It's Okay To Ask

In computer science, a common slogan we hear is RTFM, which stands for Read The F*cking Manual. Wiktionary describes it as this: "RTFM is used to express frustration at someone who asks questions to which the answers can be easily sought from another source.”

Although the intention may be for folks to become more self-reliant and proactive in searching for answers, another outcome is that it also contributes towards making the computer science field an intimidating environment, especially for students coming in with little to no background, and for students who may already feel uncomfortable asking questions. This often relates to factors such as race, gender, and sexuality. There have been countless instances where I’ve wasted a lot more time trying to answer my own questions when I could have quickly gotten an explanation from a peer or an instructor, and I still tend to mentally replay my questions dozens of times before I work up the courage to ask an instructor. My stencil would be spray painted on the walls of common CS spaces such as the labs on 2nd floor of Soda Hall, the 3rd floor undergraduate lounge, and some of the offices and doors of computer science professors. This message’s purpose is to shift the CS culture away from RTFM and to encourage collaboration among students and to help create a space where students are comfortable asking each other and the instructors for help.