Q: Where did you grow up? What was your path to Cal? A: I was born in China's Sichuan province, most famous for its extraordinarily hot and spicy cuisine. I lived there and in Beijing until first grade, when I finally moved to the United States. I spent the rest of my childhood in California, hopping between Westwood (next to UCLA), West Los Angeles, South Pasadena (next to Caltech), and Palo Alto (next to Stanford). I now reside in San Jose. In high school, I enjoyed math and later on computer science. I actively participated in Math Club and after-school problem solving classes, qualified for the AIME all four years, and took some math courses at Stanford during my senior year. Math, grades and SAT scores, being president of a tutoring club, a 14-month finance and a programming paid internship at Lockheed Martin during my junior and senior year, and a smorgasbord of other achievements in various fields helped me secure a position at Cal. Q: How much programming have you done (and what languages)? A: I dabbled in some website design starting in middle school, but I started programming for real during my junior year of high school, where I first learned Java and Scheme. I took the AP Computer Science course my senior year, further improving on my Java skills. At my paid internship at Lockheed, I learned to program macros using Microsoft VBA, and also did some web design using HTML and CSS. In my freshman year at Cal, I took CS61A, CS61B, and CS9F, learning Python and some C++. I also was part of Gamescrafters at Berkeley for both semesters, learning some Javascript. Q: What are your hobbies? What are some of your talents and skills? A: * My favorite sport is basketball, and I often play basketball in public parks with my friends. I am a die-hard Los Angeles Lakers fan. * My favorite reality show is the Chinese dating show 'Fei Cheng Wu Rao'. I value it as an entertaining medium to better my Chinese and help me catch up with modern Chinese culture. * I am intrigued by e-sports, and I watch competitive Starcraft II matches. However, I almost never play the videos games that I observe. * I am from the Chinese province of Sichuan, and thus I am very tolerant and fond of spicy foods. Spicy-eating contest, anyone? I <3 Sriracha and LaoGanMa. * Mystery, fantasy, and non-fiction books dominate my reading palette. Some of my favorite literary series include Sherlock Holmes, Poirot, Ender's Game, and Discworld. * Other non-academic interests that I have include sketching, violin playing, cooking and eating, gardening and landscaping, biking, hiking, and traveling. Q: Have you done anything remarkable? Has anything memorable happened to you? A: Moving to the United States was the most memorable event for me. Sitting down against the warm August breeze at In-N-Out for my first meal in the United States, I took a look at the clear blue sky and the lively Westwood landscape and realized how different my life was going to be forever changed. Q: What commitments will be consuming your cycles this summer? A: This summer, I am reading for CS61A. I am also taking the equivalent of UGBA 10 at a local community college, and will dedicate the rest of my time brushing up on my CS skills and working on some projects by myself or with some friends. During my free time, I also want to do some landscaping work at my house, learn to cook better, and buff up!