Drama in the Debug

Hello, World!

As my first senior capstone class zooms past the halfway mark, I’m thrilled to share the exciting journey of my first major venture into mobile development through our crowd-sourced travel planner app. Before this class, the world of mobile app development was uncharted territory for me. Now, I’m learning React Native and built my first React application! Working with databases isn’t new to me, but integrating them into a mobile app is, so that’s something I’ve working on/learning. I’m looking forward to continuing the progress next term.

This class has been a fantastic introduction to industry-like projects, providing a perfect mix of learning and hands-on experience without the pressure of a high-stakes job.

A life hack that’s been a game changer for me this term: step away from the screen! If you’re stuck on a tricky bit of code, staring at it longer won’t help. Trust me, taking a break can miraculously clear your mind and bring that ‘eureka’ moment much faster.

On the drama front, my latest screen obsessions are Dune: Prophecy, Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, and the new Wicked movie. I just can’t stop singing “Defying Gravity” and “Popular”! Both shows and the movie have been wonderful surprises, offering captivating stories that are the perfect way to unwind after a coding session. Which brings me to another life hack I’ve been relying on: swapping the computer screen for the TV screen. There’s nothing like a comfort movie or show to hit the reset button.

So, here we are, more than halfway through the term, and life is as balanced as my code… sometimes smooth, often needing a debug, but ultimately getting there! For my CS senior capstone, I’ve been working on a Crowd-Sourced Travel Planner app, and I’ll be honest—it’s been a mix of victories and battles with procrastination.

The project I’m working on focuses on creating an app that lets users share their travel experiences while finding unique ones as well. Think reviews, ratings, and maps, all in one. With my focus on HCI, the design phase has been my favorite. I really enjoy bringing user-friendly features to life! What’s been a little trickier, though, is that sneaky habit of procrastination. We’ve learned that “I’ll start on it tomorrow” can quickly turn into a week of “tomorrows” if you’re not careful.

Overall, this class has been easier than expected, and it turns out, that creating a mobile app has been way more approachable than I first thought (so far at least). Before starting this class, I had zero experience in mobile app development, so every step has been a learning moment.

Now onto the drama fix: Tell Me Lies and Reasonable Doubt…

Balancing school and fun has been a top priority this term, and when I’m not deep into the debug, I’m all about my dramas. I wrapped up Tell Me Lies and Reasonable Doubt, leaving me with some serious cliffhangers. If you need an escape, give them a try—you’ll get all the thrill of suspense with none of the coding headaches.

All in all, this term has been a reminder that CS projects, like good shows, are all about the journey and maybe a little bit about those shocking plot twists (planned or unplanned). Here’s hoping the second half is as productive as the first, minus the procrastination! And maybe in the end, I can book myself a vacation using the app because I will be desperately needing one!

Hello World! Welcome to Drama in the Debug, where I’ll be sharing my capstone journey along with some fun bits of life.

I’m Allyson, and while I’ve been living in Oregon (PST) for the past three years, I’m originally from Washington state. Some of my favorite things include spending time with family and friends, taking walks with my dog, traveling, cooking, watching movies and shows, doing pilates, indulging in sweet treats, and sipping on matcha. Lately, I’ve been hooked on the shows Tell Me Lies and Reasonable Doubt—I live for the drama (hence the blog name, of course)!

As for tech, it’s tough to choose a favorite, but right now, my air fryer is definitely winning. I’m working toward my CS degree with a focus on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and here are a few projects that really excite me:

• OSU Orientation Gamification: I love the idea of making orientation fun! Game development is new for me, but I’m so ready to dive in and learn.
• Citizen Science App for Kids: I’ve worked on the UI and done UX research for a learning app, so being part of the entire process—from frontend to backend—would be fun!
• Language Immersion Virtual Environment (LIVE): This project combines my experience with UI/UX for a language learning app and my desire to gain game development and GPT API skills.

I can’t wait to see which project team I end up on and look forward to sharing all the ups and downs with you. Bye for now!

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