CS373 Fall 2020: Akshay Mantri

Hey everyone! My name is Akshay Mantri, and this is my Week 1 blog post for Software Engineering.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in India in 2000. In 2001, my family and I moved to Cyprus, a small island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s that little speck right under Turkey. Cyprus was an amazing place full of amazing people and scenery. One of the best parts of Cyprus is that you are never very far from the beach! In fact, the beach was right across the street from me! I lived there for 7 years, to the day, before moving to Plano, Texas in 2008. Texas has been my home ever since.

What was your favorite extracurricular activity in high school?

My favorite extracurricular activity during high school was tennis. I picked up a tennis racquet for the first time in 5th grade, and I’ve been in love with the sport ever since. Varsity tennis at Plano East High School provided me with some of my best memories of high school. The tennis program was fantastic, the friends I made are with me to this day, and my love for tennis grew even stronger.

What are your expectations for this class?

I have fairly high expectations for this class, provided some of the reviews from past students. First of all, I hope to make tremendous strides in my understanding of full-stack application development and how different technological components fit together. Secondly, I hope to get to meet new people who have the same passion for Computer Science that I do. Finally, and most importantly, I want to thoroughly enjoy this semester!

How did you feel about the cold calling?

Personally, I feel that cold calling during lectures enhances student comprehension. It ensures that students pay attention during class, can interact with the teacher, and can make sure that they truly understand the subject at hand. Situations where the student doesn’t know the answer shouldn’t cause shame; rather, they should create an opportunity to learn.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you’ll be back next week!