I have been interested in pursuing a computer science degree ever since I went to STEAM camp in elementary and middle school. I always found coding to be quite fun as I learned how to problem solve and even make some video games. After I grew out of STEAM camp, I decided to join my middle school's coding club where everyone would get together at the local university, the University of Charleston in WV, on the weekends and use teamtreehouse.com to learn HTML/CSS. I was so excited to show my parents the website I learned to make based on my favorite YouTuber at the time and wanted to continue learning computer science. In high school, I discovered that my dream was to be a video game developer after taking a game design class sophomore year and really enjoyed learning how to make my own game, called Kitty Hullabaloo. I learned how to make the kitty move based on player input and eat treats, which was tough at first but rewarding in the end. My absolute dream job after receiving my degree would be to be a game developer for my favorite video game The Sims 4. Since I grew up playing video games, I have always been interested in the coding it takes to make some of my favorite games that I want to someday say I was able to help create a popular video game. There are also several indie games that have become quite popular that if my dream of working on The Sims 4 or any AAA game does not come to fruition, I could create my own game on the side with complete creative control. I believe I am a great candidate for this scholarship because I one day hope that I can provide inspiration for fellow women who wish to not only pursue a degree in computer science but also a career in game development. Women often get overlooked in computer science that it can be difficult for them to continue on the path they want, and I am no stranger to being overlooked or even second-guessing my major for something more acceptable. I know that my journey will be difficult as I am only just beginning, but I do not intend to give up my dreams because society tells me I cannot do it and I do not want other women to give up either.

As someone who grew up playing with Barbies and watching all the movies (Princess and the Pauper is the best), I have seen my fair share of Dream Houses. I remember growing up I would play with my friend at her house because she always had the best Barbies and a huge Dream House that was the centerpiece of her makeshift village, while I, on the other hand, had a Dream House I made myself. If I had a real life Dream House it would be an amalgamation of the two, a nice modern/suburban home in a beautiful town where everyone knows each other and is about an hour away from both the beach and the city. The house would have three stories, six bedrooms (me, my sister, my parents, and three extra for visitors), an average size kitchen because why have all that extra space when the food is pre-made as a Barbie, and of course some bathrooms. The first floor would have the living room with a big tv and pastel couches that leads into the dining area and the kitchen, but if you open a specific cabinet in the kitchen, it’ll take you into a secret passage that leads to the ginormous library with all the latest books and a beautiful pink chandelier. The kitchen also has a main door that leads to the ballroom where I host balls to have an excuse to wear a ballgown. Then, by taking the spiral staircase in the living room upstairs, you arrive in the gaming room, which is a balcony that looks down on the main living room. This room houses all the board games, gaming systems (like the Barbie XBOX), and pink computers to create a fun room for everyone to hangout in when they’re bored. Also, down the hallway from the gaming room is the movie theater that seats twelve guests in the most comfortable reclining seats. Inside the theater are popcorn machines that only pop kettle corn because it’s my favorite and has all kinds of Icee flavors and a Coca-Cola machine. There’d also be candy like M&M’s, Goobers, Twizzlers, and Cookie Dough Bites at the mini concession stand as well as cinnamon glazed pecans and pretzels. Across the hall from the theater would be a karaoke room with all the crazy lights and funny costumes to put on while you sing your heart out. Finally, another spiral staircase takes you to the top floor where all the bedrooms are. Since there is an even number of bedrooms, each room shares a bathroom with the room directly next to it (think Jack and Jill). Of course all the bathrooms would be a mix of pink and white, but the bedrooms would each have their own style to coordinate with the people staying there. My bedroom specifically would be pastel colors with a cottagecore style. I would have hanging plants, a lot of posters, a fuzzy rug in the shape of a flower, walk-in closet, simple white desk for my work, and bookshelf for my K-Pop albums. Also, as this is my Dream House, my bedroom would have glass doors that lead to a balcony with a table and chairs to sit on as I lookout on the pavilion from Twelve Dancing Princesses in my backyard. On the outside, my Dream House would be painted a light pink with some unpainted rocks making up part of the exterior. There would be beautiful plants and flowers that decorate the lawn to really make it feel like a home. This house is definitely my Dream House.