bhattxpressions

[bhattxpressions]

Brian Hoang

1.) What is your favorite service event and what does service mean to you? My favorite service event is Dance 4 Kids. To me, service is about collaborating to serve a community or cause in need and that is exactly what D4K is. I'm looking forward to next year's D4K because there were a lot of things I could have done better this year and I'm looking forward to doing a better job next year.

2.) How do you think APO has helped you with being a better leader? APO has definitely showed me the importance of knowing what it's like to be a follower to be a good leader. While I haven't been as involved in leadership recently, I've learned a lot about what it's like to be a follower and I can't wait to take what I've learned into a leadership position in the future.

3.) What is the best way to start the day? To me, waking up feeling refreshed and energized has been a quite rare thing since high school. As a result, any day when I don't wake up already feeling lousy is already a great, if not the best, way to start the day.

4.) Would you rather lose all your memories or never be able to make new ones? As someone who (hopefully) has much more to live for than what I've already lived, I'd rather lose all my memories.

5.) Who is your role model and why? Kobe Bryant. The guy takes hard work to another whole level. I really do hope I can have a work ethic as strong as his one day.

6.) Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things? Give and an example of a situation. I am more worried about doing things right. In my opinion, what is the point in doing the right things if you do them wrong? At that point, your actions may be just as effective as doing the wrong things. If one were forced to do 'wrong' things, in the sense that perhaps they may be morally wrong, I believe then there is always a choice of inaction. However, if you are going to set out to do something, dedicate yourself so that you do things right. Personally, I've always tried doing a LOT of 'right' things in my life. I've picked up tens of hobbies left and right, only to end up with nothing to enrich myself at the end of the day. It's taken me years to realize, but I've finally come to the understanding that I spread myself too thin when it came to whatever ambition I pursued. I did the 'right' things like trying to pick up a new language so I could better communicate with people, or took on too many leadership positions both in and outside of school because I really wanted to help people. However, because I didn't do these things right, not much transpired from these ambitions. I never found time to practice whatever language I was learning, and I was never able to properly execute whatever initiatives I had planned for the handful of organizations I was in. In the case of moral dilemmas, there are plenty of examples to choose from, all of them having made great reputations for themselves: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, John Steinbeck, and even Kobe. All these individuals deviated from whatever they were told was 'right' when they were pursuing their ambitions, instead focusing on doing what they wanted to do, create, and contribute to the world RIGHT. In the end, things paid off for them.

[bhattxpressions]

Andre Nguyen

1.) What is your favorite service event and what does service mean to you? My favorite service event would have to be the Grace Garden service because you can really see the impact that your work has on the garden if you do the service regularly. Service, to me, means to do something that allows you to contribute back to the community.

2.) How do you think APO has helped you with being a better leader? APO has helped me with my leadership skills by giving me the opportunity to coordinate events with my Pbros such as fellowboats or chairing service events.

3.) What is the best way to start the day? The best way to start the day is waking up around 6:30, making some coffee, heading to the ARC, and then squeezing in a shower before class.

4.) Would you rather lose all your memories or never be able to make new ones? I think I would rather lose the ability to make new memories because I am pretty happy with the memories I have now.

5.) Who is your role model and why? My role model right now is Kevin Durant because he left OKC, after many years of losing, to play ball with his boys while ignoring all the hate from fake fans. My second role model/hero is Wilson Chu for saving me on the bus last week.

6.) Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things? Give an example of a situation. I’m probably more concerned with doing things right rather than doing the right things. I think that the effort that you put into the things that you do can and will take you far and it doesn’t necessarily matter exactly what you do. A time that I can think of that really illustrates this point, at least in my life, is when I started to play sports as a teen. I was never really into sports when I was young, but one day I decided that I wanted to play football for my high school. It really had nothing to do with my future career and it even could have hindered my ability to reach my career goals, but I wanted to play anyways. I’d like to think that I tried my best everyday I was out there and that being on the team gave me confidence to do other stuff like apply to college and jobs. It also helped me learn how to be the person I am today by giving me the opportunity to both succeed and fail. The effort that I put into this small aspect of my life indirectly opened other opportunities for me and I think it is a big reason why I am at Davis. In closing, something as lame or small as high school sports really made a big impact in my life and I like to think it was because of the effort I put into trying to do it right every day I walked onto the field.

[bhattxpressions]

Stephanie Wong

1.) What is your favorite service event and what does service mean to you? I actually really like Grace Garden because the lady is super super sweet, I learned to identify weeds HAHA, and I got to meet new people every time.

Service to me is to do something good for other people (even just one person), a community and/or a country without asking for anything in return.

