Software Engineer at Chaos Industries.
The comradery was my favorite part of the STEM Program. I am still friends with the people I met in the program now. It created a real sense of belonging and helped make the struggle through classes easier. The people I met motivated me more and I learned more from them, both in class and about life, than I ever expected to.
I enjoy my job thoroughly. Everyday is different and I get to work with engineers in different fields. At a startup I get to do more than just code, I get to be part-time electrical engineer, part time project manager, part time technician. I get to learn more and do more than just program. It provides a great change of pace for me and opportunities to do more than I ever expected to.
Get experience working on "production" systems. This could be an internship or working on open source projects. They can be a great way to see what it's like working in industry if you are struggling to get internships. You can add open source projects to your resume and they are something you can do off and on while in school. They let you experience a wide range of programming languages and types of projects without a commitment to them if you do not like it.
Don't neglect time outside of the classroom and studying. Take care of yourself physically and mentally. Going to the gym or for a walk, or whatever, is a great way to reset yourself and come back to your classwork refreshed.
Don't obsess over your grades. Once you graduate they do not matter, employers don't care about your GPA. Focus on learning the actual material and understanding it. It's hard to see this or believe it, especially so early on in your educational and career journey. But the skills and mindset you will learn through focusing on understanding what you are taught is far more applicable outside school than memorizing material or focusing on the grades will be.
I love to cook, I make dinner every night at home. It is relaxing to me and therapeutic. I also enjoy going to the gym, it is great after spending most of my day behind a desk.