Shaquille Que

stq1@rice.edu; https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaquilleque/; Computer Science & Math; McMurtry College

Bio:

I’m a Computer Science + Math major at McMurtry and an international student from the Philippines. Planning to do 1 semester of MCS at Rice after undergrad, then joining Jane Street in New York as a SWE for full-time afterwards.

L’s Taken

“Thank you for taking the time to apply, but…”

• Google
• Facebook
• Amazon
• Microsoft
• …100+ more places I applied to
• + a few places I DIDN’T apply to (not sure why I got rejected)
• also every US college I applied to (except Rice ❤)

Regrets I have

• Not being more active in clubs and the social scene at Rice
• Not forming closer relationships with more people across campus
• Not joining IM sports earlier

Embarrassing moments

• Greeted someone a happy birthday very loudly in the college commons. They turned around and said, “dude?” It was the wrong person.
• Going for an early swim in Barton Springs and nearly drowning because it was too cold

Things I swore I’d finish but never did

• Every side project that involves a frontend
• Every side project that did not involve a frontend
• Books that I lost or lost interest in

Everyday L’s

• Walking back from the servery to a meeting and my whole plate falls down

On the Bright Side

Memories made when I wasn’t studying/working

• Going to the Latitude pool with friends in the freezing winter weather
• Late night heart to heart talks with friends
• Dressing up with friends for fun parties at Rice
• Savoring good meals in Houston restaurants
• My friends teaching me how to ride a bike for the first time at the ripe old age of 21
• Playing chess and Ultimate Chicken Horse with my suite mates

Favorite Rice traditions

• Beer Bike

Things I’ve learned that will still matter in 10 years

• Getting used to change
• Learning how to ask questions to people / Google
• Learning to be okay being alone
• Learning how to make lasting friendships

Things I’m proud of that aren’t on my resume

• Once our Math 102 professor didn’t show up, so I went to the chalkboard and taught the class how to do the homework and re-explained the material. 3 years later and some people from the class (whom I don’t recognize) still remember me and say hi to me.
• Feeling like I was able to genuinely help students I TA for in understanding the class material or homework
• Getting to know my professors (and vice versa)
• Getting asked by underclassmen and friends for advice on classes, career, and life

Things I’ve done that have pushed me out of my comfort zone

• Sitting down with random people and starting conversations
• Asking people questions about their research, of which I have absolutely no expertise on
• Taking hard classes for the sake of learning
• Doing some group COMP projects alone to maximize my learning

Leaps of faith

• Coming to Rice without any nearby friend or family

Things I’m looking forward to

• A McMurtry lion
• A post-COVID world

Life changing advice I’ve received

• Relatedly, some people choose to be very frugal in their younger years to save up for when they are older. But it’s sometimes surprising how splurging some money (read: some! Not hundreds or thousands of dollars) can drastically alter your experiences in college (e.g. joining people to do fun activities), whereas a lot of older people in retirement struggle to find whom to spend their money with. There’s a tradeoff and a wide spectrum between the two extremes, so finding what you think is the right balance is the key for an enjoyable present and a stable future.

Life events that made me stronger

• Losing math competitions taught me that things don’t always work out even if I try my hardest, but I’ll still be okay. And none of these L’s matter a few years down the line.
• Living independently far from home helped me learn to take care of myself