Summary

Anika Neela is a 23-year-old Software Engineer at Microsoft, part-time Master's student at Georgia Tech, and an aspiring writer who shares her personal growth, experiences, and interests through her writing on Medium.

Abstract

Anika Neela introduces herself as a multifaceted individual with a career in software engineering at Microsoft and a pursuit of further education in Machine Learning at Georgia Tech. Despite her demanding career and studies, she maintains a vibrant personality, enjoying various aspects of life such as food, cooking, reading, writing, anime, and fitness. Anika emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and personal growth through writing, which she shares on Medium. She is passionate about contributing to the community and rekindling her love for reading by engaging in writing herself. Her goals on Medium include connecting with others, amplifying her voice, and growing an audience interested in a diverse range of topics including technology, education, immigration policies, fitness, finance, and fiction.

Opinions

Anika views the question "Tell me about yourself?" as challenging and acknowledges the difficulty in describing herself adequately.
She values the opportunity to study in the United States and is grateful to her parents for supporting her educational journey abroad.
Anika prefers not to be defined solely by her job or education, seeking to be recognized for her broader interests and personality.
She considers self-reflection essential for personal growth and finds writing to be a therapeutic means of exploring her thoughts and feelings.
Anika writes with the intention to share her knowledge and experiences, driven by a sense of philanthropy and a desire to contribute to the community.
Her passion for writing is also fueled by a wish to reignite her love for reading, which has waned due to her busy lifestyle.
She is eager to engage with other writers and readers on Medium, hoping to learn from them and inspire others with similar interests.
Anika prioritizes her relationships with loved ones, making time for them despite her busy schedule.
She is open to feedback and encouragement from her audience, viewing it as motivation to continue writing.

About Me — Anika Neela

A galactic dreamer with room for giggles

One of the most challenging interview questions for me has always been ‘Tell me about yourself?’ I always struggle to effectively describe myself and apologize in advance for my possibly inadequate response to this question.

Background

My BSc. Graduation Photo (Left) and Microsoft Campus Photo (Right)

I am a 23-year-old Software Engineer at Microsoft in the USA, who is also a part-time Master’s student at Georgia Tech, specializing in Machine Learning. Yes, that also means, I don’t have a life. Haha.

I was born in Bangladesh and was fortunate to be awarded a merit scholarship to study in the United States at the age of 14. While it was a difficult decision for my parents to send their daughter across the world to study, they highly valued education and trusted me to take this opportunity head-on. I am deeply grateful to them for giving me the chance to grow and develop through this experience, which has had a profound impact on my perspective and character. It has truly been a valuable and enriching experience.

For more information about my professional experience and skills, please check out my LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikaneela/.

Who am I?

Photographs of Anika Neela by the Author

I personally don’t like the idea to let my job or education define me as a person. I want to be more than just some title and hence this section.

I am a huge foodie, which puts me at great risk of getting kidnapped. I mean, if someone says, “I got good food at this party”; 9/10 times my response is going to be, “Imma come!”. Haha.

I also enjoy cooking, reading, writing (of course!), watching anime, and pursuing fitness. But above all, I love people. My relationship with my loved ones is extremely important to me. And although I may not get time for them, I make time. No excuses.

Why do I write?

I personally write for 3 main reasons:

Ponder: Self-reflection is a crucial component of personal growth. For me, writing serves as a means of exploring and processing my inner thoughts and feelings. It can be a therapeutic and healing process.
Philanthropy: Throughout my life, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience. Writing allows me to share what I have learned with others and contribute to the community in a meaningful way.
Passion: When I was younger, I used to enjoy reading for pleasure. However, as life became busier, my efforts for reading out-of-school and my job began to fade. In order to rekindle my passion for reading, I have decided to try my hand at writing. After all, to be a good writer, it is important to be an avid reader.

My Medium Goals

To connect and learn from all of you amazing people. I can’t wait to read your writings!
To amplify my voice and grow an audience of passionate people with similar interests.

Topics

I cover an array of topics such as technology, education, immigration policies, fitness, finance, fiction, and more.

Truly, thank you for reading this. It would mean the world to me if you give my writings a read and if you like my content, do give a follow. It works as a great motivator to continue to write.

I am looking forward to reading yours. Cheers.

[You can also follow me at https://www.instagram.com/neela_official99/]