn't terribly far off bugs are a part of life and some days my brain has been obliterated. It's mentally strenuous versus physically strenuous at times which means some nights o come home and watch SpongeBob to just free my mind of the burden of a complex structure and it's many moving parts.

Worst comes to worst go to codeacademy.com and try a lesson or two, the job is that without a guide and repeated times 20.

Apexk9 · 2016-06-10T04:56:01+00:00

Do you enjoy sitting in o e spot for 8 hours coding then having moments when the code looks perfect but everything is fucked and you need to fix it?

UprisingRP · 2016-06-10T12:39:51+00:00

I did two semesters of programming at uni. Didn't like it at all because of the culture (nerds) and well, sitting 8 hours in front of a computer.

Changed to law since last semester and couldn't be more happy about it.

crixusin · 2016-06-10T12:41:15+00:00

I've talked about this before, but I love my job.

If you're good at it, you learn to automate the job of a actually programming. So I write programs that write programs, and I essentially do nothing.

Most of my day is spent watching videos, learning stuff, being on reddit, online shopping.

I'm 25 and will make 150k next year, made 120k this year.

Eyes_Of_The_Dragon · 2016-06-10T12:55:51+00:00

I am a programmer and make 6 figures in a 5 figure town. But I sit in a cube all day and work with socially inept geeks.

AFPJ · 2016-06-10T06:32:18+00:00

Programming is one of the few things you don't need college to get a baller job in so if you ARE thinking about doing it, don't go to college. Self-study, make a portfolio, freelance while you fight tooth & nail to land the first job: once you've been there for a year nobody will give a flying fuck about your background or previous history.

You're basically choosing between:

Two years of hard work, savings in the bank and - although not promised - a near certain future career.
Two years of slacking off, going way into debt & although falsely promised, a very catch-22 graduation.

Title	Is being a programmer worth it?
Author	logic-denier
Upvotes	5
Comments	21
Date	June 10, 2016 4:54 AM UTC (10 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/4nesi4/is_being_a_programmer_worth_it/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/is-being-a-programmer-worth-it.106707 https://theredarchive.com/post/106707

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