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| Home >> Index Pages >> Informational Pages >> Discount Computer Systems >> News >> Collection of Essays from Scholarship 2007 >> |
Steven Li- by Steven Li I am a nineteen year-old college sophomore currently majoring in computer science at Boston University. I have already taken several computer science classes in college as well as high school, and am firmly set on it as a career. I grew up being constantly introduced to new technology; often initially shunning it in favor of the tried-and-true, but eventually warming up to it and wondering how I ever lived without it. I thank Directron and Think-Box for offering us students this opportunity, and hope that they continue to support those with a passion for computers. It all started with me being bribed. My parents, afraid that I would be jealous of the attention a newborn brother would get, bought me a small Lego kit and an X-men coloring book. I spent five minutes with the coloring book, and five hours with the Legos. My fondest memories aren't of playing with Legos, but of building with them. I loved how small and simple bricks could be used to create something massive and intricate. After I figured out how to snap two bricks together, the possibilities became endless. When I first learned how to program, I realized that computer science works on the same principle. Once I familiarized myself with a handful of functions and statements, I could write a dazzling variety of programs. Pure memorization did not factor into how well I could code. Instead, the quality of my programs was determined by how much effort and personality I put into them. I try to leave a personal touch in every program I write. The most unique imprint I've left was in a program that simulated a poker game created for my AP Computer Science class. Working in a group, a couple friends and I split up different parts of the program to write and then link together. One of my tasks was to create an artificial intelligence (AI) that would determine which cards to play and whether or not the other players were bluffing. My first AI successfully worked with the program, but I looked for ways to make it more dynamic. I knew that players might want different numbers of opponents and would want the game to play out differently each time. Taking these considerations into account, I added extra code to create a distinct personality for as many computer players as the user wanted. AP Computer Science instilled in me that drive to make programs people would enjoy, which is why I study computer science. It's not enough just to make a program that runs, just like it's not enough to make a Lego structure that stands. After all, anyone can snap two bricks together. It's when those bricks are expertly shaped to make not a structure, but a sculpture, that the builder feels satisfaction. Whether I'm working with blocks of Legos or blocks of code, hearing that breathless "amazing" is what makes it all worthwhile. The best worker and father I've known also gave me one of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard: "Do something you love, because if you like it, you won't mind putting in the hours to become great at it." It summarizes very well the key to his success as well as mine. I remember happily spending hours coding up my first programming project, making a freakish monstrosity easily two or three times the size of everyone else's projects. At least a third had been handwritten during my free time between classes and on the train, without ever wondering or worrying about the amount of time I was putting into the project. Programming was fun, and still is. Difficulties are exciting challenges, not hindrances. That's the attitude my dad wants me to have, because while he would love for me to follow in his footsteps, he wants me to be happy most of all. My job is going to be somewhere I spend eight or more hours a day, so given the chance, I ought to spend all that time doing something I love. I want to keep being able to say that I love my life and have never regretted the choices I've made. I've since moved from blocks of Legos to blocks of code, and I want to keep making bold strides. I'm not going to settle; I'm going to keep dreaming and desiring, so that one day I'll be able to do. If I fail, it is not going to be because of my dedication. But if I succeed, it will be. References: | Directron.com College Scholarship | Related Items: | Chris Covington | Cirrus Foroughi | Jack Salamanchuk | Jennifer Furtado | Jennifer Story-Salacup | Jie Li | Maria Khan | Paul Frederick | Shawna Harpole | Veronica Muo | |
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