learn more about who i am
Hello, my name is Matthew, and I am an 8th Grader currently living in Southern California. In my free time, I enjoy playing basketball, playing cello, playing chess, solving Rubik's Cubes, and engaging in many more activities. I've always been very into all of the hobbies I have partook in as a child.
I started playing Basketball at the age of 5, and still play it to this day. I find Basketball not only as a form of exercise, but a way to clear my thoughts and emotions. It's something that's always there for me to enjoy as an escape - whenever I need a break from life. During my time playing Basketball, I have played in three Club Teams, and my Middle School team in both 7th and 8th Grade.
I also started playing the cello very early on, starting when I was about 6 years old. Playing the cello allowed me to grow musically, and it has also brought many opportunities along with it. I've met new friends from orchestras I've participated in, met new teachers who have helped improve along the way, and competed in various competitions. The cello, in my opinion, is a very soothing instrument that has a smooth sound to it - a sound like no other.
How I started chess - it was different. I don't recall exactly when I began playing it, but the story of how I did was much different. My brother used to play chess quite a lot. Often when my brother and his friends had play-dates together, and one of the activities they would do is play chess. Me, not knowing how to play, was interested in learning. However, as a toddler, the only thing I knew how to do was knock all the pieces over and frustrate my brother. This happened for countless years, until my mother decided to enroll me in chess lessons. I've now gone to about 30 tournaments and have earned a spot in the Top 100 Chess Players in the U.S. (age 7).
Lastly was how I started Rubik's Cube. In the summer of 2015, my mom bought me a Rubik's Cube. I watched a YouTube video to learn how to solve it, but was unable to. Originally, it was my brother who understood the video and then proceeded to teach me how to solve one, but then he quit the day after. However, I took my passion for Rubik's Cubes and took off with it. As the years passed, I began progressively cutting down on my solving time for the 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube. It went from 6 minutes (my first ever solve time) down to around 12 seconds now. I haven't been practicing as much lately, but solving a Rubik's Cube is something that you can't forget - it's like learning how to ride a bike. I've gone to many competitions in San Diego, and even when in Southern Taiwan, where I placed 10th in the country.
Thank you for visiting!