Software Engineering: Theory Made Practical

17 Jan 2018

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I’ve always been fascinated by how things are made from scratch. These things that I’ve been pondering can range from toys to vehicles and even to society itself. If I think about it too much I begin to realize just how little I actually know in the grand scheme of things. When we browse the internet, we can see millions of different applications and software all created from scratch or through the use of open sourced code, but what kind of effort really went into making these various programs? This was the start of my interest in Software Engineering.

For those that have the same interests as I do and would like to pursue the same path; be prepared to learn. Be prepared to spend your whole life learning things you didn’t even know that you needed to learn. My experiences as a computer science major at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has been both simultaneously difficult and immensely enjoyable. I expected to only learn about coding and the tools in order to build applications and software, but in reality that was only a small portion of what has allowed me to develop as a better Computer Scientist. Alongside basic programming skills, I was hammered with topics such as algorithms and discrete math. These topics have allowed me to think in new ways and in a manner that will allow me to become a better software engineer. Not only do you need to make sure your code is functional, but you also need to worry about efficiency and runtime. Code that is written inefficiently for assignments and projects do not really portray the consequences in a realistic manner, but when projects start to grow and more work is involved it is plain to see that a good grasp on theory is essential.

Now heading into the future in my first Software Engineering class, I have high hopes of putting my knowledge and theory into practical use. I am excited to learn about knew technologies and the efficient ways of implementing them. Working with others to collaborate and create projects that emphasize the skills that we have gained from taking these theory classes are now what excites me the most.