Hudson Yuen
Majors: Computer Science and Statistics
Minor: Geographical Information Systems
University College
What inspired you to study computer science at U of T?
Studying computer science was a bit unplanned — I started first year in chemistry, did a bit of geography, then switched to statistics before entering CS. My first exposure to the field only came that year after seeing some friends go through CSC108/148/165, but I was very quickly attracted to the myriad applications of studying computer science. As someone who wasn’t (and still isn’t) sure of how to best contribute to the world, the prospect of building a robust theoretical base with technical skills drew me in — and the program has delivered.
Tell us about an experience from one of your CS courses that stands out to you.
The main project from CSC301, Intro to Software Engineering, still stands out to me — we worked in teams to deliver a working product for an external client. It was my first time doing this deliverable-type work and the “real-world” aspect created an environment unlike most other courses; I greatly enjoyed the scoping, client management and self-driven nature of the project.
How did you get involved at U of T outside of your coursework?
Apart from 180DC [180 Degrees Consulting, a student consulting club] and other academic initiatives, I made it a point to involve myself in athletic clubs. The hectic schedule of university unfortunately makes it too easy to drop your personal hobbies and interests, especially for things that don’t seem to be “school-related” — like continuing the sports you played in secondary school. I’ve also gotten involved in new sports, namely dragon boat (where I also snuck in a very fun international competition), intramural ultimate frisbee and the squash club.
What’s one piece of advice that you would give to incoming students?
Allow yourself to intentionally “waste” time. I mean this in the manner of letting yourself explore paths that aren’t immediately relevant to what you’re doing and letting yourself get properly immersed in the process. Many of the things I enjoy or find meaning in started as things that could have been classified as distractions if I had taken a more negative view. It’s borderline impossible to try anything new and have it make perfect sense at the start, so you should probably go ahead and do it anyway.
What’s next for you?
What’s next for me is a phase of more exploration. I’ve been working on a few ventures since last summer when I was a part of the Next36 accelerator, and I’m planning on taking a few more months to explore that path. I’ve narrowed my interests to the fields of transit tech and sustainability in the built environment, but beyond that? We’ll just have to see!
This Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.