My name is Stefan Topper. I am eighteen years old and I am a freshman at Clemson University. I was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, but I have moved several times since then. After two years in Pennsylvania, my family and I moved to Summerville, South Carolina before moving again four years later. This time, the move took us overseas to The Netherlands, where we lived for another four years. My final move brought me back to Summerville, where I have lived since 2001. Because of my many years in South Carolina, the state has become a large part of my life and I have made many friends here. I attended Fort Dorchester High School in North Charleston, where I was part of the International Baccalaureate program. Throughout my years in middle school and high school, I realized that science and math were my strongest subjects, and I became interested in engineering. Because of this, my college search led me to many colleges with respected engineering programs. Clemson was one of these colleges, and although it was not my first choice, I soon realized that Clemson was perfect for me. With in-state tuition, financial aid, a great engineering program, a beautiful campus, and a location close to family and friends, Clemson became my final choice, and I am now an engineering student. I believe my strengths as a writer include correct spelling and grammar and being able to support my ideas thoroughly. I am hoping that English 103 will allow me to identify my weaknesses as a writer and help me develop better writing skills. Outside of school, my hobbies include playing music and sports. I play piano and viola, and I am trying to learn how to play guitar. I have played soccer competitively for many years, but I will play any sport for fun. One surprising thing about me is that I am one fourth Native American and over one half German. I have been learning to speak German for many years, and I am continuing to learn at Clemson this year.
