TTT #28: "Becoming The Best Version of You" with Millie McQuillin

Millie McQuillin loves to learn, so much so that when she found out that reading 270 books is equivalent to the knowledge that comes with an undergraduate degree, she gets drawn to the idea. In her three years at Durham University, she ended up reading 325 books amidst the plethora of other activities she was involved in.

She prepared a list of twelve books that every student should read. Specifically, she talks about why understanding the Orwellian nightmare is relevant for everyone in society before.

She talks about her childhood inclination towards engineering, thereby spiraling into that towards computation and coding. And ultimately, the entire process resulted in a culmination of her undertaking her postgraduation, analyzing the interaction between humans and machines.

After being rejected for the Women’s Techmakers Scholarship in her first year and getting it in her second, she reflects on what made the difference. And therefore, she talks about the need to be vocal about one’s own achievements and own up to them.

As she goes on to talk building confidence, her other endeavors, and some technicalities of Computer Science, she leaves us with one philosophy she firmly believes in. Our personalities, after completely unique learning experiences and exposures, can never be matched exactly by someone else. And the interplay of all of that makes us who we are. So, over striving to become the best at something, Millie believes in becoming the best in her own capacities that need not be limited to one particular field.

People are holistic beings that have more than one characteristic that makes them who they are.

Millie stresses on becoming the best version of ourselves, a unique integration that arises after we devote ourselves to every part that makes us who we are.