$$ \newcommand{\bone}{\mathbf{1}} \newcommand{\bbeta}{\mathbf{\beta}} \newcommand{\bdelta}{\mathbf{\delta}} \newcommand{\bepsilon}{\mathbf{\epsilon}} \newcommand{\blambda}{\mathbf{\lambda}} \newcommand{\bomega}{\mathbf{\omega}} \newcommand{\bpi}{\mathbf{\pi}} \newcommand{\bphi}{\mathbf{\phi}} \newcommand{\bvphi}{\mathbf{\varphi}} \newcommand{\bpsi}{\mathbf{\psi}} \newcommand{\bsigma}{\mathbf{\sigma}} \newcommand{\btheta}{\mathbf{\theta}} \newcommand{\btau}{\mathbf{\tau}} \newcommand{\ba}{\mathbf{a}} \newcommand{\bb}{\mathbf{b}} \newcommand{\bc}{\mathbf{c}} \newcommand{\bd}{\mathbf{d}} \newcommand{\be}{\mathbf{e}} \newcommand{\boldf}{\mathbf{f}} \newcommand{\bg}{\mathbf{g}} \newcommand{\bh}{\mathbf{h}} \newcommand{\bi}{\mathbf{i}} \newcommand{\bj}{\mathbf{j}} \newcommand{\bk}{\mathbf{k}} \newcommand{\bell}{\mathbf{\ell}} \newcommand{\bm}{\mathbf{m}} \newcommand{\bn}{\mathbf{n}} \newcommand{\bo}{\mathbf{o}} \newcommand{\bp}{\mathbf{p}} \newcommand{\bq}{\mathbf{q}} \newcommand{\br}{\mathbf{r}} \newcommand{\bs}{\mathbf{s}} \newcommand{\bt}{\mathbf{t}} \newcommand{\bu}{\mathbf{u}} \newcommand{\bv}{\mathbf{v}} \newcommand{\bw}{\mathbf{w}} \newcommand{\bx}{\mathbf{x}} \newcommand{\by}{\mathbf{y}} \newcommand{\bz}{\mathbf{z}} \newcommand{\bA}{\mathbf{A}} \newcommand{\bB}{\mathbf{B}} \newcommand{\bC}{\mathbf{C}} \newcommand{\bD}{\mathbf{D}} \newcommand{\bE}{\mathbf{E}} \newcommand{\bF}{\mathbf{F}} \newcommand{\bG}{\mathbf{G}} \newcommand{\bH}{\mathbf{H}} \newcommand{\bI}{\mathbf{I}} \newcommand{\bJ}{\mathbf{J}} \newcommand{\bK}{\mathbf{K}} \newcommand{\bL}{\mathbf{L}} \newcommand{\bM}{\mathbf{M}} \newcommand{\bN}{\mathbf{N}} \newcommand{\bP}{\mathbf{P}} \newcommand{\bQ}{\mathbf{Q}} \newcommand{\bR}{\mathbf{R}} \newcommand{\bS}{\mathbf{S}} \newcommand{\bT}{\mathbf{T}} \newcommand{\bU}{\mathbf{U}} \newcommand{\bV}{\mathbf{V}} \newcommand{\bW}{\mathbf{W}} \newcommand{\bX}{\mathbf{X}} \newcommand{\bY}{\mathbf{Y}} \newcommand{\bZ}{\mathbf{Z}} \newcommand{\bsa}{\boldsymbol{a}} \newcommand{\bsb}{\boldsymbol{b}} \newcommand{\bsc}{\boldsymbol{c}} \newcommand{\bsd}{\boldsymbol{d}} \newcommand{\bse}{\boldsymbol{e}} \newcommand{\bsoldf}{\boldsymbol{f}} \newcommand{\bsg}{\boldsymbol{g}} \newcommand{\bsh}{\boldsymbol{h}} \newcommand{\bsi}{\boldsymbol{i}} \newcommand{\bsj}{\boldsymbol{j}} \newcommand{\bsk}{\boldsymbol{k}} \newcommand{\bsell}{\boldsymbol{\ell}} \newcommand{\bsm}{\boldsymbol{m}} \newcommand{\bsn}{\boldsymbol{n}} \newcommand{\bso}{\boldsymbol{o}} \newcommand{\bsp}{\boldsymbol{p}} \newcommand{\bsq}{\boldsymbol{q}} \newcommand{\bsr}{\boldsymbol{r}} \newcommand{\bss}{\boldsymbol{s}} \newcommand{\bst}{\boldsymbol{t}} \newcommand{\bsu}{\boldsymbol{u}} \newcommand{\bsv}{\boldsymbol{v}} \newcommand{\bsw}{\boldsymbol{w}} \newcommand{\bsx}{\boldsymbol{x}} \newcommand{\bsy}{\boldsymbol{y}} \newcommand{\bsz}{\boldsymbol{z}} \newcommand{\bsA}{\boldsymbol{A}} \newcommand{\bsB}{\boldsymbol{B}} \newcommand{\bsC}{\boldsymbol{C}} \newcommand{\bsD}{\boldsymbol{D}} \newcommand{\bsE}{\boldsymbol{E}} \newcommand{\bsF}{\boldsymbol{F}} \newcommand{\bsG}{\boldsymbol{G}} \newcommand{\bsH}{\boldsymbol{H}} \newcommand{\bsI}{\boldsymbol{I}} \newcommand{\bsJ}{\boldsymbol{J}} \newcommand{\bsK}{\boldsymbol{K}} \newcommand{\bsL}{\boldsymbol{L}} \newcommand{\bsM}{\boldsymbol{M}} \newcommand{\bsN}{\boldsymbol{N}} \newcommand{\bsP}{\boldsymbol{P}} \newcommand{\bsQ}{\boldsymbol{Q}} \newcommand{\bsR}{\boldsymbol{R}} \newcommand{\bsS}{\boldsymbol{S}} \newcommand{\bsT}{\boldsymbol{T}} \newcommand{\bsU}{\boldsymbol{U}} \newcommand{\bsV}{\boldsymbol{V}} \newcommand{\bsW}{\boldsymbol{W}} \newcommand{\bsX}{\boldsymbol{X}} \newcommand{\bsY}{\boldsymbol{Y}} \newcommand{\bsZ}{\boldsymbol{Z}} \newcommand{\calA}{\mathcal{A}} \newcommand{\calB}{\mathcal{B}} \newcommand{\calC}{\mathcal{C}} \newcommand{\calD}{\mathcal{D}} \newcommand{\calE}{\mathcal{E}} \newcommand{\calF}{\mathcal{F}} \newcommand{\calG}{\mathcal{G}} \newcommand{\calH}{\mathcal{H}} \newcommand{\calI}{\mathcal{I}} \newcommand{\calJ}{\mathcal{J}} \newcommand{\calK}{\mathcal{K}} \newcommand{\calL}{\mathcal{L}} \newcommand{\calM}{\mathcal{M}} \newcommand{\calN}{\mathcal{N}} \newcommand{\calO}{\mathcal{O}} \newcommand{\calP}{\mathcal{P}} \newcommand{\calQ}{\mathcal{Q}} \newcommand{\calR}{\mathcal{R}} \newcommand{\calS}{\mathcal{S}} \newcommand{\calT}{\mathcal{T}} \newcommand{\calU}{\mathcal{U}} \newcommand{\calV}{\mathcal{V}} \newcommand{\calW}{\mathcal{W}} \newcommand{\calX}{\mathcal{X}} \newcommand{\calY}{\mathcal{Y}} \newcommand{\calZ}{\mathcal{Z}} \newcommand{\R}{\mathbb{R}} \newcommand{\C}{\mathbb{C}} \newcommand{\N}{\mathbb{N}} \newcommand{\Z}{\mathbb{Z}} \newcommand{\F}{\mathbb{F}} \newcommand{\Q}{\mathbb{Q}} \DeclareMathOperator*{\argmax}{arg\,max} \DeclareMathOperator*{\argmin}{arg\,min} \newcommand{\nnz}[1]{\mbox{nnz}(#1)} \newcommand{\dotprod}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle} \newcommand{\ignore}[1]{} \let\Pr\relax \DeclareMathOperator*{\Pr}{\mathbf{Pr}} \newcommand{\E}{\mathbb{E}} \DeclareMathOperator*{\Ex}{\mathbf{E}} \DeclareMathOperator*{\Var}{\mathbf{Var}} \DeclareMathOperator*{\Cov}{\mathbf{Cov}} \DeclareMathOperator*{\stddev}{\mathbf{stddev}} \DeclareMathOperator*{\avg}{avg} \DeclareMathOperator{\poly}{poly} \DeclareMathOperator{\polylog}{polylog} \DeclareMathOperator{\size}{size} \DeclareMathOperator{\sgn}{sgn} \DeclareMathOperator{\dist}{dist} \DeclareMathOperator{\vol}{vol} \DeclareMathOperator{\spn}{span} \DeclareMathOperator{\supp}{supp} \DeclareMathOperator{\tr}{tr} \DeclareMathOperator{\Tr}{Tr} \DeclareMathOperator{\codim}{codim} \DeclareMathOperator{\diag}{diag} \newcommand{\PTIME}{\mathsf{P}} \newcommand{\LOGSPACE}{\mathsf{L}} \newcommand{\ZPP}{\mathsf{ZPP}} \newcommand{\RP}{\mathsf{RP}} \newcommand{\BPP}{\mathsf{BPP}} \newcommand{\P}{\mathsf{P}} \newcommand{\NP}{\mathsf{NP}} \newcommand{\TC}{\mathsf{TC}} \newcommand{\AC}{\mathsf{AC}} \newcommand{\SC}{\mathsf{SC}} \newcommand{\SZK}{\mathsf{SZK}} \newcommand{\AM}{\mathsf{AM}} \newcommand{\IP}{\mathsf{IP}} \newcommand{\PSPACE}{\mathsf{PSPACE}} \newcommand{\EXP}{\mathsf{EXP}} \newcommand{\MIP}{\mathsf{MIP}} \newcommand{\NEXP}{\mathsf{NEXP}} \newcommand{\BQP}{\mathsf{BQP}} \newcommand{\distP}{\mathsf{dist\textbf{P}}} \newcommand{\distNP}{\mathsf{dist\textbf{NP}}} \newcommand{\eps}{\epsilon} \newcommand{\lam}{\lambda} \newcommand{\dleta}{\delta} \newcommand{\simga}{\sigma} \newcommand{\vphi}{\varphi} \newcommand{\la}{\langle} \newcommand{\ra}{\rangle} \newcommand{\wt}[1]{\widetilde{#1}} \newcommand{\wh}[1]{\widehat{#1}} \newcommand{\ol}[1]{\overline{#1}} \newcommand{\ul}[1]{\underline{#1}} \newcommand{\ot}{\otimes} \newcommand{\zo}{\{0,1\}} \newcommand{\co}{:} %\newcommand{\co}{\colon} \newcommand{\bdry}{\partial} \newcommand{\grad}{\nabla} \newcommand{\transp}{^\intercal} \newcommand{\inv}{^{-1}} \newcommand{\symmdiff}{\triangle} \newcommand{\symdiff}{\symmdiff} \newcommand{\half}{\tfrac{1}{2}} \newcommand{\mathbbm}{\Bbb} \newcommand{\bbone}{\mathbbm 1} \newcommand{\Id}{\bbone} \newcommand{\SAT}{\mathsf{SAT}} \newcommand{\bcalG}{\boldsymbol{\calG}} \newcommand{\calbG}{\bcalG} \newcommand{\bcalX}{\boldsymbol{\calX}} \newcommand{\calbX}{\bcalX} \newcommand{\bcalY}{\boldsymbol{\calY}} \newcommand{\calbY}{\bcalY} \newcommand{\bcalZ}{\boldsymbol{\calZ}} \newcommand{\calbZ}{\bcalZ} $$

