Make my dreams bigger than my fears, my actions louder than my words, and my faiths stronger than my feelings.
Teamplayer: where I started
Sports are one of my first and important teachers. They taught me teamspirit. They gave me a lifelong bond with my teammates, who have become my forever friends. There’s nothing quite like the bond people form when they’re going through wins and loses together with the same dedicated passion for something. I learned things that could never be taught between the walls of a classroom, things that would make me a better, more well-rounded person in the future. I didn't mind being different when I was the only girl on boys' soccer teams. I got to do what I love and made lifelong buddies. Thus, I dared to choose the engineering major though knowing it is a male-dominated discipline. I choose what I love and love what I choose. With time passing by, I have been keeping pursuing higher level of engineering. Now I am about to get my Ph.D., I am glad I conquered all fears, believed in myself, and always pursed the best in what I chose. I wouldn't be where I am today without what I learned from my unique teamplayer experiences. Nowadays, no matter what is going on in my life, I will keep in mind where I started. I make my dreams bigger than my fears, my actions louder than my words, and my faiths stronger than my feelings.
Soccer Player: The girl Center Forward on boys' team
My soccer player experience started when I became a soccer player when I went to elementary school. As the only girl playing soccer, I was good enough to get selected in the school's boys' team as an exception. At first, I had concerns. I wonder what it would felt like and what if I wouldn't fit in. However, I managed to focus only on playing well and fight for the honor of the team. Together, my teammates and I seemed unstoppable. Together, we functioned as one. We seemed to be through it all together -- the workouts, the dinner parties before games, the pre-game pep talks, the most glorious of wins, and even the soul-crushing loses that seemed to be the end of the world at that time. That's when I started to learn not to be afraid of being different and do what I love. There was no genders, just teammates loving soccor. And I have been playing as the Center Forward on different schools' boys' teams all through my K12 study. Besides, being a soccer player gives me the opportunities to pull myself up from any fall-downs and creates a name for myself and memories that I would never forget.
Track and Field Athlete
I gave Track and Field thousands of days of my life and in return, it taught me the importance of practice, dedication, patience, and humility. Through the sweat and tears, running started to feel like second nature. However, I got a severe leg injury when I was training. I was scared. I worried if I could run again, but my fears went away soon. All my teammates visited me and accompanied me to rehabs at different times. Hearing the encouragements of my teammates and coaches sounded like one of my favorite song played over and over. Gradually, I stood up, walked, and then run in the field again.