On Witherspoon, wedged between a pub and a bank is the typical humdrum bakery-cafe. Brick walls against black canopy. Aged window panes. Passerbys nearly running into the chalkboard signs that cheesily read “Come in: we like you a latte :) .” Yet for me, it’s a portal into another universe. The dry, crisp rain immediately evaporates into aromas of broccoli cheddar and fresh baguettes swirling to embrace me. Rich waves hi from the counter, and I wave back as I slide...

Freshman year—I left the robotics room holding back tears. The condescending comments of “she needs help again?” and “maybe this isn’t for you” would endlessly echo for months, despite thriving in Java at school. Then I found the National Center for Women in Technology Facebook group, where impostor syndrome draws hundreds of comments overflowing with empowerment. Girls from across the world regularly fuse together to create apps against gender discrimination. Eventually, I too find the tenacity to advocate...

At 36, Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code, a nonprofit that’s provided free computer science education to 90,000 girls nationwide. But before that, she lost two campaigns and was a three-time law school reject. I heavily identify with Saujani not only through her dedication to public service, but even more so her advocacy for women to break out of toxic perfection. Like many other middle school girls, I was afraid of failure, scared of trying computer science for possibly being bad...

Before computer science, I loved mathematics. There’s something elegant and therapeutic in the process of hacking away at a problem till the puzzle of theorems and lemmas slowly click together. But competition math wasn’t satiating enough, with that process ending at fill-in-the-blanks. Then six weeks at __summer math program__ transported me into the parallel world of computer science. Amidst the Math-CS problem sets and research . presentations, I realized that computer science was the embodiment of abstract mathematical problem-solving...

As a poet and a programmer, I’m a lover of the multidisciplinary—making Duke’s balanced, open environment the perfect place to synergize my diverse interests in Computer Science and English/Creative Writing. After taking Machine Learning and Law and Literature, it’d be a privilege to apply the knowledge I’ve gained to Professor Conitzer’s research on Ethics into Robust Artificial Intelligence. Equally appealing is Duke’s unique culture of collaboration and camaraderie, which fosters connections among...

In our household, words don’t reflect their literal meanings. “I regret you both equally,” my mother will attempt to deadpan, as my sister and I playfully banter over who’s the favorite from the backseat. “Wasteful,” my dad will mutter, as he proceeds to return with three large fries (I requested only a medium). For my parents, growing up in a very reserved culture has made it difficult for them to express emotions the way I instinctively hug friends...

As a poet and programmer—I believe in the power of the interdisciplinary. Through developing websites and iOS projects, I find gratification implementing algorithms behind the scenes and connecting them to front-end UI elements. After developing a video game timeline of my life, I was invited to the international Apple conference. In San Jose, being surrounded by projects like LGBTQ safety apps inspired me to want to leverage my own skills into more than just creative outlets, but also tangibly...

Computer science integrated seamlessly with the liberal arts; engineering with a focus on humanity; encompassing breadth and depth; a vibrant home to culture; never do the same thing twice; internships on Fridays; plethora of art museums subway ride away; open; microcosm enabling interactions with people of all walks; pluralistic, polyphonic student body; well-read, well-spoken; unsheltered, worldly aka a change from the bubble that is Princeton; computer science department with interdisciplinary and global emphasis; intellectually stimulating; commitment to undergraduate research; modern...

The Scarlet Letter—dark, arduous journey with inspiring gems about compassion, autonomy, and change The Great Gatsby—gorgeous, evocative prose that raises still relevant discussions regarding the American dream The Canterbury Tales—how can you not love Medieval gossip with a nice dose of Horatian satire? Walden—nature gives us ideals for how to live, "the sun is but a morning star"

Literature and Fiction: Wuthering Heights—cruelest character teaches the most empathy ; Handmaid’s Tale—woke me up to gender issues ; One Hundred Years of Solitude—fantastical magical realism that reflects universal truths ; Circe—The Odyssey re-imagined through the life of Circe, doing justice to her shortchanged story Poetry Collections : Night Skies with Exit Wounds—messy, ambiguous, authentically beautiful ; Life on Mars—the otherworldly seamlessly merged with our own Non-fiction : The New Jim Crow—eye-opener into a complex, broken system; This...

