I should preface this by saying that I don't mean to be elitist or keep any sort of gate. I am just wondering what you may think.

I started studying for my computer science bachelor's degree in 2020. Computing at the time was a lot different from computing now. Back then, cloud computing was all the rage given the pandemic that made cloud computing a real useful tool. It took its time as the main trend in computing up until web 3 was being discussed as a technology that is "just around the corner." We never quite got there and the focus shifted towards generative AI.

This field changes significantly faster than most other fields that people may choose to study with passion. It's hyper-sonic compared to a field like law or medicine. It occurs to me that the field I started studying in 2020, despite being fundamentally the same, is a lot different nowadays than it was when I started. I asked myself, "Why did I choose computer science?"

I won't bore you with my on soul-searching, but long story short, I was always the computer guy around my social circle and I guess I felt most excited about and most ready for this field. When observing my peers, I found that they questioned their existence in my college program whenever a new trend came out or an impressive innovation was announced. Some of my peers would lose their motivation and self-esteem, while others would work extra hard to try and keep up, and both reactions resulted in some sort of hate or resentment towards the field.

Now, I may have stuck long enough to answer the title question and realize I like what I'm doing, but I don't guarantee that for everyone else. Whether you're studying for a degree or you're self-learning purely to not miss out on the trends, I believe it is important you ask yourself why you think you're here.

I'm not an expert on psychology to explain how having a purpose helps you, but just knowing why you're here makes a world of difference. You'll have your own goals and specialization interests. Suddenly, computer science won't look like a spaghetti of paths that you can take. You'll have a path that's enticing for you to walk.

I hope I was able to express what I thought well, and I hope these fleeting thoughts helped. :)