Some more trivia about me: What do you think about when you're by yourself? I think of the next thing on my to-do list for the day; I'm that productive. Other times, I'm contemplating my future, imagining my life a year from now, in five, or even a decade. I'm also constantly thinking about growing Carerra's Chronicles. Do you go to college? If so, what's your major? Was it the same from the start, or did you change your mind? Yep, I do go to college. (Edit: I just graduated.) I started with an Associates in Computer Science at Highline College, graduating in 2020. I then transferred to the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, to complete my Bachelors in Mathematics, expected graduation in 2022, God willing. About the switch, I got midway through my CS degree when I realized that Java wasn't my thing (yet), so I pivoted to Math. Math was my favorite subject in college and high school, and it still relates to Computer Science in numerous ways. Furthermore, Math is overarching - it's literally everywhere - so I could do whatever I wanted with it post-graduation. Thus, it was a no-brainer to select it. What's been your biggest mistake so far in life, and what did you learn from it? My biggest mistake has been people-pleasing, naivety, and not being assertive when I needed it the most. To some extent, I cared about others' perceptions over mine. I did learn a few things, though. First, whether you do good or bad, people will still have an opinion of you regardless. Some could be favorable, others...not so much, hence they are opinions for a reason. Secondly, life is limited, so it's better spent pursuing your interests instead of those enforced by others upon you. "Don't give up. You're going places. Hang in there, buddy, because I've got you." A favorite place you'd love to go to? Venice, Italy. I love their canals. :) What qualities do you admire about your parents? Collectively, I love that my parents are pretty loving of me no matter what stage of life I'm in. Individually, my mum is impactful, affirmative, and action-oriented, while my dad is intellectual, knowledgeable, and thoughtful. I love them abundantly. Mum, Dad, God bless you both. Describe your childhood best friend(s). Peter and Alex- shoutout to wherever you are for being genuine Gs during primary school. I also owe one to Gadson - eight-plus years of friendship. What's your biggest pet peeve? Self-entitlement. The galaxy revolves around no one. What three things do you value most about a person? I value their authenticity, life goals, and character when meeting a person. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Probably Manhattan-NY, Seattle-WA, or Bali-Indonesia. What's your favorite beer? No bebo cerveza. (Spanish: I don't drink.) What's one thing about the world that bothers you today? International wars; I don't understand how wars will prove a point in the 21st century anyway. What's something you would tell your former self? "Don't give up. You're going places. Hang in there, buddy, because I've got you." Part 3 loading.

What's your favorite clothing brand? Not that I care about them much, but perhaps J Ferrar, Meijiana, and Nike. Your favorite subject in school? Math and Physics. Dogs or cats? Cats. What's one thing you'd do if you had $1,000,000? I'd divide it accordingly, depending on my situation. $200,000 would go into the stock market - some index funds, ETFs, and dividend stocks - and Ethereum. I'd reinvest $10,000 into my business and some $50,000-$100,000 for my mortgage. I'd then retire my dad with $100,000 and save the rest for proper future use. What are some goals you have for the next five years? Entrepreneurship, growing my business, financial freedom, working at a big tech at Microsoft, Google, or Apple - and perhaps a master's degree. Were your parents too strict with you? I wouldn't say so; they were okay. My parents were easy-going in their raising of me and did their best. Still, they could pinpoint where and why I went wrong, so I learned. Looking back, their parenting paid off. Just keep doing your best and keep doing you. When you look back, you'll be surprised by how much you've evolved and who you've become. Favorite gemstone? Diamond. Thing's priceless and far more valuable than gold. If you believe in reincarnation, who or what would you want to be in the other life? An angel. What's your daily mantra- something that keeps you going? Just keep doing your best and keep doing you. When you look back, you'll be surprised by how much you've evolved and who you've become. How do you wish to be remembered? I want people to remember me as someone who did his best, gave his all, and had a lasting impact wherever he stepped. I want to be recognized as one who willingly performed God's will. Lastly, what's a quote you like? I recently read this line from one of Carl Sagan's videos, and I found it quite comforting: "To live in the hearts of others is to never die in those we leave behind."

In my last college quarter, my Math instructor said something that would dumbfound me for the rest of my life. "When things get too complicated, revert to the First Principles." ~Sara Billey, P.hD. That was eye-opening for me, considering it was the first time I heard of "First Principles." Mastering the basics of something, whether beginner or total expert, is crucial to understanding the whole concept, and that's what the 101 Series is for - taking you back to the basics, to the first principles. The 101 Series will uncover everything from the ground up, starting with the fundamentals to the nuanced understanding straight after. My goal will be to clearly and understandably explain the topics without omitting the key details, and I'll achieve that through simplicity, rationality, and observing the facts. "The beginning is the most important of the work." ~Aristotle And there's only one way to find out. . . . ~T.K.K

This is a beginner's crash course into understanding cryptocurrency basics, so I won't be too technical in explanation. My pardon to the experts who feel I've left out the important and intricate details; I'm writing this in a way a five-year-old would understand best. :) Background Different governments own different currencies; the US Dollar ($), the Chinese Yuan (¥), British Pound (£), South African Rand (R), Indian Rupee (₹), Kenyan Shilling (KES), etc. Each government has its jurisdiction over its currency and plays with it however they like. The world reserve currency is currently the US Dollar- used in global trade, economic comparison, etc. This has its drawbacks, though. Whatever happens in the US economy practically affects the world, if The Great Depression of 1929 and The 2008 Global Financial Crisis are anything to go by. The 2008 crisis, especially, is more resentful for two reasons: it's the more recent of the two, and it adversely affected millennials' ability to make money to date. Their American Dreams were crushed to the ground, their bank accounts either frozen or liquidated. On the other hand, the government bailed the same banking institutions responsible for the crash in the first place while acquiring over 70 more insolvent ones. It was a dark time in recent history. People had enough with the government and the then banking system. They wanted a way out but weren't sure how so. The crash caused many effects worldwide but catalyzed one that completely revolutionized global finance. It initially started in tiny bits in 1983 in the formation of anonymous cryptographic electric money ecash, becoming Digicash twelve years later. Digicash was encrypted such that no government, bank, or third party could trace it. 1998 birthed "B-money," an anonymous electronic cash system, while bit gold, not too long after, came out demanding a "proof-of-work order" solution that one could cryptographically solve. The nail on the coffin came in the post-crash era of 2009 when the fully automated foolproof cashless system came to play. This technology has since been decentralized and publicly available in yet another system unfathomable to human understanding (yet). It made silent moves in the early 10s, but headed into the 20s, has become a revolutionary technology of the past decade and the next to come, and because of it, finance is reimagined. Enter Cryptocurrency. What is Cryptocurrency? Easy Answer: Cryptocurrency is some digital money that the world is talking about right now, but I don't really care much to know much about it. I just know it exists. Cryptocurrency (short: Crypto) is a decentralized digital currency secured by cryptography to prevent counterfeiting and double-spending of a currency. By a decentralized cryptocurrency, no entity or intermediary exists between the sender and recipient of the currency. A cryptocurrency is digital; it is coded from computers and has no physical attribute to it. This means that you will never see a physical cryptocurrency unless you consider some commemorative coins from Amazon. Common cryptos examples include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Tether, and many more. Who created cryptocurrency? Who made it? Easy Answer: Satoshi Nakamoto, Vitalik Buterin, among others. Different cryptos have different creators, so the number of crypto creators varies, but the blue-chip cryptos' inventors (Bitcoin and Ethereum) are relatively famous. Bitcoin's creator is Satoshi Nakamoto. Satoshi, however, is anonymous; no one knows whether Satoshi is a syndicate or an individual. It gets even more interesting to learn that Satoshi disappeared in 2011, never to be heard of again. A 21st-century mystery, I believe. Ethereum's creator is Vitalik Buterin, who imagined creating a platform that showcased more uses of blockchain other than creating Bitcoin. Unlike Bitcoin (and I agree), Vitalik wanted to incorporate blockchain with software development and connect tangible assets (properties, stocks, real estate, etc.), digitize them, and encrypt them into the blockchain. His bet is starting to pay off seven years later as more developers unleash new capabilities of the Ethereum blockchain. When was crypto created? How long has it been around? Easy Answer: 2009. The first crypto, Bitcoin, came out in 2009. All else followed since; Dogecoin in 2013 and Ethereum in 2014. Another, like Polka Dot, came out last year (2020). All this proves that at any particular time, new crypto is evolving. PS: From