The New Yorker, The Adroit Journal, The Onion, The Atlantic, The Verge (tech section), National Geographic

Exhibits—Gustav Klimt paintings at The MET. Salvador Dali at The MOMA. Ada Lovelace Exhibit at the Computer History Museum Concerts—Chance the Rapper, Snarky Puppy Films—Y Tu Mama Tambien, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 Shows—Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreations Lectures—Cathy O'neil on how Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy; Rana el Kaliouby on emotional, humanizing technology Podcasts—Freakonomics, This American Life

Mezcla—meaning “mixture” in Spanish—is what I value most about Columbia. As a computer scientist and creative writer, I believe in the power of mezcla. Code is my problem-solving tool, and literature my vehicle of empathy. All too often, the technology sector is so caught up churning out the next Facebook or self-driving Uber that we forget to consider the ethical side effects. We forget that investing our skills into developing blockchain software for the homeless is equally crucial....

My love for mathematics and problem-solving was my portal into computing. Amidst the Math-CS problem sets and research presentations at __summer math program__, I realized that code was the application of abstract mathematics in tangible, technological solutions. Computer science hooked me in for its innovative nature and more direct impact on society, which theoretical mathematics lacked. The following summer at governor’s school, my research project on _engineering topic_ was also grounded in theory. But we optimized the system for...

With far too many interests to confine myself to one or two, the quarter system enables me to take a vast array of classes without sacrificing depth—facilitating the synergistic connections and multidimensional perspectives I constantly look for. Also can we talk about Coho’s paninis.

Decreasing interest in the humanities. Though technology is undeniably a powerful tool for progress, the liberal arts are invaluable in learning creativity, empathy, and awareness. Especially with the recent artificial intelligence ethics scandals, we need those traits now more than ever to establish fair regulations and create humane products.

-Won governor's school ping-pong tournament and cutest couple superlative!! with roommate-turned-best-friend -Co-authored published paper on _removed_ -Discovered graph theory at _summer math program_ -Writing mentorships -Cut my own hair, which surprisingly turned out ok -Hiked Mount Holyoke -Dragged fam to art museums -And Costco many times just for the acai bowls

Psychologists say that your childhood behavior is your uninfluenced, true self. According to my mom, I'd never sleep, instead secretly escaping every night to crawl around the apartment for hours. I'd wanna third-person witness my early years between 1-5 am to see what I was doing during all that time.

Always searching for the unexpected

The Onion—my favorite article is the “8-Foot-Long, 250-Pound Tampon” Wikipedia rabbitholes and New Yorker—normal news intake Algorithms to Live By—CS teaches us how to live Night Skies With Exit Wounds(poetry)—messy, ambiguous, authentically beautiful Anything by Marquez—magical realism is paradoxical 3Blue1Brown—his linear algebra animations are soooo therapeutic Netflix—Friends, Parks, Grey’s Anatomy

I'd explore ambiguous trails, go on midnight hikes with my friends, or maybe even take a roadtrip through the desert while stargazing every night. Nature is the land of magic in the mundane, and I'd love to visit more.

Out of falling snow, dropdown gradients, and effervescent icons, fantastical settings straight out of a Gabriel García Márquez novel materialize. As I apply APIs like Core Graphics with parallax, the characters I construct dimensionionalize and transitions from scene to scene gain depth. Through developing iOS projects, my duality as a programmer and poet is unified by my itch to create. Piecing together these subtle yet powerful elements with code is like writing magical realism—narrative structures are analogous...

Roomie, It's so nice to finally meet you! One thing you should probably know about me—I come from a banterous family that expresses