Steadily holding my mechanical pencil, I meticulously sketch out the delicate petals of peonies. As I finish erasing the stray marks from the elaborate line art, I am ready to apply the watercolors. The shades of pink, red, and yellow swirl together into beautiful and subtle shades of lavender, amaranth, and tango. Each base pigment mingles into a synergy of vivid color. They are the shades and hues that represent the different aspects of my experience as an artist. From...

In the sweltering heat of a Pittsburgh summer, I found myself sitting in one of the cool, air-conditioned classrooms in Wean Hall, quietly working with four other students to design our first ever video game. Having the opportunity to participate in one of Carnegie Mellon’s pre-college programs, the National High School Game Academy, I was overjoyed to be able to call this my home for the next six weeks. When I sat in the packed auditorium on opening day,...

As I become frustrated at the errors in my code, I think about how taking courses such as Data Structures and Algorithms at the EECS Department could help eliminate these bugs to run smoothly and efficiently. Interested in Computer Science and Engineering, listening to lectures about the binary trees and linked lists only fuels my excitement. In addition, the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program will give me a chance to work at MIT’s Game Lab and prepare me for a...

I climb into my mother’s car, and my daily commute to school starts. As I wait for the traffic to thin, I recall similar scenes in my childhood. My mother would drop me off at preschool and then go on her way, pursuing a master’s degree at school or building a successful career. When my parents first arrived in San Francisco, they left behind their family, friends, and community with nothing but two suitcases and a few hundred...

I had the opportunity to work in a team to create my first video game. I initially thought we would immediately agree on a concept and start working, synergizing our abilities to create a breathtaking game in just three weeks. In actuality, we had trouble coming to a consensus. While I wanted a linear plot-based RPG, my peers argued for a puzzle game with multiple levels, and our leader was insistent on a horror game. After hours of discussing and...

As I stare at the computer, frustrated at the errors in my code, I think about how taking courses such as “Data Structures & Object Oriented Design” and “Principles of Software Development” can help me eliminate these bugs to create a program that runs with efficiency. Learning from esteemed faculty members, participating in lectures about binary trees and linked lists, and knocking on the professor’s door during office hours to talk about the latest algorithm is why I cannot wait...