Deciding Between Help Desk, Research, and Capstone Options /u/__jeck CSCQ protests reddit

I’m a double major in Computer Science and Digital Narrative and Interactive Design (focused on game design), with a minor in Information Science at Pitt. While I have a strong interest in technology and creativity, I’m still figuring out what my long-term goals are and what kind of career I want to pursue.

Right now, I’m trying to decide between three work options for this semester, balancing financial needs, academic requirements, and gaining experience. I already work a barista position that pays $28/hour for about 7 hours a week, and I’ve been working at the help desk as a student employee for my school for the past 8 months. I also have the opportunity to contribute to a research project studying the ability of dynamic reconfiguration to improve resilience under compound threats involving natural disasters and cyberattacks.

If I don’t use this research project as my capstone, I’d need to either secure an internship—which might be difficult at this stage—or complete two capstones (one for CS and one for DNID) simultaneously in a future semester. Here are the paths I’m considering:

1. First Option: Work at the help desk for about 15 hours a week at $12/hour and fulfill my capstone requirement by doing research, which is unpaid. It’s stable and lets me check off the capstone requirement, but it’s not financially ideal, and the research might feel more like an obligation than an opportunity.
2. Second Option: Split my time between working at the help desk for 10 hours a week at $12/hour and doing paid research for 10 hours a week at $20/hour. This option pays the most and lets me explore two types of work—help desk and research—but it could be overwhelming, and I’d still need to fulfill my capstone requirement later.
3. Third Option: Focus entirely on paid research, working ~12 hours a week at $20/hour. This option aligns with my academic strengths and could help me explore research further, but I’d still need to figure out the capstone requirement later, and it pays slightly less overall compared to Option 2.

What makes this decision tricky is that I’m not entirely sure which direction aligns best with my future goals. Should I focus on building technical skills, exploring research, or gaining broader experience? I’d really appreciate any advice or insights that might help me weigh these options and get clearer on what’s most important for my future.

I’m a double major in Computer Science and Digital Narrative and Interactive Design (focused on game design), with a minor in Information Science at Pitt. While I have a strong interest in technology and creativity, I’m still figuring out what my long-term goals are and what kind of career I want to pursue.

Right now, I’m trying to decide between three work options for this semester, balancing financial needs, academic requirements, and gaining experience. I already work a barista position that pays $28/hour for about 7 hours a week, and I’ve been working at the help desk as a student employee for my school for the past 8 months. I also have the opportunity to contribute to a research project studying the ability of dynamic reconfiguration to improve resilience under compound threats involving natural disasters and cyberattacks.

If I don’t use this research project as my capstone, I’d need to either secure an internship—which might be difficult at this stage—or complete two capstones (one for CS and one for DNID) simultaneously in a future semester. Here are the paths I’m considering:

1. First Option: Work at the help desk for about 15 hours a week at $12/hour and fulfill my capstone requirement by doing research, which is unpaid. It’s stable and lets me check off the capstone requirement, but it’s not financially ideal, and the research might feel more like an obligation than an opportunity.
2. Second Option: Split my time between working at the help desk for 10 hours a week at $12/hour and doing paid research for 10 hours a week at $20/hour. This option pays the most and lets me explore two types of work—help desk and research—but it could be overwhelming, and I’d still need to fulfill my capstone requirement later.
3. Third Option: Focus entirely on paid research, working ~12 hours a week at $20/hour. This option aligns with my academic strengths and could help me explore research further, but I’d still need to figure out the capstone requirement later, and it pays slightly less overall compared to Option 2.

What makes this decision tricky is that I’m not entirely sure which direction aligns best with my future goals. Should I focus on building technical skills, exploring research, or gaining broader experience? I’d really appreciate any advice or insights that might help me weigh these options and get clearer on what’s most important for my future.