CS 378 Fall 2019 Week 10: Karen Ding

Karen Ding
Nov 3 · 2 min read

What did you do this week?
I had a finance exam to study and take, and I’m really relieved it went pretty well. I went to the F1 first practice on Friday morning, the Saturday qualifying laps, and the Sunday race! I also went to Imagine Dragons concert on Friday and a Pink concert on Saturday. It was all really fun, Matthew McConaughey was there, Lewis Hamilton won the world championship, Bottas won the race, Verstappen got third, and Albon had a killer race from the back, 20th to 5th. The weather was beautiful, my best friend and roommate came with me, so all in all, it was a great weekend. I also had an all-day study-abroad informational meeting on Saturday, and it was exciting to recognize the reality of a semester in Scotland next spring!

What’s in your way?
This week I have an algorithms exam, and since I had a wonderful and fun-packed weekend, I’m guessing my grade will suffer in that class. But it’s okay to prioritize life over work sometimes! I’ll do my best and just keep looking forward to Christmas break and the end of this semester!

What will you do next week?
I have my Algorithms exam on Tuesday, the SWE lab due on Thursday, and my roommate and I will celebrate the end of recruiting by watching the Last Christmas, the romantic-comedy with Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, and going shopping at San Marcos. Maybe we’ll grab a steak somewhere (or sushi) this weekend as well!

What was your experience of SQL?
I already knew the basics but not formally. It’s good to know it more thoroughly, and I like the language and formatting. It’s very intuitive syntax, and I enjoy databases.

What’s your pick of the week or tip of the week?
Take advantage of the city we’re in. For every aspect of our lives, Austin has great opportunities for growth and experiences. There’s some great companies to work for and check out right here in downtown and next to campus, and they love UTCS students. There’s also great events happening every weekend: art shows, music festivals, concerts, races, comedy specials, etc. I’ve realized that I’ll be missing this lively city when I graduate, and it seems too late to take advantage of all that this city offers. But it’s not! Go check out cool events while you’re still here in Austin!

Karen Ding

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