Joanna McDonald

Coming in 2nd place

how I've maintained sanity through countless rejections May 22, 2026

I’m no stranger to being 2nd place. I have had countless opportunities or jobs that were basically promised to me that I ended up losing out on . . .

How to fail upwards as a Computer Science grad

my journey out of rock bottom May 21, 2026

1. Don't get enough relevant internships

Yes I had internships. One that was relevant to software but not great, and one in IT for my future employer. For a while I regretted the IT one, it felt like I was moving in the wrong direction . . .

The societal implications of cat emojis

the power of the cat smirk emoji May 18, 2026

Those who text me regularly are very familiar with the iPhone cat emojis.
To me, the cat emojis are more than just a cute cat. They describe emotion in a way that differentiates them from a regular emoji with an equivalent base meaning . . .

How corporate betrayal and losing my IT job changed me

my job loss story May 18, 2026

How did I lose my job? A corporate betrayal I never saw coming and that I'll never forget . . .

On flying for concerts and being mistaken for a prostitute

my Tampa escapades May 13, 2026

When I saw the clips circulating of the Kaytranada and Justice tour, I knew I absolutely had to go. In a possibly manic state, I bought tickets. But not for Austin, for Tampa, Florida . . .

These are a few of my favorite things...

my music obsessions May 13, 2026