My interest in user interfaces started growing in middle school, and it's only grown stronger since then. I was born in the 90s. Back when iPhone 3GS was just out (2009), my geek grandpa gave me a smartphone of which font was too small for him. It was a treasure. Trying every ROM and app I could find for that PocketPC brought valuable digital experience to my yet-unknown career.

Later in high school, with the experience of Windows Mobile, I was super into smartphone UI. Modding phones with different ROMs, and experiencing various smartphone OSs (WebOS, Android Launchers...) filled my leisure time. Meanwhile, Google released their first guidelines for Android, Holo Design (2012), Android Design (2013), then the famous Material Design (2014). I was drawn to systematic design principles and read through Apple HIG and Material Design Guidelines like reading textbooks.

After finishing a heavy workload being a Chinese high schooler, I started practising UI design (2014).

With mind maps, pencil sketching and Photoshop, I redesigned the information architecture and UI of Twidere. I knew so few design principles and methodologies back then, but I was proud of what I had.

There weren't many UX materials available in Chinese. I made up my mind and asked my parents about studying abroad for higher education in user experience design. Luckily they supported me so I could be in Canada. Twidere screenshots were used to support my Canada Visa application.

I still remember what brought me to the realm - a middle schooler wanting to help grandpa not suffer from tiny fonts. Little did she know that that was called user experience which she would pursue in the next decade.

Thank you for reading my story.