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PC Club (College Club)

sfbloodbrother

sfbloodbrother

Extreme Android User
So I had this idea in my mind for a while now. I want to get involved with my school more, and the clubs, however the clubs that I want to be a part of are at the other campus of my college that is miles and ages away, especially for me who doesn't have a car, so what I want to do or am thinking of doing is starting my own club.

I was talking with my TRiO adviser, and told him that I did want to be in a club, but that I can't be in the clubs I want to, so he suggested that I can start my own club, and that got me thinking of wanting to start a PC club. A PC building computer club, or something like that. He suggested that the college can provide money to build computers for learning purposes. However, what else can a club like this do other than just building computers? Well, that's why I'm asking my favorite community, so what can we do here? How can a PC building club work out? Any suggestions?

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Build a PC Club?
 
Honestly, I'm not sure how viable a PC building club might be. One problem I see is obtaining the parts necessary--and would this be for ONE box that the whole club works on building, or is the idea for each member to build their own? Most schools are kind of strapped these days, and I'm not sure how much funding they'd actually be able/willing to do for a club.

Another issue is that say you start working on building a PC. What happens once it's built? Does the club disband for the year? Start working on another box? Or what?

I'm leaning more toward a computer-oriented club, that could incorporate building a PC with other activities--maybe programming, or discussion about technology, comparing operating systems, and so on.
 
MoodyBlues said:
Honestly, I'm not sure how viable a PC building club might be. One problem I see is obtaining the parts necessary--and would this be for ONE box that the whole club works on building, or is the idea for each member to build their own? Most schools are kind of strapped these days, and I'm not sure how much funding they'd actually be able/willing to do for a club.

Another issue is that say you start working on building a PC. What happens once it's built? Does the club disband for the year? Start working on another box? Or what?

I'm leaning more toward a computer-oriented club, that could incorporate building a PC with other activities--maybe programming, or discussion about technology, comparing operating systems, and so on.
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I see the same problems with this too. Maybe programming would be good too, but I'm no programmer.
 
sfbloodbrother said:
I see the same problems with this too. Maybe programming would be good too, but I'm no programmer.
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Well, there's no time like the present to learn! :D

You wouldn't have to think of it in terms of career-level knowledge of programming, but just dabbling in different things with the club. A little HTML here, JavaScript there, bash scripting, etc. See how many different languages the club can output the standard "hello world" program with. :) Talk about the history of programming, cover some of the old languages (COBOL, Fortran), and old computers--that filled entire rooms!--maybe talk about how the Internet evolved and how its programming has evolved over the years...

I don't know, I think the possibilities are really quite endless *IF* you open the concept up to being computer-oriented rather than strictly building PCs.
 
When I was going to the community college back in the '90s, I started school later in life, me and a few other MIS students decided to try and start a Computer Club. We had a a couple of informational meetings but it never really got off the ground because of a conflict with some other group and the few PCs that would have been involved for the CC.

We had discussed some things to talk about, such as what Moody mention.
 
saptech said:
When I was going to the community college back in the '90s, I started school later in life
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I was a late starter, too. At the ripe old age of 26, I felt a million years older than my classmates. But when my contemporaries were doing the college thing, I was dealing with stuff like pregnancies, illness, major surgeries, financial devastation...not the usual stuff teens and early 20s face. :eek:

me and a few other MIS students decided to try and start a Computer Club. We had a a couple of informational meetings but it never really got off the ground because of a conflict with some other group and the few PCs that would have been involved for the CC.
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Too bad that didn't work out. I'm sure it had potential.
 
MoodyBlues said:
I was a late starter, too. At the ripe old age of 26, I felt a million years older than my classmates. But when my contemporaries were doing the college thing, I was dealing with stuff like pregnancies, illness, major surgeries, financial devastation...not the usual stuff teens and early 20s face. :eek:


Too bad that didn't work out. I'm sure it had potential.
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I was like, 34 or so and was working full time and had small kids. It took me 3 yrs. to finish a 2 yr. program. Before starting college, I had taken some computer classes at a vocational school and was way ahead of the other students who was much younger, so I was the go to guy the instructors called on to help the other students.

I wanted the club to happen also. I thought it would have been a big boost to the other students. The school was in a low income area, so funds was limited then at alot of the other community colleges.
 
saptech said:
I was like, 34 or so and was working full time and had small kids. It took me 3 yrs. to finish a 2 yr. program.
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I hear you. :) I waited until my daughter was well established in school before I started college; she was in third grade when I took the plunge. I was working, going to school, doing all the 'adult stuff' people do (paying bills, chauffeuring my daughter and her friends around, hosting slumber parties, helping her with her homework, taking care of a bunch of pets...I'm exhausted now just THINKING about it). My husband was amazing, working two jobs at times so we could make ends meet. We took out no student loans; we paid as I went. I spent 5 years killing myself doing all the above and holding my place as an A student with honors in pre-med, only to chuck it all when I decided to take some time off before med school. Thank you, UNIX!! :D I never could've predicted I would dump my lifelong, sole ambition to be a physician for programming/sysadmin, but I did!

