We are so happy to have Tiare back for her third summer with our team! Tiare is studying Computer Science at the University of Toronto, and is coming back for her second co-op term with our development team.
We caught up with her to see how her second year of University went, what she’s excited to work on over the next few months and her summer travel plans.
How was your second year of University? How was it different from your first year?
It was very different from my first year. It was less overwhelming because I already knew what to expect, had friends and knew my way around campus.
In terms of classes, first year we covered the basics and got a good foundation, while in second year we got to dive deeper into more interesting subjects. But they were also harder because of that – so it’s a trade-off.
It was a good year. In a way, it felt like a lot of time passed, but then again, it also feels like I just finished my last co-op term with Cliniconex!
What skills or knowledge from your second summer with CCX were you able to apply to your classes?
It seems like it’s hard to “get ahead” in computer science because there are so many areas of expertise. But learning Java and Git last year was a huge benefit to me. I had a semester-long group project in Java and using Git as version control, so my Git/Java boot camp last summer was amazing. I was able to help my teammates.
Also, having just worked with the development team, and knowing how to work in a team and how to communicate with everyone so we’re all on the same page was also incredibly beneficial for my group projects.
I was able to directly apply so many of the skills I learned last summer, as soon as I returned to school. It was great.
What are you excited to work on this year? What are you hoping to learn?
I don’t know. Third year is when we start to specialize and take fewer core courses, so I have less of a clear picture of what my courses will entail.
I’m just excited to be back. It’s helpful that I already know the team, the business and the industry, so I can focus on brushing up on skills I forgot from last summer and learning new ones. I’m looking forward to being more helpful to the team and contributing to a greater extent.
As this is your third summer with us, have you noticed any changes or ways things are done differently year over year?
Things are familiar but a bit different. In terms of the development team, there have been some role changes and there are changes that come along with that. I’ve noticed our sprint meetings are really streamlined and focused.
This time last year, I didn’t really know the rest of the team. So my familiarity with them, how they work and what they are responsible for has made it easy to jump right back in.
What non-work related activities or events are you looking forward to this summer?
Yes! I’m going with my family to Germany to see my sister compete in the Special Olympics. I’m really looking forward to that. These are the first post-covid summer world games, so they should be really exciting,
We’re also going to visit Prague, which I’m excited about. I’ve never been to Czechia or Germany before and I’ve heard it’s really pretty.
I’m also looking forward to getting more proficient on my rollerblades. I’m working on turning and stopping so hoping to make some progress there.