Where are you from?
I’m from the Silicon Valley of the Bay Area - Cupertino, California
What did you study for your undergraduate degree?
I studied Architecture from the University of Southern California
Why did you choose Columbia?
I chose Columbia for five reasons:
1. New York City - prime location to study Urban Planning
2. GSAPP - its affiliation with the architecture and urban design schools
3. Well-rounded and international ivy - meeting faculty and students from all over the world
4. Faculty - mostly diverse and very hands on and knowledgeable in their fields
5. Professional Network - Columbia’s recognition and alumni network is very similar to USC’s and pretty huge. It’s a small community but a huge network
What is your concentration and Why?
My concentration is in International Development, but I’ve also been taking classes within the Environmental Planning concentration. I chose this concentration because it’s all encompassing and demonstrates how zoning and planning are structured or not, in various economies around the world. I am especially interested in low-income communities in Southeast Asia.
What is your favorite part about living in NYC?
My favorite part about living in this City is the unfathomable number of places for food, outings, adventures, etc. I love exploring the City solo or with friends, and almost every time is a very unique experience.
What is something you miss most about home?
I miss my family and best friends, Mexican food (duh), never having to worry about how to dress for the weather (it’s always 75-80 degrees, let’s be real), and my immune system actually functioning.
What is one of your pet peeves?
One of my biggest pet peeves is when people ask where my accent is from - clearly not from New York (a little more California ‘valley girl’)
Favorite class so far and why?
My favorite class so far has been GIS/Advanced GIS. There’s something about learning new software that is really appealing, challenging, and fun for me. I really like the numerous ways you can analyze data to make conclusions about a certain place down to a small scale.
Most embarrassing moment?
My most embarrassing moment was when I asked my friend from California to meet me at a restaurant in Downtown, except she went to the west side location and I went to the east side one. Took me a good half an hour to figure out that we were both there on time for my reservation, but on opposite sides of the City haha. (Thankfully, she was just as amused).
