alexalovescomputers-blog

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

def Alexa_In_Wonderland():

Hey guys, before you do anything on my blog, please check out my introduction to my blog page that I just created. Click on the DEF ALEXA_IN_WONDERLAND(AN_INTRODUCTION):

Do you guys get it? It's like me creating and defining a function in Python, but instead, I’m defining my blog. 

lol just a little coding humor :P

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

The QUEEN’S Speech

(Date: June 6, 2021)

Ok folks, it’s done. It’s finally done! I’ve probably written and rewritten this speech a hundred times, I really want to get my point across. SO here it is, my 2021 Computer Science Graduates Graduation Speech. It’s not 100% set in stone though. While I’m up on stage, I might adlib... but here goes...

Congratulations 2021 San Jose State University computer science graduates! My name is Alexa Cortana and I am honored to be your 2021 class representative, chosen to represent such an amazing and creative class. When I started here at San Jose State in 2017 I was overwhelmed by the creativity, efficiency, and qualities my fellow classmates and faculty possessed. It has been riveting journey, from my first computer science class to standing on this stage today in my cap and gown. I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been the easiest feat. The tech world is filled with endless possibilities, and is still a world I am anxious but proud to be a part of. My first semester gave me a glimpse of the future I could help create. but I’ll never forget my first taste of discrimination in this field - something most of you will likely never bear witness to given your ‘Y’ chromosome. As some of you know, one of the most fulfilling and exciting things we can experience as computer science students is landing one of those coveted internships at one of the Silicon Valley’s greatest tech companies. I was lucky enough to find myself interning at Google. I laughed, I cried, I sang and danced around, I worked, and I experienced a once in a lifetime life adventure – and I experience the truth. The truth that there is still discrimination going on in the world, and specifically the world of technology. Discrimination from some of my classmates, thinking I only got the internship because I was female. Discrimination from a coworker, who sent a mass email containing reasons as to why his female coworkers are inferior computer scientist. Then, discrimination from myself, thinking I was inferior and only was accepted for the internship because I was female and I didn’t belong there.

           Hear me, WE ARE THE FUTURE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY! I picked myself up and stood tall, because I can code with the best of them. I am not inferior because I am a women, I was not chosen because I am a women and they had to meet some sort of diversity quota.

I was chosen because I worked, I studied, and I put the time and energy in to be great at something I love. Isn’t that why we are here today? Receiving our diplomas, standing here at the finish line. We did it! But this is not the final race, we will have many more, with many more hurdles. And we may stumble, feel defeated, maybe lose some of the races. But we should never be discouraged. Why? Because, we are the future. In a few years, it will be us running these tech industries, our minds reshaping the way the world views and uses technology.

It’s not just me facing discrimination, there is a big problem with gender diversity in our field. Take a look around. If you noticed that the majority here are men, then we are off to a good start. According to the Anita Borg Institute, A whopping 18 percent of computer science graduates are females. Computer science has the lowest percent of female graduates out of all STEM degrees. Why is this important? If you ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich everyday of your life, lets say it’s x brand grape jelly and y brand peanut butter on z brand white bread. One day you find yourself out of these fixings, so you try strawberry jam with honey roasted peanut butter on honey wheat bread. It’s the most amazing sandwich you’ve ever tried in your life. You deviated from what your stereotypical sandwich was , and because of the more diverse options you created a masterpiece. What I’m really trying to say is that if we stereotype what we think computer scientists are supposed to be, then we may never know what possibilities we can achieve. Without diversity, we would have a stagnant tech world. We need the fresh ideas, and the creativity that only comes from diversifying the world of computer science.

Some may believe that women don’t belong in the tech world. Their main reason? According to an article written by Aja Romano for Vox.com, an online news website “biological causes” is the main reason. The article breaks down the 10 page memo written by James Damore, the very same email memo I received during my internship at Google. If you haven’t heard of this memo, it was written by a senior software engineer at Google and argues that gender diversity in the workplace is counterproductive. He cites two majorly flawed “biological causes” to validate the memo. The first of the two, biological essentialism, is the idea that the difference in gender and “human nature” determines our needs and desires.  This has been “largely discredited” by many scientifically communities, there is more proof that other factors such as “social structures” or “upbringing” determine a persons needs and desires. The second idea, biological determinism is another argument that has been debunked by “the mainstream scientific establishment.” Biological determinism argues that genetics are to blame for the lack of ability in women. In the book “Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong” by Angela Saini, she claims “that in this point in the development of neuropsychology, it’s well-established that differences in individual neurology have virtually nothing to do with gender.” Using bogus scientific claims just adds insult to injury. According to an article by Alison Coil on wired.com “This systemic devaluation of women results in an array of real consequences: shorter, less praise-worthy letters of recommendation; fewer research grants, awards, and invitations to speak at conferences; and lower citation rates for their research. Such wide-ranging devaluation of women's work makes it harder for them to progress in the field.” This sets the bar higher for women in our field, which means that men have a “leg up.” So many women are discouraged by this alone, and is the one of the main reasons many women don’t pursue this career path.

