Filizko got her masters degree, yay!

I finished my master’s in Computer Science at UT Dallas, with a concentration in Intelligent Systems, AI and ML.

It still feels a little strange to write that sentence.

Computer Science was not originally my field. I came in needing eight prerequisite courses just to catch up, which meant that for a while I was basically an undergraduate again: intro lectures, problem sets, basic concepts, and the humbling feeling of learning something from the very beginning.

And somehow, that became one of the best parts.

There is something beautiful about becoming a beginner again, especially years after you thought you were done being one. This degree taught me algorithms, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and systems, yes. But more than that, it taught me patience. It taught me humility. It taught me that starting over is not a failure; sometimes it is exactly how you grow into the next version of yourself.

I was also lucky to learn from professors who truly inspired me: Yi Zhao, Dung Huynh, Yvo Desmedt, and Yapeng Tian. They were not only brilliant teachers, but also wonderful human beings, and I will always be grateful for the way they shaped this part of my journey.

And I did get to walk across the stage.

I graduated with dear friends beside me, and with people I love there to celebrate with me. That made the day even more meaningful. A degree is already something to be proud of, but sharing that moment with people who know what it took to get there made it unforgettable.

So here it is: my master’s in Computer Science.

It was difficult, humbling, unexpected, and beautiful.

I am very proud of this one!

P.S. I started CS with zero programming knowledge. Ahahaha!

Some degrees are not just earned. They are survived, shared, and remembered.