Suprising Myself

Throughout my gap year, I was able to surprise myself. I have found that I can often act differently than I previously assumed. Unfortunately, I have been able to find flaws in myself, such as my indecisiveness, that have come to me as somewhat shocking. I have always been able to decipher what I like and what I dislike, but throughout my gap year, I feel as if I have been given a plethora of options and have trouble deciding which is best.

For instance, I knew I had an interest in computer science and IT, so in turn, I am a computer science major and I completed an IT internship. At my IT internship, I found satisfaction and enjoyment in offering support to people in understanding how to use various software in order to keep track of or increase crop yield for farmers. This experience gave me an interest in IT support and even customer support due to my enjoyment of teaching something useful to someone who needs it. Despite a handful of people being quite crabby and impatient, I found joy in talking to and aiding strangers. Previously, before my gap year, I planned on focusing more on cybersecurity and had little interest in IT and IT support. I still have an interest in cybersecurity and am now faced with a decision to focus more on IT or cybersecurity.

I surprised myself and am indecisive about my focus. I find that I know so little that everything sparks an interest in me. I have also found interest in blockchain technology, the development of web3, and cryptocurrency. My interest in various sectors of technology has spurred a spark of indecisiveness that is surprising to me. Ultimately, I was able to meet with a professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a developer at Google who listened to my interests and supported all of my thoughts while also suggesting a Google IT course. I took his advice and am continuing to explore as much as possible while taking a Google IT course. My indecisiveness about my options surprised me and has made my gap year experience harder for myself, however, I am working through my difficulties and know I will be wiser for it in the end.