 Another argument claims that it’s not gender that’s being largely discriminated against in the tech world, there is a bigger problem with racism. In Brentin Mock’s article for citylab.com “When it Comes to Tech, Racial Disparities Are Far Worse Than Gender.” Mock claims, “race, not gender, is the larger obstacle in limiting minority women from taking managing and executive positions in the tech industry.” Although white women are more likely to hold higher positions than minority men, it’s still minority women who take the backseat when it comes to hiring. This makes it far harder for minority women to succeed in computer science, and is still a problem with gender diversity. Knowing this, it must be doubly discouraging for minority women who are passionate about computer science. But this isn’t an either-or situation, if we know discrimination is going on, trying to argue who is more discriminated against won’t change that it is happening.

So today, on this stage, I ask of you, the future, to commit yourselves to embrace all races and genders in this advanced world of computer science. The only way to improve this discrimination is to accept that it is happening. Even if you are not a woman, you might be part of a minority that still faces the same kind of discrimination. Online communities and associations, such as the Association for Computing Machinery for Women and The Anita Borg Institute, are working tirelessly to diversify computer science, creating a more diverse future. Some of the leading universities, such as UCLA, have committed research teams to understand this gender gap. Introduce solutions that encourage women in the field such as the BRAID Initiative. By studying this gender gap and increasing female interest in the field, we can introduce so many new ideas. This is a world I want to be a part of. Let’s do this together. If I inspired even one person today or at least started a conversation, then I have succeeded. Do not turn the other cheek. Just because you are one person does not mean that you cannot make a difference.  According to Captain Kirk “In every revolution, there's one man with a vision." In this case, a man or woman.  Thank you, and goodluck on your future endeavors. I hope as you are traversing this world, putting your degree to use, that you remember my words today and think of the ways you can help revolutionize our field and help to close this gender gap.

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

CS Graduate?!

(Date: Apr 30, 2021)

Hey, guys. Checking in again...

Sorry it’s been so long since my last post. School and work have been exhausting, and honestly... there really hasn’t been much going on. Until TODAY!! The computer science department head told me that the faculty and student reps wanted me to give my class’ graduation speech! Oh yea...

I’M GRADUATING WITH MY DEGREE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE!!!!

it feels UNREAL guys! 4 years, has gone by so fast. Time flies when you're having fun? ANYWAYSSS... I gotta go and start getting my speech together. Hopefully I’ll be able to post the speech on here so ya’ll can give me some feedback before the big day.

Later Guys!!

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

Learning More About Gender Diversity in Computer Science

(Date: Aug 25, 2019)

Today in my computer science class, my teacher showed us a presentation about gender diversity in computer science. I learned so much, and it really made me appreciate the opportunities that I’ve had. I’m lucky that I haven’t had any more run-ins with discrimination or sexism. I think I’ll try working on developing a thicker skin. If I want to succeed in this field then I will have to stand up for myself more. I think this Prezi presentation really put what’s going on into perspective for me. I think I will look into the Anita Borg Institute and see if I can get in touch with the BRAID initiative to see if I can volunteer my time to help with any of their research. I’m excited to help change this world for the advancement of women in computer science!!!

https://prezi.com/view/RYaY9nOLzEtpF3GARbYF/

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

ALEXA IN WONDERLAND

(Date: Aug 20, 2018)

Despite setbacks, I love school and my internship. School has helped me learn the ins and outs of Computer Science. My internship, although it has come to an end, has helped me to grow and evolve from student to an (almost) full-fledged computer scientist (Just need that degree!!). Hopefully, I get an offer next summer for another internship! I want you guys, my lovely audience, to follow this advice. 

