To be honest, I wanted my college experience to be somewhere distant away from my parents, where I could come home once in a while, but at the same time I could live independently. But I found out that soon wouldn’t be possible, as for my parents could not even afford college tuition, in general. But it’s very fortunate that the only choice I had, turned out to be probably the best choice I’ve made. Enrolling in Macaulay Honors College was based wholly on the full-tuition scholarship that I would receive, and the fact that I would not have to pay extra for a dormitory. But the benefits I received were tremendous. The tuition scholarship was definitely a requirement for me, but the MacBook Laptop, the Opportunities Funds, the New York setting, and the supportive professors were really all bonuses that I was grateful to have. Though I’m still a commuter all the way from Long Island to Brooklyn everyday, I’m very thankful with everything that was given to me.
Starting freshman year in high school, I started to be very interested in biology, mostly because my teacher was able to put facts and details into perspective for me. Instead of just learning the basics, she also discussed the ethics and research that was done. And for me that really built a strong foundation for science. In senior year of high school, my chemistry teacher was extremely passionate about her subject, and she not only pushed us to her standards, she would also give us life lessons along the way, and that really solidified my interest in the sciences. Though I am a biology major as of right now, I would not be surprised if I were to switch to a chemistry major last on.
In addition to my biology major, I am on the pre-med track, and I’m aspiring to be an anesthesiologist, mostly because I am truly interested in helping people see their loved ones being cured, and also because I want my future life, and the future life of my parents to be more relaxed. It’s very difficult to live a life where money is constantly a problem, and even though money shouldn’t be a determining factor, this materialistic possession changes our decisions and constrains our life. I’m very lucky that Macaulay Honors College became the best decision, even though it was the only decision because of financial issues, but choices aren’t always as successful. And I would want my loved ones not to be put into these problems in the future.
From when I was born to when I was ten years old, I lived in Sunnyside, Queens and then my parents saved up enough money to move to New Hyde Park, Long Island. Because my parents are not as familiar with Brooklyn as they were with Queens, I was always told that Brooklyn is a dangerous place, and so in my mind, I was never given an opportunity to see Brooklyn in a different light. Before entering Brooklyn College, I had an understanding in my mind that Brooklyn was mostly inhabited by African Americans, and Asians (predominately Chinese) would live on or around 8th Avenue, because that was how my family portrayed it. But entering Brooklyn College, I see that there is so much cultural diversity. Everyday commuting to school, I see people of Asian descent, Jewish descent, Russian descent, etc. and it definitely changes what Brooklyn means to me, and because I’m still very new to this borough, I hope to be less ignorant through this Seminar class. I would love to learn about how the different parts of Brooklyn interact with each other, and how one ethnic community diffuses into the next.
My parents were immigrants themselves, from Hong Kong, since they were twenty years old. They’ve lived in New York for the past thirty years and it seems like they understand American tradition as well as keeping their own, especially my dad who worked in Manhattan. For me, it’s really comforting to be able to go to Flushing with my parents on the weekend where they can speak Cantonese to complete strangers and have them actually understand you. It’s comforting also to know that the Chinese food is not just Americanized take out, but it’s something that my mom would have had when she was younger, but at the same time, it’s great to be able to go to K-Town in the city and have a taste of Korean culture, as well as going to Little Italy for a walk through the Italian culture. I think that’s what shapes my life. For example, it’s great that every year, my parents would watch the ball drop and celebrate with the countdown for the January 1st New Year, but at the same time, they give out red envelops and wear new pajamas on Lunar New Year. It’s a very unique mix. Also, when a family member gets married, the bride wears the American white dress, as well as the red silk dress of the Chinese culture. It’s good to see that even though we’ve moved thousands of miles away, we’re still able to keep our culture, as well as incorporate our new culture.
The diversity of Macaulay Honors College, not just Brooklyn College, could be seen as a benefit for me also. I would not be successful at a school that was predominately a certain type of race. And so, even though ethnic patterns weren’t exactly my determining factor, it was rewarding to be apart of something so unique. And I wish that my parents could be immersed in the culture of Brooklyn as I was, so that they could understand how Brooklyn really is.
