whoami?
I'm Jack Ryan, a junior computer science major at Cornell University. Why CS? Honestly, it's just cool. Being able to make a game? Cool. Building a website the entire world can see? Cool. Solving complex problems my brain could never do by itself? Cool. To me, the skills learned through computer science are unrivaled in enabling me to do the stuff I want to do—cool stuff.
As I dove deeper into computer science and realized it was something I was truly passionate about, the scope of my interest started to sharpen. I gained experience as a programmer, especially as a web dev. It might sound rash to say this early in my career, but I genuinely believe this is something I could happily do for the rest of my life. This does not mean, however, that I have stopped exploring other avenues. I am actively exploring a parallel career in cybersecurity.
I could use the word "cool" dozens more times to describe this interest, but I'll spare you. Still, why wouldn't I want to know how to prevent people from breaking into things, or how to do it myself? Every day, it feels like our privacy is more at risk than the day before. I don't want to stand by and watch that happen. I want to understand it, challenge it, and do my part.
Technology evolves fast, and it isn't slowing down for anyone. It’s a little intimidating, I’ll admit. I mean, since I first chose this path the whole computer science landscape has been reshaped by the AI boom. But more than anything, I’m excited. I’m ready to ride the wave and see where it takes me.