Don't let stereotypes and discrimination steer you away from what you love to do!

Computer science might not be the most appealing major for female college students, but it is definitely a rewarding one. I know there's so many other degrees and areas of study and as a female, you have so many choices. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more women interested in this major. So many people are working hard to create a more female-friendly environment in the computer science world. Ideals like Damore's are a minority. 

I won't lie to you ladies, you will face discrimination or sexism, even if it's subtle. This aspect along with the fact that many more opportunities are open to women in college now are the driving factors as to why the population of females majoring in computer science is decreasing. 

A few days after reading that memo at work, I found a group called the BRAID initiative. I found lots of information on how educators are combating the decreasing female interest in computer science. The best thing to have if you’re a woman considering a career in computer science is thick skin and a strong backbone. 

I now present to you, the story of Alexa in Wonderland

Alexa desired to follow the white rabbit into Wonderland, she followed the white rabbit down the rabbit hole and appeared in front of a strange and scary road. The Chesire cat helped her find her way to the right path and bestowed her words of wisdom upon Alexa. After an encounter with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, she felt discouraged. But she picked herself up, dusted herself off and skipped down the path with a renewed sense of determination. Soon she had arrived at the wonderland kingdom. She loved the kingdom and was so happy to find her place in Wonderland. Until, one day an evil Queen of Hearts (more like an evil cowardly lion, but that's a different story) threatened to cut off her head. She and her fellow Wonderland citizens rallied together to fight off the evil queen and succeeded. Now, she lives happily ever after. The End

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

input(”Women>Men”)

(Date: July 28, 2018)

Ladies,

Is there anything worse than being told how inferior you are to men? It’s a tale as old as time.... Anything you can do I can do better. (No you cant, YES I CAN!) If you agree that men are superior, then you’re in for a treat. Grab some popcorn and read this harrowing tale of how biology favors Y-chromosomes.

Today at work, I received a disheartening email ((⬅️ This is your cue, hope your popcorn’s ready!))  A fellow Google employee sent out an email containing a 10-page memo of why he thinks gender diversity at Google is hurting the company. 

It's people like James Damore, author of the memo, who contribute to the lack of women in the computer science field. It’s women like me who are working hard to fight these biased stereotypes and “alternative facts.” It’s hard enough going through the schooling necessary to become a computer scientist and reading things like this memo just sets us back 100 years. Remember back in the day when women didn’t have the right to vote? No- you don’t because, in your lifetime ladies, you’ve always had this right! Damore’s arguments draw a strange parallel to the reasons why some Americans didn’t want women to vote. 

Apparently, our inability to be good computer scientists is based on biological essentialism and biological determinism.

Biological Essentialism: 

The belief that 'human nature', an individual's personality, or some specific quality (such as intelligence, creativity, homosexuality, masculinity, femininity, or a male propensity to aggression) is an innate and natural 'essence' (rather than a product of circumstances, upbringing, and culture).

Biological Determinism: 

The idea that an individual's personality or behavior is caused by their particular genetic endowment, rather than by social or cultural factors—by nature rather than nurture.

The stance that males are the naturally dominant sex by virtue of anatomy and genetics or that women are naturally carers by virtue of their reproductive capabilities.

Often used synonymously with biological essentialism; however, the focus of determinism is on causes rather than essences.

Strangely, some of the points in biological determinism remind me of what Professor O’Brien talked to me about. But I’m pretty sure she didn’t mean it quite the same way Damore is using it to change Google’s gender diversity. I really hope Google fires him. We should be looking for ways to diversify the workforce because it's so beneficial to have a diverse group working together in this field. It brings new voices, opinions, and evolution to take something basic and one-dimensional and bring it to life with multifaceted and versatile ideas that could only be proposed by minority groups, whether it be ethnicity, gender, etc.

COMPUTER SCIENCE NEEDS DIVERSITY IN ORDER TO GROW AND EVOLVE!

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

It’s Official!!

(Date: June 6, 2018)

Hey, It’s me, Alexa Cortana -- Google’s newest SUMMER intern!!!

