Name: Lloyd Joseph Estacio
Year: Fourth
Major: Computer Science
What inspired you to pursue Computer Science?
Computers have been a huge part of my life. Growing up, I always viewed my uncle, Arnold, as a role model because I lived with him until I was eight years old. My uncle graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at San Jose State University and currently holds a prominent role as the Systems Administrator at Oracle. His room was filled with computer parts like hard drives and motherboards, which is a circuit board that contains the principle components of a computer and other devices. Everyday, I witnessed him coding and thought that maybe one day I could do the same.
I grew up in Silicon Valley, home to hundreds of start-ups and technology companies, so I’m constantly challenging myself to use different coding languages to create games, programs, chat-room servers, artificial intelligence, and applications. Computer science is so important because technology is everywhere – it’s part of our daily lives, and it’s ever evolving.
I love computers and the art of coding. I’ve been playing with computers when we still had to use Dial-Up Internet Service, so it’s been a big part of my life. My ultimate goal is to become successful and work my way up to Google. But, on the way, I want to use my knowledge to invent a new program that companies will need for daily use.
If you could have a superpower for one day, what would it be?
Easy! Teleportation. I used to watch the TV show, “X-Men,” when I was a kid and one of my favorite superheroes was Nightcrawler because he could teleport. He’s spontaneous and a jokester. He was even called “trickster” because he would use teleportation to play pranks, and I always liked superheroes that had a good sense of humor.
Since it’s only one day, I would try and visit every country in the world. I’d probably stay longer in Hawaii because it’s one of my favorite vacation destinations. I went to Hawaii with my family and I instantly fell in love with the beach, the tropical climate, and poke (fish salad).
What is your most bizarre pet peeve?
One of my pet peeves is the sound of water bottles rubbing against each other. I hate the sound it makes when I carry the new pack from my car to my house. I don’t know why, but I just can’t stand it – I can’t do it. It gives me goosebumps and makes my skin crawl. To me, it’s like how people feel about the sound of nails scratching against a chalkboard.
What’s your most listened to song?
“All Falls Down” by Kanye West. This song came out in 2004 on Kanye West’s first album, “College Dropout.” It was the first album I ever bought and l had it on repeat all day. I still listen to it today – when I’m walking to class or driving in the car. At the time, hip-hop music was all about gangsta rap with Dr. Dre and DMX, but Kanye transitioned hip-hop with this new soulful style without gang life. I really like the line, “She couldn’t afford a car, so she named her daughter Alexus.”
What’s the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?
If I won the lottery, the first thing that I would do is buy my mom a Mercedes G-Wagen and my dad a Ford Mustang.
I remember how my grandpa’s face lit up like a light bulb when my mom and her four siblings surprised him with a new, light blue Toyota RAV4 for his 61st birthday. I will never forget the huge smile when he got the new car because, for the past two months, my aunts and uncles had to take turns driving him to work when his Integra broke down. My parents always make it a priority to show appreciation to their parents for raising them, and I would like to do the same for my parents.
What story do your friends still give you crap about?
Okay, this is not one of my finest moments. In middle school, I saw my crush standing in the hallway, and as I walked by, I turned my head to say, “Hi,” only to be interrupted mid-sentence by a pole. In shame, I got back up on my feet and walked away as fast as I could while my friends were sitting on the benches, staring and laughing at me. Now, eight years later, they still make fun of me for it.
What is the weirdest thing you find attractive in a person?
Classy, sweet, petite girls who like to eat. I love when a girl is confident enough to just be herself on a date. You’ve heard the quote, The way to a guy’s heart is through his stomach,” and what’s better than dating a girl who knows and enjoys the value of food?
What is your favorite show?
I grew up watching “Friends,” and have been re-watching it on Netflix almost everyday for the past year. Whenever a new episode aired on TV, my parents, aunts, their friends would all gather in the family room and watch it. At the time, I didn’t understand all the jokes but I still thought the show was funny. My favorite character is Ross, because I like his geeky, funny, nice-guy personality.
What are you involved in?
All the men in my family like to play basketball, so naturally I picked it up. My dad taught me how to play basketball with our hoop in the backyard where he let me win the first nine years of my life. Then I started playing during recess in elementary school and on the basketball team during middle and high school. One of my most memorable experiences is being able to play at Sleep Train Arena – previously known as ARCO Arena – home of the Sacramento Kings of the NBA.