When you go rappelling, the scariest part of the experience is taking the initial jump. You get clipped in. The instructor tells you to step to the edge of the platform and lean back. The instructions are simple, and the equipment is sound, but you hesitate. What if I fall? What if the equipment fails? You are scared of the unknown. You do not want to make the first jump. But, eventually, with enough coaxing you lean back, trust your equipment, and rappel down. When your feet touch the ground you unhook, still high on the adrenaline rush. You did it, and it feels great.
Though this experience seems to not have a lot to do with technology and computer science it truly does. Let me transport you to an experience most computer science majors know verry well, the career fair.
You drive to the career fair (climbing the tower). During your drive you have a nagging feeling in your stomach; you are scared. You get to the career fair and walk through the front doors (clipping in). Now comes the time that you need to take the first jump and talk to employers and network with peers. You’re scared. What if you do not get any interviews? Will the employer you really want find you inadequate? You give yourself a pep talk in your head and finally decide to trust your equipment and take the first leap. You start going from table to table, talking to employers, and to your surprise you do succeed. You land a few interviews and get valuable advice and connections from your peers and other employers. You finally get on the ground (walk out the doors). Happy you made the first leap.
I took the first leap my freshman year of college. I went to a career fair at my university to search for a summer internship. I was terrified to say the least. I was a freshman with minimal experience in computer science. I walked into the career fair fully expecting failure. I walked through the doors more nervous than I have ever been. I checked in and saw the smile on my advisor’s face. That was the motivation that I needed to take the leap. I walked to the first table on my list and talked to the recruiters there. I used the skills I knew, and much to my surprise I landed an interview. With my newfound confidence, I went from table to table talking with employers. I left that career fair with three interviews lined up. I was glad I took the first leap.
Now to enter the cautionary tale. Sometimes, your equipment will fail, and you will fall. You will likely fall several times in your lifetime. These falls will hurt, but do not let them discourage you from getting up and trying again. The first leap will not always end in a happy story.
Do not let this discourage you from taking it though. We need to fail in order to learn. If you never fail, you will never learn.
So, to you, the reader, I challenge you to take the first leap. Launch that startup, apply to that job, take that class. Sometimes it can be scarry to trust your equipment and take the first leap, but when you reach the ground, you will be glad that you did it. But also prepare for failure. It is inevitable, and when you fail, it is going to hurt. But just remember, if you do not fail, you will not learn.
Photo by Chaewul Kim on Unsplash
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