here, I'll exclude the technicals and narrate the basics for a novice's understanding. I might explain the technicals in a later post, but that's for another day. Where does it come from? Where is it made? Easy Answer: From computers. Most supercomputers connected to the blockchain network are usable for mining cryptos. Unfortunately, the entire process is quite powerful and energy-consuming, to the dismay of environmentalists. The good news, though, is that more mining facilities are turning to green renewable energy, which should be good for legislation. It's just a matter of time until so. Once mined and bought, users store their cryptos in a wallet. A crypto wallet can be either digital (.i.e., an app) or physical, A.K.A, a cold wallet, which resembles a flash drive. To access a wallet, one has their own individualized key for personalized security of their wallet and coins. How is it made? Easy Answer: By mining. Crypto is obtained through mining. Not the literal mining like coal, gold, oil, etc.., but rather, 'digital mining.' Cryptocurrency digital mining is done by verifying crypto transactions and solving complex algorithmic mathematical code in computers. Bitcoin is mostly mined this way; the more verifications and solutions a miner creates, the more Bitcoin earned. That way, Bitcoin is the miners' salary- the same Bitcoin being mined. After retaining some of it, the miners will sell the rest to fund their expenses- buying better mining equipment, maintenance costs, rents, etc., and the entire process recurs. Interesting to note is that, unlike any normal currency, Bitcoin has a fixed supply of 21 million- there will be at most 21 million Bitcoins in existence in the world one day, and this could be as early as 2021- this year- or as late as 2140- in 119 years. Basic economics from the law of supply and demand teaches us that with less supply and constant (if not more) demand, the price will increase, which will be Bitcoin's case. Thus, the scarcer Bitcoin gets, the more precious it becomes, and so does its cost. At the time of this writing (August 14th, 2021), Bitcoin's price is $46,719.03. I want a $500,000/coin by 2025. Some prominent mining companies include Marathon Holdings, Riot Blockchain, and SoS Limited. Why was it made? Easy Answer: Read below. Cryptocurrency is revolutionizing finance as more people seek alternatives from fiat currency- government-backed currency or just normal money. Thanks to blockchain technology, people want crypto for its decentralized nature- not tied to any central authority like a government or a bank. Because of no central entity, you have reduced transaction costs and heightened security within the blockchain network. Furthermore, the masses want a public transparent currency whose transactions all can see on a blockchain. Not to mention, scarce crypto like Bitcoin will serve as an inflationary hedge- people want their money to retain its buying power during inflation. For example, inflation rises at 3% annually, and Bitcoin returns (at least) 10%. Investors will then stash their money into Bitcoin for the net 7% growth (10-3), which would deflate an inflating economy and thus optimally reduce commodity prices, and the cycle continues. So, in a way, Bitcoin is helping the economy. The social movement wants Dogecoin to be a real currency for probably two reasons. One, it shows people's healthy, childish, and fun side, that no one is ever too mature to joke with a meme currency. This leads to two, in a case where Elon Musk prospects, "Fate loves irony." Dogecoin, started as a joke to mock cryptocurrency, is on path to becoming a real currency, 180ing its purpose. It reminds me of the famous analogy of the stone, which the builders rejected, becoming the cornerstone. Will Dogecoin become a real currency? I don't know yet, but it would be fun seeing so, especially since Mark Cuban's Mavericks do take Doge as ticket payments. What I do know is that it will hit $1 at some point. Question is, when exactly? Only time will tell. What are the pros and cons? The pros and cons- probably my favorite segment in analysis. Pros Still a relatively new space. It's fun holding a relatively new and high-performing asset class in your hands. People are still trying to understand it and perhaps criticize it, which is acceptable. After all, people didn't quite make of the internet during its inception. Also, compared to other asset classes (stocks, real estate, bonds, crude oil, etc.), which have been around for decades, crypto has been around for only twelve years, making it still relatively young. It is high-performing. Bitcoin alone stood out as the best performing asset class of the 2010 decade with an over 17,000% growth. Of course, returns aren't guaranteed and are always atypical- everyone will get different results, so it pays to invest properly. Still, the serial proven winners of the space are Bitcoin and Ethereum, closely followed by the likes of Cardano and NEO, and they're continuing to win big. It is decentralized. Crypto's decentralization is arguably its best attribute for a couple of reasons. First, you don't have to worry about a government, banks, or any intermediary interfering with your holdings. Two, eliminating the middleman reduces transaction costs that would have otherwise gone to bank-processing fees, brokers, or legal teams (e.g., lawyers verifying a transaction's legitimacy.) Third, it is swift. Bank transactions can take days, if not weeks, to clear; crypto does so in minutes. Cryptos will disrupt the entire financial services industry, and it's up to the latter to blend innovatively into the space before obsoletion. Always open. Unlike the stock and equity markets that are open for limited times (NYSE operates from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm EST), crypto markets are open 24/7, so there's always a price movement to track at any moment. Sweet interest on coins. You can earn interest on your coins. Block-Fi allows you to earn 5% interest on Bitcoin and on average 10-15% on altcoins, significantly much better than savings accounts today. An average savings account grants a 0.04% annual return on your money (not taking into account lowered interest rates), while inflation creeps in at 2-3% annually. Thus, in the best-case scenario, your money grows by (0.04 - 2% =) -1.96% per year, meaning if you had $10,000 in January 2021, it would be worth $9804 by January 2022. There is a social movement behind crypto. Crypto, at this point, is like the 'currency of the masses,' free of any legal authority and detached from fiat. Retail investors right now are on a mission to take Dogecoin to a dollar and create a mainstream usage behind it, despite it adding zero value to the blockchain. People love seeing an innocent dog on a yellow coin, I guess. I think it's funny seeing how over 18 million human beings want a coin with a dog on it to go to the moon...metaphorically and literally. Cons It is heavily volatile. Crypto is insanely volatile; if not monitored properly, cryptocurrencies can cause heart-attack levels of fluctuation, no exaggerations. Bitcoin, for example, dropped as low as 93% in 2018 and 50% in 2021, despite both years seeing different prices of the coin. While I believe that it (and the whole space) will still appreciate, so will it still be volatile along the way. The volatility can be gut-wrenching but can also build character, I believe, as one learns the painstaking lessons of investing in practically anything. Otherwise, crypto is not for the fainthearted. A few tips on surviving volatility: do not buy a coin at its all-time highs (ATH), do not FOMO in (Fear Of Missing Out), only invest an amount you are willing to lose, dollar-cost-average in, HODL (Hold On for Dear Life), don't sell, lower your expectations, and don't invest emotionally. It's susceptible to scams and money laundering. Scammers are on the prowl to scam innocent, unaware investors of their hard-earned money, and an easy way to do so is to manipulate the ongoing crypto hype. These scammers appear in different forms; unknown street brokers, phishing emails, YouTube comments, and even creating questionable cryptos for their pump-and-dump schemes. An example of the last scam is what part of the FaZe Clan did with their presumptuous Save-The-Kids token. Tip here: trust your gut. If you don't trust someone or something with your investment, most likely you're right, and always protect your capital. It's a victim of public influence. The crypto space suffers massive influence from famous personalities who toy with it however they want. In recent times, Elon Musk has been a market mover for the crypto market through his funny but weirdly cryptic tweets. For instance, he regularly tweeted about Dogecoin, and the coin would explode up to 30% intraday. Elon is also the main instigant of Bitcoin's price action this year when he first tweeted in mid-February that Tesla would begin accepting Bitcoin payments, only for him to revert his stance three months later, citing environmental reasons. Furthermore, Bitcoin (and all cryptos) suffered a huge crackdown in China days after Elon's tweet. Before then, China was responsible for over 60% of the total Bitcoin mining, after which all the miners escaped the country to resettle abroad. While this was a blessing in disguise, it still hurt millions of investors in the process. Unregulation has its flipside too. Just as there is the good in crypto being decentralized and authority-free, there is also the bad in that. Cybercriminals and hackers can hack an open and vulnerable blockchain and steal as much as they want. It gets more interesting because most authorities cannot interfere with something outside their bounds. The worst-case scenario: the hacker might end up Scott-free. Tip: secure your holdings onto a secure exchange. Block-Fi, Kraken, or Gemini are good examples of that. The uncertainty still rules the space. While crypto is still new and many are learning it, it doesn't take away the uncertainty, or FUD (pronounced 'fahd' as Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt), from the entire prospect. Understandably, most stakeholders are retail investors, and no one has a crystal ball to predict the next price movement. So it makes sense that this uncertainty brings about skepticism of all sorts by media personalities, long-term investors, and governments. Unless