CS371p Spring 2021: Hogan Tran

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small suburb called South Houston, Texas, which is confusingly southeast of Texas.

What high school did you attend?

I attended South Houston High School.

Why did you come to UT?

I came to UT after taking a tour of the campus in high school. The diversity, people, and atmosphere inspired me to apply. However, housing one of the best CS programs in the nation solidified my desire to attend UT.

Why are you majoring in CS?

I really enjoy both aspects of math and science, and I thought computer science was always kind of in-between the two. Math and science were my two top subjects in high school, but I didn’t want to focus primarily on one over the other.

Why are you in this class?

Out of all the ideas and theories in CS, object-oriented programming interested me the most. The idea that you can make an object through code, with different attributes and actions made me appreciate CS even more.

How much C++ do you already know?

I know a medium amount of C++, having taken Professor Downing’s Generic Programming course over the summer. But as I haven’t dealt with C++ since then, it will be a refresher going through the material.

How did you feel about the cold calling?

Cold calling will always be nerve-wrecking the first few times, but having taken Professor Downing’s Generic Programming, he’s very patient and forgiving with those who may not know the current answer. Even though I dealt with cold calls before, I still feel a little uneasy when he’s scanning the list of names.

What made you happy this week?

I recently made some amazing cheeseburgers at home. I didn’t have a grill but they still came out delicious. Sadly, I didn’t take any pictures of the lad, but cooking always puts me in a happy mood.

What’s your pick-of-the-week or tip-of-the-week?

My pick of the week, for those interested in learning about VIM, is this mini-web game called Vim Adventures. It’s a pretty basic game outlining VIM but it’s a start for those who want to look into VIM or those who are just bored.