I've always loved writing, and some of my favorite teachers in high school have been English teachers. Writing is a way of communicating in a non-linear content vs. time way. An essay can reach millions of people, whereas if I sit down to share thoughts with people in person, I'd be dead before I could talk to a million people. I look up to people like Paul Graham and Richard Hamming who have guided me with their wisdom for years through their words; writing is a way of distributing quality content, and I want to be a part of that process.
During the dark ages in high school, I would (obnoxiously) confide in my best friend Jackie with all my problems. Jackie eventually gave the sage advice to start a journal so that I could better express my angst. Looking back at my old writings, I appreciate how I am able to reenter the head of 15 year old Catherine and reflect on how I've grown as a person. I hope that through maintaining a blog, I can not only document my life for myself, but also share it with the people that I care about.
I am at an interesting time in my life right now because I've done a 360 with my identity. For the first 18 years of my life, I identified primarily as a classical pianist. I went to magnet arts schools for piano, went to piano festivals, studied with famous pianists, and won piano competitions. But I've always admired technology and computers, and since starting school at MIT, I've become fully immersed in learning as much as I can about the field. It's truly a privilege for me to be at one of the best technical institutes in the world, and I hope to capture some of my magical experiences in this blog.