AU '20: Foundations of Computing I: Fall quarter was my first quarter as a CSE major! I really enjoyed 311, the logic was just so satisfying to my analytical brain. I had a wonderful support system for that class, including Robbie as a down-to-Earth professor, Arthur as an approachable and encouraging TA, and a fun study group. That made all the difference. At times I was intimidated by all the prior technical knowledge people seemed to have, but for the most part I just enjoyed learning and took comfort in what I brought to the table. There was definitely a steep learning curve, with the different systems and structures, and multiple different syntaxes for repetitive concepts. 391 was my happy place, I loved having my hand held as we took baby steps through the world of vim and GitLab. I also learned that handwriting proofs is not the most efficient method, so I'm planning to learn how to take and organize notes on an iPad. I'm excited to see what tricks next quarter offers.
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WI '21: Love and Theft: Performing Race in American Literature & Culture: It's been some time now, since I took Love & Theft. One idea that has stuck with me since is race as a gendered construct, and the line from M. Butterfly that captures this moment of revelation for me is something like, "but I'm not just a man, am I." This form of intersectionality between race and gender was a new idea to me, and it's enriched my understanding of my own identity as an Asian man. Relatedly, I appreciated learning from Professor Huh. To learn from an Asian man, a warm and "cute" personality, ideas related to our being, related to Asian being, it felt like being seen. Most often the academic spaces dedicated to thinking about race are centralized on blackness, contrasted with whiteness. This was a browning space, a more complete space. I plan to seek out representation for myself, and perhaps be a form of representation in the spaces I occupy.
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SP '21: Intro to Data Management: Flight Manager: little did I know after completing this project, that I would have the ins-and-outs of it memorized to present to interviewers during internship interviews. It seems my elevator pitch for it was pretty good though; when the dust had settled, I had 5 solid offers to choose from. As for the project itself, it felt like I had built something someone could actually use, and that was a very good feeling. In deciding how to implement reservations vs. itineraries, I was exposed to the creative side of computer science, and I think that exposure is really valuable in terms of building things that matter for the real world. It was also my first time coupling use of declarative languages with a query language, and learning that nuance gave me a greater appreciation for the architecture behind computer science communication. I'll be on the lookout for more opportunities to think about how we communicate these ideas, and what the consequences of those modes are.
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