“I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it” – Bill Gates.
In my time spent studying Computer Science and getting to know the people in my program at Bishop’s, I have found that Bill Gates’ iconic quote holds true.
From writing minimal code to wearing hoodies and jeans, CS students live by Occam’s razor. While this mindset often helps, it can hurt us in one key area: choosing courses.
Bishop’s encourages students to explore courses across programs as part of its liberal education model. While many classmates focus on STEM to prepare for the workplace, I believe a liberal education offers overlooked but valuable benefits.
Personal growth
The most obvious benefit of studying outside of your program is getting to know yourself. Some students know exactly who they are and what they want—but I’m still figuring that out. Elective courses have helped me explore personal interests and step outside my comfort zone to try new things.
Gaining new perspectives
I’ve been surprised by how much my electives have deepened my understanding of Computer Science. Interdisciplinary learning has given me fresh perspectives and, at times, a clearer grasp of complex topics.Though biology seemed unrelated to coding, I was surprised to find that concepts like genetic algorithms and neural networks made more sense with a biological foundation.
I have also found it equally rewarding to apply your program’s skill set outside of its intended context. During a communications class, the topic of AI came up, and I was able to speak confidently about it—thanks to my academic background.
Expanding your social circle
In my experience, the greatest benefit of a liberal education is meeting people outside of your program. From movie nights with film majors to pickup football and late-night study sessions, my time at Bishop’s has been shaped by the amazing people around me.
My electives helped me connect with people from diverse backgrounds, enriching my Bishop’s experience and opening doors across campus.
In summary, if you are an incoming student to Bishop’s I can give you no greater piece of advice than this: resist the urge to be lazy. Get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Don’t study the easy way, study your way.
