Gender
Female
Ethnicity
Asian
Religion
Prefer Not To Answer
Hobbies and interests
Singing
Reading
Dance
Piano
Reading
Academic
Adventure
Biography
Christian Fiction
Classics
Westerns
Tragedy
Science
History
Leadership
Literature
Music
Romance
Religion
I read books multiple times per week
Rou-Hua (Leona) Yang
6,765
Bold Points34x
Nominee6x
FinalistRou-Hua (Leona) Yang
6,765
Bold Points34x
Nominee6x
FinalistBio
My name is Leona. (so, a little story about my name. Since my zodiac sign is Leo, my aunty named me Leona. Leo is known for its kinglike leadership; we are open to different opinions and provide guidance to others. I have worked very hard in order to become a great leader someday.)
I am an international student from Taiwan. I founded the Taiwanese club at my school to promote Taiwanese culture and allow cultural exchange with local students. I also led a group of Taiwanese international students to host different fundraising performance events.
My mom is a nurse who works at a local Christian hospital in Taiwan and my cousin is an anesthesiologist in the states, they have deeply influenced my decision to work in healthcare since I was little, so I hope I can follow in their footsteps.
My goal is to become a CRNA and devote myself to the entire humanity. As a middle class child, I need to admit that I am much more fortunate than many people in the world. Dr. Albert Schweitzer once said, “I must not accept good fortune as a matter of course, but must give something in return.” Therefore, I came to the conclusion that I want to contribute myself directly to humanity.
For me, nursing is not only a career but also an inner calling that is called to care.
Education
Messiah College
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Psychology, General
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Minors:
- Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
GPA:
3.9
Harrisburg Area Community College
Bachelor's degree programGPA:
4
Cumberland Valley Christian Sc
High SchoolGPA:
4
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Career
Dream career field:
Certified regisered nurse anesthetist
Dream career goals:
Leader
Tutor
Messiah's tutoring center2022 – Present2 yearsEMT (emergency medical technician)
FEMT (Messiah University)2022 – Present2 yearsvolunteer
Taiwan-Chiayi municipal Christian hospital2013 – 20174 years
Sports
Dancing
Club2017 – Present7 years
Research
- Messiah University — participant2022 – Present
Arts
Taiwan-Chiayi municipal Asian musical program
MusicNational musical competition in Taiwan2013 – 2015PK family dance squd
Dancehalf time shows in cumberland valley Christian school (varsity basketball game). Fundraising performances in Taiwan, Fundraising performances in Taiwan2017 – Present
Public services
Volunteering
Cumberland Valley Christian School2017 – Present
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Youssef University’s College Life Scholarship
“If I have $1000 right now, I would like to make this $1,000 into $10,000 or more!”
$1000 is neither a huge amount nor a small amount. Therefore, I believe it is important to make this $1,000 meaningful. Some of the best answers for this question might be “I want to donate it directly to the charity,” or “I want to contribute to those who are in need!”
However, for me, I would purchase my next semester’s textbooks with this $1,000 right now. After calculation, I found that the amount of money I spend on textbooks is between $3000-$5000 per year. For my parents, this is a burden since they need to work harder in order to support me to study in the States and fulfill my American Dream. $1000 would be adequate for me to buy at least 3 books for the upcoming semester, and this would become valuable if I could internalize the contents or knowledge from those books.
“Knowledge is one of the best fortunes.” I believe I could utilize the knowledge I gain from those books into my future career to increase my income. With gratitude, I could give back to society to help more people with the money I earn.
Dr. Meme Heineman Scholarship
I have Tourette’s syndrome, a nervous system disorder and a developmental disability accompanied by unwanted movements or sounds, called tics. I received a lot of disgusting facial expressions every time I made tics that I could not control. This affected me not only socially but also academically. I even asked my parents to homeschool me since I was too terrified to attend school. Fortunately, my parents are so wonderful that they never stop trying to help me or treat me strangely. Instead, they started to help me learn self-control and attended to me almost all the time in order to remind me to stop making tics. This might be one of the most challenging times so far in my life. For the majority of people, they might find it easy to restrain themselves from grimacing and making tics. However, for people with Tourette’s syndrome, it could feel like a swarm of worms are attacking your body at the same time. Although making tics and grimaces are inevitable for me, with the help of my parents, I am able to control most of the symptoms of Tourette's syndrome.
Having a developmental disability, I understand that this might be a long-term battle. Without positive support and accompaniment, people with developmental disabilities could curse their lives. Therefore, it is my passion and desire to spread the love and positivity from my parents to those who are also suffering from developmental disabilities. I am now majoring in nursing and psychology in order to equip myself to fulfill this inner calling and passion. Studying nursing helps me better understand how the body works and how to care for others. Studying psychology helps me better comprehend how people think and how to provide positive mental health care. Developmental disabilities are prevalent, but they are also constantly neglected by people. The majority of developmental impairments are incurable. It could get tiresome over time for patients and their families. For this reason, I believe that positive support should be offered not only to the individuals but also to their family members. This is also one of the reasons why I decided to major in nursing. Nurses often provide hope to the hopeless. Although many other people also provide hope, it is nurses that accompany patients for an extended period of time. I want to provide them with hope and encouragement when medicine and science no longer offer a cure.