2.) How do you think APO has helped you with being a better leader Having different opportunities to share my ideas, listen to others’ ideas, and work as a team with my pbs

3.) What is the best way to start the day? (1) Tidying your bed first thing in the morning

- I started doing this after I'd watched this video on Facebook. Honestly it started off making me feel good because it gives you this sense of achievement and the feeling that everything will go well for the rest of your day, knowing that you have accomplished something already (as small of a task it seems – I NEVER USED TO TIDY MY BED and now it’s become a habit!!!).

(2) A good breakfast with a cup of black coffee or half sweetened chai latte w/ almond milk at Mishka’s - :’) legit heavenly.

(3) A little run or a little workout - it always make me feel good afterwards (only if I manage to get my lazy ass to exercise though).

4.) Would you rather lose all your memories or never be able to make new ones? I would probably be frustrated either way but I would rather lose all my memories because I feel like it’s more important for me to be able to make new ones and enjoy being in the moment. I could honestly visualize myself dwelling on old memories and being confused af if I couldn’t make new ones LAWL :0).

5.) Who is your role model and why? My role model is my dadi. Even though I see his weaknesses and shortcomings (which everyone has to some extents), I will always be in awe of how he managed to get to where he is now by working his ass off without being born into a privileged and super well-off family. He is very easy going (even with my friends) thought can be dead serious about important matters if the situation requires him to be. He is also the one that gives me life lectures and helps me get my shit together thru out these past 20 years HEHE THANK YOU.

6.) Something or someone you miss most from your childhood? The first thing that came to my mind was ice skating because it pretty much occupied most of my life and shaped me into who I am. I started my first skating class in the summer when I was 5 years old, where I had apparently cried my ass off – not really surprising though given how anxious I usually get when I try something new. I ended up quitting when I was 14 when I left Hong Kong for high school in the UK, mainly because skating competitively requires a lot of time and effort for progress and improvements to be made on the jumps and spins, and being in a boarding school simply does not allow me to skate like 5 times per week.

People always say you could just skate for fun and you don’t have to quit! But honestly to me that’s kind of like saying you can always read books and write essays without being in school and getting that degree LOL (bad analogy SOZ, but you get the idea) – it’s honestly a completely different story. Growing up, people around me had always seen me as the ‘strong’ one. And because I had somehow always associated crying with weakness, I never used to let myself cry in front of people, not even my parents. So at the time when my dad was driving my mum and I back home from my last training session, I was literally at the back of the car trying my best to hold back my tears and cry without making any sound.

Honestly my heart still aches a little every time I think back, partly because of the memory of how heartbroken I was at that time, and partly because I still regret not having put my 100% into skating, which I’m kind of ashamed of admitting. Why?

Although I still am today, I used to be SO SO much more self-conscious and scared of being commented on by other people – yes, even strangers (……sigh……). And because all skating rinks in Hong Kong are in huge shopping malls, there would a-l-w-a-y-s be people walking by and watching. So naturally my anxiety would kick in and most of the time when I'm on the ice I'd just be wondering how other people see me, and what they would say if I had fallen and if I had not been able to meet their (probably non-existent) expectations (smh).

T'was a little off track but after all I’m just glad I had a childhood that could bring me such memories because they make me who I am today and I am BEYOND grateful to have my coach, parents, and grandparents watch me grow in skating and provide me with so much support and love. :’) :’) :’) Also I’m so thankful my mum didn’t give in to my moments of weaknesses and let me quit because I never otherwise would have been able to look back and appreciate everyone that I had met and everything that I had learnt from skating. :’’ )

(+ P.S. I also miss living with my grandparents as a kid x1000000)

[bhattxpressions]

Jennifer Duong

1.) What is your favorite service event and what does service mean to you? My favorite service event so far has been Challah for Hunger because I thought making bread was fun LOL. To me, service is helping out your community/others!

2.) How do you think APO has helped you with being a better leader? I would say that APO has helped me better manage my time, which I think is an important skill to have in both life and leadership!

3.) What is the best way to start the day? The best day to start the day is with food and friends! :')

4.) Would you rather lose all your memories or never be able to make new ones? I would rather lose all of my memories because I (hopefully) have a lot of years ahead of me to make many new ones.

5.) Who is your role model and why? My mom because she has sacrificed a lot to raise me and my brother.