One phone interview, two 45-minute technical interviews (HIGHLY technical, showing off my computer language skills. I can’t get more specific than that because of all the confidentiality rules - just know they were very intense coding exercises!), three formal interviews (each with a different department within the company), and three crazy stressful months later - it is OFFICIAL! Unfortunately, I can’t share much of the details with you guys since they made me sign all sorts of confidentiality agreements. I'm unclear on what I can legally share with you guys. What I can tell you is I will be part of their Android department working on programs that work on Android phone Google apps. I will be writing A LOT of code, so not the kind of intern that fetches the real employees coffee or a glorified secretary position, I’ll be a real member of the Android team. Maybe now I can relax though! 😴 LOL Yea right...

It’s actually been official for a couple weeks now. Finding time to update my blog in the middle of orientation week and getting acclimated to my work environment has had me sooooo busy. But the PERKS.  If the Silicon Valley is a tech wonderland, then Google is definitely the mighty and bountiful wonderland kingdom.

Oh.My.Gosh. The Perks. 

As if landing an internship at one of the best companies in the world wasn’t a perk in and of itself, there are so many wonderful perks to working at Google.

1.)  Eat Me - Drink Me:

Soooo, you know how when you go to the mall and they have a food court with various delicious cuisines? Imagine having that where you work, and it's all FREE! American, Mexican, Indian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Sandwiches, Smoothies and pretty much any kind of food you can think of. They have it all, along with little kitchen-like areas where you can grab pretty much any kind of drink, soda, smoothie, coffee, energy drinks, etc. You know those walls of bulk bins they have at grocery stores like Whole Foods? Imagine those bulk bins filled with snacks where you can just grab a bowl and fill it with various snacks to bring back to your desk and pick at while you work... they got that. Looks like I won't have to pay for food for the months I will be working here! And while I’m at it, I might just take one of the cooking classes they offer through their program Kitchen Sync. 

2.)  Tea Parties, Caucus Race, Painting the Roses Red and other wonderland kingdom Activities :

They have various gyms in a few of the buildings. After working on a stressful project it’s nice to be able to unwind and get in a little workout. They also have a basketball court, a bowling alley, a rock climbing wall, tennis courts, putt putt golf, volleyball, even a mini skate park. They also have a swimming pool, spa, and saunas. They also have activity rooms where you can relax or play pool, arcade games, video game consoles, air-hockey, foosball, and even a movie theater. There’s even a giant slide that you can ride from the 3rd floor to the 1st. If you’re feeling a little antsy at your work desk,(I know I can't sit for too long or else I start to ache and go crazy) you can slide the monitor up and work on it from a standing position!

3.) Miscellaneous:

I can’t believe that I could actually get a full massage on a lunch break. I’m not talking about those fancy massage chairs (which they do have too if you wanted) I’m talking about a legit licensed masseuse! I’m relaxing just thinking about it. They also offer various forms of free transportation like shuttles that can take you to and from work, electric scooters that you can rent or just take to navigate through the various buildings and their campus. They offer a few other amenities as well, on-site laundry room with free detergent, a barber shop in case you don't have time to make it to one on your off time. Probably one of the coolest things is their decompression pods. When you lay down inside a pod it cuts off all outside noise and distractions and you can sleep or just relax in a quiet environment. One of the things I'm having a hard time accepting is the free room they are offering me in their Google-paid corporate housing. Located in North Park San Jose, I would be close to San Jose State as well and sharing a place with fellow Google interns.

^ This last picture is of little rooms called “cabins."  A private room offered to employees to get away from work and work on personal issues. 

But I could take or leave the perks. I mean, I’ll definitely take them...but all of it means nothing without the number one perk... working for Google. Even if it is a paid-intern position. I worked hard for this. I still hear whispers from around the classroom that I only got this internship because I am female and they have certain minority gaps to fill. Well, I’d like to see those gossip “girls” (boys) go through those exhausting, mentally and physically draining interviews that I went through. Does it matter that I am a woman? I hope not, I know deep down that I got this position through my hard work and determination.

All I have left to say is:

I CAN’T WAIT TO GET STARTED ON MY FIRST PROJECT AND KICK THIS INTERNSHIP IN THE BUTT!

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle DUMB

(Date: Apr 2, 2018)

IT FINALLY HAPPENED

and IT felt like complete crap.

Calm and collected on the outside, on the inside, my body an endless storm raging against an impassioned sea.

Giant crushing waves swell into watery whitecapped peaks breaking against the precipice; my heart. Cells like sand, grain by grain, eroding self-esteem. Tears fall down my cheeks, mingling with the salty water below, ghost of a memory, gone but not forgotten.