we travel a few years to see the crypto prices, the little man can do to shake off the ongoing uncertainty. Tip: again, not only invest an amount you are willing to lose, but also invest in something you massively believe in. A normal investor might know something about some coin that some prominent hedge fund might not, and that could be the difference in succeeding in a trade. Don't go by other's feelings, but by your own instincts. Bonus con: There is the whole legitimacy of Tether that makes the whole space questionable. It's a 'bonus con' because I'm still trying to understand the controversy and will probably sketch up a new post about it. If you do know what it's all about, don't hesitate to contact me or leave a comment down below. "What's in it for me? How will it benefit me? Why should I care that cryptos exist?" People have varying opinions on cryptocurrency, and that's fair. Still, I could think of some reasons why anyone and everyone should get even the slightest taste of this realm. It gives a sense of ownership. It's fun holding a coin, or even a piece of it. It instills in you a sense of pride of how early you are in it because the rest of the world is cranking out its code on what it is. Then again, it's one of the easiest asset classes to purchase and own other than stocks. For instance, compare buying crypto to real estate, gold, bonds, etc- crypto is quite accessible even to newbies. Furthermore, Bitcoin is termed as 'the digital gold,' and investors are flocking to it as an inflationary hedge as they are to gold. Depending on the country you're in, different brokerages exist to extend crypto services to you. It's the evolution of something new. Crypto (especially blockchain) is analogous to the continuation of the internet. Blockchain, which bore crypto, has a unique way of storing and sharing information that is decentralized, publicly transparent, and secure, much like an 'Internet 2.0." Personally, blockchain has me reminiscing on how I wish I were around during the 90s internet boom, but I wasn't even born yet. Crypto gives me that opportunity to do so. Crypto is here to stay. We might as well acquaint with crypto especially as financial institutions are noticing the scene. If anyone wanted to kill crypto, they should have done so during its inception, or in 2018. 2018 was the worst that could have ever happened but Bitcoin still hit ATHs this year. Plus, people want a free currency to avert financial crises such as inflation or a repeat of the 2008 economic crash, proving that crypto is here to stay. What are my thoughts about it? Easy Answer: I like it. I think the above article is pretty obvious about my stance on cryptocurrencies: I am a big bull. (I want it to go up in value.) I quite think it is the future of monetization as we know it, and it gives people more freedom with their money. Of course, there are thousands of coins out there that everyone is looking to as the next winner, and it gets tedious at times conducting countless research. Hence, my shortlist is as follows: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Maker, Cardano, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Uniswap, Matic, Polkadot, Binance Coin, Algorand, Neo, Monero, and Pancakeswap. If you're looking for a winner, you can start from this list; I've done the homework for you. It's also interesting that companies are creating their own coins, not necessarily cryptos, to reorganize their financial structures; companies like Facebook and its Diem, and major US banks creating their own stablecoins for business transactions. We'll wait and see what happens moving forward. I'm also looking into stablecoins such as the USD Coin, Fed Coin, and Tether. While I'm yet to understand their value to the blockchain at this point other than been pegged to an asset or a natural currency, I'm a bit wary of Tether. I agree that some massive flaws in the crypto field still exist and need amendments. The pump-and-dump schemes, counterfeit coins, tax evasion attempts, exchanges hackings, illicit dark-web transactions, and terrorist financing- such activities are tarnishing the entire crypto space's legitimacy, contrary to its intended purpose. If some executive non-governmental crypto council met to deal with these kinds of activities, then that would be a plus. All in all, I believe that cryptocurrency is transforming global finance, giving the average joe some more financial leverage in the 21st century. It should be easier to transact and transfer money without worrying about an intermediary in between. It's a new dawn of innovation that we are waking upon, and let's see how things emanate five years from now. All the best, ~Carerra, 2k21. What do you think? Do you think crypto is here to stay or not? Why do you say so? Let me know in the comments below. {NOTE: THE ABOVE CONTENT IS STRICTLY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE. INVESTORS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE RISK ENGAGED IN TRADING SECURITIES AND ASSETS. PLEASE CONDUCT YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND CONSULT YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR BEFORE MAKING ANY INVESTMENT DECISION.}

Imagine a world where you could design anything and bring it to life. Now imagine yourself doing that using a computer. For many devices that we use today, someone innovated them. Your car, your laptop, your TV, and even your phone that you're using right now was someone's brainchild, and a computer materialized it. Your favorite app, your child's favorite mobile game - someone conceived it. The metaverse, robots, Zoom - somebody designed that from start to finish. Imagine the possibilities. You could forge anything with the right imagination, and at the end of the seven minutes of reading this, you'll possess all that power - you'll choose how to use it. Welcome to Computer Science 101. Definition Computer Science (CS) is the study of computers and computing systems. It touches on computer technology and its aspects of software and hardware design, development, and applications. Additionally, Computer Science is more software than hardware because it is more agile, adaptable, and affordable, making it all the more profitable too. The Origins Computer science stems from the 19th century when Western scientists invented mechanical calculators to automate calculations. The course itself, though, emerged during World War II when scientists invented computers to crack war codes. Cambridge University holds the first ever established computer science degree program (1953), while the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) CS department is the oldest in the world (est. 1964.) Some famous computer pioneers, past and present, include: Grace Hopper (1906-1992) - produced the first text-to-code compiler. John McCarthy (1927-2011) - coined the term "artificial intelligence." Tim Berners-Lee (1955- ) - invented the internet, or the World Wide Web (www.) Linus Torvalds (1969- ) - devised the Linux operating system. So what does Computer Science entail? Because computer science studies computing systems, there's no telling how vast this field can go. Rather, here are some prevalent areas within CS that dive deeper: Algorithms and Data Structures. An algorithm is a way a computer executes tasks, and data structures are the mechanisms for storing data in a computer's memory. "Data Structures and Algorithms" is a popular CS course and one of its more essential units. Programming Languages. A programming language, AKA a coding language, is a tool that compiles code. Programming languages have many features at a user's discretion, so the more languages one knows, the better! Some common languages include Java, Python, C++, and C#. Software Engineering (SWE.) Software Engineering is the designing, developing, testing, and maintaining of software systems. Most aspiring computer science majors settle here intending to become software engineers. According to the National Science Board report of 2016, 70% of US computer science graduates end up as software engineers straight out of college. Software Architecture. Software architecture is the high-level structuring of a software system alongside its components, modules, and systems data. It also considers the relationship between its facets relative to the entire software system. Artificial Intelligence (AI.) AI is the development of intelligent and automated systems alongside machine learning, language processing, and other techniques to computerize human intelligence. AI aims to simplify life by automating monotonous real-world actions to give humans the freedom of time, effort, and choice. Operating Systems (OS.) These are the software that controls how hardware works. For example, PCs run on Windows, Androids run on Android, and iPhones on iOS; Windows, Android, and iOS are operating systems. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI.) This is the design of interactive computing systems such as user interfaces (UIs) and user-centered processes. Computer Networks. This studies the communication protocols and technologies that connect computers and devices in a network such as the internet. Why is Computer Science so popular today? Technological advancement: Considering how rapidly technology is evolving today, there is a colossal demand for computer scientists to fill computing roles that utilize software systems today. Digital transformation: Businesses want to streamline operations and digitize their processes, so they'll hire computer science experts to initiate the necessary structures for that. Wide-ranging impact: Computer science is multi-dimensional - it applies to many fields in numerous ways, such as creating online courses in education, designing telehealth portals in healthcare, and analyzing heatmaps in agriculture. Since it's interdisciplinary, you can steer CS to impact the fields you dream of conquering - a specimen of how CS solves real-world problems. Career versatility: Computer science allows one to pivot into different roles like software development, data analysis, and program management - many options. Entrepreneurship potential: A computer science background goes a long way in a booming tech field with countless startups emerging daily. Computer scientists can start by exploiting their CS expertise at a startup and iterate their tactics until eventually starting their own thing. That, or they can also work at any company, gather the necessary resources (ideally capital and connections), then venture into entrepreneurship. Either way, computer science plus business is a deadly combo in today's market. Passion for innovation: In CS, there's always space to innovate, a chance to model something new, and a moment to make meaning out of nothing. Just as rapidly as tech is evolving, so do the innovations that come with it, making CS a dynamic field of study. Job opportunities: For all the reasons (and many more) mentioned above. Computer Science-related Majors Computer Engineering (CE) - Computer Engineering combines computer science and electrical engineering to establish computer systems. Some CEnonyms include Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and Computer Science (or Systems) and Engineering (CSE.) Information Technology (IT) - Famously CS's cousin, IT focuses on computer-based information systems, their design, development, and management. Software Engineering (SWE) - This is the engineering of software systems alongside their development, testing, and maintenance. Data Science - One uses data-driven techniques to extract, analyze, and compute data from large sets, i.e., "the computer science of data." Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) - AI studies computer systems that imitate both human intelligence and specific tasks. Concurrently, Machine Learning fixates on the algorithms that learn from processed feedback to predict specific outcomes - think, "the machine is LITERALLY learning." Mathematics - Discrete Math involves definitions, theorems, and proofs, which apply multi-dimensionally in abstract ("pull-out-of-thin-air") subjects, computer science included. An essential subject is Linear Algebra which plays with linear equations, matrices, and vector spaces. In computer science, Linear Algebra develops the concepts of image processing, cryptography, machine learning, and more. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) - HCI is the study of the computing systems integrations in people's lives to help them (people) efficiently interact with computers - think, "computer science with emotion." Cybersecurity - the study of protecting computer systems from external attacks, alias cyber-attacks. Game Development - developing and designing games. Robotics - all things robots. How to get started in Computer Science Develop foundational knowledge. Start from the basics and learn all you can about computers: hardware, software, operating systems, etc. Learn a programming language. Knowing any programming language is a crucial entry into computer science because the languages are relatable. An ideal start would be Python, then Java, then C++; if interested in web development, HTML, CSS, then JavaScript. Build projects. Craft something using your coding expertise: a portfolio of projects, databases, or an app. With an app especially, you can make passive income by building one and either selling or patenting it. Join online communities. Working on your own won't cut it, so you'll have to collaborate to learn better. Online communities such as Discord, Quora, and Reddit help in learning and sharing CS content. Get a mentor. Mentors are crucial to success, especially in a field as complex as computer science. You can find mentors in your desired pathway at professional events or on social media (i.e., LinkedIn), connect, and learn from them. Take online courses. When you have the chance, online classes can expedite your CS experience - bonus points if it has certification. Spots like Udemy, CodingDojo, and W3Schools can enhance your computer science understanding and earn your coding credential for credibility. Participate in hackathons or coding contests. Nothing teaches you better than the challenge ahead of you. Hackathons and contests can mentally prepare you to harness your coding prowess and give it your all. These competitions have elite coders, but who knows - you could be the winner! Get hands-on experience. Usually, after a quarter or two of schooling, you'll want to apply your skillset in the real world (Isn't that why you went to school?) A CS internship can leverage your programming mindset into an existing company, and if done right, you'll inevitably earn yourself a full-time offer. Attend conferences or workshops. There is never a shortage of opportunities to connect with peer professionals and learn their insights. STEM diversity conferences such as Grace Hopper, AfroTech, and the NSBE conventions have seminars that provide prolific CS tips. Read books and articles. READ! READ! READ! You can never go wrong with reading informative books that dive deeper into coding essentials. Contribute to open-source projects: Sites like GitHub or StackExchange house already-built projects under continuous assessment. Here, you can contribute your knowledge alongside other CSers building something on the internet. Explore new technologies: Computer science is all tech, and tech is ever-evolving. Staying updated on the latest technology can inspire one to learn its possibilities and ignite one to create or improve on an existing version. Some blogs that cover the latest tech include TechCrunch, Wired, CNET, and The Verge. Collaborate with others. Again, you can't make it on your own. Collaborate on your projects, open-source software, and applications, and note how you incrementally learn along the way. Get certified. Certification is a plus in establishing your prospects, and LinkedIn, Coursera, and edX (just but a few) can start you off right away. Carerra's Take Computer Science is an interesting subject to learn, coming from first-hand experience from my Associates degree in it. I eventually opted for Math for my Bachelors when Java got too complex for me then, though I'm currently considering a CS comeback. However, I think Math is harder than CS - debatable - so that's inviting me to retake CS; I'll consider when my next CS move will be. At the bare minimum, basic programming knowledge is good enough to categorize you in the 0.5% of the world that knows how to code. It's a resourceful skill to have, and 30% each of Java and Python is a good start. Summary In just over half a century, CS has evolved from cracking war codes to creating the next level AI, from mechanical calculations to billion-dollar applications, and from the first PC to the conceptual metaverse. With its diverse specializations, computer science applies to multiple fields today, unveiling infinite possibilities and never-ending demand. Anyone can pursue computer science, and with the right mindset, you just might create the next big thing. . . . ~T.K.K

Entering a relationship has considerations that will prove its worth. Self-Introspection. Only you can define yourself; decide whether or not you’re ready for a relationship and the cycles behind it. Respect. Respect should be mutual and a two-way street. If you can’t respect each other, the relationship won’t work long. Intimacy. How close are you to each other? How vulnerable can you be without judging each other? Can you trust each other with your secrets? Such questions test your intimacy. Boundaries. Tied to respect are boundaries. If you can respect your partner, you can appreciate their personal limits. If not, something’s amiss. Your support system- friends and family. A partner should be an addition to your life, not a subtraction of whoever’s holding your life together. Life Priorities. Suppose you have too much going on in your life presently to focus on a relationship. In that case, you might want to rethink your priorities. Set yourself up first, then dive right in when you’re settled. Shared interests and hobbies. Do you have shared interests? If so, great! If not, are you okay with her doing what she does? Is she okay with how you spend your spare time? Their attitude towards you, your family, friends, and vice versa. How does she treat them? With love and joy, or contempt and disgust? How will you work around that? Also, does she like how you’re viewing her circles? Their family background. What must you know about the family that will price into your relationship? Do they treat each other okay? Are they separated? How do the parents treat each other? Past relationships. Is there something from your past relationship that you think could have worked better? What did you learn from it? What worked and what didn’t? The same goes for her; if something from a past relationship might trigger the new one, address it ASAP. Marriage. Are you serious about your relationship making it to the end of the aisle? Will your partner now be your partner for life? Are you committed to making it to matrimony? Finances. How do you both approach anything money? Are you investing it, hoarding it, saving for a rainy day, or planning to pay your kid’s tuition with it? Spendthrift or a miser? Will you approve of your partner’s financial habits, and will she reciprocate? Political Views. Which side do you pick? What policies do you (not) like? Will your opinions affect your partner, and is she okay with them? Also, will you agree with your partner’s political perspectives? Will they affect you? Gender Roles. Who will do the dishes? Who will wash the laundry? House chores? Who will volunteer to look after the baby today while the other goes to work? Who will pay the bills? Religious Beliefs. If you’re in an inter-religious relationship, are you okay with her religion, and is she fine with yours? What will your parents think about this? Will they value it? Why or why not? Careers. What career path do you plan on taking? Will it give you time to be with your partner and your family? Does your partner approve of it? Similarly, do you agree with your partner’s job choice? Family Planning. Do you plan on raising a family? When do you want to have your first child? How many children? How will you pay for their expenses, tuition, etc.? Are you both comfortable with the idea? All other life arguments. Life with a partner is not a walk in the park; there will be several uprisings along the way, but your relationship’s strength lies in dealing with the bad days as you would with the good. What do you think? Anything else to add? . . . ~Carerra

The best and easiest way to decide something is by answering the three fundamental questions on the best and worst-case scenarios.

