Gregory Zachariah

Year in college: Sophomore

Hometown: Sugar Land, TX

Favorite C S experience so far and why: My favorite CS experience so far is the ever-present community that is present. Coming into such a huge school and rigorous program, it felt quite easy to get lost in all the action. Regardless of what the next rigorous CS class I would be taking, the support system around me turned what would’ve been a stressful semester into a period of inspiring mutual growth and memories. Whether spending my entire afternoon in office hours at GDC, working on pitching a product for an org, or depleting all my remaining dining dollars at Lucky Lab with friends, the inclusive environment fostered by the department and my peers was an aspect I never expected from UTCS. Being able to learn the ropes of such challenging courses with the help of the people I met along the way has helped to narrow down this massive student population into a community I can call my own.

What advice (if any) would you go back and give yourself coming into UTCS? If I were to go back and give myself some advice coming into UTCS, it would be to embrace failure, expect things to not always work out on the first try, and not let disappointment dictate how you move forward.

Best place to eat in Austin? Though I haven’t had a chance to fully venture out into Austin’s food scene, K-Bop is definitely a top contender for places to eat. Being relatively affordable and close to campus, their Beef Bulgogi bowls were a treat after a stressful few weeks of preparing for my CS exams.