Life updates no. 1

post.cover
Group photo at Meta HQ in Menlo Park.

NOW

10-19-2025 — Currently on a plane ride SFO -> PITT.

Since I am not able to fall asleep and have nothing better to do on this flight (that I’m capable of), I decided I may as well post a short life update!

This semester has probably been the heaviest set of courses I’ve taken yet: Probabilistic Graphical Models (10-708), Generative AI (10-623), Deep Learning Systems (10-714), Design and Analysis of Algorithms (15-451), and Probability and Mathematical Statistics I (36-700). Yet, surprisingly enough, it’s also been the most fun semester I have had! I’d like to think the terrible experiences I had from bad time management while taking Compilers Design last semester really made it clear to me to get things together.

School aside, this past week has been our week of fall break! I still don’t understand why this exists, but it is VERY awesome, and many of my friends are quite envious of this. Coincidentally, I had also been invited to an AI @ Meta hackathon from Oct. 16th to 18th, which covered my travel costs to come back for the entire break! Perfect right? I’ll go into more detail in my timeline of last week below.

MONDAY

I got the amazing news from my Meta recruiter that I got the offer for the summer 2026 SWE internship (at Menlo Park)! I’m so glad to be done with recruiting since interviews are just so awfully time-consuming.

WEDNESDAY

Got to meet up with my friend @ Berkeley. I have concluded that Zhang Liang Malatang may be my favorite Asian restaurant (in the US, at least). Aside from that, every time I visit the Berkeley campus, I get surprised by how much more different the experience is compared to CMU.

THURSDAY TO SATURDAY

AI @ Meta Hackathon! This was a 3-day event at Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, hosting 50 college students. These few days were probably the most fun part of my week. We got to hear inspiring talks from people like Mat Velloso, eat delicious food, demo new products, take home a lot of super cool goodies, and attend some other social events like Top Golf! Besides that, I ended up meeting a lot of really chill and funny people from other universities. There ended up being so many mutual connections! It really is a small world. That all aside, the main event was a 24-hour hackathon where we were tasked to create some sort of VR application using Meta Quests. I’ve never had the chance to work with VR before, so it ended up being a very new experience. My team ended up creating an application that guides users to learn new skills by using Llama models, Meta’s Passthrough API, and Unity as a development platform. There were a ton of really awesome ideas other teams had, which I’ll link here once Meta makes a post. A huge thanks to all the Meta team involved in organizing this amazing event! Some pictures below:

Group photo with my hackathon team and some other cool people I met!
Locked in with hackathon team... (not really).
Mat Velloso giving an inspiring talk.

Ended Saturday evening meeting my high school friends at Udon Mugizo! I highly recommend this place.

Mentai Cream Sauce Udon @ Udon Mugizo.

SUNDAY

Flight back! Lock in time…




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