My journey into software development started while studying psychology at the University of California, Riverside. While exploring different subjects, I took my first formal computer science course in C++, sparking my interest in coding. Though I was initially focused on becoming a psychologist, the creativity and logic of programming captivated me.

Fun fact: I'm currently majoring in psychology but also taking computer science courses to deepen my knowledge. It's an exciting way to merge my passion for human behavior with my growing interest in tech!

Although I didn’t pursue additional CS courses at first, I began teaching myself HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as a hobby. Everything changed in the summer of 2024 when I decided to focus on programming full-time. I immersed myself in web development, learning through freeCodeCamp, The Odin Project, documentation, and YouTube tutorials. That summer, I realized software engineering was my true passion.

Fun fact: A road trip to San Francisco in 2024 solidified my desire to pursue software engineering. It helped me realize this was the field I wanted to dive into.

Since then, I’ve completed more formal computer science courses, including Object-Oriented Programming and Data Structures and Algorithms in C++ at UCR, and am currently pursuing the IBM Full Stack Developer Specialization on Coursera. I’m also involved in my university’s ACM, where I collaborated on building a website for the Taekwondo Club at UCR. I also gained hands-on experience in collaborative software development by participating in CutieHack, a hackathon hosted by my university.