My adventure leading Region VI of NSBE, highlights, and takeaways. Overview National NSBE has six regions, with us – UW- in the sixth region, alias, Region VI. Each region has a Regional Executive Board (REB.) Like chapter execs, regional execs lead the region, in which case Region VI has ten states. The REB oversees all activities governing the region and the chapters within while also planning for major conferences; the Regional Leadership Conference (RLC,) the Fall Regional Conference (FRC,) and for this year, the National Convention. I am the Secretary and also Telecommunications Director of Region VI. As the secretary, I send correspondence and email updates to all regional members, and as the telecoms director, I create the informative websites used during regional conferences. Usually, REB members have one role, but we had two each due to extenuating circumstances this year. The personal importance of the task I joined the Regional Executive Board (REB) to challenge my leadership IQ, and so far, it’s paying dividends. However, an excruciating challenge arose with less-than-usual board members to cooperate. Typically, the REB has 25 officers with varying objectives. However, this year, we only had five – a fraction of the number. It thus fell on us- the Fantastic Five, as we called ourselves- to perform the roles of a much larger team. The importance of my REB involvement was to help keep Region VI running. This was a dire circumstance that no one expected, thanks to the pandemic, so we had to put everything in order and raise our stakes to keep Region VI alive. Tasks accomplished We hosted the Summer Regional Leadership Conference (RLC.) RLC is a regional leadership retreat held every Summer, and it unites chapter leaders from the entire region for annual training before the new academic year. We pulled off a string of events ranging from keynotes to workshops to professional development sessions. Because it was virtual and during the Summer – when most students deviate from schoolwork – we had 23 conference attendees, excluding panelists and dignitaries. (An average year has at least 75.) We successfully hosted the Fall Regional Conference (FRC.) FRC is much larger than RLC as it connects all collegiate members from the region. Our small team’s results were outstanding; in over 48 hours of the conference, we witnessed 403 attendees from across the region, excluding panelists and recruiters. Under normal circumstances (i.e., in-person,) the number of FRC attendees ranges from 1,500 to 2,000, so 403 online was quite impressive. Region VI RLC was the second-most attended conference after Region V raked in 568 participants this year. Region IV was a distant third with 256. In my capacities as secretary and telecoms, I sent out around 12,000 emails to the Region VI membership in three months and created two websites that catered to the two regional conferences. What we’re on track to achieve We are three weeks away from hosting the NSBE National Convention. The National Convention is the biggest NSBE event in that NSBE members nationwide congregate at a venue across the US. Historically, these conferences have united over 10,000 black engineers and created long-lasting connections and friendships. With the forum being at Region VI this annum, we’re on track to deliver our first in-person conference in over two years, bringing immense joy to NSBE members nationwide and worldwide. Leadership Competencies gained Serving on the REB brought out my leadership competencies of: 1. Systems Thinking 2. Decision Making 3. Personal Contributions 4. Collaboration 5. Organizational Behavior 6. Follow-through 7. Responsibility for Personal Behavior 1. Systems Thinking Making connections between individual parts in a system to anticipate how their relationships affect each other and the system as a whole. When I engaged in systems thinking, I compared regional and chapter operations. Then, for the most part, I evaluated how I could utilize my regional influence to benefit UW, which, at the time, was flailing. NSBE policy doesn’t dispute this act, and I wasn’t operating in bias, but rather, for my love for NSBE-UW. If anything, NSBE policies encourage regional leadership which concurrently motivates constituent chapters to step up and contribute to the loop of things. Thus- and historically proven- the more regional executives a chapter produced, the more engaged the chapter became, and UW proudly lived up to that this year. From the regional level, I learn how different chapters coordinate themselves. I also knew of recruiters wishing to sponsor Region VI at the conferences and applied similar methodologies to UW NSBE. From the Chapter of the Year, I understood what propelled them to that status - their creativity and activeness- and then reciprocated those tactics into managing UW NSBE in our events and meetings. Since then, our overall participation has improved. 2. Decision Making Making each decision appropriate to the context situated. Decision-making is an important quality to possess, and with the REB, it was no different. The most painful decision to make was transitioning FRC from hybrid to entirely virtual, and we did that less than two months to the date. In mid-September 2021, the Delta variant surged, causing much uncertainty in the process. Furthermore, most speakers, recruiters, and sponsors opted to remain virtual, demeaning the possibility of in-person attendance. Lastly, as much as we wanted, our small team was incapable of planning a physical event in that short timeframe. Had we had the required number of board members, the odds would have largely tilted to our favor, except that they didn’t. In the end, a virtual conference was what we ended up with, contrary to our initial hopes. Of course, we didn’t want a repeat of RLC, but we barely had a choice given the circumstances. 3. Personal Contributions Contributing one’s ideas, strengths, knowledge, and abilities to meet a specific group need enhances productivity and effectiveness. Each group’s needs and tasks differ and call for unique individual assets to best address these needs. Leaders give of themselves to make their organizations better. When I initially joined the REB as the Telecommunications Director, I had little knowledge of executing my role despite knowing its expectations. However, learning that it entailed building and maintaining websites, I knew I possessed the skillset to perform the task. In a team where everyone functioned independently, we trusted each other’s instincts that we were trying our best. This allowed us to be creative in our approaches and analyze what worked best from our judgments. In my case, I was proud of how I created two websites from scratch despite not knowing initially how to utilize the resources at my disposal. Intriguing enough, I learned it all on the job. I discovered Google Sites by trial-and-error, exploring its features, and thereafter creatively creating something that the REB would be proud of- not the fanciest thing, but a thing worth fancying. 4. Collaboration Working with others toward a common objective through the sharing of ideas and distribution of responsibilities across team members to reach the goal most effectively. Collaboration was an essential part of the REB, and we played it smoothly and synchronously in our operations. We had weekly meetings in planning for RLC and biweekly for FRC. We updated each other on our progress, achievements, setbacks, and improvement points in these meetings, setting the collaborative basis for the next meeting. A typical routine would look like this: The President would ask her Vice for help in contacting local recruiters for a forthcoming event. Once confirmed, they pass the recruiters’ info to the Programs Chair to add them to the program. The Programs Chair would then give me the itinerary to email the membership while posting on the website before submitting it to our TORCH chair to post on Instagram. 5. Organizational Behavior Making meaning of individual and group behaviors and their impact within an organization and then using this understanding to navigate the organization effectively. Our size helped us understand each other’s motivations and inner workings and how they all contributed to accomplishing our tasks at hand. Most board members were new to regional affairs, so it took us a while to acquaint ourselves with the higher stakes. However, we all had leadership capacities at either our individual chapters. Adding the diversity factor to the mix, we implemented our regional roles to reflect our schools. This attribute helped us specialize in our tasks depending on our strengths and capabilities. I learned more about regional affairs this way. I also learned how my fellow board members think and operate, and they learned from me likewise. That way, we developed a more profound and intimate understanding of each other and were readily available if one felt short of their tasks. I also learned about their institutions because they again ensemble the spirit they represent. 6. Follow-through Seeing things through to the end, even in the face of adversity, to carry out a commitment to complete a task and demonstrate trustworthiness and dependability. Planning the FRC was pretty hectic, but everyone on the board capitalized on their ability to follow through with their parts till the end. We had a lot of tasks to complete, and for many of them, we weren’t even qualified for, mainly because we didn’t sign up for them initially. So thus, we first had to take a dual role alongside our initial positions; our President became our FRC Chairperson, the Vice President Treasurer, the Programs Chair the Apex Chair, and myself the impromptu Secretary – that was how I landed both roles simultaneously. After taking two roles, we had no choice but to try our best in them and follow through with all our tasks no matter what. This part, especially, was not easy. We missed a couple of deadlines, overlooked some decisions, and lacked enough personnel for support. Furthermore, we occasionally missed some planning meetings to our detriment. However, that did not stop us from accomplishing our tasks, whether perfect or imperfect- we obligated ourselves to get them done. What motivated us to accomplish our tasks regardless was that it technically couldn’t get any worse for us, so we had nothing more to lose. But, again, we also saw it best to die trying than never trying at all. So, whether it was counting our finances, registering attendees, or PR to recruiters encouraging them to attend an event, we ensured that we covered it all from beginning to the end. 7. Responsibility for Personal Behavior Taking responsibility for one’s behavior by admitting mistakes, apologizing, rectifying the situation, and accepting the consequences of one’s actions to correct the problem and learn from the experience so as not to repeat it in the future. Inasmuch as we tried our best to host our successful conferences, we also came short of ourselves at times, some of which were at the small team's expense. Still, it was easy to own up, admit, reflect, and move on even better. The process was overwhelming, which, again, was out of our control. However, we could change our approach to it and learn from it. Thus, we didn’t mind owning up to our shortcomings because the whole board was imperfect. Not only did this help us understand each other, but it also fostered a meaningful connection among ourselves. As a result, we could tolerate each other even better, know our capabilities, and help out when needed. Our performances mostly improved once we imposed accountability on ourselves, which still thrives today. Lessons learned and future-oriented statement More than ever, working on the REB re-emphasized the importance of working on a team, which gives its all and does its best under the circumstances. As such, no man is an island, and I learned that from the REB. So many things could have gone right, whether having a larger team or in-person conferences. However, we were insanely proud of our achievements and even prouder of the leaders we emerged into. The circumstances weren’t what we asked for, but the ending was more than we desired. I am confident it will lead me to a team wherever my career leads. I’m optimistic that it’s a team whose ideals I share – a team with people whose minds I correlate. In the workplace, collaboration is vital, and teamwork is essential in accomplishing a group task. With people around for support, I am confident that I’ll have all the resources and the tenets to succeed at the workplace, meet other fantastic people, make some friends, and thrive in the future, God willing.

