Thoughts

Okay, so I arrived at the airport quite early, and I’ll be spending a few hours here.

While waiting I wanna share what I’ve been thinking about over the past few days.

In Ethiopia, especially at AAU, fields like pure mathematics and physics aren’t usually seen as appealing. You can tell because even last year, the number of students who graduated from those departments could almost be counted on one hand.

The general belief is that people who study those subjects either end up as teachers or have very limited career options. I used to think the same. I actually wanted to study physics, but people discouraged me, saying it wouldn’t lead anywhere, so I pivoted to something else.

I’m writing this for freshmen who are about to choose their major. You’ll probably notice that software engineering and computer science seem like the “shiny” choices everyone is trying to get into. But I want you to pause and really consider the sciences. Let me explain why.

The reason I care so much about this is partly because of my sister (she’s also a freshman at AAU) and partly because I care about those of you who are just starting university and trying to make sense of your path. You’re like long-distance siblings to me. There are opportunities you haven’t seen yet. Choosing a major just because it looks promising right now isn’t always the right move.

Even if our country doesn’t seem to value scientists at the moment, there are many places in the world that do. If you master your field, whether it’s math, physics, or any of the pure sciences, and learn to position yourself well, people will notice your work. Many leading researchers in computer science today started with backgrounds in physics or mathematics before branching out.

I want to see more of us become top-tier researchers and contributors to science in the future. That’s also the path I’m working toward. So don’t choose your major based on fear or uncertainty about the future. You’ll clear the fog by walking through it.

If you love math or physics, please keep going. It won’t always be easy, but wouldn’t it be worth it to follow what truly interests you instead of what’s popular right now?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. I might be wrong, and I’m open to seeing the other side.