6.) Describe a time when you had to overcome a challenge. Oh boy LOL. I make bad decisions all the time so I feel like I always end up in some sticky situations HAHA. But I think one of the most difficult challenges I had to overcome was when I was taking Calculus last Spring. During my Spring Quarter of last year, I had decided to pursue a lot of the different activities and things I was interested in: I was interning at Morgan Stanley, writing as an editor for The California Aggie, and working as a Peer Advisor at the Financial Aid Office. At that time, I wasn't really heavily invested in my academics and I honestly hated my major, which I had just switched into, and the classes I was enrolled in. What was I even doing in college if I hated what I was learning and thought it was a waste of my time? Why did I have to take math to be a Managerial Economics major? Why was I even admitted to Davis when there were plenty of people who would have killed to have the opportunities that I had? Anyway, some time passed and I slacked off more and more in my calculus class. I didn't manage my time well, and allocated most of the time I had to socializing and hanging out with my friends, going to different events, and really just goofing off and not really investing any of my time or attention into school. Fast forward and I went to Fanime for a weekend, which was like 2 weeks before Finals, and when I get back I realized that you need to pass the last Calculus class in the series in order to take ARE 100A, which is a prerequisite for every other Managerial Economics class. So yeah, I was not in a good situation because 1) I had slacked off that entire quarter and did not really learn or understand any of the material that was taught and 2) If I did not pass Calculus I would have to petition to retake it and if it wasn't approved I couldn't be a Man Econ major and even though I didn't like it I hated the Econ department even more and yeah. So my dilemma was I already sucked at math, wasn't paying attention in Calculus, and I had to pass Calculus or I wouldn't be able to major in Man Econ anymore. I really, really, really wanted to give up and just be an Econ major because you don't need the last Calculus class in the series. But I really did not want to be an Econ major because I had already taken a few of the Man Econ breadth requirements. I already put some effort into it so I might as well just finish what I started. Anyway, I studied my ass off for that class and felt the true, miserable college experience LOL :') I stayed up until like 6 am and woke up at like 10 am to study again for like 1.5 weeks. I'm sure many have had it worse but I had never really spent that much time studying for something beforehand so I was miserable. But I ended up passing the class (thank the lord) and now I'm here!! Special shoutout to my housemates for dealing with my shit that week (and everything else) and for helping me pass Calculus bc I wouldn't have been able to do it without them. But fast forward and now I'm here and have learned how important managing your time is and how important your academics really are. After finishing Calculus, I enjoy my classes a lot more and I honestly really enjoy my major now. I like the people in my major, the classes, and the department a lot. Since then, I've continued pursuing a lot of different activities and clubs, have gotten some internship offers, and all that jazz. I used to always say "I need to get my life together" because my life was a mess but now I think I can say my life is not the mess it was a year ago. So what I'm saying is things will work out for the better and you just need to keep trying and believe in yourself and shit. To everyone out there who is struggling -- whether it's with love, friendships, academics, or just everything, know you'll make it out alive.

[bhattxpressions]

Jia Tan

1.) What is your favorite service event and what does service mean to you? Student Housing Block Party.  To me, service means to bond with people while giving back to the community.

2.) How do you think APO has helped you with being a better leader? APO helped me find out who I really am.  I didn’t realize I’m (VERY) extroverted before I pledge.

3.) What is the best way to start the day? Waking up with nothing need to be worried about.  No assignment due, no midterms,no  finals...NOTHING.

4.) Would you rather lose all your memories or never be able to make new ones? I rather lose all my memories.

5.) Who is your role model and why? Pusheen.  Because it’s purrrrrfect.

6.) Something or someone you miss most from your childhood? Someone I miss the most from my childhood is my friend Quimby;she is my best friend from China. We grew up together and went to the same elementary school.  Our parents were both teachers and they worked for the same school!  It’s funny how we were best friends but our parents do not get along well; my mother used to tell me to stay away from her, but I didn’t listen LOL.

I don’t remember how we met because it was a long time ago, but we used to know each other so well. She is slim, around five feet four tall, and has a forehead that’s slightly bigger than average (which makes her look adorable!).  Quimby is a pianist!! She knows how to play other instruments as well.  She also knows how to draw, and she gets good grades in school!  She is kind, gentle, and adorable; she is one of those cool kids that everyone admire.  I remember I was fighting over another girl because we both want to be her best friend (I won, hehe).  We’ve done many things together!  We have lunch together we take naps together we even go to bathroom together (bathroom friendship woohoo!) We also joined school choir together, but we ended up in different team because the choir needs someone to play the piano.  Even though it has been seven year since I moved to U.S., we still contact each other once a while.  I really missed her because I missed to have someone that I can do all sorts of fun things with. 

[bhattxpressions]

Patrick Ong

1.) How many service hours have you done so far this term? How many have you chaired? I have done 0 service hours so far, and chaired 0 services. Help.

2.) Who is a leader you admire? Briefly explain why. I admire Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Throughout his travels, he constantly strives to learn from his betters and fight for justice while showing great compassion to enemies like Firelord Ozai. Aang is love. Aang is life.

3.) What is the most heartwarming thing you’ve ever seen? After being away during my first year at Davis, I went home and was immediately jumped by my younger sister who hugged me for several minutes before I could actually go inside.

4.) What age do you wish you could permanently be? I wish I could permanently be 5. I would have no responsibilities so I could just eat and sleep all day every day.

5.) What do you consider is your passion? Coding. It can be difficult, but every program is a logic puzzle that is very rewarding to solve.

