Hi, I’m Kathlyn Buckley and I’m a sophomore Computer Science major at UCF!  I graduated from Cypress Bay High School in 2024 in my hometown of Weston, Florida. My favorite class so far at UCF is Computer Science 1! I love problem-solving and thinking critically in order to solve the various challenges this class presents, and more than just learning how to write the code, I have gained a deeper understanding of computer algorithms and learned how to apply code for real-world situations. One of the reasons I loved that class so much was because my favorite professor, Dr. Ali, taught it. Super caring, and always wanting the best for her students, I could tell she really had a passion for teaching computer science. I also really liked my calculus 2 professor, Alexa Grubowski, whom I had through the excel program, as she broke down the complex material so that students could truly grasp the concepts. Don’t worry though, college doesn’t have to be just an academic experience. Some of my hobbies include dancing, swimming, reading, and UCF has many clubs you can join to continue enjoying your hobbies. I joined GEMS because I figured it would be helpful to have a mentor that could provide some insight into freshman year as a Computer Science major at UCF, and I thought it would be a nice way to meet new people. I am so incredibly grateful I joined this community of passionate and driven peers, in which I’ve found amazing friends, and I hope I am able to help build those same enriching connections with my mentee group this year! Finally, for all the incoming students: take a breath, don’t stress, and enjoy every moment as it passes you by.