Hello blog readers! I am excited to announce that I am one class away from graduation. I have been interested in computers and software since I was a toddler. My parents had a Macintosh Performa that I would click around on for hours. I have fond memories of my dad getting his monthly magazine that included a disc of shareware programs. Throughout my life I have spent way too much time on computers.
However, I did not delve into the world of programming until I started the post-bacc program at Oregon State University in the fall of 2020. I decided to make a career change from materials engineering to computer science to find more workplace flexibility. I also wanted to find a career where I was not worried about workplace hazards. I have been working as an intern at a national research lab for the past year, but I will be starting as a full-time software engineer at an internet of things startup mid-October. I am very excited to have achieved my goal of transitioning careers!
I am currently interested in building my front-end web development skills. In my new job, I will be primarily working with React. My capstone team has decided on a project that will utilize some of these skills, so I am excited to start working! We decided on making a utility web app for a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG.) I will discuss this further in a future blog post.
My interests outside of the programming world are music, video games, photography, hiking, and rock climbing. I find it very relaxing to do creative things outside of work and school. I like a lot of different genres of music, but my favorites are probably Metal, Jazz, and Punk. My favorite video game is Baldur’s Gate. I have spent thousands of hours replaying this game and has sparked my interest in TTRPG’s. I also have a cat that likes to follow me around all day and keeps me company. She has helped me manage my mental health better since I adopted her five years ago.
I am excited to work on this project and even more excited to be close to the end of my academic career!
