#reptransitions

Reflection

By: Tai Hoang, APIASF/GMS Scholar

I won’t know where I’m going until I truly understand and recognize where I came from.  The 2016 APIASF 2016 Higher Education Summit was a unique environment that allowed me to reflect upon my own identity, reality, and prospects as a Vietnamese-American, human being, student, son, brother, and a public health professional.  This Summit marked a path that guided me finding my way “home”, an environment that shapes and forms my identity and reality.  

Thinking that “each individual has his or her own unique story” is the best way to appreciate and be more understanding toward one another as human beings. The Summit expressed a rich education, discussion, knowledge, and understanding of Asian Americans' and Pacific Islanders’ history, cultures, traditions, and values.  A statement that best describes my thoughts is “history is alive and that it is constantly shaping our sense of identity, reality, and possibility” (Kurashige, 2008).  Coming to the U.S. at a young age as a Vietnamese-American created a special and diverse learning experience and opportunity for me throughout my teenage and adult life.   My experiences that helped form my thoughts and how I perceive my surrounding are largely influenced by my experiences with cultures.  The deep, rich, and distinctive Vietnamese culture shaped my own identity as a child and it still is transforming who I am in my adult life. Being a Vietnamese-American further enriched my identity and reality living in the U.S.   The cultures I am exposed to here in Western society create a far better understanding of how I perceive life.  As a citizen and unique individual, each person has his or her own distinct identity that shapes a diverse society.  This is a “luxury” I get to experience here in the States – the opportunity to learn, appreciate, and admire the diverse cultures from many individuals from different cross of life.  The Vietnamese culture shapes my identity.  Being a Vietnamese-American and living in the U.S. form my reality and possibility.  This is my history - a history that is constantly evolving and a history I’m blessed to receive.  

As expressed by Dr. Curtiss Takada Rooks, “education is hope and healing”. Education forms self-identity. Education creates possibilities. Ultimately, education creates change.  Through education, I know where I stand, and through education I understand where I’m going.  I am not certain what my future holds, but I anxiously look forward to experience and live toward the uncertainties through education and service for and with others.  My preparation starts here, it begins with self-identity, possibilities, and change.

 Thank you APIASF for a rewarding Summit.

This August, discuss your next chapter, and how it will be written.

Transition can be a time of both great stress and great excitement. Share with the community how you represent when faced with change?

August 11/ Leaving things behind

As summer comes to a close, it is time to leave certain things behind.  This could be happy or sad.  It could be a place or could be a job.  Let us know how you will #repTransitions as you move on.

August 16/ New adventures

Just as transitions often involve leaving something behind, they also involve new adventures!  What new things are you excited for this academic year?

August 18/ Back to School

For many Scholars, the end of August means back to school.  Post a picture that displays school pride as you see it!

August 23/ Settling into routine

New routines can be tough, especially when in a new environment.  What tips do you have for settling into a new routine?

August 25/ Welcome to campus

As August ends, a new Cohort of college freshmen is either getting ready or is already on campus.  What advice do you have for them?

August 30/ My safe space

By Jean Abac, APIASF Scholar

Up my hands go, wondering

where will I be tomorrow?

With much nervousness yet unfailing

I keep my hand up as I go.

Walking back, here I’m sitting–

where did the past winds blow?

With neither a thought nor a fretting

I keep my hand up as I go. 

Hurrying not, once a-stepping

where will I see the show?

With a breath held since a beginning

I keep my hand up not below.

A dream it must be, I am reaching

where does this river flow?

With a hollow core and an opening

By Ishara Lepoth Deniyage, APIASF Scholar

After a nice relaxing summer, it appears to be coming to an end with the start of college next week. While I’m glad to be making the first step towards my future, the transition from high school to college is definitely terrifying. Not knowing whether I’ll be able to handle the classes and the fear of having classes with over 200 people is going to be tough to get used to. 

Even though this transition appears overwhelming, my past success has shown me that with the help of others and the right mindset, I will be able to enjoy the college lifestyle and find it fitting. I have been able to overcome a bigger transition earlier in my life at a very young age. At the age of six I moved from the little country of Sri Lanka to the United States. At that time the only English I knew were a few common greetings. Moving to a country with English as its primary language seemed impossible to get used to. I lacked comprehension at school and my grades were not good. With my parents and teachers motivating me, I decided to make a change. I started to read English books and practice vocabulary. After a while I was finally able to see progress. My grades went up and I started to enjoy school. Overcoming this obstacle will motivate me for the rest of my life as I know I will have already accomplished the biggest challenge. 

By Chorkin Chau, APIASF/GMS Scholar

I have learned quite a few things since college has started…though I hardly remember anything I’ve learned in lecture halls. For those who are starting out, let me just tell you that when they say “the real lesson is outside of the classrooms,” it is definitely the case in university. 

I think one of the biggest things that I had to learn was that no one really cares about what you did in high school. My ego was filled with my accomplishments, grades, and extracurricular activities, but when I walked into Berkeley, my plate was completely clean. That is the first major thing I learned - everyone around me were either on the same level, or higher. No one cares about what you did in the past because everyone in college is only focused on one thing: the future. As cold blooded as that may sound, it is an opportunity that one should embrace, the ability to restart and grow in new ways should not be taken for granted. 

Along the way, I’ve also realized that there is literally no point of seeking perfection. Instead, I’ve learned to strive for my absolute best. There is a difference between the two, simply because I am as imperfect as it can get! When I know I’ve done all I can for a class, putting the many hours studying, asking questions, staying for office hours, and etc. I can take my exams without feeling like I could have done more. If it was my best and I gave it my all, then there is really nothing else I could have done. This new mentality that I’ve adopted has saved me so much from stressing out and hating myself after I am not satisfied with a grade. 

Another piece of advice that I’ve been told, and have personally experienced is to go with the flow. This ties into the previous mindset, but to have the ability to accept and adapt to change as it occurs is really vital in the whole college experience. 

The biggest pieces of advice I have for folks (incoming students, outgoing students, people who don’t consider themselves students) are define your own success and “failure” is what you make of it.

Define your own success: Too many times, we as a society get caught up in these ideals of what success is. Making bank, getting that doctorate, being a super famous person.

But should that be the metric of success? Will those extrinsic things really make you happy? Are you making the world a better place, even in a small way? Do these aspirations make sense for YOU? Some of us will meet those benchmarks of success and go off to be happy. Some of us will not and still be happy. Some of will and end up unhappy.