6.) When you were younger, what did you imagine your future would be like? I love planes. When I was young, I would fly to visit family in Canada several times a year. At a young age, I was already able to name several key components of common commercial jets such as the Boeing 747. One time, the flight attendant was so impressed that I got to visit the cockpit and meet the captain, although that unfortunately stopped happening after 9/11. Growing up, I had several plane LEGO sets, fiction books centered around planes such as the Wingman series, and plane-themed sheets and nightlights. As I grew older, toys became video games, such as the critically acclaimed Ace Combat trilogy on the Playstation 2, and fiction books became educational books about the components and construction of various types of aircraft. I always thought I would become an air force pilot, flying an F-15 Eagle, shooting down bad guys, and saving the world like Will Smith in Independence Day. After I got too old for that, I would then leave the air force to become a commercial pilot until I retired. Unfortunately, I no longer have the physique required to become a fighter pilot. Now, my plan is to become rich off of computers so that I can buy a small personal plane to fly recreationally. Eventually, I want to buy a demilitarized piston-engine fighter plane, such as the Grumman F8F Bearcat or the P-51 Mustang. I want to buy a fighter jet like the MiG-21, but that requires 3 years and several million dollars in training and upkeep.

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Isabelle Le

1.) How many service hours have you done so far this term? How many have you chaired? So far, I’ve done 18 service hours and chaired 2 events =)

2.) Who is a leader you admire? Briefly explain why. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie because of her fire speeches on feminism

3.) What is the most heartwarming thing you’ve ever seen? My dog, whenever I used to come home from Davis!  (Also, Victor and Yuri’s exhibition skate from Yuri on Ice hehe)

4.) What age do you wish you could permanently be? The age where I gain enough perspective to stop worrying about the little things

5.) What do you consider is your passion? Mental health, and reading because books make me feel at home <3

6.) Describe how your fears changed as you’ve grown up? I think for the most part, my fears have remained the same since I was younger, except the way I feel about them now is different.  I’m scared about a lot of things: not being able to do well enough to make it someplace in life, never being comfortable in my own skin, not being able to make the most of everything that comes my way, etc.  As a kid, these fears were always at the back of my mind, but they didn’t bother me as much, because back then, there was still so much growing up to do: if something didn’t happen now, it could still happen later.  Now though, I feel as though I’m at the point where I’ve become the person I’m going to be for the rest of my life and it’s terrifying because it feels like I should already be at a destination but I haven’t even packed my bags yet.  Despite wanting the confidence to try new things, I’m a lot more anxious now than I was growing up, and as a result, I often find that I shy away from potentially good experiences with others because no matter how nice those people might be, I’m always worried that I don’t really have a place with them.  Joining APO has helped me confront some of my fears, but everything is a work in progress.  Though I still might have days where I want to cancel everything and wrap myself in a blanket burrito because the anxiety I get over having to go out to something new and socialize can sometimes be too much, I’m really thankful for everyone I’ve met so far that has helped me make as much as I can out of what’s left of my college career.

[bhattxpressions]

Elaine Tran

1.) How many service hours have you done so far this term? How many have you chaired? 21 hours, 5 chaired services.

2.) Who is a leader you admire? Briefly explain why. My track coach in high school is a leader I admire because of the way he was able to conduct a mass of two hundred athletes in composed exercises that eventually led sucess and improvement on the track.

3.) What is the most heartwarming thing you’ve ever seen? Those international commercials that always tend to be sad yet heartwarming at the same time.

4.) What age do you wish you could permanently be? Mid-twenties.

5.) What do you consider is your passion? Living life to the fullest.

6.) Describe how your fears changed as you’ve grown up? I feel like everyone's fears as a child range from things like the monster under their beds to whether their friends will play with us. Depending on your background, your fears can we as simple as that. When I was a kid, I remember being afraid that my parents would leave me. They worked full-time jobs and I was always at a relative's house until the weekends. I would spend my time at home on the weekends, with my parents and my brother. Don't get me wrong --being with my relatives was not too bad. I was lucky to have a second home away from home and other people to care about me, but it just wasn't the same as being with my parents and sleeping in my own bed. I remember my mother tucking me in for bed at my cousin's house and waking up to her gone --she had gone home-- and tears welling up in the corners of my eyes, wondering where she went. Of course, she had gone home to get a good night's rest for the long work day ahead. As I grew up, my fears changed from being simple to becoming something of another capacity. I feared not being able to succeed with my own effort alone. I begin to fear what the future has to hold and whether I'm doing this thing called "life" correctly. But as I mature and grow to see beyond material things, I find myself having more worries than fears. My fears are less concrete than they were when I was a kid.

[bhattxpressions]

Dhalila De La Cruz

1.) How many service hours have you done so far this term? How many have you chaired? I have done 16.5 hours with 2 of them being chaired.