Close my eyes to focus on the ocean siren’s song, drowned out by the rhythmic thump blood coursing through my veins. My will to continue floats out to sea with the tide.

I’ve built these sea walls, protecting what’s important. The crushing force has died down and the majestic sapphire mountains turn back to a tranquil aqua blanket, wrapping my soul in a comforting warmth.

Think Happy Thoughts

Sorry for the sappy poetry, I write when I’m feeling down. It’s very therapeutic, and most definitely needed.

Today, was the first time I experienced such blatant sexism in my life.

I probably looked like a bloated fish with my mouth hung open in disbelief. He looked at me and snickered. Like, I wasn’t even there. Like, I was some lucky idiot who didn’t deserve such a coveted internship. The class was silent, you could hear a pin drop from across the room.

So This Happened...

Professor O’Brien made her usual daily announcements, but added at the end, “I think congratulations are in order today...” She looked over towards me and winked slightly when our eyes met. Then she looked to another student who sat a row behind me and over 2 spots. “I’m very excited to announce that two students here were accepted for the internship positions at Google. I just wanted to congratulate you guys on your dedication and hard work. Daniel, why don't you come up here?” she waved her hand motioning for him to come stand at the front of the class. Daniel stood and began to walk to the front of the classroom. I could only watch when the guy sitting next to me tapped his arm when he walked by, Daniel turned and raised an eyebrow, obviously wondering why the boy, Andrew, had tapped him. “Dude, you must be hella smart. You know like 40,000 people apply and out of that only 1,500 are accepted?!” Daniel just smiled politely and thanked him before continuing towards the front of the class.

Professor O’Brien spoke again. “Alexa, come up here as well,” she smiled as she waved for me to come forward. She continued to tell the class how Daniel and I were the students to talk to if they ever needed help on assignments, we were awesome, and blah blah blah. I felt really proud at that moment, nothing could ruin that moment. There was an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction at such an accomplishment. I thought back to what Andrew had said about the number of students that apply for the internship. I smiled and could feel my cheeks heat up as I blushed from embarrassment. I lowered my head down, avoiding eye contact, as I made my way back to my desk. I could feel the waves of jealousy and envious eyes on me, and although proud I still felt uncomfortable at being singled (or coupled?) out. Andrew scoffed and turned to the guy sitting next to him. Loud enough so I could hear he said, “Aww, man. I should have applied. It must not be that hard if a girl could get the position!.”

His friend snorted and replied, “Yea, that shit about 40,000 people applying is probably just an exaggeration. Makes sense if someone like her could get in.”

Like her? LIKE HER? Like me what?!

"So true.." Andrew began, not noticing the class had fallen silent, "Women don't belong in the tech industry. It's obvious they don't have the same motivation and know-how like us." Well, almost nothing could ruin that moment. The entire class turned to look at Andrew and his buddy. Professor O’Brien just gave them a stern look before continuing the lesson for the day.

I felt like the air had been knocked from my lungs. I wanted to leave the classroom. I fought the anger and pain threatening to spill out of me. I just had to focus on getting my work done. When I think about women who have to deal with that kind of bigotry on a daily or weekly basis, it angers me even more. I hope experiences like this are few and far between.

That’s all I have for today. Hopefully, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb get a reality check and realize women have much more talent and potential than they give them credit for.

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

Google It!

(Date: Mar 22, 2018)

OMG!!!!

This has been such an incredible day! A couple weeks ago, Professor O’Brien told me about an internship at Google that I would be perfect for. I applied and just got back word today that I was accepted into the first round of interviews!!

Sorry I’ve been silent for a few weeks. As much as I would have loved to update every day, School has been crazy busy. Projects, coding, homework, exams, quizzes... at the end of the day I feel brain dead 😵 Also, nothing really noteworthy has been going on. One of the girls dropped out of math class. I’ve also noticed that the harder intro to programming class gets, the more I love it! I’ve noticed that the other woman in my class is really good, too. I’ve become really close with her. On weekends we will get together and do our coding homework together. We’ve even tried to make a few programs of our own. Nothing too fancy though.

Anyways, I can’t wait until my interview at Google. It's going to be amazing. I’ll be sure to tell you guys all about it!

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

Professor O’Brien

~*UPDATE*~

(Date: Nov 12, 2017)

I spoke with my computer science teacher and she enlightened me on a few of my questions.

