WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? WHAT WAS YOUR PATH TO CAL?

I am a local kid – I grew up moving around various places throughout the East Bay and Solano (Hercules, Vallejo, San Pablo, Richmond, and back to Hercules). I spent many weekends in the shadow of the university. I usually visited my grandmother at work at Alta Bates Medical Center a few blocks away from the school. When I got bored I would walk down Telegraph Ave. and spend my afternoons at Amoeba and Rasputin’s looking for used ’90s rock and indie CDs.

I didn’t plan to go to Berkeley in high school; it was too close to home, but it ended up being my choice.

HOW MUCH PROGRAMMING HAVE YOU DONE (& WHAT LANGUAGES)?

I began with Snap! (I had no programming experience throughout all of grade school). Since then, I learned Python, Scheme, Java, C, some Assembly, and some C++. I have also been learning a bit of HTML and CSS in order to handle some of the web development for this course.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?

It’s fall again so I’m excited for college football. I love good television – I grew up on Star Trek: The Next Generation (subsequently indoctrinating me with a humanist disposition). I generally enjoy fantasy, science fiction, and drama. I used to write a lot of poetry and some short fiction. I lost the the knack for both when I started college. I started writing short fiction again. When I’m stressed out I break out my electric guitar and play (poorly).

WHAT COMMITMENTS WILL BE CONSUMING YOUR CYCLES THIS SEMESTER?

This semester, I am taking Cyberwar, Introduction to the Internet, Introduction to the Archeology of the Greek World, Personal Finance, and my Poli Sci Thesis seminar. Generally I’ll be working on my thesis throughout the year. I also work as a student assistant at the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity on-campus. I might begin applying for jobs and/or graduate school depending on which direction I decide to take soon.