Henry Quillin: What it’s Like as a Computer Science Student – Episode 312

Challenges

  • Balancing academic workload with practical experience and internships.
  • Adapting to the fast-paced changes in technology and staying current.
  • Managing social dynamics and living arrangements while pursuing a demanding degree.

Solutions

  • Gaining hands-on experience through internships and personal projects.
  • Embracing a mindset shift to realize the value of college education.
  • Actively participating in the tech community and leveraging resources like LeetCode and OpenAI.

Benefits

  • Enhanced practical skills and real-world experience through internships.
  • Improved understanding of computer science concepts and their applications.
  • Stronger professional network and opportunities for career growth.

Henry Quillin is a student in the Canfield computer science and business honors program (CSB) at UT Austin and a software engineer intern at Bank of America. He likes building things. He is interested in software development, entrepreneurship, and blockchain/crypto. He has completed several internships and other contracts and has earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. He always has several software projects going, and when not buried in VSCode or books, he enjoys weightlifting, cooking, and listening to podcasts. He’s currently helping artists monetize their scrapped music as the CTO of Scraps. You can check out his website at henryquillin.me.

Topics of Discussion:
[03:49] Henry’s college experience and mindset shift.
[05:00] Realizing the value of college.
[06:48] Henry describes the computer science courses he took in his freshman year, including data structures, discrete math, and operating systems.
[11:16] The computer programming classes Henry took in his freshman year.
[12:54] The importance of practical experience and the value of hands-on learning in computer science.
[20:27] Living arrangements and the social dynamics of college.
[23:27] Advice for aspiring computer scientists.
[28:07] Why internships are great, and how to make the most out of them.
[33:12] Henry’s Bank of America internship experience.
[35:24] Learning to be comfortable with new and emerging technologies.