Before starting college, I had taken some computer classes at a vocational school and was way ahead of the other students who was much younger, so I was the go to guy the instructors called on to help the other students.
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Cool. Sounds fun. :)

I wanted the club to happen also. I thought it would have been a big boost to the other students. The school was in a low income area, so funds was limited then at alot of the other community colleges.
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It certainly had potential, so it's a shame it didn't pan out. As for funding, that's definitely a big issue right now at a lot of schools, whether they're in low income areas or not. A lot of non-essential things, like clubs, are probably suffering.
 
sfbloodbrother said:
Wow, you dumped everything and started programming. That's impressive.
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Yeah, I really did. And I would NEVER have believed it if someone had told me a year or two or five earlier that that's what would happen! I was absolutely single-minded, working my butt off to make the best grades, no time for typical college stuff (drinking? partying? really? not me!), just tunnel vision to be able to get into the medical school of my choice.

I was working at a furniture store chain doing data entry while I was in college--and first touched a UNIX box--and when I decided to take a little time off before med school, one thing led to another and I ended up in a created-for-me position there. I got to immerse myself in UNIX--while being paid :D--and then off I went. I transitioned the company off their IBM System/3 mainframes, installed and programmed and administered a multi-location UNIX system, installed all the peripherals, did all the end user support...I did it all. AND I LOVED IT. After a certain point I realized that this wasn't going to be a temporary career, but THE career. See ya, med school! :ciao:

For the most part, I have no regrets. The only times I really wish I had gone on to get my MD are when something dramatic comes up, like when I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I wished I could be more involved, more knowledgeable, more active in the treatment. But, really, I'm content with the path I ended up taking. :)
 
Similar to me, I wanted to be a video editor, but after my first PC build, I want to be an electrical engineer and make microprocessors.
 
sfbloodbrother said:
Similar to me, I wanted to be a video editor, but after my first PC build, I want to be an electrical engineer and make microprocessors.
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Keep something in mind: You're not limited to ONE passion/hobby/career/vocation/etc. :)

You know that whole 'right brain/left brain' thing? Personally, I've felt it just doesn't apply to me, as I'm both very analytical/logical but also creative. After becoming disabled I turned my creative side into a whole new career, creating designs/graphics for products in online shops. And then I incorporated my hobby of photography into that, too. I now have web sites that feature my graphics and photography on products.

My actual point is that you don't need to think in terms of only ONE field. If you want to get your degree in electrical engineering, great. But that doesn't mean you can't also dabble in video editing--or a bazillion other things. If you're interested in something, do it. You may not have a lot of time to pursue other things when you're first starting your career, but as time allows see what you can do. I sat on my concept of selling slogans on bumper stickers (and other things) for YEARS before I actually acted on it. I was too busy doing other things (like my real career), but I kept a running file of slogans as they popped into my head, knowing that someday I would do it. So please don't think it has to be one OR the other!
 
MoodyBlues said:
Keep something in mind: You're not limited to ONE passion/hobby/career/vocation/etc. :)

You know that whole 'right brain/left brain' thing? Personally, I've felt it just doesn't apply to me, as I'm both very analytical/logical but also creative. After becoming disabled I turned my creative side into a whole new career, creating designs/graphics for products in online shops. And then I incorporated my hobby of photography into that, too. I now have web sites that feature my graphics and photography on products.

My actual point is that you don't need to think in terms of only ONE field. If you want to get your degree in electrical engineering, great. But that doesn't mean you can't also dabble in video editing--or a bazillion other things. If you're interested in something, do it. You may not have a lot of time to pursue other things when you're first starting your career, but as time allows see what you can do. I sat on my concept of selling slogans on bumper stickers (and other things) for YEARS before I actually acted on it. I was too busy doing other things (like my real career), but I kept a running file of slogans as they popped into my head, knowing that someday I would do it. So please don't think it has to be one OR the other!
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Good point. I do want to focus my career on Electrical Engineering, but as a hobby, I want to make Youtube Videos. I am getting on that, I just need some new software for my computer, and some better hardware, and I can do both.
 
sfbloodbrother said:
Good point. I do want to focus my career on Electrical Engineering, but as a hobby, I want to make Youtube Videos. I am getting on that, I just need some new software for my computer, and some better hardware, and I can do both.
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Ah, good ole YouTube...
 
Back to topic, I am thinking of starting this club at the beginning of the next semester. This means I only have about 8 weeks to plan for activities and the structure for a club like this. Anyone have any ideas?
 
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