2.) Who is a leader you admire? Briefly explain why. Jenna, my P-Mom is the sweetest leader I have seen. Her honest personality brings people together which I love.

3.) What is the most heartwarming thing you’ve ever seen? I love seeing videos of animals showing their loyal affection towards humans since it reminds me of why I am studying animal science.

4.) What age do you wish you could permanently be? I wish I was 22 permanently so I can be an adult but also in my prime able to explore the world while practicing my career too.

5.) What do you consider is your passion? My passion is psychology. I love listening to people and their perspectives on life to help me understand why the rest of the world functions the way it does.

6.) Describe a time you felt the happiest. A time I felt happiest would be this past summer between high school and college, when I had a chance to practice being a real adult and seeing what my future life could be like. During last summer, I worked full time at an animal hospital back at home. Being the first time I had a real job, it was tiring and took a while to get used to, however, I still loved going to work every single day, meeting new pets and their owners, finding friends in my coworkers, and learning the rewarding feeling of earning my own money. I got to feel the importance and happiness that comes with helping animals and people. Even after a long day of work, I felt so happy and comfortable with my life coming home to my boyfriend and family, and then being able to spend the rest of my time with friends. Going out anywhere and having the money to feed myself was something I enjoyed, as did not want to burden my mother with supporting me anymore. Everything felt all the more rewarding knowing I earned it and had control over my life. In fact, this routine of life made me feel like I was taking a glimpse of what my future would be like after I complete my studies in animal science, and even now thinking back on it motivates me to work harder for that type of life in the future. And after all that hard work last summer added up, I was able to earn enough money to travel abroad to New Zealand and Australia. Experiencing what hard work can earn felt so rewarding because although I did enjoy my routine, I know I cannot live the rest of my life without experiencing what the rest of the world has to offer, and this time I felt happiest will be a constant reminder of that.

[bhattxpressions]

Aeon Pablo

1.) How many service hours have you done so far this term? How many have you chaired?  I’ve done 17 service hours and I’ve chaired 1 of them. 

2.) Who is a leader you admire? Briefly explain why. Frida Kahlo because she suffered through so much crap throughout her life but she still stayed true to herself and her beliefs. 

3.) What is the most heartwarming thing you’ve ever seen? Pimple popping videos 

4.) What age do you wish you could permanently be?  A newborn so I could just sleep, eat, and then sleep more. 

5.) What do you consider is your passion? Avoiding doing my laundry is my passion. 

6.) When you were younger, what did you imagine your future would be like? Not like this lolol. Well first my very first dream job was to become a scientist so I think that it’s hilarious that I’m trying to double major in Cinema and Digital Media and Design, which are both like pretty artsy majors. Oh and I also wanted to be an architect but my advisor from high school pretty much just told me to give up on that dream since he thought that I wasn’t fit to be one. He ain’t wrong though but I’m still salty. Anyways, when I was younger I was super addicted to Drake and Josh, iCarly, High School Musical, etc. so for as long as I can remember I just really wanted to be a teenager. I told myself like “Oh, when I’m 16 I can get my license, I can finally go to high school, and then I could finally get a boyfriend, and life would be freaking awesome”. Guuurll, think again. But seriously though now that I’m at my last year of being a “teen” I wish that I just enjoyed my time as a child and tell myself to stop wishing to grow up so fast. To be honest now that I’m older I just feel like I’m constantly drowning with all of these adult responsibilities. Sometimes life just hits you so hard like a damn truck that you start feeling empty inside and these are the types of feelings that I never experienced when I was kid. Pretty sure the only thing that I had to worry about back then was how to convince my parents to buy me a toy lmao. All in all, I’m pretty much a broken human being and being an adult sucks.

[bhattxpressions]

Elaine Zhang

1.) How many service hours have you done so far this term? How many have you chaired? I have done 17 service hours so far and have chaired one event.

2.) Who is a leader you admire? Briefly explain why. I consider Angelina Jolie to be a leader because she uses her popular image to influence governments and move public opinion on major issues such as child immigration, sexual violence, women’s rights, etc.

3.) What is the most heartwarming thing you’ve ever seen? One of the most heartwarming things I have ever seen was my neighbor raising a puppy that used to be abused. They raised the beagle for years and nurtured him back to health. I could see the stages the dog went through from being afraid of everything to being a loving member of the family.

4.) What age do you wish you could permanently be? I would choose age 17 because you are on the brink of adulthood. Therefore you are not fully expected to be able to handle the duties of an adult but are also seen to be mature enough if that makes any sense.

5.) What do you consider is your passion? Biology and film which has always been a weird combination I have had throughout high school.

