I am Melody Jing, a rising sophomore at Rice. I’ve decided to major in Computer Science and Cognitive Sciences — I’m also a fan of math, figure skating, art, and the like.
I find myself drawn to theoreticalproblems in both of the areas I’m majoring in. As a result, I’ve been seeking opportunities that challenge me: I move out of my comfort zone by pushing to apply myself and my skills to imminent issues. Along this path, I’ve found that a completely different environment really encourages me to adapt and grow to the best of my abilities.
Furthermore, I’d always wanted to get into engineering design, since I feel that it’s an area of improvement for me. I hope that this program will help me develop the skills I need to further myself.
In terms of travel, I’m most interested in the day-to-day culture, lifestyle, and architecture of the city. I especially want to explore and experience the city’s canals and biking culture.
Of course, being surrounded by new, tasty food never ceases to make me smile. For example, I’m pretty sure that gouda is my favorite type of cheese, and I’m pretty sure that there’s plenty of that here. And, of course, the stroopwafels… How could it go wrong?
While exploring, I usually structure a part of the day and leave some chunks of free time to wander around and do whatever I’d like to do. I believe that too much planning interferes with the spontaneity that naturally occurs during a trip to a new and unfamiliar place. However, too little planning will impact the ability to be carefree during the trip — always wondering what to do next isn’t ideal. Besides, lots of reservations must be made in advance, so you’d be missing out on those, too. Generally, I try to strike a balance between the two by planning out the majority of a day, leaving some sections blank.
