Varia Vrushank Dipesh
Computer Science-CST, Year 3
Study Abroad at UC Berkeley, Startup Semester
My entire UC Berkeley experience was a dream. I experienced everything there was to offer here and it was just amazing. The culture, the people, the activities, the reputed professors and courses, all of it was so memorable. I made great friends from all over the world and my teammates were some of the smartest and most professional people I have ever met, I will definitely keep in touch with them. The courses I took over here were so engaging and gave students the opportunity to learn in a multitude of ways such as through guest lectures, speakers and team activities. The most amazing experience was being able to build a venture throughout the semester with the same team and pitch the product to a panel of judges. At the end of the semester, my team qualified for the Collider Cup which is SCET's all-star showcase of the best student teams each semester. I’m proud to say that my team finished in 3rd place out of around 120 teams. This semester abroad also allowed me to become more independent as it was the first time I was living by myself. I encountered many challenges which pushed me out of my comfort zone but it was all a great learning experience. I would recommend this to all students who are thinking about pursuing entrepreneurship because there is really no better way to build your network, gain professional experience and have the best time of your life all at the same time. I would like to thank BEST, the KTO and the Department of Computer Science for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity which I will cherish forever.
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