What was my first degree?
So after high school I decided to stay local to San Diego and I earned my bachelors degree at UCSD. A bachelors is the first degree you can get at a university. I started off as a physics major, "Engineering Physics" to be exact. Yeah, I know... you're thinking I was crazy, right? And then I also thought about becoming a teacher. But in the end I decided on Computer Science and so I graduated and became a software engineer.
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Think about everything you see on your computer screen, your tablet, your cell phone or smartphone screen. Well a team of people created that and it's called software. Those games you play online or on a console, well a team created that, too. Those people are called software engineers, software developers, or programmers.
Oh, do you remember the old stereotype of the "nerdy" computer person... I think that was pretty accurate back then. But now computers are everywhere now. I think that everyone should be comfortable with using a computer. Most of our students at NUVHS have a smartphone, a tablet, or even both. |
What was my first career?
I did the software thing for about ten years, which may seem like a long time to you. Well... okay, it was a long time for me, too! :)
I worked for some BIG COMPANIES, some teeny-tiny start-up companies, and a few other companies in between. I learned a lot about myself and about other people. I learned that I prefer working in smaller teams because as one person, I can have a bigger impact overall. I like being a big fish in a small pond. I also learned that it's much easier to come up with great ideas when you work as a team. |
I spent most of these years writing software that runs on Windows. I didn't develop software for Mac at all, but I can still appreciate how Apple products are very easy to use. Maybe some day I'll even buy an iPad. :) But for now I'm very happy with my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Note 8. They're like a big sister and little sister pair.
At some point I also became a manager which basically means that several other people called me "boss". Being a manager was definitely challenging and stressful, much more so than just being an engineer. But I grew a lot as a person because it gave me a totally different perspective. |
What about degree #2?
While I was a software engineer, I also earned a master's degree at SDSU. A master degree is the second highest degree you can get at a university and mine was a Master of Business Administration (MBA). I think it's sort of a "general-purpose" degree that can help in almost any career path. It also helps you learn to manage your own personal finances, too. So if you have a hard time deciding what to study in college, you can't go wrong with business. The skills you learn will be applicable for most jobs.
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... and finally career #2
After being an engineer for a long time, I decided that what I really wanted to do was be a teacher. Both of my parents were teachers and most of my closest friends are teachers, too. So I think it's just my nature. I went back to SDSU again for my teaching credential.
If you can believe it, this was my THIRD time at a university. So if you think that I really like school, then you're right! I LOVE school and I want to keep learning for all of my life. After teaching at a couple of other schools first, I finally landed here at NUVHS and now I'm your teacher. Welcome to our course and remember that I'm here to help you be successful. So email me whenever! |
Please feel free to email me at: [email protected]