Having Tourette’s syndrome, I think I could better understand how they feel and relate to them more. All they want is a friendly smile, words of encouragement, and love. This is a rather simple act for all of us, but this could become their strength, happiness, and panacea all day long. I really want to let more people know that people with developmental disabilities are not strange but gifted. In spite of some difficulties, people with developmental disabilities are still capable of love. "What makes us human is not our minds but our hearts, and not our ability to think but our ability to love (Adam’s peace)." I believe that my story and experience could encourage more families who are suffering from developmental disabilities to live positively toward their lives. This scholarship could really serve as an impetus and encouragement for me to keep working on and pursing this goal and passion for those who are suffering from developmental disabilities.
Dashanna K. McNeil Memorial Scholarship
Providing hope and salary are two main factors that inspired me to work in the medical field and to become a nurse. My goal in nursing is to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). For me, nursing is not only a career but also an inner calling that is called to care, to help, and to listen.
In the future, I would like to become a nurse who can help people not only physically but also mentally. Having good mental health is one indicator of having good physical health. Nurses, especially nurse anesthetists, have such a great opportunity to directly interact with patients before surgery, the moment that patients feel the most nervous. Probably more than any other profession, nursing deals with giving hope to the hopeless. Although many other professionals also provide hope, it is nurses who stand with patients for prolonged periods of time when medicine and science no longer offer cure.
According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of people facing mental health difficulties has soared to 19.86% over the past five years. Like a virus, mental illness is contagious, and no one is immune to it. With the rise of mental disease, I recognize the need to maintain excellent mental health, and my inner calling is to be a nurse who can support people not only physically but also mentally. For this reason, I am pursuing a double major in nursing and psychology to equip myself to fulfill this calling. Studying in nursing provides me a greater grasp of how to care for others, while studying in psychology has given me a better understanding of how people think and act. In the long term, I would like to recruit more people who have the same passion as me and found a free-cost counseling organization that provides services not only to individual patients but also to people all around the world.
Some people believe that salary should not be the factor that motivates us to work. However, I need to honestly admit that salary is one factor that motivates me to work. CRNA is known for having the highest salary among all the other nurses. One reason I want this high salary is because of the collapsing health insurance system in my home country—Taiwan. The population growth in Taiwan has remained negative over the past few years. By now, the fertility rate in Taiwan is estimated to be at 1.07 children per woman, making it the lowest fertility rate worldwide. In 2022, the share of the population in Taiwan aged 65 years and above reached 16% of the total population. This means that one young person would need to pay $1000 per month to sustain the insurance welfare. For some people, $1000 could be their monthly salary. This fact from Taiwan really triggered me to become rich so that I could donate my money to the health insurance system in my home country and make it save more lives.
"What makes us human is not our mind, but our heart; not our ability to think, but our ability to love." Humans are careless creatures that constantly forget the core value of their lives and focus on some peripheral factors. The ability to think could help us succeed in our careers, but the ability to love is the core value that makes careers our callings. My future career is no doubt nursing or other nursing-related fields. However, my calling is to expand my career to the capacity beyond mind and think, but heart and love.
Bold Success Scholarship
My short-term goal is to maintain my overall GPA, be a peer tutor, participate in multiple volunteer services, and get my Registered Nurse (RN) license. My mid-term goal is to pursue a higher education, become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), and become fully independent financially without relying on my parents. Lastly, my long-term goal is to do good to the entire humanity by using my future career—nursing.
In the future, I would like to become a nurse who can help people not only physically but also mentally. I wish to start a non-profit counseling organization that can serve people all over the world. Having good mental health is one indicator of having good physical health. Nurses have such a good opportunity to directly interact with patients. Probably more than any other profession, nursing deals with giving hope to the hopeless. Although many other professionals also provide hope, it is nurses who stand with patients for prolonged periods of time when medicine and science no longer offer cure. Treating patients out of illness is one responsibility of nurses, but helping patients to have better mindsets is even more important than improving physical health only.
For this reason, I am pursuing a double major in nursing and psychology to equip myself to fulfill this calling. Studying in nursing provides me a greater grasp of how to care for others, while studying in psychology has given me a better comprehension of how people think and act. In the long-term, I would like to recruit more people who have the same passion as me and found a free-cost counseling organization that provides service available not only to individual patients but also to people all around the world.
Bold Reflection Scholarship
I was born in a beloved Taiwanese family. My mother works as a nurse in a Taiwanese municipal hospital, while my father runs a solar energy firm. As a middle class child, I need to admit that I am much more fortunate than many people in the world. Dr. Albert Schweitzer once said, “I must not accept good fortune as a matter of course, but must give something in return.” reflecting this thought on myself, I came to the conclusion that I want to contribute myself directly to humanity. This thought also sets my mind to major in nursing.
