My Story

My career started the last week of middle school. At that point, all of my classes had basically finished, and playing whatever browser-based game the school's firewall didn't block had grown old.

The solution? Well, that Code.org Minecraft game we played in computer class once was fun enough. It kept me busy for an hour, but then I started exploring the website for other things to do. Eventually, I found their feature for lessons, and I specifically remember trying to create an ellipse; when I saw it render on the screen, I was hooked.

For a few months, I would spend hours tearing through online resources and textbooks. I probably alternated between trying to learn three different programming languages, before eventually I came to a realization: if I seriously wanted to learn, I needed to actually make something.

Just as before, I turned to Minecraft, setting my sights on creating a mod for the game using Java. For a first project, it was too ambitious: I moved on to other projects before ever finishing. Still, this was how I found my answer to that standard small talk question people always seemed to ask:

"What do you want to do when you grow up?"

"I want to be a software developer."

Since then, I've come a long way. After all, now I can actually finish my projects! I've also branched out from Minecraft mods, focusing more on building apps for a variety of platforms, be they phones, calculators, or the web.

I've done this with one guiding thought in the back of my head: to start that career, I'd need to convince someone to hire me. To achieve this, I decided to focus on two key areas. Earning a degree in computer science was a must, which would require excelling in school to secure the financial support I'd need. Furthermore, I knew it would be important that I build a portfolio to demonstrate what I've built and what I've learned.

Given that you're reading this, it seems I did stop redesigning that portfolio eventually.

My Interests & Hobbies

• Programming: It's a cliché, I know. Regardless, I always seem to have a project in the works. Crammed between my UT Austin coursework and my other hobbies, I hope to keep creating things worth showing off here over time.

• Writing: Outside of coding, I’m writing fiction; now drafting the first book in an original trilogy. It’s my first original project, and I’m excited to see it through, warts and all.

• Archery: Recently, I've also joined the University of Texas at Austin's archery club! Learning to shoot a bow scratches my itch for competing, albeit against myself for now. Besides, I finally have a hobby that gets me out of my apartment on the weekends.

If you need to contact me directly

Other places you can find me