Leaving my comfort zone and stepping into the unfamiliar territory has been a pivotal turning point in my journey of growth. Allow me to take you through my story and shed light on why I chose to venture beyond the boundaries of the familiar. To be honest, my so-called comfort zone was a bit uncomfortable at times (the struggles of being a part of the “Struggle Bus” crew) XD.

Since my early days, I’ve been the student who constantly found themselves at the tail end, whether it was entering a gifted class in high school, studying electrical engineering in college, or even making it into the field of microelectronics through a close call in the admission process. I was the one who ranked last in a class focused on physics, chemistry, and mathematics, leading my peers to label me as the “bad student.” And yet, that’s how I found my way into the semiconductor industry.

During my three years of research and development military service in the semiconductor industry, although the working hours were regular, I couldn’t help but yearn to return to my hometown of Taichung. It seemed as though everything would be perfect once I got back there. However, upon successfully returning to the TSMC campus in Taichung, the pressure and long working hours hit me hard. This so-called comfort zone, despite my accomplishments and what others considered to be a coveted job, failed to bring me genuine happiness and fulfillment. As a result, I began to contemplate how I could regain my autonomy and rediscover the joy within myself.

This led me to embark on a journey of learning software development, and by the end of 2022, I had successfully gained admission to Appworks School. This new chapter undoubtedly swung open doors to numerous opportunities, not only nurturing my technical skills but also expanding my mindset. My smile returned, and I even managed to lost some weight (XD). This phase has been truly invaluable; I assume this period is retiring at the age of 30. I must say, the time I spent shuttling back and forth between Taipei was the happiest six months of my life. But, of course, that’s another story…