SCS Sophomores Share Their CMU Firsts: Semesters, Years and Experiences

Monday, October 22, 2018 - by Aisha Rashid (DC 2019)

Trevor Arashiro

When we last spoke to School of Computer Science students Trevor Arashiro, Chris Choi, Lauren Morgenthaler, and Peter Wu, they were first-years, entirely new to the undergraduate computer science program, the city of Pittsburgh, and most importantly, college. Last fall, these talented students provided insightful snapshots of their first semesters in the School of Computer Science. Now — with a year of college under their belts — they're back with more.

Trevor Arashiro

"The most memorable SCS experience I had my freshman year was building my 15-112 term project. The project simulated the Wean elevators, finding the most efficient algorithm for picking people up. It exposed me to just how complicated elevators were, despite originally thinking that I could write a simulated one in less than 200 lines of code.

"Back in high school, my CS classes didn't teach me much, but the courses here provided me with everything I could handle and then some. I learned that there were some classes I wasn't at the top or middle of, but instead was at the dead bottom. Freshman year truly taught me what it means to be an SCS student, and the responsibility it carries.

"Something I'd tell my freshman-year self is what I would tell every incoming freshman: don't start slacking on your work. A lot of things are different from high school, and there's a lot less external motivation pushing you to do your work. Self-discipline is a must, and deadlines are DEADLINES. Which means even 10 seconds after the deadline, the assignment is still late!"

For more information, Contact:
Susie Cribbs | 412-268-4482 | cribbs@cs.cmu.edu