CS371p Fall 2020: Mason Eastman

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Lake Highlands, a suburb about 20 minutes away from downtown Dallas.

Where did you go to high school?

I went to Lake Highlands High School.

What was your favorite extracurricular activity in high school?

Definitely tennis. I loved the sport and met some of my closest friends there, some of whom are still with me at UT!

Why did you come to UT?

I had many good high school friends coming here, and I was really attracted to the CS program.

Why are you majoring in CS?

When I was younger I was always fascinated with how the video games I loved playing got made, which propelled me to take a video game development class and AP computer science in high school. It was then that I fell in love with computer science and programming, and the vast amount of things I can create with those skills.

Why are you in this class?

I have always heard how good Professor Downing’s CS classes are, and I want to learn C++ so that I can start using Unreal Engine more confidently. It was a perfect match!

What are your expectations for this class?

I’m hoping to leave this class with a good footing in C++ and how I can use various tools and techniques to improve my programming.

How much C++ do you already know?

Just enough to print Hello World.

How did you like the two lectures?

I liked them a lot! I like how Professor Downing explains the material and I’m interested in what we’ve learned so far.

How do you feel about the cold calling?

I’ve never enjoyed speaking up in class, so I was unsure at first, but after the first two lectures it seems good because it’ll be a good opportunity to have a discussion with Professor Downing and can only help my understanding of the material.

What made you happy this week?

I went on a cool scenic drive through the hill part of Austin with my girlfriend and my roommate, and we ended up at a really cool spot along Lake Travis.