But can I just say: Profesor O, you are amazing!

The entrance to wonderland is paved with many odd bricks, winding roads, and fearsome trails. What I mean, is that I’m exploring this new frontier and it’s not always the kindest and straightforward path. It’s eerie being a woman in a male-dominated major. There’s no way around it. If I want this degree (and beyond all my doubts, I genuinely do) I’ve gotta brave this route. Accept the twist and turns I can’t control (Maybe take some Dramamine for the motion sickness, 🤢). Face my fears head-on. 

Enter: “The Chesire Cat” or in this tale, Professor Kathleen O’Brien. My guide, my pilot, my guru, ect. 

Not only did she resolve some of my questions, but she also reignited my passion for computer science. Not that the flame had burned out completely, but it just needed more fuel and reassurance. I felt discouraged before talking to her, but her advice, “If you want to make it in computer science, find something you love and combine it with computer science. That way you will be passionate about your work. If you’re passionate about what you do, that flame of passion will never die down.” Much like the GIF above, she opened that unexpected doorway for me.

As to my questions about the female population in the classroom, she had some ideas I had never thought of before. Since the tech world is dominated by men, it’s become a lot more dog-eat-dog, competitive, and an environment for those who crave dominance. She explained that a lot of tech companies that employ computer scientists are driven by money. Those money driven companies attract money driven people. Unless it’s government contracted jobs -- then the money-hungry factor disappears, and you will see a lot more female computer scientists in that job. Her thoughts were that while money and dominance drive men in computer science, women have a more detail-oriented approach. The women computer science majors want a fulfilling job, they pay attention to details and get work done.

Since she started teaching computer science, she noticed a decline in the population of female computer science majors. She speculates that this is due to more career opportunities now available to women. When she was growing up, women were told that they would only be good at certain jobs, and forced to pursue those “woman jobs.” Secretaries, for example. Throughout the years, more and more this idea of “woman jobs” is disappearing and more scholarships are offered to women. That’s why women in my math class were able to answer with majors like psychology and anthropology. There’s so many job and school opportunities to women that it's logical that women wouldn’t want to pursue a career that’s male-dominated and where they might face discrimination and sexism. But still, even if you are a woman who is attracted to the money-hungry and dominating life of a computer scientist, you still face a lot of discrimination. 

She asked me, “What level of math did you get to in high school?” I was confused by this question, what did math have to do with this? I thought about it for a second, was she about to make a connection about the female population in computer science and math?

“My last math class was pre-calculus. A lot of my friends stopped taking math classes after algebra 2 though.” I saw a light spark behind her eyes and an intoxicating grin light up her face like the Cheshire cat leading Alice through the wonderland maze.

“A lot of young women stop taking math after meeting high school diploma requirements. You don’t see a lot of women taking higher level math classes. Why is that? Do you think there’s a lot of pressure on women to act more “womanly” and that they are not attractive or popular if they are too smart.” --MIND BLOWN--, there IS a lot of pressure on women to be a certain way. It reminded me of all the standards society has placed on women, and that we are not desirable if we don’t fit that mold. Body-shaming, bullying of nerds, discrimination because of age or intelligence - just a couple of ways I can think of that enables society to shame women into fitting into their ideals of what a woman should be. 

Professor O’Brien helped shape my newly adopted perspective on this topic. I not only gained a stronger resolve to go forward with my degree path, but I also learned about more of the qualities needed to be a successful computer scientist. Although, I am still concerned about what discrimination or sexism I might face in the future. But this is the path I choose to follow, and the path will get dark sometimes and I will stumble across evil “queen of hearts” along the way, I know I can deal with them. For all the dark and evil, there will still be Chesire cats to help guide my way. 

[alexalovescomputers-blog]

Hello, My Name Is.....

Hey, ladies and gents! Welcome to my blog!

(Date: Aug 23, 2017)

Let me introduce myself, my name is Alexa Cortana, 18-years old and lover of all things nerdy🤓.  Recent graduate from Cupertino High School, and now... *🎺 cue trumpet fanfare 🎺*... FRESHMAN at San Jose State University. I’m following my dream to become a software engineer, working in the high-tech wonderland known as Silicon Valley. Following the white rabbit into the world of gadgets, gizmos, coding, and Facebook. Now, I know what your first question is: “Alexa, is the Silicon Valley really a valley made of silicon?” 🤣 Sorry to disappoint, but sadly, the Silicon Valley is just a name for the region south of San Francisco known for being the biggest producers of devices that use the semiconductor, silicon. 