6.) When you were younger, what did you imagine your future would be like?  After taking 4 years of photography and film and 3 years of biology in highschool, I have developed a strong passion for both science and art. A strong contributor to kickstart this passion were my influential teachers in both classes. I chose to take higher level film and biology for International Baccalaureate (IB) which made me major in biology and take on film as a hobby in college. On top of that, my parents would take every opportunity to travel to other countries to experience new cultures and make memorable experiences. Therefore I decided to document my adventures to different countries by making photo albums with my Nikon D90 and creating short films with Final Cut Pro. I thought creating these photo albums and documentary videos would be valuable as I can look back at my life and see the times were I had the most fun. Another thing to add is that traveling to different countries also made me love the different animals I encountered. In Australia, I watched little blue penguins waddle out of the ocean as the sun set. Along with that, I also held koalas and pet kangaroos like what tourists usually do. In Thailand, I worked with elephants and helped take care of them. In Hawaii, we went whale watching, swam with sea turtles, and rode horses on the beach. In Cancun, I got to experience the various exotic birds in the jungle. In Chengdu, I got to work with pandas and red pandas. These are just a few places I have been to and the few encounters with animals that I have had. Therefore in college, I wanted to be an animal science major but decided to do biological sciences and then stem into a specific area. Therefore what I imagine or hope to be doing in the future is finding a job that combines film, biology, traveling, and animals. That is when I realized that working for National Geographic would be my dream job.

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Jane Jeong

1.) What motivate you to go out and do service? Interacting with my pbros and actives and and helping out the community.

2.) In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic of a leader?  confidence 

3.) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? steven universe 

4.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your week/day. Explain why you picked this lyric. "I got this, I'm truly fine. I think I know myself a little bit better now" - IU, Palette Nowadays, I'm getting a grasp on who I am as a person. I feel a lot more comfortable and happier with myself. 

5.) Have you ever trusted someone too much? Multiple times back in high school and they were all really bad experiences. 

6.) If a genie granted you 3 wishes, what would you wish for? Why? My first wish would be to go to Europe because I've never been out of the states before. I think it will be a refreshing experience to go to a different country and go sight seeing at touristy locations. I want to see how the countries look like in person and what it is like being there because I've only been able to know about different countries through social media or the textbook. Going on a Europe tour has been on my bucket list for a really long time and it would be nice to cross that off. Also, there are so many aesthetically pleasing places that I would like to go to, capture those moments onto my camera, and share it onto social media. My second wish would be to have enough money to pay off all the student and parent loans. I would like the burden off my parents, especially, of having to pay off the debt for many years. I don't want my parents to go through that struggle for a long period of time. I want my parent to live without any burden of having to pay off the enormous amount of debt. As for paying off the student loans, it would not only make me a lot less stressed, but a lot more at ease after graduation. My last wish would be to get a companion animal like a dog. I would really like a corgi especially because corgis are really adorable and great. Having a companion animal would be very therapeutic and I would be a lot less stressed in comparison to not having a companion animal. I want to know the feeling of coming home to a pet as well because I never had a pet before. :'-)

[bhattxpressions]

Wilson Chu

1.) What motivate you to go out and do service? The satisfaction - the ability to help others in need without asking for anything in return, the joyful feeling that goes through your body after helping out is very unique.

2.) In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic of a leader? Briefly, to evaluate things in every angle and perspective possible, then to make the optimal decision for the whole entity/group in order to maximize the outcome.

3.) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? House Lannister, from Game of Thrones.

4.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your week/day. Explain why you picked this lyric. “Where are you now?

Atlantis

Under the sea

Under the sea

Where are you now?

Another dream

The monster's running wild inside of me

I'm faded

I'm faded

So lost, I'm faded

I'm faded

So lost, I'm faded”

I’m constantly searching for something so the lyrics reflect my state of mind. Most importantly, I love the beat ^^

5.) Have you ever trusted someone too much? Yes, it didn’t end well so don’t do it.

6.) What are you most passionate about? Why? When was the last time  you had a chance to pursue this passion? I believe our passions constantly change and evolve in our lives, however, they are all connected and we are always passionate about something in different stages of life. For now, I am most passionate about martial arts. Martial art is known as "Kung Fu" in Chinese, a quote from the TV show Marco Polo explains the term on point - “Kung fu. It means, “supreme skill from hard work.” A great poet has reached kung fu. The painter, the calligrapher, they can be said to have kung fu. Even the cook, the one who sweeps steps or a masterful servant can have kung fu. Practice. Preparation. Endless repetition. Until your mind is weary, and your bones ache. Until you’re too tired to sweat, too wasted to breathe. That is the way, the only way one acquires kung fu.”

The reason I am passionate about Kung Fu is because I would like have more control on my body and mind, to be like water, fitting into whatever circumstances I end up into. When I was young, I thought Kung Fu is all about fighting, solving unsettled issues with the fists. I fell in love with Kung Fu when I am mature enough to realize that Kung Fu in the other hand, is also about how not to fight with others. It teaches us to discipline and restrict ourselves, to be at peace.

