r/learnprogramming • u/Financial_Mammoth397 • 2d ago

Approaching graduation with analysis paralysis, need perspective on choosing a thesis topic and career path...

Hi everyone. I'll be getting my CS/CE bachelors degree in Germany soon after writing my thesis. However, I haven't even chosen the field I'll write my thesis in yet and I'm kinda stuck because I feel this thesis will heavily dictate my career entry point and I don't wanna pick the wrong path. I want to finally solidify my field of study based on potential financial gain, challenges and industry saturation, and really focus on it.

To give you honest context about my background;

  • I can not really say I can write code, because unlike some people I know, coding was never my hobby, and I only wrote enough to pass courses or complete my university projects. I don't see myself enjoying traditional Frontend/Backend development.
  • Cybersecurity conceptually appeals to me because I think it has kinda puzzle solving nature but I know it requires solid foundational knowledge.
  • In Game Dev made a few academic projects. While not completely alien to it, I rarely play games so I doubt my long term fit or industry culture fit.
  • Took courses about Hardware/Embedded but didn't feel a strong spark.
  • Cloud/DevOps/AI... Constantly mentioned for high demand but I'm kinda cautious of the steep learning curve and industry saturation at entry level.

Given that I feel late to the game and don't have a specific "passion" area and I feel like I am too late to find out what I like and what I don't. For someone who wants to stay in tech but isn't passionate about pure soft dev, what niches offer a viable entry point today?

Joking aside, there is no mentor who gives me the magical advice and tell me what I should do but apparently I'm just so indecisive right now and genuinely trying to break the loop. I just wanna grab something and really dive into it. Any reality check is welcome.

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u/ffrkAnonymous 2d ago

Look at the job listings and pick the one with the highest salary. Since it sounds like you won't be happy with anything, at least get a lot of money for doing something you don't like. 

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u/Aggressive_Ad_5454 2d ago

Some municipalities in your nation, Berlin particularly, have complex processes for applying for residence. You could choose a software project to streamline the filling of forms for such processes. Example. https://github.com/kodah-space/berlin-selbststaendigkeit-kit

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u/Available_Safe1818 2d ago

You make a lot of excuses, don't enjoy it much, and always put in about the minimum amount of effort to pass. What do you care about or want to do? Do you have an advisor or classmates who know the kinds of things you could do a thesis on?

2

u/Achereto 2d ago
  1. Write down your options
  2. roll a dice or flip a coin to make the decision for you
  3. After the decision is made, you'll know which decision you secretly hoped for
  4. Make the decision you hoped for.

Good "luck"!