Creating tools that you are not only proud of but can use on a regular basis, is the most fantastic experience I’ve ever had in my education experience so far. There is no greater sense of accomplishment than being able to say, ‘I created this program. Now I use it as a large part of my life’.

In my first year, I created a program that allows me to easily make notes for lectures and assignments, and that gives me all my university information, which I can use for the rest of my student life. The fact that I am so happy with my program that I can use it for myself is what motivates me to keep developing my knowledge further. I know that computer science is such a large field, so there are always other fields to explore, and more passions to get lost in, whether its artificial intelligence and robotics, developing the great games you always wished existed, or making beautiful websites.

Now, you might be wondering how this could all be possible in your first year. Computer science is pretty daunting, right? Well, universities won’t expect you to have any prior knowledge – you will be taught how to program, how a computer works, and how to think like a computer scientist, all from scratch. Suddenly, computers stop being a mystery, and become the tool for all your potential.

Oh, and that industry you will be going into happens to be the fastest growing in the world, with hundreds of different career paths to go down with your degree – whether that’s network management, website design, game design, software development, innovating current computer components to make them faster and better, or designing the next big tech.

If I ask you to think of the biggest, coolest businesses that exist right now, I’d expect Apple, Google, or Microsoft to be on that list. So why not get the degree that takes you on the fast track to work for one of these rapidly growing giants?

So whether you want to work on the next iPhone, make the next Facebook, or save the world, computer science is the field for you. Don’t let fear of the unknown stop you from reaching your full potential, and having a career that makes you excited to go to work in the morning.