I spend a substantial amount of time doing physical activity, and running is by and large my favorite kind. I caught (or maybe it’s hereditary?) the running-bug from my dad, who has run six half-marathons and eight marathons. While there are no sidewalks where I live, the wide, wooded roads – empty, for the most part – and calm trails are my favorite place to lose myself for a little bit.
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I have been playing the cello for 5 years now. I started out in a preliminary string orchestra at school, moved on to a local orchestra program, and have since expanded my artistic range to solo, chamber, and symphonic training. I currently play for the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra, their Worcester Youth Baroque Orchestra, and a chamber trio I formed with musicians I met at a summer camp. As solo repertoire goes, I am plugging through the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No.1 (A Minor).
I also play the guitar and double bass, much less formally. The guitar was actually the first instrument I picked up – at the age of 5 – and it remains one of my favorite artistic mediums to just get thoughts out. I’ve never been able to stay consistent with a journal, but I always find time to make music.
Reader, if you have made it this far, you already know that I am a yapper. In freshman year, when I was given the chance to be highly opinionated and blab to my heart’s content, I couldn’t refuse. I am president of my sending school’s Model UN, and it’s one of my favorite competitive clubs I’ve ever been a part of. I find that it helps students, regardless of age and background, to develop a political voice and learn to articulate (and advocate!) their opinions.
During freshman year, I was a part of the Women’s Research and Mentorship Program @ WPI. I was placed with another highschooler, an undergrad, and a graduate student to work on a project in one of my areas of interest, biochemistry. We explored how deoxygenation and chemical stress impacted the locomotion of C. Elegans; the stresses we applied to the model organisms mimicked hypothesized causes for neurodegeneration in human beings. It was an invaluable experience working in such an empowering environment, and I learned tons about neuroscience, lab skills, and about what I’m interested in pursuing. I loved working in the lab so much, in fact, that I pursued a summer internship with that same mentor. This time, I assisted her in her own research, as opposed to a curated project. I got to stain PC12 cells (using both cell mask and immunostaining) image them using a confocal microscope, and analyze their membrane tension. I got to explore the data analysis side of experimentation in much more depth over the summer, and I’m glad it did – it's already helping me brainstorm experimental design for my STEM I project.
Just like I inherited running from my dad, I got my love for gardening and botany from my mum. There is nothing quite like eating (and sharing!) produce that you have grown from seed yourself. During the first week of junior year, our garden produced a ridiculous number of peppers for a family of three, so I brought a few Ziplocs for people to take home. We also decided to try and eat a few during lunch – the jalapeños weren’t too bad at all, but the serrano peppers were . . . let’s just say it took a me a couple of minutes to regain the ability to speak clearly. I see your icebreakers and I raise you “bringing the heat”. Ba dum tss. Gardening is a great way to get in touch with nature, find peace of mind, and foster a sense of community!
