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Ask Slashdot: What To Do Before College?

Posted by timothy on from the buy-a-house-with-the-tuition dept.

First time accepted submitter MtownNaylor writes "I graduated high school two days ago and am currently enrolled to attend college for studying Computer Science. I spent last summer working as a contractor, programming in Java doing work for a single company. I am looking to further either my career, my education, or both this summer. The problem is that I have found it difficult to find summer employment or internships programming for a multitude of reasons (lack of opportunities, lack of experience, lack of degree.) So what is a high school graduate who wants to work as a programmer to do?"

10 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. Enjoy yourself, forget about school by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This summer marks the end of your childhood.

    --
    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  2. Enjoy your time off by guises · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I would suggest relaxing. You're not going to have many more summers like this and you might as well enjoy it. This is especially true since you just graduated - most of your high school friends are probably still around, you may not get the chance to see them again.

  3. A lot of people saying enjoy the summer... by garcia · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I agree, I really do, but many aren't providing any reasons why:

    1. No employer is going to care what you did the summer before you went to UG

    2. The work leading up to the degree you learn at the end of your UG work may not challenge you at all. Working to "get ahead" may leave you frustrated and bewildered as to why you worked so hard.

    3. School is just school. Just do it, enjoy it while you're there, get good grades, and get a job after you're done (or go on to advanced studies, whatever).

    As for this summer, enjoy it. If that means writing code for fun or screwing around w/friends, do it. You'll be able to do that stuff in college too but in a much different way--especially if you want to do extremely well.

    Good luck.

  4. Other option by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Enjoy your summer, it will be one of your last. Travel, go camping, toss back a few beers, anything but work.

    1. Re:Other option by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Enjoy your summer, it will be one of your last. Travel, go camping, toss back a few beers, anything but work.

      Yep..go out, have fun with friends...get laid.

      It won't be long before you won't be able to screw highschool girls anymore...get'em while they're still tight!

      :)

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    2. Re:Other option by cpu6502 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      >>>Enjoy your summer, it will be one of your last.

      Not likely. He can expect to be laid-off at least once in his career. I've experienced two summer (and three winter) vacations since I graduated college.

      --
      My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
    3. Re:Other option by tverbeek · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I've had those "vacations" too, but they aren't the same. A high school grad who's been accepted at a college knows how long he has for it, and what he'll be doing when it's over. He doesn't have to spend time every day looking for work, not knowing if he has a week or a year left, fearing what will become of him, etc.

      --
      http://alternatives.rzero.com/
    4. Re:Other option by chrismcb · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There is a difference between a summer vacation after high school with little or no responsibilities, and being laid off with a mortgage payment and possibly a wife and children.
      Enjoy your summer. You will have more than enough time to further your education and career as you grow older. But you won't have too many carefree summers in your lifetime.
      If you don't want to enjoy your summer, then open source, or your own project is your best bet. Get some experience coding.

  5. Take advice from those before you.... by HockeyPuck · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My father told me once, "You've got 40 years of working ahead of you, enjoy your youth. It's the one thing that we always wish we had more of."

    My favorite summer was between high school and college, before everyone went off in different directions. Have some fun, travel, chase girls, go camping... whatever floats your boat. Spending your summer writing code, is not something that you'll look back at and say,

    "Man... I wish I had spent July and August writing code instead of that time at the lake with my best friends and that blonde girl from two cabins away..."

  6. Re:If Poor Acquire Capital, If Not ... by spire3661 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My wife is an executive level recruiter. Shes looked up a GPA once in 10 years.

    --
    Good-bye