Meet Alex Tran, a high-achieving first-year computer science student at the University of Waterloo. Raised in a small town, Alex was always driven by a passion for technology and coding, earning top marks throughout high school. Now navigating the competitive waters of Waterloo, Alex often finds themselves surrounded by equally ambitious peers, sparking wonder about the academic benchmarks set by their fellow students. Juggling between classes, hackathons, and nights spent writing code, Alex is keen on fostering connections while pondering the intensity of the university’s academic culture.