How I ended up graduating with three majors, two minors
Scott Stewart
Issue date: 11/17/09 Section: Opinion
If choosing a major is the first real hurdle of college, I've been failing for almost six years now.
I usually just laugh when someone asks me what my major is: "Computer science, mathematics and philosophy, with minors in mass communication and physics." Sometimes, I will only name one or two of the majors so I can dodge the dumbfounded expressions and the logical follow-up question: "Why?"
Let me try to explain.
Growing up, I was home-schooled through the fifth grade. My interests were, as they are now, quite diverse. I remember being fascinated by history (particularly ancient history and World War II), paleontology and even economics, among other subjects.
By the time I completed high school, I thought I knew where my academic future lay: quantum computation, the intersection of subatomic physics with theoretical computer science.
Quantum computers seek to make calculations in literally no time by exploiting the underlying structure of the universe to send particles back and forth through time. If this could be achieved, it would make many previously intractable problems solvable and, practically speaking, would allow the decryption of almost every traditionally encrypted message.
The potential quantum computers could have to modern science drew my fascination, so I decided to apply to programs in computer science and physics. I was admitted to three universities: UNO, UNL and the University of California, Berkeley - one of the world's foremost research universities for physics. Initially, the decision where to go was a no-brainer.
Let's put it this way: Berkeley has parking stalls across campus labeled, "Reserved for NL." The "NL" stands for Nobel laureate. (By the way, the Nobel laureate annual parking permits are free - compared to $355 per semester for UC student parking.)
So, briefly, I had my academic future figured out. Then I received word from the Peter Kiewit Institute at UNO offering me the prestigious Walter Scott Jr. Scholarship - free tuition, room and board for four years in exchange for studying computers science, management information systems or engineering.
I usually just laugh when someone asks me what my major is: "Computer science, mathematics and philosophy, with minors in mass communication and physics." Sometimes, I will only name one or two of the majors so I can dodge the dumbfounded expressions and the logical follow-up question: "Why?"
Let me try to explain.
Growing up, I was home-schooled through the fifth grade. My interests were, as they are now, quite diverse. I remember being fascinated by history (particularly ancient history and World War II), paleontology and even economics, among other subjects.
By the time I completed high school, I thought I knew where my academic future lay: quantum computation, the intersection of subatomic physics with theoretical computer science.
Quantum computers seek to make calculations in literally no time by exploiting the underlying structure of the universe to send particles back and forth through time. If this could be achieved, it would make many previously intractable problems solvable and, practically speaking, would allow the decryption of almost every traditionally encrypted message.
The potential quantum computers could have to modern science drew my fascination, so I decided to apply to programs in computer science and physics. I was admitted to three universities: UNO, UNL and the University of California, Berkeley - one of the world's foremost research universities for physics. Initially, the decision where to go was a no-brainer.
Let's put it this way: Berkeley has parking stalls across campus labeled, "Reserved for NL." The "NL" stands for Nobel laureate. (By the way, the Nobel laureate annual parking permits are free - compared to $355 per semester for UC student parking.)
So, briefly, I had my academic future figured out. Then I received word from the Peter Kiewit Institute at UNO offering me the prestigious Walter Scott Jr. Scholarship - free tuition, room and board for four years in exchange for studying computers science, management information systems or engineering.
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Josh
posted 11/17/09 @ 4:12 PM CST
Congrats on finally graduating, I can't think of many people who haven't taken a class with you, worked with you at the Gateway, or been affected by you in someway at UNO. (Continued…)
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