What does leadership mean to me? Leaders aren’t born, they are made, and it’s the circumstances surrounding them that make them. In any natural situation, even historically, some will fret, and others will scamper away. Some will hesitate, and others who wait. And then, some will stand in regardless to take charge because the situation calls for it. I am one of those. It’s not just who can lead, but who will lead? My Definition of Leadership What does leadership mean to me? Leadership, to me, means standing out when the rest are standing in. Again, not in bad taste, but rather, it’s all about will. “Who will carry us through this? Who is brave enough to solve this? It’s already terrible right now, but who is resilient to see us through?” These are some of the questions I ask myself when a situation arises. Through this ideology, it’s not surprising (at least to me) that I’ve taken countless leadership roles since I could remember. Whether it be from a Physics group assignment in a high school class, conducting the choir, or leading many colleges on the West Coast- I’ve done it all. Of course, I’ll admit, there were other times when I was a leader just for the title and pride rather than the responsibility itself, and those times didn’t end well for me. So while I have a variety of experiences to accompany this notion, my one-liner advice for anyone taking this route would be not to be a leader on resume, but one of responsibility- else, it won’t end pretty. My Principles of Leadership My leadership principles (how I view leadership) rotate around initiative, learning, responsibility, accountability, empathy, teamwork, and excellence. Initiative - Leadership starts from here when one is willing to take the initial step to lead and take responsibility. This part sets the basis for "who is who," thus getting to know stakeholders first. Learning - Learning is a part of almost everything in life, and with leadership, it's no different. We all start somewhere, so even when starting the job, we're still learning that way. As we progress, we're either learning how we can improve ourselves or even understanding how our acts are impacting others. There is no learning shortage in leadership. Responsibility - After learning comes responsibility. Here, one specifically knows their stake and roles when performing a particular task. It gets serious from here. Accountability - Owning to one's tasks and their fair share of responsibility and following through with it until completion. Empathy - When a leader empathizes with their subjects, they can imagine and take into perspective the person's situation and capability towards the matter at hand. With this outlook, a leader can make a more befitting decision that caters to their subject while still remaining on track to the goal. Teamwork - No man is an island. Similarly, if you want to travel fast, travel alone, but if you want to travel far, travel with others. Teamwork is essential in a leadership setting because it is a pivotal basis of leadership. In other words, if you can't lead anyone other than yourself towards a common goal, then is that leadership? Excellence - As long as one tries their best to achieve a task, then there is a lot to celebrate. In most cases, the results are satisfactory. Nonetheless, if the reverse happened, the fact that one had the heart to still attempt it is worth applauding. Evolution Over Time My leadership theory has drastically changed from what it was like 4-5 years ago. Back in high school, I thought leadership entailed having a fancy position or title to accompany my name. It gave me a relatively high seat to watch my subjects below but not look down on them. Leadership had a rather prestigious connotation, which would sway one egotistically if not tended to well. Don’t get me wrong, though; I’m not implying that it changed my personality- it never did. I was still the happy, helpful, and young chap then as I still am right now. :) In fact- and not to toot my own horn- most of my friends and people addressed me as probably the humblest leader of the cohort then. Now that I think about it, the virtue stands true, not only in leadership but also in any form of success in life. A mantra I live by is, “the higher you go, the humbler you have to become.” First forward a couple of years later, the meaning of leadership has consciously evolved. I’ve used leadership to emanate my voice and take the initiative when others couldn’t. Of course, sometimes I still got into leadership positions for the wrong reasons, but then my self-awareness came in; it consciously helped me figure out the possible-end product of what I would venture and whether or not it was worth it. Ever since I viewed my decisions from that lens, I’ve saved myself from a myriad of possible stress-inducing situations “just because I wanted to be a leader on resume.” Today, my leadership style is more mature and purpose-driven. It’s one with a mission, vision, passion, free flow, and accountability. Like my old self, I’ve added doses of humility, vulnerability, and relatability to it such that I don’t lose sight of who are most important to me- my subjects. From my past burnout experiences, my current leadership style allows me to know my limits and capabilities and not bite off more than I can chew. Finally, I strive not only to lead my team to infinite success but also pray not to be too indispensable- I want to leave a legacy in the next cohort of leaders, teach them everything I know, and pray that they become far much better than I could ever be.

Who am I in the context of being a Husky Leader? My Core Values Leadership Leadership, to me, means taking charge of a situation and guiding others through it, either because I can or if no one else is willing to do it. I've found myself taking the initiative countless times in dire situations that called for it. In whatever commitments I partake in, I have this sense of urgency and team-building which I leverage towards creating a shared goal. Motivation Whenever I think about motivation, I find it the inherent will to do something. "Will I like the outcome? Will it be worth it? What's driving me to do this?" These are some questions that reaffirm my motivations. Everyday, I strive my best to succeed and attain my goals. Sometimes I win, other times I learn (Nelson Mandela quote), but most of all, I refuse to give up. Rather, I garner the consistency and resilience to work relentlessly towards my goals regardless of my circumstances. Whenever I feel like giving up, I first remind myself where I came from, how far I’ve come, and then instantly visualize where I’m heading. I also recall the people who look up to me and how bad I’d be letting them down if I let myself down. Enough said- I move on. Faith By faith, I acknowledge my compliance to God from my spiritual upbringing. My spiritual conviction leads me to God by praying during stressful times in challenging life situations. I also realize that I cannot control the outcome of things, nor can I predict tomorrow despite how hard I try. I understand that I may have a Plan A, but God has others and puts them so that life meanders me a different course than expected. A Swahili saying for this goes, "Jitihada haiondoi kudura," meaning "Hard work does not reciprocate God's Will." For this reason, my favorite is adjective is God willing. Optimism Naturally, I'm a happy-go-lucky person who enjoys seeing the silver lining of things. I understand that life isn't a smooth ride as expected to be, but I live by the mantras of "this too shall pass" and "it only gets better." By optimistically having a positive attitude in life, I encourage myself and others on the same. Years down the line, I want to be in a comfortable world of peace and love. It's debatable if the world is getting better or worse, but on my end, I choose the latter because I want to. Intuition Intuition has me listening to myself - my conscience - more often than not, and most of the time, my inner me is correct. I use my intuition and ethics to rationalize complex life scenarios that I'm stuck in, so long as I can bear the outcome. By honing my intuition and meditating over the years, I've grown thoughtful of myself, my thoughts, and emotions. I've also paid attention to my surroundings, the people I'm with and make simple but effective decisions with clarity of mind. My Unique Leadership Identities STEM and Technology Leader I never quite visualized myself as a technology leader beforehand, but being in a professional organization such as NSBE qualifies me as one in my own right. NSBE stands for the National Society of Black Engineers. A STEM organization, NSBE has honed my leadership skills in both technical and non-technical areas. For example, I may lead team projects within the club, conduct informative meetings, or construct informational websites for conferences that redirect 3,000 students on the West Coast. I know I'll be with NSBE for a long while, and for as long as I do, I'm happy to learn my merits as a Technology Leader and see what more I can contribute in such a diverse field. Avid Mathematician Math has been my favorite subject in school for as long as I can remember, but in recent years, my liking for it has come under question. Fortunately enough, it's such second-guessing moments that immensely build my character, and for that, I'm grateful. One such character-molding moment was back in college during my Calculus II class. Calc II revitalized my entire approach to advanced mathematics from the setback I suffered in Calculus I. It altered my thinking and analytical strategies towards the subject and possibly relate them to real-world situations. Furthermore, it's amplified in me some skillsets that can market me in the job market - skills like analysis, critical thinking, Mathematical projections, and collaboration. Inspirational Thought Leader I embrace the gift I have of inspiring others to be their best selves, and that satisfies me as well. I like to share my positively unique thoughts with others, hoping that I've made at least one person's day. Myself, I'm still a student of life, so I learn as much as I give; it might be through reading, talking to successful people, or watching an inspirational podcast. By whichever means I discover, not only do I apply what I've learned, but I also teach others the same while sharing my thoughts too. Some role models in this field inspire me by their actions: Tony Robbins, Shade Zahrai, and Ali Abdaal, to name but a few. Long term, I hope to develop my voice and inspire others just as they have done for me. My "Why" The "Know Your Why" concept is one popularized by Simon Sinek, and it's in which he emphasizes that people should have a "why" - a reason for getting out of bed every morning and a reason to do what one is doing. By knowing your why, thus, Sinek assures that one is likelier to lead a fulfilled life. It's only recently that I realized my why (after probably 6 or 7 years of searching,) and that is to inspire people through my actions and thoughts. Everywhere I've been, I've left some positive impact, effortlessly or not, which has been positive. While I initially don't take much note of myself instantly impacting my environs, I notice the praises and appraisals from my friends, colleagues, and family. Knowing what I bring to the table is one thing; seeing my impact from the eyes of others is another. It's then that I realized I have a gift of inspiring others, and if all goes well God willingly, I may create a career from it. Future Goals: How I Envision Engaging in Leadership in the Future I have short-term and long-term career goals, which entail some leadership aspects. In the short term, I seek to attain a (non)technical job that would still hone my leadership - something like consulting or project management would do. Just as I've had fun leading NSBE, I'd be happy thriving in a team-building environment and investing in our team's individual talents and capabilities to achieve a common goal. Long term, I want to build a company out of this, hence my plans for Carerra's Chronicles. While I'm still planning precisely what it would entail, I'm sure that it would continue with my leadership and positive influence among many; think the Inspirational Thought Leader from above. Either way, I understand some personal aspects of my leadership that need improvement. Currently, I'm working on my communication, especially in communicating effectively. I know that leaders have an excellent way of influencing people with their words, and I want to hit that saturation point too. Another quality is empathy. Born from a silver platter, I admit that I might not entirely imagine people's situations until I experience them myself. Till then, it helps me keep an open mind towards all, learn where they are coming from, and feel how they feel. Thus, I can lead in a way that reflects an understanding of their circumstances. Thanks for reading, . . . ~Carerra

