I am a graduate of Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and minor in Studio Art and Art History. In my professional life Ive worked for non-profits, art institutions, and in management consulting. As a lifelong learner I have an insatiable curiosity and strive for self-mastery in all my endeavors. I eventually plan to follow my polymath passions and pursue a career in architecture.
Growing up as the stereotypical Asian-American math and science nerd, I was not a naturally gifted writer. In fact, I struggled with writing mostly due to a deeply entrenched fixed mindset: believing that just because I wasnt effortlessly superior at something from the beginning of the learning process, then I can never get good at it. This limiting belief was detrimental to both my early college success and my contingent self-esteem. I dreaded every writing assignment since they became reflections of my incompetence and unworthiness, insidiously dispelling my idealized identity as the smart kid Ive carefully cultivated throughout my schooling. So if you are struggling with your writing, trust me, I know exactly how demoralized you may feel, especially those who grew up similarly with a fixed mindset.
It wasnt until I discovered Stanford psychology professor Carol Dwecks writings on an alternative growth mindset that I expanded my intellectual horizons with a new belief that I could learn anythingif I understood that failure isnt an indicator of inadequacy, but the path to mastery. The geniuses throughout history often were mere mortals whove simply learned to overcame seemingly insurmountable setbacks with tremendous effort and gritty resilience. Once I embraced the paradigm shift that one either learns to fail, or fails to learn, I gradually silenced my inner critic demanding effortless perfectionism, and unleashed the power of my written voice.
As your tutor, I hope to empower you to find your authentic voice, to breathe life into your words, to help you gain a sense of mastery over how you want your ideas to be perceived by your audience. Clarity in your writing is a reflection on the clarity of your thinking. You will discover that writing is more than an academic skill, it will open up an introspective journey towards knowing who you are, what you want, and discovering your place in this worldin essence, to living an examined life. Unleashing the power of your inner voice will set you free to become the author of a life you deem worth living. If you are motivated to challenge yourself and persevere with grit and determination, Im ready and willing to guide you on this journey to becoming a better writer, a better thinker, and perhaps, a more fulfilled human being.
In my leisure time, there are my intellectual endeavors like reading popular non-fiction books, watching TED Talks and other YouTube edutainment channels like The School of Life, or engaging in philosophical Meetup discussions about Nietzsche. For play, I enjoy going to Central Parks Sheep Meadow to unleash my inner caveman with friends by chasing after an aerobie thrown close to 200 yards, teaching newbies how to master throwing a wicked frisbee forehand flick, and am currently attending an animal drawing class to regain confidence in my artistic skills (I am constantly reminding myself to erase less and to embrace mistakes as part of the process towards growth), as I build a portfolio to apply to grad school for architecture.
