Keshav, Major: Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Q: What’s your name and major?
A: My name is Keshav Holani and I’m majoring in Cell Biology and Neuroscience.
Q: What made you come to HackRU?
A: I came to volunteer because I knew some of the people involved. I wanted a better idea of what my CS friends did and was interested in seeing all the new technology. The free food was also really good motivation!
Q: What was one of the biggest takeaways you had from HackRU?
A: Advancing technology and programming requires innovation and interest at all levels.
Q: Tell us about an experience you had at HackRU.
A: Dancing at midnight was actually really fun. We started with 5 people and brought in another couple dozen, so it was actually pretty hype at its best.
Q: What would you tell someone participating at their first hackathon?
A: Have fun. You don’t get punished for trying, so just do whatever interests you. As a volunteer, it’s worth going, and it’s an enjoyably group of people. The food is also very worth it.
Q: How is technology going to shape your career?
A: I want to be a doctor, so technology is increasingly becoming a part of what I would be doing. The more technologically skilled a doctor’s specialty is, the more he or she gets paid, so technology is quite important.
Nishita, Major: Computer Science
Q: What’s your name and major?
A: My name is Nishita Kommana, and I’m a sophomore majoring in Computer Science.
Q: What made you come to HackRU?
A: I was interested in getting more involved with hackathons and my friend told me about a volunteering opportunity so I joined her to see what it would be like. The environment was amazing and I am so glad I went and was able to see everyone collaborate and work hard to turn amazing ideas into a reality.
Q: What was one of the biggest takeaways you had from HackRU?
A: Something I really loved about HackRU was the entire atmosphere. Although people were pressured to finish their projects in time, there were plenty of outlets with really interesting activities to spark new ideas or to just clear your head. I loved that although people were competing with one another, everyone was also very open to collaborating and sharing information.
Q: Tell us about an experience you had at HackRU.
A: There was a game near the sponsor tables which I do not remember the name of, but there were wands which detected sensitivity and changed colors and people were really enjoying themselves there it was a great way for them to take a break and have some fun!
Q: What would you tell someone participating at their first hackathon?
A: I would tell them that they shouldn’t be scared and that they will love it. It’s a great opportunity to work with many new people and make great connections not only with other students but also with some great companies.
Q: How is technology going to shape your career?
A: Technology is a huge part of any career. In today’s world with technology constantly changing and improving, programmers will be heavily affected. We will be depended upon to write new codes to develop, improve, or revise various programs. There will be tremendous opportunity to create unique applications which have the potential to change how the world works. Technology is the most crucial component for a computer scientist, my career would depend upon the many advancements made in the technological field.
Mustufa, Major: Computer Science
Q: What’s your name and major?
A: My name is Mustufa Hussain and my major is Computer Science.
Q: What made you come to HackRU?
A: A lot of my friends are computer science majors so I had the opportunity to form a team and experience my first hackathon.
Q: What was one of the biggest takeaways you had from HackRU?
A: Anyone can come out, no matter what level of experience and have a good time. It really showed that anyone can create something amazing in a short time span.
Q: Tell us about an experience you had at HackRU.
A: There were a lot of fun activities besides coding, including the notorious cup stacking. It was a super fun competition and everyone came to watch until the end. It was also a lot of fun playing with the cool hardware like the VR and the computers.
Q: What would you tell someone participating at their first hackathon?
A: I would tell them to come out and have fun and to be yourself. There are a lot of kids who don’t have any tech background and it’s a great way to get some exposure and to build cool projects.
Q: How is technology going to shape your career?
A: As a computer science major, technology will shape my career a lot because I will be hands on everyday. I want to use all the new technologies and frameworks for wherever I go and develop some great projects. Technology is constantly changing and it’s only getting better from here.
Head on over to www.hackru.org to register for HackRU Fall 2017 on October 14–15! And look out for more of our past participants’ experiences at HackRU in the coming days here on Medium!
