It&#x27;s not uncommon to find students going through the motions in a university department. Particularly in technical fields where children are led to believe that they &quot;should study X when they get to college.&quot; With CS and IT and the current economy that&#x27;s even more the case, and so the people around you are probably doing the minimum to keep their parents off their back and to feel that they&#x27;re doing what people say they should be doing.<p>Those other people have more influence in the &quot;what you should be doing&quot; than you do. So the best option is to find people who share your passions and surround yourself with them...find your tribe rather than trying to change one that&#x27;s not right for you.<p>Good luck.