I am constantly learning and practicing Kung Fu whenever I have time, since I would like to grow all-rounded as a college student, I could not spend all my time on one field. I took an Hapkido class in Winter quarter, and I am currently taking classes with the TaeKwonDo Club this quarter. I will most probably continuing practicing Kung Fu.

[bhattxpressions]

Sabrina Choi

1.) What motivates you to go out and do service? Because I feel that I take many things for granted, service allows me to spend time helping someone else out. I don’t have much to offer, but by offering my own time and commitment, I can help relieve someone else’s stress, even if only by a little bit.

2.) In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic of a leader? A leader should be able to take everyone’s opinion into account, and at the same time be able to delegate and confirm a final point that is cohesive. I feel a leader doesn’t always have to be the most skilled, but must be able to understand and direct all the positions well in order to balance out aspects he or she lacks in.

3.) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? I would love to live in the house from the Korean Drama, Goblins. The house is relatively big, yet very cozy inside. There is a very vintage and modern mix in its interior design. Even though every area of the house has its own unique features, everything works together. The kitchen is on a lower level which has a garden-like atmosphere just on top and visible through the kitchen sink window. The house has many big windows to let in a lot of sunlight, making the house have a natural glow.

4.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your week/day. Explain why you picked this lyric. “There’s things that I could say, But hear it my way, I want to let you know that it’s all okay.”

I try to be optimistic and open to everything, but at times, that gets the better of me in school and daily life. This song lyric pertains to how so many things can happen; but you just have to push forward and learn from your mistakes.

5.) Have you ever trusted someone too much? Oh, definitely. I tend to be acceptable to most things and try to understand other’s situations. Because of this, people would take advantage of my help. However, this was mostly when I was younger and still naïve. I have learned how true friendships should be and have not recently experienced trusting someone too much. Cross my fingers.

6.) Describe a dream you had.

Disclaimer: I watch too many shows.

It’s my high school graduation day. I’m in a completely different setting, environment, and regulations from a “typical” ceremony. An hour or so before the event, I bump into my old friends from a different high school, Wes and Jas. We greet and exchange some laughs. (Side Note: Jas, my best friend, confessed to me awhile back and I was unsure of my feelings for him) The scene jumps to me and Jas just sitting where I would be sitting during graduation and just talking (I don’t remember what though). Jas who in real life looks kind of dorky looks completely different – dressed in black and looking very sleek while giving off an extremely cool and intriguing aura. Suddenly, I realized the time and ran to the restroom to get ready. At the restroom, everybody was taking showers in order to be “fresh.” I actually thought this was a brilliant idea since I had been running around everywhere. But, I realized, why would I take a shower when my hair and makeup was already done nicely? Quickly after this thought, I remembered I left my graduation hat on the chair. Hurriedly running out and back to the chair, I stumbled upon Jas again. I told him I have no time, for my hat was waiting. But before I had the time to dash again, Jas grabbed my wrist and we kissed… After, he handed me my graduation hat. Being that it was my first kiss, I just turned around and walked away without saying anything. Just as he was about to say something, I woke up...

[bhattxpressions]

Jilliane De Leon

1.) What motivate you to go out and do service? Knowing that I am giving back to the community and doing something positive is what motivates me to do service.

2.) In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic of a leader? The most important characteristic for a leader is to be understanding. If you’re in a leadership position, you would need to be able to see situations from every side.

3.) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be?  OMG I would hella live in Blair Waldorf’s apartment on the Upper East Side from Gossip Girl because location and it is awesome. Don’t judge me – I am bougie af.

4.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your week/day. Explain why you picked this lyric. “Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol' days, when our momma sang us to sleep but now we're stressed out.”

Because midterms.

5.) Have you ever trusted someone too much? Of course, but who hasn’t? But just because someone violated that trust with you before, doesn’t mean that everyone will do that to you.

6.) If a genie granted you 3 wishes, what would you wish for? Why? (Minimum 250 Words)

1. My first wish would be to be able to teleport myself anywhere. I am usually late to things because I underestimate how long it will take me to get ready. Like no joke, I can wake up 2 hours early for my class and still be late. It is that bad. So being able to just teleport, like not having to bike or drive, would be not only convenient but pretty life changing.

2. My second wish would be to have a successful career. College is so difficult sometimes that I want to make sure that I enjoy my job every single day, hopefully as a veterinarian. Unfortunately, in this world you have to earn your keep and work hard for what you want, so that’s why this is a wish. Also, being successful would make my parents proud of me, which is extremely important because my parents have sacrificed so much for me. All I really want is to be able to give back what they have given to me.

