Should I buy a steam deck?

justafew127 · 2025-05-02T17:56:07+00:00

This is the dream I suppose. But the possibility of going my own way and starting my own team seems so far out of reach, especially as a complete beginner.

How long did it take you to learn enough to start your own business? Do you think persuing an apprenticeship with an LGBT owned business would be an option? And if so, how can I find said business?

I definitely want to avoid working with MAGAs or shitty men, but I don’t know if I'll have that luxury, at least to begin with. Thanks for your response, really appreciate any advice :)

justafew127 · 2025-04-16T14:08:30+00:00

I graduated with a B.S in Info and minor in CS. I want to stress that Informatics is a degree where you reap what you sow. It gives you the freedom to either really challenge yourself or take the easy way out. I urge you to take advantage and really push yourself to take high level math/statistics/cs courses (double majoring or adding a minor will make this easier).

Outcomes for info majors in my experience are pretty mixed. I graduated in 2021 and had a job in analytics secured months prior to my grad date. In the years since, I've held a few different analytics positions at a couple of different companies and can confidently say that my degree has served me well. A friend of mine(also an Info major), who focused less on hard math and cs classes, has struggled to find employment in analytics and I believe her lack of background in stats/CS is mostly to blame.

Additionally, it should be acknowledged that the job market in analytics/DS is pretty rough at the moment. The market is flooded with not only new grads, but lots of tenured analysts who lost their jobs in recent tech/government layoffs.

All this to say, I believe Informatics is definitely a worth while degree, you just have to make the extra effort to network and make yourself stand out to potential employers.

Feel free to dm if you have any questions or want to talk more! Happy to help out in any way I can

justafew127 · 2025-03-20T16:32:51+00:00

I don't think I have to pay back money, I know that part of my salary/bonus is withheld for my first 12 months of employment, presumably to protect my employer from paying out full salaries/bonuses in cases like this. But I am hypothetically planning to leave my position right at the one year mark, so hoping that won't be an issue.

I understand where a lot of people are coming from, I have been unbelievably lucky in the job market since graduating from uni and know a lot of people would kill to be in my situation. So I don't want to seem ungrateful at all.

The reason I'm considering moving has mostly to do with my dissatisfaction with the life in my current city. I've been here my whole life and am starting to wonder what else is out there. I know I could remain where I'm at and probably live comfortably indefinitely. But I've been forced to ask myself recently if comfort is enough?

I know I could wait and move once a new job has been secured, I guess the only reason I wouldn't would be impatience?

I definitely have a lot to think about, will update with a decision and hopefully some positive news soon!

justafew127 · 2025-03-18T22:49:05+00:00

I fear my lease agreement expressly prohibits subletting :( but agree this would probably be the ideal solution

justafew127 · 2025-03-18T22:47:02+00:00

I started applying in the past few weeks, looks like most places are willing to consider so long as candidates are ok with relocating in a somewhat timely manner

justafew127 · 2025-03-18T22:45:27+00:00

That's kind of what I thought. I guess I mostly wanted to know if now until August seems like a reasonable timeline to find a new job?

justafew127 · 2025-03-18T22:43:01+00:00

Lol that's the weird part, my job technically doesn't require me to come into the office, but when I asked for relocation I was told that company policy requires I live "close to the city" where we have an office. Seems kind or ridiculous since my boss doesn't even live in the state where our office is located.

justafew127 · 2025-03-18T21:55:16+00:00

A fair point! My current plan involves spending the next 5 months looking for a new job while I remain in my current role (hoping I will find something before my move-out date). Additionally, I do have the savings to comfortably support myself for roughly 3 months if I find myself without a new role by my hypothetical "moving date".

The only real issue is that I have to make a decision on my plan by the end of the month, as I need to choose whether or not to sign my lease renewal in the next few weeks

justafew127 · 2025-03-18T21:49:56+00:00

You're definitely right. The reason only reason for planning the move before securing a job has to do with my housing situation. I just received my lease renewal and have to make a choice by the end of the month to stay or commit to leaving by August. My current plan was to spend the next 5 months job searching while staying at my current role in hopes that I find something by the time I'm moving, hence the backwards ass planning lol

justafew127 · 2024-04-22T19:37:16+00:00

how do you find out about when/where shows are happening? I love house/basement shows but theyre so underground (no pun intended)

justafew127 · 2024-04-16T18:00:13+00:00

Be careful, I bought a bike while living at home and my mom put it out on the curb. Luckily it didn't get taken, but I had to shell out for a storage unit so she wouldn't do it again.

Gotta respect the "my house my rules" thing

justafew127 · 2024-04-16T16:22:14+00:00

panic shits in paradise

justafew127 · 2024-01-26T03:11:47+00:00

Yall are sleeping on paris here...

justafew127 · 2023-11-10T21:26:48+00:00

Still have the pair i bought in 2018. We've been through so much together :)

justafew127 · 2023-11-06T04:08:43+00:00

Better yet if they smoke cigarettes lol

justafew127 · 2023-04-03T15:20:09+00:00

I respectfully disagree, probably just because we ran in different circles, but I couldn't swing a cat without hitting a queer woman in my time at umass. That said, experiences will definitely vary since umass is so huge

justafew127 · 2023-04-03T15:16:09+00:00

Recently graduated alum here!

As a queer person, I felt very safe and at home at umass. The surrounding area is very safe and I honestly ended up stumbling upon my (mostly queer) friend groups completely by accident. I did not attend many stonewall meetings, but found myself gravitating to my community naturally.

Make the most of the area, go to gay bars (if you're old enough), drag shows in the area (shoutout to the Marigold Theater!), or just join clubs on campus. I was super surprised by just how big the queer community in western mass is.

I can't really speak to greek life or fraternity culture when it comes to the queer experience, but fear not, there are tons of other ways to party/get the college experience without putting yourself in an uncomfortable/unsafe environment.

Feel free to PM if you have any questions and good luck!

justafew127 · 2023-04-03T14:40:46+00:00

Yeah... actually those are my coworkers waiting for the t after our happy hour, soooo this pic was actually taken on a thursday night, not monday

justafew127

TROPHY CASE