Should i Change my major?

[imported_Armen]

This should be on Dr.Phil,
I just transfered to UCLA as a computer science major, even though i got accepted to UC Berkley, and turns out, my college that i transfered from, had a shi**y computer science department.
Anyways, Now I'm taking an advanced c++ class with buncha 19-18 year olds, who are way better programmers than i am apparently. (I should add, the topics are not hard to understand at all. )
I am busting my a** for this class and I'm getting all 30's and 40's on my homeworks and quizzes. I am trying not to feel bad since I was rusty on my c++ practice but I AM REALLY DISENCOURAGED.
I really enjoy programming but it's not a hobby of mine. My hobby is SOCIALIZING.
Should I change my major because I am not as good as the other programmers, even though I like my major?

 

[TallBill]

If you suck already, try harder or get out.

 

[Hyperblaze]

Some things are best left as hobbies, while other things can be pursued professionally....

As for which is which, only you can truly decide that. You need balance in life, work and play. What kind of issues are you having with programming?

 

[Epic Fail]

Originally posted by: Armen
My hobby is SOCIALIZING.

Stick with programming, then write MySpace 2.0 and post there.

 

[BigJ]

Do you have an actual understanding of the material when you're attempting the HW and quizzes? Or are you just going guns ablaze into these assignments?

The key is actually having an understanding of the material, just like any other course. This is where putting in extra time and practicing seemingly mundane exercises comes into play. If you don't have a strong foundation, then things can get very rough. I found this out the hard way with a few classes that built on previous material in different subjects.

 

[Safeway]

CompSci sucks. I'd get out of it ASAP. GO into advertising or marketing. Heard there are a lot of hot girls to socialize with.

 

[imported_Armen]

I finish my programs with a clear understanding of what they should do. And it seems they all work fine to me when i test them.
Well, i guest my foundation was a bit weak.
the BIG problem is I DON'T know what I'm doing wrong to get such low grades. I'm thinking of taking my codes to a tutor and tell him to teach me my problems.

maybe i should add again. when i look at the students in the class, They are the TV standard nerds. I mean the average of that class was 93 for the midterm. wtf?!
I feel like Im competing with the wrong breed.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: Armen
I finish my programs with a clear understanding of what they should do. And it seems they all work fine to me when i test them.
Well, i guest my foundation was a bit weak.
the BIG problem is I DON'T know what I'm doing wrong to get such low grades. I'm thinking of taking my codes to a tutor and tell him to teach me my problems.

Take your code to the professor or TA and say, "What am I doing wrong. I am failing, please help me."

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Armen
I finish my programs with a clear understanding of what they should do. And it seems they all work fine to me when i test them.
Well, i guest my foundation was a bit weak.
the BIG problem is I DON'T know what I'm doing wrong to get such low grades. I'm thinking of taking my codes to a tutor and tell him to teach me my problems.

In a bunch of my classes, there were very strict formatting and coding practices that had to be adhered to.

You may be getting crushed by not doing things like:
-Proper coding conventions such as variable names
-Indentation
-Commenting
etc.

This has been worth up to 30% of the value of the assignment, sometimes more when commenting was weighed even more heavily.

Absolutely go to your TA to see how you can improve.

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: Armen
I AM REALLY DISENCOURAGED.

kekeke I lawled pretty hard

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Originally posted by: Safeway

Originally posted by: Armen
I finish my programs with a clear understanding of what they should do. And it seems they all work fine to me when i test them.
Well, i guest my foundation was a bit weak.
the BIG problem is I DON'T know what I'm doing wrong to get such low grades. I'm thinking of taking my codes to a tutor and tell him to teach me my problems.

Take your code to the professor or TA and say, "What am I doing wrong. I am failing, please help me."

The biggest reason you should look at changing majors is the reaction you will get when you do this. CS profs and TA's take the attitude "what, you didn't snap to this in the first 3o seconds? Stop wasting my time. There's 20 more students waiting to take your place."

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Quintox

Originally posted by: Armen
I AM REALLY DISENCOURAGED.

kekeke I lawled pretty hard

meese tu.

 

[Kirby]

Originally posted by: Quintox

Originally posted by: Armen
I AM REALLY DISENCOURAGED.

kekeke I lawled pretty hard

I hope he doesn't change to English, he'll really fail. :laugh:

 

[imported_Armen]

http://www.somebodycares4u.com/id753.htm

 

[Safeway]

Are you Erwin Bourne? Is Jason your brother? Where is he?

 

[JS80]

Heh Pierre Omidyar inspire you to get into CS?

 

[Jmman]

Looking back on it, CS degrees require a crapload of work. If I had a dollar for every all-nighter I had to pull writing code I would be a rich man........

Just out of curiosity, what kind of programming assignments are they giving you?

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: Quintox

Originally posted by: Armen
I AM REALLY DISENCOURAGED.

kekeke I lawled pretty hard

meese tu.

I almost shot milk out of my nose, and I have not had any milk since yesterday.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Armen
the BIG problem is I DON'T know what I'm doing wrong to get such low grades.

Why haven't you asked the TA or instructor about this? They are the ones who can tell you what you've done wrong, not us.

You need to find out what you're doing wrong, then stop doing it.

 

[ChaoZ]

I used to be a CS major and found out it just wasn't right for me. I could barely script in Flash and didn't even get into the C++ stuff yet. Switched to a Business major; so far so good.

 

[chusteczka]

It is time to change your hobby from socializing to programming, unless you want to make a career out of socializing then change your major to business.

The first semester in a new university is always difficult for everyone because the fast pace is quite shocking. You need to refocus your priorities, quit the socializing, and start thinking how to get those programming assignments complete during all those undocumented time slots in your day. Think about that program while walking to class, figure out your function placement while brushing your teeth, put your data structure together while eating lunch. Seriously, keep your mind focused.

Now get back to work and quit feeling sorry for yourself.

 

[chusteczka]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: Quintox

Originally posted by: Armen
I AM REALLY DISENCOURAGED.

kekeke I lawled pretty hard

meese tu.

I almost shot milk out of my nose, and I have not had any milk since yesterday.

That wasn't milk.

 

[Eeezee]

Change to art history

 

[imported_Armen]

OK the socializing part was a bit too much. I have a hobby and that's drawing. But hate drawing as a profession, besides, if you work your hobby, then you don;t have a hobby anymore.
and this quarter I DID QUIT my life literately, and studied, but still failed. That's what's bothering me, I spent enormous amount of time on the assignments but still failed.

the TA and the professor? The TA maybe. But the problem is, they not there. The Professor. maybe.
The programs? really easy stuff. Link list, inheritance, trees, STL's. The last one which I'm really proud of doing 70% of it was the Arkanoid type of game... I understand them perfectly. But when it comes to debugging, I'm not good at it. Or at least, I need to learn efficient way of debugging.
Could it because I haven't coded in C++ for 2 years and i didn't have enough practice?

maybe i should add again. when i look at the students in the class, They are the TV standardized nerds. ((((I am a NERD type too. level 5)))) I mean the average of that class was 93 for the midterm. wtf?!
I feel like I'm competing with the wrong breed.

Why am i wining? I should seek help from my TA's and Proffesor.
Thanks for your replies.

 

[Itchrelief]

So are you the TV standardized dumbass slacker?

What exactly is the point of calling them nerds over and over?

If you want to feel even worse, just remember that there are people who manage to socialize, AND GET BETTER GRADES THAN THOSE TV STANDARDIZED NERDS.