How do you relax?
Participating in extracurricular activities such as debate and the school play helps me let loose; I get to channel my energies in different ways, which helps me in my studies as well.
What is your most treasured possession?
My collection of all the posters and scripts of productions I’ve been in since year 7, as well as the accompanying film recordings. Toad of Toad Hall, Witches, A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland, Lessons in Love, Sleeping Beauty and this year, Little Shop of Horrors.
What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of Velcro snapping; I don’t know why but it makes my skin crawl. I cringe and feel a ticklish feeling at the base of my skull when I hear that sound.
What would your super power be?
To fly fast because then a) I wouldn’t have to deal with Beijing traffic on my commute to school, b) I could quickly go to Sanlitun for my favorite ramen whenever I want, and c) I could also visit my grandparents in Taiwan whenever I want.
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you were growing up? What do you want to be now?
I started out wanting to be a lawyer because I was good at debate and loved working with people. However, that all changed when I started volunteering at a hospital in Taiwan. Working in the emergency room made me realize that medicine is, in part, a social science, so I decided I want to become a doctor.
If you could bring one extinct species back to life, what would you choose?
The Baiji White Dolphin, a beautiful marine mammal that’s native to China.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I would go back and work harder on my IGCSEs. It didn’t seem that important at the time, but nothing sucks more than getting 89% on tests when a little bit of effort could have pushed me past the A* threshold.
What advice would you give other students at your school?
Ask questions. If you don’t understand something or you want to try something, never be afraid to ask. I wanted to participate in the Intel Science and Engineering Fair, but no one from my school had ever done it. All it took was for me to ask, and six months later I was in Sichuan with my partner, explaining my project to a crowd of visitors.
When were you happiest?
A couple of months ago, at a friend’s birthday dinner where everyone was laughing, we had good food, and great people. It was right after we had finished our mock exams, so it was just a great time to de-stress and relax before our hectic schedules started up again.
What trait do you most dislike in yourself?
I am way too loud. I get way too passionate and loud sometimes and I don’t really hear myself at that volume, so I have no idea until someone points out that birds are falling out of the sky due to the sonic booms coming from below.
What is your favorite word?
Soporific, the first SAT word I had ever learned, which I got wrong. I thought it meant “multiple, or many”, but it actually means “induces sleepiness or drowsiness”.
What is your least favorite word?
Markscheme. It’s every IB student’s least favorite word.
What do you owe your parents?
Everything. But most importantly, my wonderful sense of humor from my mother, and my dashing good looks from my father.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you so far?
Life is like an electrocardiogram, it has its ups and downs. If it’s flat, it means you’re dead.
This article originally appeared on page 41of the 2016 June-July Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.
Photos courtesy of DCB
