How to choose the right path of study?

Question

Electronics

Good day to all.
First , a little background .
I have a rather difficult (for me) situation. I entered SPBPU (Polytechnic University) in the direction related to programming (department of telematics). Programming dreamed of a class since 9, if not earlier. Participated in computer science olympiads, taught python, c++, c# - a little bit of everything.
But right now, when everything has already been decided and I entered the university 100%, I understand that I am much more interested in something related to iron, or rather robotics, electronics, and so on. Maybe programming is a piece of iron, that is, low-level. I don't want to write code for the rest of my life . Probably. Now to the questions
themselves , and there are as many as 2 of them.
1) What would you advise to do in this situation. I understand that it is rather stupid and the question itself is from the category of stupid, which can be googled. I would like to try myself in programming and in "doing something with my hands". I won’t go to another university - it’s too big a risk + I passed the exam in computer science, not physics => engineering specialties are closed to me.
2) I made a small plan for myself and would like to know your opinion: how bad is it?
1) Superficial study of C++
2) Slightly in-depth study of C++
3) Introduction to calculus
4) Introduction to discrete mathematics
5) Algorithms
6) Discrete structures
7) The C++ Programming Language - Bjarne Stroustrup
8) Algorithms: construction and analysis - Thomas Kormen
As you can see, I'm only thinking about C++ and algorithms so far. There are many online courses, since at first it is easier for me to hear + see, and then only to read serious literature. Stroustrup began to read several times - could not stand it, too dry for me, as a person who does not particularly know the language. But I will study this book thoroughly. Why exactly C++ I don't know. I fell for the phrase of many: "having studied C ++, it will be easy to understand any language and learn how to write in a short time." Although I myself do not think so, since in the same python everything is completely different, everything in general. It's also a bit confusing what to do next with this C++. Gamedev, as I understand it, is basically, well, desktop.
On the subject that interests me (robotics, engineering), I have not found any particular materials. As I understand it, they teach it at the university. I will be glad if you tell me how to start studying this topic myself.
Thank you very much if you read this panel) Thank you for any advice.

Answer 1

First of all, you need to more accurately determine your own goals... If the goal is just to play around with the hardware in order to understand whether you like it or not, then the most correct thing would be to calmly continue to receive a fundamental education in programming and do some DIY projects. If it is already clear that this is a "life's work", then there is still a lot to learn, which telematics will most likely not have (at least to the right extent) and without which there is simply nothing to do in low-level programming and, especially, robotics. This is primarily physics, electrical engineering, circuitry, general principles of design and development of systems, plus, of course, production technology (it is stupid to be able to solder), measurements (it is stupid to be able to use an oscilloscope or LA), standardization, etc. etc. right up to the same beloved sopromat by everyone. From programming and mathematics, in addition to purely fundamental knowledge (such as algorithms and data structures that can be learned in any language), you will also need a lot of specific knowledge, for example, DSP, cryptography, assembler, compiler device, protocols ... English (at least "technical") it's even funny to mention it. In a word, be prepared for the fact that in this case you will actually need TWO educations.
Where to start, in what order and how to get them (somewhere else to do or learn the missing ones on your own) - does not play a special role. As a result, you will come to the same. But at least one "official" education is absolutely necessary... not because they will teach you something specific, but because they will give you the opportunity to learn how to learn.
But about "writing code all your life" really smiled ... As soon as you feel that you are tired of writing code, soldering, measuring, designing and, most importantly, learning new things, then immediately leave the profession, because there is simply nothing else to do in it ! :)

Answer 2

Don't jump ahead of time. Learn calmly. It is not yet known what will come into your head closer to the end of the university.
No one will force you to do this. You will be able to realize yourself in various areas of IT. But it is important to have a good foundation.
Good luck!

Answer 3

The ability to fiddle with pieces of iron fits perfectly with fundamental knowledge of programming. So at the university, tightly ram the theory, and in your free time, get yourself a pet-project. I've devoted half of the second year to the manufacture of self-made ambilight.
I had a machine with an LPT port at the time, so I built a three-channel software PWM on an attiny15 and put it right into the LPT connector housing + LED strip and a simple program (using inpout32.dll to kick the LPT legs).
And at the university, at that time, I studied the purest mathematics and functional analysis in particular.

Answer 4

You will have mathematical analysis and discrete mathematics anyway in the first semester, but in general, the vector is chosen correctly in terms of the plan. I can’t tell you how to study the “pluses”, except that here you can choose the books of interest. And for starters, learn English to the level of reading technical literature (I guess from the choice of courses in Russian).

having studied C ++, any language will be easy to understand and learn to write in a short time

Yeah, Haskell and Forth correlate especially well with C++ knowledge.

Answer 5

Engineering(g)ring is the same everywhere. In robotics and circuitry Digital signal processing and matan. The base is the same everywhere. It's just applied in a different order and in different languages. Look for a robotics club. Or some kind of "incubator" with start-ups within the university.

Answer 6

Everything is simple. If you don’t want to change the university or specialty, then study in good faith where you study, and in your free time do what you like. Look around, maybe somewhere in the university there is something like a circle of robotics, or if you feel the strength in yourself, go to some technical school or vocational school in parallel (they don’t teach you to do something with your hands in universities).
PS And your plan is complete shit. C ++ is not a poem, you don’t need to learn it, you need to write programs in it

Answer 7

IMHO, you, sir, do not need to learn C ++, but pure C, since microcontrollers often program on it, tk. more suitable. Well, on this topic, a lot of copies are broken and forums are filled with writing.