A few years back I moved from an EE background to Computer Science. I found it hard initially to relate building cool shit with learning abstract theory. Howeve

A few years back I moved from an EE background to Computer Science. I found it hard initially to relate building cool shit with learning abstract theory. However, fast forward a few years now, I think I kind of understand where it helps and where it doesn't. I think there are two types of people who get the best value of a computer science education: 1) People who have been programming for years and years. That way, you have enough of these tiny examples of how people have done things. Now at school, a higher layer of abstraction showing how all this stuff is connected comes up and it is amazingly insightful. 2) People who are lucky enough to find the right kind of mentors in school. The kind who will force you to relate the theory to practical examples. At this point, if you don't have both enough work on the practical examples and on the theory, the only advice I have is to be prepared to work very hard, ask dumb questions and persist at it. Eventually, you will go into industry where it might initially seem as if the stuff you studied didn't have any context. Go back in a few years and re-read your notes, it will help you understand where the connections you subconsciously made in school have helped you.