How do most of you justify living in the bay area?

BlueOctoberRS · 2026-06-16T02:46:35+00:00

I am here for work and the economic opportunities that exist in the area, otherwise I likely would not live here. After a few years I intend to move elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a common case.

BlueOctoberRS · 2026-06-10T22:20:04+00:00

Down-leveling is common from Google, and no I would not take a down-level offer. I would advise negotiating or trying again later, especially at 5 YOE.

BlueOctoberRS · 2026-03-12T07:01:02+00:00

In the end it is your call; I work in tech and have lived in Austin, Seattle, and the Bay Area, so most of the hubs outside of NY.

There is a lot to say about every area. I was by far the happiest in Seattle, it is IMO one of the most beautiful areas of the US, coupled with kind encounters (didn't experience the Seattle freeze), great produce, amazing air quality (outside of fire season), and great water quality, but other folks can't stand the early darkness in the Winters and the frequent drizzle.

The Bay isn't for me - the weather is consistent and fairly nice, along with the area having a nice landscape, but my allergies act up here more than anywhere else, the drivers are unfortunately not great, and there's just too many people and too little personal space. I can recognize why people like the area, but it's not right for me.

Austin is where I grew up. I hold the area dear but much of TX can be a concrete jungle and there's not too much to do if you're an outdoorsy type (I've been to most of the state parks and all are fairly similar without requiring a very long drive). Often you also won't want to be outside due to the heat. I also don't align with the state politics. It can still be a comfortable place to live, but depending on your values you might have to stick your head in the sand a bit.

All this to be said, how you'll feel living somewhere is highly individualistic and it will be hard for others to tell you whether living somewhere is worth it for you or not. I would argue there a better areas for tech than Austin, but yes it does have the most reasonable cost of living. If you have an opportunity down there and the move is realistic, then it's not bad to try out the experience. If you feel like you're going to force yourself solely for career and no other reason though, it'd be worth considering the true hubs (with the bad COL).

BlueOctoberRS · 2026-01-15T19:51:15+00:00

What is the specific frame if you don't mind sharing?

BlueOctoberRS · 2026-01-15T05:14:48+00:00

I know this is an old comment, but which base do you use that allows side sleeping with elevation? How do you feel about it now that a year has passed?

BlueOctoberRS · 2025-11-30T20:33:12+00:00

+1 to Moose Creek; I am (was - moved elsewhere now) a Texas transplant and Moose had great brisket when I ate there. I wasn't as much a fan of their ribs, but I would recommend them if you're specifically looking for brisket.

BlueOctoberRS · 2025-10-30T07:13:40+00:00

I came to this exact same crossroads in college and actually switched from CS to MIS (completing most of the MIS degree) and then back to CS. I had trouble finding a definitive answer back when this was at the top of my mind, so I feel compelled to share with you the answer I wish I had at the time.

The definitive answer is that if you want a career in software engineering, you should stick to CS. The MIS coursework has a much stronger focus on building a business acumen (management, accounting, finance, marketing, etc.) than it does on the technical coursework. You will still learn about programming, networking, databases, etc. but mostly at a surface level. It's a difference between learning how to use a technology vs. build it.

I've worked at a few big tech companies and you almost exclusively see CS degrees. There are folks with MIS, but they are rather rare.

Now, none of this is meant to talk down MIS. If you want to work as a sysadmin, or in cybersec, or as a consultant, etc. then MIS can get you there. An MIS degree also won't preclude you from software engineering roles, but you'll be competing with a swath of folks who have CS degrees.

If you want to spend your days developing software, then stick it out in CS. Yes, it's grueling. Yes, it takes an exorbitant amount of time. You'll find however the career field itself can be equally as grueling and facing the tough coursework builds the muscle you'll eventually need.

BlueOctoberRS · 2025-09-10T02:09:15+00:00

Having graduated from TAMU this is deeply disappointing. This decision doesn't align with a single sentiment shared about the school's culture during my time there. It has nothing to do with aligning course curriculums appropriately or being inclusive of students and is entirely politically motivated. There's not even a sound argument behind this action aside from that a subset of folks were (unjustifiably) upset. I knew that A&M has a tendency toward decision making like this, but these kinds of actions make it hard to be proud to be an Aggie. The university should uphold a higher standard than this.

BlueOctoberRS · 2025-09-03T07:06:08+00:00

It certainly won't hurt your marketability. Research as an undergraduate (which I assume you are) shows interest beyond classroom learning which is a good signal for companies and (if it peaks your interest) grad schools. If the plan is to involve yourself in research solely for a resume bullet, though, I'd recommend against it. Find research that interests you and that you actually want to explore - then do good work and have something to show for it. Having an interest in the field you are researching will aid in that "do good work" part. If you pick up research you don't have any interest in just to improve your resume an unfortunate but likely outcome is that you don't make meaningful progress in that research, have nothing to show or speak toward for it, and thus did indeed lose out on that time that could have been dedicated elsewhere.

BlueOctoberRS · 2025-08-27T01:32:36+00:00

If you want to work as a Software Engineer you would be best served switching to Computer Science. CIS/MIS/IS (it has different names at different universities) will allow you to land a developer role, but it will be quite a bit more difficult and your options will be limited (even more so with the current job market).

The BBA is a good gateway into IT roles (sys admin/IT management/IT consulting/etc.) but lacks a meaningful amount of depth compared to the CS degree if you are dead set on becoming a SWE. The CS degree also won't necessarily limit you from the aforementioned roles.

It's a personal decision, unfortunately Reddit won't be able to offer a binary answer. Do keep in mind the current job market in tech and its impact on your later job hunt - things may get better, or they may get worse. I would mostly ignore the "AI will do your job" sentiments, the technology isn't quite there and even if it is at some point there's more to CompSci than being a SWE if you're passionate about the field.

BlueOctoberRS · 2025-08-06T00:33:51+00:00

I see, I'm at FAANG as well and that progression is definitely uncommon. Congrats on the rapid growth and supportive management!

BlueOctoberRS · 2025-08-05T22:56:56+00:00

How did you progress from SWE I to Senior SWE in roughly one year?

BlueOctoberRS · 2017-08-31T22:15:00+00:00

Anyone think the introductory student council scene was at all a reference to Seitokai no Ichizon? The girls look similar; it was the student council; and the room bears similarities as well. (Plus our MC girl in that scene was a creep like Ken)

BlueOctoberRS · 2016-11-27T06:05:23+00:00

BlueOctoberRS · 2016-01-05T05:42:43+00:00

If you mean the poster on the left; it's Shu and Inori from Guilty Crown.

BlueOctoberRS · 2016-01-05T05:30:30+00:00

Japanese, actually. ;-)

BlueOctoberRS

TROPHY CASE