HELLO
I'M THAOVY LE
Scroll to learn about my
journey through UCF
Scroll to learn about my
journey through UCF
I am a junior at the University of Central Florida. My major is Digital Media on the Web Design track and my minor is Computer Science.
I am from Boston, Massachusetts and my family currently resides there. I decided to go to school out of state because I wanted to live somewhere warmer
and experience new things in life.
Some of my hobbies include shopping, traveling, spending time with my friends, trying new foods, and relaxing at home with my dog, Coco.
Before choosing UCF, I went to high school at the Academy for Science and Design.
This was a small charter school that specialized in STEM. My high school did not
get a lot of funding, therefore they did not have any sports and not many clubs.
I felt like I never got a real high school experience and most of my free time
went into school or work. Due to the lack of social events at my high school, I
did very well in school and finished as the third of my class. My high school
also required their students to choose a study of specialization in STEM and we
had to take extra classes in that field. At the time, Computer Science fascinated
me the most and this was when I realized I wanted to purse a career in this field.
I chose UCF because I wanted a drastic change in my life and I wanted to
experience being a student at a large school. I’ve always wanted to go out of
state for college and I knew that Florida was perfect for me. Sometimes I get
homesick and I miss my family, but I have always been an independent individual
so I knew I was capable of making this big move.
BOSTON,
MASSACHUSETTS
SETTLING IN
AT UCF
TRIP TO
NEW ORLEANS
EXPLORING
FLORIDA
FRESHMAN YEAR
I experienced many new life changes during my Freshman year at UCF. I moved from
Boston, Massachusetts to Orlando, Florida and this was the farthest away I’ve ever
been from home. It took some time for me to adjust to the new environment and not
feel homesick. I was originally a Computer Science major, however, after my first
Fall semester, I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to pursue. I had a passion for
design, specifically through technology. I discovered Digital Media to be the perfect
major for me and I continued to keep Computer Science as my minor to enhance my
programing skills. Also, all my classes were online because I began college in 2020.
These online classes made it possible for me to be in school while being anywhere in
the world. I was able to travel to New Orleans, Cancun, and many new cities in Florida
during my Freshman year.
JOINING A
SORORITY
MEET MY
DOG COCO
MET MY
BEST FRIENDS
ZETA LIP
SYNC
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Unfortunately due to COVID-19, I didn’t get to meet many
people during my first year of college. I decided to join a sorority at UCF to
meet more people. I joined Kappa Delta at the beginning of my Sophomore year
and this was a great experience to create friendships and build networking
connections. I had the opportunity to give back to many organizations and
participate in fundraisers for other clubs and groups within UCF. For instance,
I was part of the Zeta Lip Sync event to fundraise for Breast Cancer Awareness.
Additionally, I fulfilled my dream of purchasing and owning a dog. I bought my
dog, Coco, this year and this decision has drastically changed my life.
BEGAN WORKING AT A GOLF COURSE
TRIP TO THE
BAHAMAS
SPENDING TIME WITH MY FRIENDS
TAKING MORE TIME FOR MYSELF
JUNIOR YEAR
At the beginning of my Junior year, I began working at a
golf course as a beverage cart attendant. I believe this job has benefitted
me because I am now a morning person (due to the 6 AM shifts) and I have became
more productive with my goals. I decided to no longer be a part of Kappa Delta
because I wanted to prioritize my time on school and work. I took a second job
as a nail salon receptionist as well. In my Junior year, I learned time
management and to spend time with the people I most care for, rather than have
superficial friendships. I was able to travel to the Bahamas with my boyfriend
and go on many adventures with my best friends. For the rest of my Junior year,
I hope on beginning my Honors Undergraduate Research Thesis and find an
internship to gain more experience in Digital Media.
For my second semester of Junior year I intend on beginning my Honors Undergraduate Thesis. This thesis will take about two semesters to complete and I plan on finishing in Fall 2023. I also hope to get an internship for Web Design/Development in Summer 2023. I want to gain work experience in the field to be prepared for when I graduate. I am on track to graduate at UCF in Spring 2024 and I plan on staying in Florida afterwards. I am unsure about what city I will live in, however, it depends on where my future job is. I hope to work for a technology company as a Web Developer or UX/UI Developer.