3. My last wish would be to find eternal happiness. Nowadays we get so caught up in everything that is going on (like school, drama, etc.) that we forget to focus on the good instead of the bad. We are a society of social media, which can manipulate how people see someone else’s life. I once read a quote: “People aren't unhappy because of their own problems or complaints but because others are happy.” And that is the problem with a social media society. We are no longer truly happy because we compare our lives and joys to others that are displayed in the internet and we forget to simply just be happy.

[bhattxpressions]

Darell John Andaya

1.) What motivates you to go out and do service? Seeing the impact service actually does on the community and the joy of the people we help. It’s nice to know that we’re doing something important that rather than just a requirement everyone has to fulfill.

2.) In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic of a leader? Critical thinking. It’s important to evaluate the problem at hand and the strengths and weakness of the other members of the group. Analyzing the actual problem at hand prevents wasted time and mistakes. Life has no redo’s so it’s better to accomplish the goal with the first attempt.

3.) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? Any house from Million Dollar Listing. All of those houses are so nice but wayyy out of my price range. But if it’s free then I’m 100% down.

4.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your week/day. Explain why you picked this lyric. “Going and going and going and going just running form all of my problems with zero intentions of stopping. Yup, until they got too big to solve em.” from Favorite Colors by Taylor Bennett feat. Kyle. Procrastination is too real.

5.) Have you ever trusted someone too much? Not really. I think it’s important to have faith with the people around you and that they won’t screw you over in the long run. It’s scary to have a general trust with even complete strangers, but you get what you put in. As friendships grow trust also grows and becomes stronger. Sometimes it just takes one person to initiate the growth. I dunno, I haven’t been screwed over yet so it’s been working out for me at least.

6.) What are you most passionate about? Why? When was the last time you had a chance to pursue this passion? I am very passionate about mental health. As a pre-med student, I truly do believe that mental health is just as important as one’s medical health, and that mental illness is just as deadly as a normal illness. There isn’t a specific moment that started my passion for mental health. It’s really just an accumulation of my own personal experiences and the experiences I’ve observed of my family and friends. My hometown was even nicknamed “Methdesto” because meth addiction was so prevalent in our community. No words can truly describe how it feels to carry the demons of mental illness. That’s why you see so many artist drawing it instead because it’s so hard to articulate the struggle.  It breaks my heart when I see someone struggling with their own mental health issues. What sucks is that a lot of people don’t try to get help or work to try and solve their issues. The stigma and the misconstrued perception that getting help is bad and that someone has to deal with their problem alone or just live with it forever as an absolute shame. Someone can get hurt from mental illness, and it can spread from person to person. The illness is hard to recognize, and even harder to tackle, but it’s important to always remember that the illness never defines you.

It’s kind of hard to describe when was the last time I had the chance to pursue my passion. On paper, I got Mental Health First Aid USA Certified by the National Council for Behavioral Health last quarter and I also was able to declare a double major with Cognitive Science and Pharmaceutical Chemistry this quarter. But in all honesty, I believe I follow my passion on a daily basis. Expressing kindness, giving compliments, being understanding, practicing patience, etc. You never know the struggles someone carries. Simple actions may seem insignificant, but to others it can mean the world. Sometimes a smile or a hug can fix someone’s crappy day.

[bhattxpressions]

Allison Hsieh

1.) What motivates you to go out and do service? Realizing the capacity to make change in the world! (also reqs lololo)

2.) In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic of a leader? Empathy, or the ability to understand others.

3.) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? Extreme Makeover Home Edition (☞ຈل͜ຈ)☞

4.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your week/day. Explain why you picked this lyric. "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Saturday to Sunday" --"I Gotta Feeling," Black Eyed Peas. These are days of the week :^)

5) Have you ever trusted someone too much? ya

6.) Describe a dream you had. It's actually really really rare that I remember my dreams, but I remember this one OH BOI THIS DREAM WAS FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL so basically I was living in a world infested by zombies, and it was the situation where if you get touched by a zombie, then you turn into a zombie too. Somehow all the survivors were trapped in a mall, and my brother and I were running and trying to find our way out while avoiding the zombies. One of my best friends at the time was running too slowly and I saw her get zombie-fied, and I underwent a huge dilemma thinking about whether or not I should help her (I didn't lmao). I got HELLA SCARED so I dragged my brother to a broken escalator and began running up, but then I turned around and saw this zombie that used to be a hella cute guy, and now it was a hella cute zombie (????). So then I said "I'll be right back" to my brother and ran down the escalator to hold the cute zombie's hand and I turned into a zombie :^( The last thing I remember was being really underwhelmed that holding hands wasn't as exciting as I had thought it was, which kinda makes sense because I was probably 9 years old and didn't really know how to talk to boys. I would like to make it clear that I am not into zombies, and that I prefer my men alive. Also if we were running and you got bitten by a zombie, I might help you but also probably not.