CS373 Spring 2021: Zein Fakhreddine

Where did you grow up?

I spent the first nine years of my life in North Carolina. After that I moved to Saudi Arabia due to my Dad’s work. After Highschool I came back to America for university.

Why did you come to UT?

I knew from an early age I wanted to major in computer science. Both my parents went to UT and given their good standing in the CS department it seemed like a perfect fit. Unfortunately I was denied entry for my freshman year and instead went to UTSA for two years. Thankfully I was able to transfer to UT for the Fall 2020 semester. So far I have been really enjoying it and feel privileged to learn my favorite subject from great professors.

Why are you majoring in CS?

I have been programming since I was ten years old. I really enjoy the feeling of learning new things relating to computer science. I love all the CS classes I take because I learn something new all the time. There was always a small thought in my head that majoring in CS would not be beneficial due to my self taught knowledge. So far my experience at UT has proved that thought wrong as all my professors have taught me new things I would of never been able to teach myself.

Why are you in this class?

I was recommended this class by a UT alumni working at a company I was trying to get an internship at. He advised me that this class would help a lot in my work career.

What are your expectations of this class?

To learn more practical knowledge for CS jobs and internships. Specifically how to work in large groups and how to use popular tools used in the industry such as GIT.

How much Javascript/Python/SQL/Web programming do you already know?

I had a previous internship with a startup where I became proficient in Javascript specifically within the React framework. I also have a fair bit of knowledge in Python due to previous courses I’ve taken and some personal projects. My SQL knowledge is essentially nothing and I’m excited to start learning it. I also have a lot to learn in the way of Web programming in both frontend and backend.

How did you like the two lectures?

I found them interesting especially the second lecture were I got more familiar with how the class was structured and how cold calling worked.

How did you feel about the cold calling?

At first I was nervous but after the two lectures I learned that Professor Downing was not using them as a “gotcha” and instead treats it more like a conversation to encourage learning.

What made you happy this week?

Spending time with my family and friends.