The Thrill of Leading UW-NSBE. What did I learn from it? Overview NSBE stands for the National Society of Black Engineers. NSBE’s mission statement is to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. NSBE has different chapters nationally, of which the University of Washington is one. I am currently the Vice President of NSBE-UW, where I conduct club logistical roles. Easier said than done, the VP role is the club’s lifeline. It’s where most of the fun yet highly technical stuff in NSBE occurs, and it requires the utmost flexibility, stamina, and precision to execute. The personal importance of the task NSBE has rapidly changed my life for the fleeting time I’ve been around, and I’ve honed my leadership skills here. Being a first-generation immigrant, culture shock engulfed me, taking a while to adjust. While adapting, I lost my voice, turning timid in my interactions. However, with time, the more I found myself within this alien world, the more my attributes returned, and the clearer my purpose became. I gradually grew this way through the years, and I’ve regained it all, especially in my ultimate college year, knowing that my career lies next. And what better way to revitalize myself than being the VP of a premier honorary organization? Tasks accomplished I have accomplished the following tasks in my Vice President office as so far: Attended a successful Engineering Launch in early Fall and recruited eight members. The Launch featured 32 Engineering Registered Student Organizations seeking to recruit STEM students campus-wide. However, only five of them (including NSBE) included people of color. Despite the numerical disadvantage, some fellow Blacks interested in STEM joined NSBE covering up for six of our recent graduates. NSBE hosted recruiters in its general body meetings; some exemplary recruiters included Goldman Sachs and NASA. Furthermore, we are currently in talks with Meta (nee Facebook.) Distributed 1321 internships, full-time offers, and graduate school opportunities from NSBE and other databases. Attended and represented UW-NSBE at two West Coast regional conferences (NSBE Region VI): the Regional Leadership Conference (RLC) and the Fall Regional Conference (FRC). What we’re on track to accomplish: Host four affinity group mixers with the Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE), Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the Coalition of Minority and Women Engineering Societies (CMWES), and the Black Student Coalition (BSC) Cookout. Profile Black Scientists and Engineers for Black History Month and our Alumni for Engineering Week. Attend the NSBE National Convention dated March 23rd – 27th, 2022. Leadership Competencies gained Of the many possible leadership competencies from my tenure, my most outstanding ones were empowerment, mission, vision, initiative, positive attitude, confidence, and excellence. Empowerment Sharing power, information, and resources with others to harbor ownership, accountability, and commitment regarding a task or process led to higher-quality work, more outstanding timeliness and follow-through, and more significant commitment to the mission and team. I share many resources and insights in my capacity as Vice President, depending on what members need. Mostly, students hope to receive a job offer related to their field of study, so I share internships or full-time openings to their liking. Others inquire about graduate school support, so I disseminate all available resources while referring them to senior NSBE graduate students to mentor them along the way. Following the adage, “with great power comes great responsibility,” the Vice-President role is a high intensity, high-risk-high-reward one; if you can handle the heat with the position, then opportunities will come rewarding your way. My predecessor told me that I would receive too many opportunities to enjoy; she was right. NSBE members also empower me to do a better job. I strive to improve myself and repeatedly ask for my performance’s feedback and how better I can address people’s needs. Some suggest more employers. Others resume reviews, and others more food during meetings. It’s all a two-way street where we assist each other to achieve what we so desire. Mission It is developing an individual or organizational mission statement that reflects the values of the individual/organization. It serves as a framework for decision-making. NSBE’s mission statement clearly defines members’ expectations, and I am no exception. Wherever I go, I recall that I am not only a Vice President but also an ambassador, and I have to fulfill the mission in all my partaking. The words “…culturally responsible…excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community” precisely strike home for me. Respectively, I uphold morals and ethics, both NSBE’s and mine, and strive hard in my classes to excel academically, which, in most cases, I do. In addition, I am fortifying my personal and professional acquaintances (e.g., LinkedIn. The Career Center) for prospects to succeed professionally. Lastly, I always like to impact everything I do, whether at school, home, or in interpersonal interactions. That way, I end up positively impacting my community. Vision It is developing a statement that defines the aspiration and direction of an individual, organization, or community to guide actions and decisions. I transferred to the University of Washington in Fall 2020 at the height of the pandemic and joined NSBE the following Winter Quarter. Months later, after becoming Vice President and learning of NSBE-UW’s history, I obliged to revive the club to its former glory. If not, then offset the basis for future cohorts to achieve so. I rely on a past I didn’t experience to create a vision of what I won’t see, not negatively but optimistically. My vision for NSBE-UW is a place for all upcoming engineers to learn from and nurture each other, empowering one another to achieve their dreams. This embodiment was what the past NSBE had, and one I wish the future NSBE gets. Until then, I take the honor to mend the bridge in between; to help make NSBE greater than before. Initiative Taking charge of a situation, voluntarily and unprompted by others, especially when one has the expertise or opportunity to do so or when others cannot. There are moments in NSBE when I have no option but to take charge and drive forward the matter, not for self-gain but for the chapter’s benefit. The remote nature of operations curtailed people from attending many events, with two notable ones being the Regional Leadership Conference and the Fall Regional Conference. UW was a phenomenal attendee to both in the past, but things changed thanks to the Coronavirus. When I learned of the vitality of these conferences, I had to step in when either nobody else could do it or no one was available. Anybody could attend either conference- no restrictions applied. The only commitment one had to make was the time and willingness to attend; not even entry fees were a problem because the whole event was virtual. Still, I don’t quite understand why people couldn’t show up despite constantly promoting the event to our membership. I was the only UW student from the entire tri-campus setting to attend both conferences and represent NSBE. Hopefully, by encouraging others to attend these conferences, I assuredly won’t be the last, nor will it be the last time UW NSBE will participate in them. Positive Attitude Exhibiting an optimistic outlook by identifying the positive aspects of a situation and displaying a “Cando” attitude to foster a sense of hope, inspire oneself and others, and maximize the positive aspects. Sometimes I make mistakes, and plans may not go as expected. Consequently, I lose hope for a moment but return more robust and positive after building on the feedback from the past lessons. We started 2021-2022 slowly with meager attendance numbers. It felt discouraging at first, but I learned how, why, and designed how to improve, masking it with a positive attitude and keeping myself headstrong. As each meeting passed, our numbers gradually increased as more minority students learned of NSBE and its power. I never lose hope in my optimism or positivity because I know that better things lie ahead, and improving my circumstances is one of them. Confidence It is appearing sure of one’s beliefs, knowledge, convictions, and capabilities to assure others of one’s competence. Once I’m aware of an event or a procedure in place, I am confident about it, and I wholeheartedly assure others. I always assure Diane, our advisor, of our club undertakings, especially our meetings. I also take my time to deliberate to my fellow board members on the necessary tasks needing accomplishment. Finally, to the membership, I constantly notify and remind them how they can fulfill their NSBE expectations and their potential outcomes and acclaimed benefits. When I am sure of things, I like to be confident about them. Of course, I can’t predict the outcome. Nonetheless, I hope most of them turn out well, and I convince myself that I’ll celebrate, survive, and learn from the result regardless of the aftermath. Excellence It gives one’s best effort to put forth one’s best work. I always put my best foot forward and do my best to achieve all that I can with NSBE. One of my mantras is always giving my 110% to the club and not settling for anything less. Referring to an anonymous quote, “I want everything under my name to be excellent.” Combining my previous attributes, leadership competencies, and all that I do for the club, my co-trustees- board members, advisors, and even club members- commend on my excellence. They mention how much I’m willing to give to the society. I see my merit, but I see it better in the eyes and hear it better from the words of others. I invest my passion and desires into NSBE, and the efforts with which I do so convert into the excellence that the next generation of black engineers can embrace. Lessons learned and future-oriented statement My activeness and involvement in NSBE as Vice President reminded me that I am human. First, no commitment, whether in a professional or personal setting, should derogate who I am as a human being, and I can’t evade this. Instead, I’ve learned to acknowledge my limits and create room for mistakes since mistakes are life. Second, I shouldn’t rush anything, but rather, work in my capacity and travel at my pace because I am still human at the end of the day. I’ve also learned how to maintain my optimism, a positive attitude, and one that feeds on resiliency to surge forward no matter what. I also appreciate being myself in a larger dynamic, and I pray that motivates others, too, to be their free selves and contribute to the wholeness of all. By empowering others, I grew more generous towards others. I realized that there is power in sharing and that you don’t lose anything by helping others. Thus, I’m willing to give more than I have because I know someone else will benefit from it. Career-wise, I know where I’m headed. In the short term, I could venture into a team-based consulting technology company where I can use my competencies to lead and direct others towards achieving a common goa- think project management. Long-term, I envision myself in entrepreneurship, starting my thought-leadership company and brand focusing on personal development, motivation, and inspiration. This is where my attributes and competencies will shine, and it’s a place that shall manifest my personality towards the world. Looking at better things ahead, God willing. “The less we have, the more we give. Seems absurd, but it’s the logic of love.” ~Mother Theresa.

