Who You Are Matters

Where Am I From?

I was born in Boston, Massachusetts and lived there for four years of my life before moving to Sacramento, California. Coming from the capital of California sounds interesting, but for me, life in Sacramento was a bit boring at times. In coming to USC, Los Angeles became my second home, always bustling with life and opportunities, and so much excitement.

Where Am I Going?

To be honest, I’m not really sure what I want to do in the future. I came to USC with a set plan to become a pharmacist. I was a biochemistry major on the pre-pharmacy track and had my four years of college all planned out. But with any plan, it’s possible not to follow it at all and that’s what happened to me. Now, I am studying Global Health and have a Business minor. And recently, I got approved for the Progressive Degree in Global Medicine. I guess I want to get more into the “business side" of medicine, maybe something along the lines of healthcare management and such. I want to be able to make a positive impact in the field of global health. 

Parents

Over time, I realized that I am in some ways like my mom and dad. I think I get more of my quiet, observant, and hard-working personality from my mom. And from my dad, I get more of his sometimes spontaneous and adventurous personality. However, I feel like I am also different from my parents in the sense that I was able to grow up in the U.S. and lived with a mixture of an Asian and American lifestyle. 

Role Model

For me, both my parents are my role models. They came all the way to the U.S. from Vietnam and created new lives for themselves so that my little brother and I can have a good future. They are the reason I am motivated to always put effort into everything that I do. At times, I feel like I live following my parents’ expectations for me, which is to study hard in school and get a good job in the future. But I am starting to make those expectations more of my own. I want to work hard and become successful in the future and give back to my parents since they have sacrificed so much to get me to where I am today.  

Connecting With The Animal World

An animal I have a strong connection with is the panda. Besides pandas being my favorite animals, I feel like they represent gentle strength. Even though they may look gentle, they are still strong animals with lots of determination. And sometimes a bit clumsy.

Connecting With The Nature Kingdoms

I’m not much of an outdoor-type person, but I really like flowers. I remember when I was younger I would love going with my family to the rose garden near my home to look at the pretty roses and take pictures with them. I would often entertain myself by looking up the different meanings each rose had based on its color.