As of today, I have finished my first week of school. Throughout the week, I’ve had so many thoughts, feelings, and questions about...well, everything. Then, a spark of genius hit me, “What better place to share my thoughts, feelings, and questions than a super public --sometimes viral -- super duper inspirational BLOG!” 

I’ll start this off by showing you my class schedule:

Have you ever had an overwhelming sense of feeling out of place? Something is just...OFF. You just can’t quite place a finger on it. 30 minutes I sat there, subconsciously shrinking in my chair. Twirling my rilakkuma mechanical pencil so the little bear charm swang around just right, and tapping my fingers so the rhythmic click of my nails against the wood calmed my racing thoughts. It was as if I had just noticed these offending appendages and could not recall how a normal person rests their hands and arms. Bouncing my leg up and down, a rare fit of restless legs caused by this odd over-awareness of my own body and uncertainty about that odd feeling. It didn’t help, and those anxious feelings grew stronger by the second. To say I was nervous is an understatement. I went to a small highschool, so I knew all of the kids there (most of them I had known since middle school), the classrooms were small, the campus was small, and it was fairly easy to predict what the first day would be like. But there I sat, in a room easily the size of two highschool class rooms, with people I’d never seen before in my life. I had no idea what to expect.

Heres a picture of the building my math class is in (It’s pretty much the size of my highschool!)

 Earlier that morning, a panic attack had me in a chokehold. I was literally hopping around with only one pant leg pulled up, struggling to throw my things together in my book bag. Hyperventilating and screaming how I was going to be late for my first day. So, of course, I got to class waaaay too early. I had time to sit and contemplate all the racing thoughts in my mind. I decided to read over the class syllabus Professor Wasin So had posted on the school’s online tool, hoping to subdue my anxieties. I was yanked from my thoughts when I heard a soft-spoken male’s voice begin to read names off the role sheet. That’s when I noticed. I took a quick look around the room and made a shocking discovery. Besides me, there were only 5 other women in the class! Why are there so few women? Does the teacher notice this? Does this have to do with the teacher? Did I pick the wrong class with the wrong professor? What am I missing here?

 Professor So started the class with a quick icebreaker, I guess his intentions were to establish a more welcoming and comfortable environment amongst the students. Also, let everyone get to know each other a little. One of the questions really caught my attention, ”What is your major?” All the men in the class had answers involving science, mathematics, and related fields of study. I don’t know what I was expecting the females to say. It certainly made me feel alienated from my peers when professions like nurse, psychologist, physical therapist, and anthropology were announced. Not one potential STEM major (like me) amongst the women, 

If this math class unnerved me with the lack of female population, then imagine my trepidation when I entered my Computer Science class the next day. I waited maybe 15 minutes in to the class waiting to see if more women would show. I did not want to be one of only 2 girls in this class, but unfortunately, I was outnumbered 34-2. Thirty-fricken-Four to TWO!!! At least the teacher is female, that’s gotta count for like...10 students??? Haha. 

I couldn’t help but wonder; why are there so few women in math and computer science?

So, after one week ( two visits to each class), I’ve grown slightly more comfortable in my new environment. I’m no longer a hot mess when I’m waiting for class to start. I may be a minority in the classroom, but I’m hoping that my peers see me as an equal. I fear that I’ll second guess myself and lose my determination to continue on with my current academic goal. Will I soon face discrimination for being a woman? I still have many questions and no answers. Like any good scientist, I’m making hypotheses and going through all my current knowledge to come up with answers. Let’s see... I’ll need variables, data, experiments and the likes. So, throughout this blog, I will detail my inquiries and hopefully, YOU will enjoy my ramblings and maybe my blog will be applicable to your life. Let me know, I’d love to hear feedback from my followers. 

I’ve decided my first plan of action will be talking to Profesor Kathleen O’Brien, my ���Intro to Computer Science’ teacher in case you forgot my schedule and/or are too lazy to scroll up ( just kidding lol). She must have great insight to my questions, and being a woman herself, might have stories of her own involving discrimination, sexism, and answers to the questions I seek. 

Curiouser and curiouser, but I’ve finally reached the bottom of the rabbit hole, TIME TO START MY JOURNEY INTO WONDERLAND!!