(Picture of me, Spring 2019)
Hello there! My name is Daniel Thomas and I am a Computer Science major. This is (hopefully) my last semester as an undergraduate. My other areas of interest include poker, and more recently, personality research.
(Source Code Example. Source)
It took me a long time of schooling and switching majors and taking breaks before finding the Computer Science path. Just the other day I had to get my adviser to sign a form and turn it into financial aid because I now have over 150 total hours and they need to verify that I'm taking the correct classes and on a path to graduate. I've been lots of majors, from X-Ray Technician to Accountant to Mechanical Engineer to Math to Industrial Engineer before finally landing on Computer Science. Needless to say it's taken me a long time to figure out my interests but I feel like I've finally found the right one.
(Me Playing Poker)
Another part of the reason why it's taken me so long to get through school is my passion for poker. Just this last summer my friends and I took a trip to Vegas for poker. I've been a poker professional for about the last nine years or so. No, that doesn't mean I was making millions or even hundreds of thousands of dollars like they show on TV. What it does mean is that it's been my main (and only) source of income and I've been able to make a living off of it. The reason behind my passion for poker is not the thrill of winning a bunch of money like most people would assume, but rather the complexity and amount of problem solving involved in order to win over the long run.
(The 16 MBTI Personality Types. Source)
My last area of interest is personality research. I like thinking about things from a big picture point of view so trying to understand why people are the way they are is fascinating to me. It turns out that the 16 MBTI types (ex. ENFP, ISTJ, INTJ, etc) are actually a code for determining what your main cognitive functions are. For example, my MBTI type is INTP, and so my main cognitive functions are Ti (Introverted Thinking), Ne (Extroverted Intuition), Si (Introverted Sensing), and Fe (Extroverted Feeling). The Ne function can be described as looking for possibilities or paths (ex. pattern recognition - looking for a relation between things), and the Ti function can be described as determining if something is true or false (ex. pattern recognition - are those things related or not?). So with this in mind, and with the use of so many if-then statements in computer programming languages, I now understand why I am interested in Computer Science and problem solving in general. This is just one example of how my research into personalities has helped me and my understanding of the world.This is just a brief overview into the type of person I am. Feel free to comment below if you have any questions or found this interesting.
Hi Daniel!
ReplyDeleteI think it’s really cool that you play poker professionally. I agree that it does involve a lot of problem solving and strategy to do well in the long run. I also think personality research can be really interesting and is something that made me want to major in Psychology. I can never seem to get a consistent result on the Myers-Briggs test but I think it’s cool how tests like that can make us think about who we are and what we enjoy.
Hi Daniel,
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that you feel that you have found the major for you. I briefly considered Computer Science major when I took an intro class too. I was really interested in personality for the first couple years I studied psychology. It really is fascinating. Have you taken any Psych Classes?
P.S. I am definitely ISFJ
Hi Daniel,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your last semester as an undergraduate! That is so exciting. I am also happy that you found the major that you feel is the perfect fit. Even though it may have taken a little bit longer, I think you will be much happier in the long run! Also, I think that it is so fun and cool that you have been able to make a living off of poker. I wish I was that good, but I have an awful poker face lol. Also, I am an INFJ! I look forward to reading more of your post!
Hi Daniel! I really enjoyed getting to know more about you through this blog post & found your blurb on your interest in personality testing very interesting/fun to read. I LOVE the Myers-Briggs personality test and have taken it way too many times to count, just to see if I have changed since the last time I took it. When I take it, I typically test as ESFJ or ESFP. I personally feel that ESFJ is most accurate. Another personality test I have been getting into recently is the Enneagram! There are 9 different numbers with specific traits tied to each number. What makes it cool is that there is a lot of variability as you also have growth and stress numbers which consist of traits you can begin to show when you are demonstrating personal growth or stress!
ReplyDeleteI love this combination of poker and personality researcher, Daniel: that sounds so cool. And listen, are you into Tarot cards at all? That is a great card-tradition which taps into personality as well. I don't really know a lot about Tarot, but I made a Tarot randomizer for a friend of mine this past summer; here it is if you are curious: Tarot Card Javascript. I'm not up on all the science of personality (although I know it is a major research field in psychology!), but I am definitely a fan of these systems like MBTI and enneagram and Tarot just as a way to open our minds and ask questions about ourselves and others. It can even be used for storytelling; there's a book by Italo Calvino using the Tarot: The Castle of Crossed Destinies ... maybe you will do some personality-inspired storytelling for the class this semester! Or stories inspired by the cards in a deck; Lewis Carroll sure made good use of that for Alice in Wonderland. :-)
ReplyDeleteProfessional Poker is so dope!! That would be such a cool profession as I do enjoy the feeling of winning a big jackpot or win. Good luck with your Computer Science major! I know many people with that major and it is difficult, but I know you will get the job done with no problems at all! I need you to teach me how to play poker well. I have always wanted to, but I dont have the confidence to do so.
ReplyDeleteHi Daniel!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness....professional poker is awesome! I have always wanted to learn how to play and get really good at it. Poker is awesome because while luck plays its part, it takes a lot of attention and practice to get good. Also, congrats on the computer science major (almost)! I lack being tech savvy so that is incredible to me.
Hey Daniel!
ReplyDeleteThat is really impressive that you have over 150 hours! I have done the same thing with switching between majors. I just could never find one I thought I would be good at until I decided on film. Computer science does sound hard but rewarding. I took a coding class once and instantly got lost and needless to say I failed. That is really neat that you are a professional poker player. I only play poker a couple times a year and I can only image the adrenaline rush you get win you win a big pot. Keep up the good work man and hope your (last) semester goes well.
Daniel, It is awesome that you are doing computer science. I think it is so relevant to our current era. I also love the fact that you play poker! My uncle also plays poker and he is really great at it. He won a huge competition in Las Vegas a few years ago. You must have worked really hard to get where you are. I hope all of your schooling works out well! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHi Daniel,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your upcoming graduation!
I’m glad you found something that you like, and it sounds like you’ve had a heck of a story getting there. Honestly, going through all of those different career options while supporting yourself playing poker sounds like a movie, and a good one at that.
I know a guy who takes a trip to the casinos every year and breaks even by playing blackjack; I was always impressed by the discipline and mental practice skilled card playing takes, and that extends to you!
Best of luck (though you don’t seem to need much of it),
A.M.
Hi Daniel,
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome you've found a passion that has been able to support you financially. I'm glad that you've been able to pursue this for such a long time and be happy! I also want to congratulate you on your graduation! I've also bounced around from major to major. I came in as computer science, went to accounting, and then settled on management information systems. It gets crazy but it's a degree that'll hold some weight once you graduate!
Hi there! I absolutely loved reading your intro, but especially the part about personality research! I am currently a psychology major and hope to attend Grad School next year after I graduate. The things that interest me most are research on personality differences, so that is something we definitely have in common! I like to specifically look at the gene makeup of different personalities and try to pinpoint what genes may be responsible for certain personality types.
ReplyDeleteHi Daniel!
ReplyDeleteI'm also in my last semester as an undergrad and I've changed my major a couple times, but I honestly feel like it makes you more well-rounded in the long run anyway :) Your introduction was so interesting to read, I felt like I learned a lot from it! All of that personality research is super intriguing and I had no idea it went so into detail and now I just want to look into more!! Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading your stories this semester!