Despite their seemingly complex exterior of tiny LEDs, tangled wires, and hundred button keyboards, I have always been fascinated by the extremely simple concepts behind the operation of a computer. Everything is either on or off. Yes or no. To a computer, the world is distilled to a monochrome of black and white. From the moment I touched a keyboard, I was impressed with the logic of these machines - you type in an input, you get a specific output. At least one object in a world of chaos worked in a way that I could understand.

For this reason, computers have served me as fantastic learning tools. As a young child, I would watch my father using the computer for work. I wanted to use the computer too, but at that time, even small games required typed commands. Rather than being motivated by books or magazines, I became interested in reading and writing when my parents bought an adventure game titled Hero's Quest. By controlling my mythical character using my two fore fingers to type in simple commands such as "use magic lamp on griffin" and reading the resulting story line, I became familiar with the "written" word.

Driven by my thirst to attain technological proficiency, throughout my youth I sought classes and activities that would guide me down this path. The summer following my freshman year, I discovered the ATDP program at UC Berkeley in which graduate students attempted to transfer their wisdom to high school students in accelerated courses. Given the choice of a multiplicity of classes offered, it was not surprising that I chose a Java programming class.  Programming was the next step; to be able to program would give me a power over technology that others lacked. The UC graduate students proved to be effective teachers as well. A burning interest coupled with abundant resources enabled me to learn this new language quickly.

The subsequent summer I returned to Berkeley, but my role had transformed to that of a TA for both the C++ and Java programming classes. As fellow high school attendants, the students of the class were my peers, some even slightly older. However, despite the high school social hierarchy, I was respected for my ability to impart my knowledge of these subjects. Some questions asked of me were simple, while others required deeper consideration and investigation. During lectures or lulls in class work I occasionally had idle moments in which I was able to use the computers for anything I desired. I designed and programmed elementary games in Java which I posted on the web for entertainment when students completed their day's projects. Unlike other on-line games, I provided and explained the code for my programs so that they could view the translation of source to finished product. It is said that the best way to learn information is to attempt to teach it to another, and first hand experience tells me this is true. 

As a TA, the class instructors and I shared similar roles and I had the opportunity to get to know them on a more personal level. We conversed as equals concerning their experiences as graduate students at the university, their current projects, and general college life. A sizable lunch break between the two classes provided me with an hour to wander the campus. My appearance was similar to that of many younger undergraduates, and thus I could manage to pass as a college student. People acted toward me as they would toward a undergraduate, enabling me to truly see through the eyes of a newly arriving freshman. I explored the Berkeley campus alone, bestowing upon me the vague feeling of independence. The thrill of following my own educational path conflicted with the uneasiness of being temporarily estranged from the security of my home.

As well as enflaming the passion for computers that has taught me throughout my life, the Berkeley ATDP program gave me the occasion to communicate my interest upon others and confirmed my commitment to the computer sciences. In addition, I gained a new perspective on the college experience and, having confronted my fears, I now believe that I am better prepared to be a University of California student.