Now, I know what you’re thinking when you read the title. Computer science? That’s for nerds. And while I may be a nerd, computer science isn’t just for people like me. I’m here to tell you why.
Learn to Think Logically
Humans can overcome all sorts of problems. We can use brute force to solve many of them. For other problems, we can use our brains to infer the answers. But when we’re asked how we solved a problem, we might find ourselves at a loss for words. For instance, when I do Sudoku, I rarely stop and ask myself “what precise mental actions am I performing to solve this puzzle?” However, programming a computer to solve a problem requires you to develop a repeatable, logical approach to each issue. Computer science is one of the best ways to make you a better logical, step by step thinker. Incidentally, this is the same reason I recommend philosophy to people. Both subjects require you to walk through a logic problem step by step.
Effectively Communicate Your Ideas
Have you ever struggled to share a simple explanation for a complex process? I certainly have – I usually end up demonstrating the process instead. This kind of situation usually arises from not fully comprehending what you’re doing when you’re solving a given issue. With a computer, you must possess a complete understanding of the problem at hand before you can write a program to solve it for you. Then when you write the program, it rarely works unless it’s virtually error free. Because it’s very difficult to spot a coding error, lines of code must be highly organized. Studying computer science will help you systematically organize data and express it in easily digestible chunks. It becomes a breeze to explain a problem or solution to someone else.
Things Every Owner Should Know
If you own a car, you should know how the engine works at a rudimentary level. Even more important, you should know how to perform basic maintenance, such as changing the oil, etc. Without this knowledge, minor repairs turn into major ones before we notice a problem even exists. Your computer is a machine, so why treat it any differently? Taking an intro computer science class teaches you what’s happening under your keyboard. It can help you diagnose a problem or recognize the cause when something goes wrong. It’s such a valuable skill, some people even believe kindergartners should learn computer science. Most of all, having knowledge about basic hardware and software will make you a much savvier buyer when you purchase your next computer.
So have I convinced you? Will you be signing up for a computer science class in the fall? Let me know down below!