My experience from my Calculus II class, and my takeaways from it. Overview Calculus II, the second class of the Calc series (out of four), focuses on integration. Integration is simply “elevating” or creating a bigger function than what you have. For example, if you have a function “a,” you integrate it to get “A.” The opposite of integration is differentiation, which is in Calculus I. Differentiation is the direct reverse of integration, so getting “a” from “A.” I barely passed Calculus I class the Summer prior, and I had to get back on track to perform at my best, Calc II included. The stakes were pretty high, but I knew I had it in me to succeed, and thus, delivered it in Calc II, which is the essence of this example of work. I got a 2.0 in my Calc I class; I ended up with a 3.8 in Calc II. The personal importance of the task Calculus II is a quintessential class for advancing in most STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields and my case was no exception. Furthermore, I had just switched to Mathematics from Computer Science; I had to take Calc II in either case. In my situation precisely, I had to excel in my Calculus II class because I had just come from a devastating Calc I experience. I wanted to reignite my faith in Mathematics- that I could do Math once again - and succeeding in Calc 2 would give me the much-needed confidence to surge on with my degree. Tasks accomplished I did quite a handful in Calc II. I took all the measures I could as I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. From the basics, I was punctual and ever-present to class. The instructor filtered class attendance into the course grade, so attendance was mandatory. I ensured to turn in my homework on time. The class’s homework was on WebAssign (like the Canvas for STEM courses), computerized and automated such that it grades you immediately on input. This way, the instructor never quite saw your homework unless you approached her during office hours for assistance. Homework was around 12% of the total grade, and if you did everything right, both homework and attendance were free points. I liked collaborating with Jay, my study buddy. He was experienced, knowledgeable, and knew his thing in Math. Jay and I initially connected in Calc 1, and we sprouted an alliance ever since. He was very instrumental in my grade improvement in Calc II and all the classes that followed, given that we were both Computer Science majors. Jay, too, transferred to UW, but we went our separate ways because our paths changed major-wise. We still talk, though. For exams, I strictly followed the instructor’s advice and study recommendations. I followed her topics keenly and executed them strategically while practicing for exams two weeks prior for better preparation. If they worked, great! If not, try another way. Leadership Competencies gained My exhilarating Calc II experience garnered me the competencies of self-understanding, resiliency, optimism, reflection and application, analysis, synthesis, and excellence. Self-Understanding Enhancing one’s understanding of one’s personality, beliefs, capacities and interests so as to develop a greater depth of understanding of oneself in order to engage in more authentic and productive behavior. Taking this class engaged me to understand my limits and note my capabilities, especially coming from a class I thought I loved but the outcome proved otherwise. I’m not sure how I got the heart to attempt the class despite bombing Calc I, but I usually think I could have avoided most of my Summer circumstances. I reasoned that I regrettably took a full credit load over the Summer, plus the instructor was unfriendly, based on his class reviews. I also admit that I was afraid to drop the class despite the leeway because I invested so much into it that people would notice my absence if I dropped. However, I am equally glad that I still took the class because I could have faulted my graduation plans if I missed that quarter. Regardless of that setback, I believed that Calc II would be a unique experience and better if I envisioned it that way. I knew that nobody else would save me unless I saved myself, and I had no choice but to march headstrong into Fall Quarter, not knowing what to expect from Calculus II. Resiliency Bouncing back or recovering after a setback for both one’s well-being and success and being better able to face stress, challenges, and adversity in the future. I knew that I had failed Calc I, and I acknowledged that. I determined to bounce back in Calc II. Calc II in itself was a class on resiliency where I had to take my experiences in Calc I, convert them into lessons, and act them out in Calc II. I made some mistakes, and others were out of my reach, but most importantly, I was willing to learn from my failures to rewrite my success. I asked questions in class whenever I couldn’t understand a concept. I visited my instructor during her office hours more times than I ever did in any other of my previous classes, and I spent more time on the homework, solving each problem meaningfully. Overall, I delved into the intricacies and the small stuff of my studies and left no pebble unturned, no matter how tiny it was. Every moment counted, especially if it had me correcting my previous wrongs, then so be it. Optimism Exhibiting an optimistic outlook by identifying the positive aspects of a situation and displaying a “Cando” attitude to foster a sense of hope, inspire oneself and others, and maximize the positive aspects. Tied to the initiative competency, I had reason to believe that Calculus II would be better than Calculus I. The instructor had a far much more positive review than my Calc I professor; she was fun to be around, relatable, tenured, and also the head of the Mathematics department at Highline College. I had much faith in her. Aside from my instructor, I was also glad to receive much academic help during the class. My friend, Jay, was one of them, and to whom I credit for his friendship. Another resource was the MESA Center at Highline College. MESA stands for Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement; it caters to a community of college students who empower each other with resources such as tutoring and workshops, all to help students in their classes. Not only did I get academic assistance from MESA, but I’ve also fostered professional connections and personal friendships with whom I still communicate today. In all, I became optimistic during Calc II because I attained the much help I couldn’t find in Calc I. I learned from my mishaps, and while I couldn’t guarantee my success in the class yet, I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying myself and taking my time in it. Reflection and Application Reflecting on experiences, considering the learning gained through reflection and acting in accordance with this learning. Heading into Calculus II was a clear cut way for me to reflect on my Mathematical interests after Calc I. It had me thinking what went wrong, and how I could remedy the situation. I assessed and noted some factors that detered me from performing in Calc 1: a schedule overload, an unengaged instructor, no tutoring resources, and also not much time invested in teaching myself the subject. Once I noted these four impediments, I quickly made adjustments for me not to repeat the same in Calc II. I reduced my credits in-take per quarter to something lightweight then went for a more engaged instructor who I liked - Fardad Razmehr. Afterwards, I enrolled for the MESA and received weekly Math tutoring from their workshops, and then finally, I cleared my schedule of most non-essential activities for me to focus on studying Math solely. Analysis Dividing and examining information in detail to have a more comprehensive understanding of the information as a whole in an effort to identify causes, factors, features and impacts of the information. They say Math is purely mental - I couldn't agree more with that statement. Calculus is all about thinking mentally and applying the methodologies one has learned into an applicable result. In other words, as much as it's a plug-and-chug given the formulae to find the answer, it's more than that - it entails reasoning, logical arguments, systematic processes, and repeating until one finds a solution. These are some of the applicable criteria in Mathematical analysis. Whenever I faced a new concept, I first wondered if I ever encountered it before in perhaps a precious class, whether in high school or Calc 1. After that, I would (re)learn it to understand it's applicability, then practice it on a few questions. Most of the time, I got the answer right, but if not, I dug deeper to learn what made the answer wrong. If it still didn't make sense to me, then I collabed with my friends to brainstorm on the same. Synthesis Identifying a central theme by integratingseparate elements into one unified whole. This gives one a perspective that would not otherwise emerge if each piece of information were examined discreetly. Calculus II was entirely on integration of functions, or rather, "transforming a function upwards from A to B." Envisioning it this way, I understood that every concept I had to learn in this class must add up to the mega-concept of integration. Analyzing and compressing everything to one was not an issue. I started by learning the integration techniques like integration by parts, direct integration, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, among other techniques. I also processed the Riemann Sum, a fancy way of saying, "all the numbers in this sequence will add up to X," for example. Finally, I enjoyed applying them to real-life scenarios which, undoubtedly, need Mathematics. Some examples include how long it would take a tank to fill if two taps poured water into it at, say, X liters per minute, with one emitting water out of the tank at Y liters per minute. Another practical example was finding the area of a farm if two land owners agreed to expand their borders by this much. Excellence It gives one’s best effort to put forth one’s best work. I think at this point, I can characterize excellence as one of my inherent attributes. During my time in Calc II, I never let anything up, mainly because I had little to lose. This scenario reminds me of a quote similar to the following words, “There is no man more dangerous than the one who has lost it all- it cannot get any worse for him, so he will take far much greater risks and succeed much higher than he fell.” In Fall 2019, I was that man. Whether be it in asking questions, doing homework, or seeking the teacher’s office hours, I neither relented nor hesitated to up my best. Instead, I made sure I always put my best foot forward and acted humble enough to seek help and acknowledge my failures and weak points. This act did me a favor in most cases as I constantly went outside my comfort zone to understand 1-2-3 or another basic yet indirect formula. I became determined to learn, and nothing could deter me from trying my best in so. Lessons learned and future-oriented statement Calculus II built not only my GPA but also my resiliency. In both hindsight and foresight, I’ve realized that life, just like Calc II, will be no walk in the park. There will be highs and lows, upsides and downsides, but resiliency will push me through such scenarios in life. If I can survive such a class using what tools I have at my disposal, then managing life, too, shouldn’t be much of an issue. Resiliency and problem-solving will be two vital career skills for whatever career I venture into, either employed or self-employed. In either case, I hope to inspire my team and colleagues with my outlook on solving problems headstrong as they arrive. I also hope to learn from others who have experienced the same situation in one way or another. Of course, I understand that I won’t quite know everything, but that won’t stop me from learning better alternatives. That way, I’ll learn people’s thought processes in overseeing such situations, then apply them to mine for the best outcome.