My life is filled with jellyfish motifs: my first museum souvenir, my first Tumblr account, my Girls State city. I think it’s marvelous how much those brainless medusae have evolved to survive without being able to think at all. I, on the other hand, have evolved to think constantly. I didn't really “get” people as a kid, but it was something I had to figure out, improving by always thinking about what someone means. Still, understanding how people work remains one of my biggest curiosities. Then, my evolutionary traits were put to the test. Learning to carefully observe people and consider my responses was enough to survive, but at a Model UN (MUN) conference with 150 people in the room eager to give a speech and ally with other delegates–it was the real-life equivalent of being caught in a riptide of terrifyingly new waters. Surprisingly, I found myself fascinated by how each delegate articulated themself and came up with solutions to global problems. Like jellyfish, I evolved to survive in the newer waters as MUN became a place for me to grow in knowledge, confidence, and determination. Sustainable tourism, access to healthcare, supporting education in developing countries–talking about those real issues was captivating, and I wanted to solve them one day. To be able to craft solutions for problems, I have to understand the people I want to help, and I know psychology is my next step. I’ll explore deeply the path I want to take while learning from the people around me. Besides a jellyfish, my next motif will be a the brain, and I’ll only continue to evolve.

Waking up at 6 a.m. every Sunday for nine years to attend Vietnamese school used to be tedious, but it’s become a highlight of my week since I started teaching there. At the school, I talk to people of all ages: my first-grade students, parents, and teachers. My students are dynamic: there’s Parker, who’s always loudly shouting answers in class; Carly, who always wants a hug; Khoi, who once gave me a stalk of corn (leaves and everything); Jada, who always tells me about her dog. As I teach them numbers and the alphabet, they teach me about the small joys of stickers and friendship. They don’t always appreciate Viet school. I remember being their age, protesting the long trip because I didn’t understand the point of it. It wasn’t until I became a teacher and saw my students struggling to pronounce words I thought were second nature that I realized how important our language and culture are. To communicate with our parents and grandparents, to share a community centered around our heritage and our traditions–those were things I took for granted. Standing and singing at the board, I help my students forge a connection to their identity and culture I didn’t have at their age. I work with my teachers to manage the classroom, plan out our lessons, and create an environment where our students feel like they belong. When I'm not grading papers, I spend breaktime in the parent-teacher room, listening to their conversations. I learn from their wisdom: about the world, about our culture, even about the other students there. In my journey from student to teacher, I came to appreciate the effort and passion that parents and staff put in to build up our Vietnamese community. Standing at the board and singing with my students, I hoped to help them forge the same connection to their roots that I didn’t have at that age. What was once just a way to get volunteer hours has become a commitment I look forward to every weekend. When I stand, emceeing on the stage during our yearly celebrations, I’m proud of how I’ve grown and how I’ll continue to encourage the people around me to grow. Education is foundational. Not just for learning Vietnamese, but also in everyday life. By connecting them to their culture and reassuring them that they’re more than just another student in the classroom, I hope to give my students confidence and a trust in their community that will help them flourish. As I continue to college, I intend to also keep educating students, regardless of whether or not I'm close to home. In identity, in culture, in history, I will continue creating that foundation.