However, making this decision was not smooth for me. Instead, it was a great conflict in my family. In Taiwan, nursing is a labor-intensive and low-paying career. Traditional belief is that being a nurse is to assist women attain prestige by marrying a doctor. For this reason, my parents strongly oppose my decision to choose nursing as a major because they thought that others would disdain me.
Contrary to their expectations, I told them “There are two types of people in the world. One is those who make their own lives different, while the other is those who make others’ lives different.” I want to do something that could make a difference in others’ lives. I want to help people not only with their material needs but also their spiritual needs.
In the future, I would like to become a nurse who can help people not only physically but also mentally. For this reason, I am pursuing a double major in nursing and psychology to equip myself to fulfill this calling. Studying in nursing provides me a greater grasp of how to care for others, while studying in psychology has given me a better comprehension of how people think and act.
Bold Bucket List Scholarship
One of the most essential items on my bucket list is to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). In the future, I hope to work as a nurse who can assist people both physically and mentally. Nursing, maybe more than any other profession, is concerned with providing hope to the hopeless. Although many other professions also provide hope, nurses are the ones who stay with patients for lengthy periods of time after medicine and science no longer offer a cure.
I also want to establish a non-profit counseling organization that can assist people from all over the world. Over the last five years, the number of people experiencing mental health issues has risen to 19.86 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental illness is one of the most prevalent health disorders in the United States. Mental disease is infectious, much like a virus. No one is immune to mental illness, which can spread from person to person. Mental health issues are invisible yet fatal, killing people all over the world without notice.
To prepare myself to fulfill this calling, I am double majoring in nursing and psychology. Nursing school has given me a better understanding of how to care for others, while psychology has given me a better understanding of how people think and act. In the long run, I'd like to find more people who share my enthusiasm for counseling and establish a free counseling organization that serves not just individual patients but also people all over the world.
Bold Motivation Scholarship
Needed by others is something that motivates me on a daily basis. I think it is valuable to become a person who is needed by others.
"Who are you going to live for?" a teacher once asked the entire class a few years ago. "I want to live for myself and my goal," the first speaker said. "No, you should live for people who love you, such as your parents, because they live for you," the teacher replied. Even after class, I couldn't get these single words out of my head. Because of their love for us, my brother and I motivate my parents to work hard every day. This is the first day I decided to live for my parents.
This thought does not fade away as time elapses. Four years ago, I decided to study in the States and left my parents. I became more independent. I also started to notice that there are so many people in the world need help. After that, I decided to volunteer as a peer tutor in the learning center, donate my money and necessities to those who are in need, and soothe people when they experience difficulties or are feeling emotionally powerless. This also motivates me to live for those in need and to become someone who is needed by others.
To become someone who is needed by others, you must continue to improve yourself. Being needed by others is something that really motivates me on a daily basis because it makes me grow as a person.
Bold Know Yourself Scholarship
Something that I learned about myself valuable is that I can read other people's eyes and comprehend their hearts. In other words, I have a keen sense toward others.
This is a valuable characteristic, but sometimes, harmful. I have found this characteristic valuable since I was in high school. People enjoy hanging out with me and sharing their inner ideas. I was able to swiftly grasp their true feelings and provide them with the best comforts and advice they need.
I learned to read others’ eyes from my mom. Because my father is a businessman, we have had many visitors since I was a child. For this reason, I learned to read my mother’s eyes. I know whether to offer tea, return to my room, or remain silent as long as she made an eye contact. Later in my life, this quality becomes especially valuable. It enables me to act appropriately in the sight of many people. However, this can be problematic because it makes me more aware of other people's suspicion, disdain, and wrath.
Apart from those harmful experiences, I still believe this is a valuable characteristic because it helps me grow as a person. It shows me what other people need and reminds me to act appropriately in different situations.
Bold Legacy Scholarship
If I could leave something to the world, I hope my legacy is a foundation that could benefits everyone.
My mother is a dermatology nurse practitioner in Taiwan. Before she became a dermatology nurse, she served in the intensive care unit (ICU) for nearly ten years. She had sent many seriously ill patients to heaven back then. Her role in the ICU was to give comfort to both patients and their family members. What impressed my mother the most during her year in the ICU was that practically every patient informed her that their greatest regret was leaving the world without anything.
I have heard a lot of similar stories since I was still a child. For this reason, I resolved to become wealthy and establish a charitable organization. I want to become rich not because I love money but because I want to give it to more who are in need. Other than supporting the livelihood of my family and I, I want to contribute all the extra money to the foundation. I hope this foundation could be multipurpose, providing scholarships, grants, and essentials to individuals in need.
This is the legacy that I desire the most since it is not only for my own future generations, but it also for all people around the world. This is also the legacy that motivates me to work hard so that I could serve more people both during and after my lifetime.
Bold Art Scholarship
The artwork that has inspired me the most is neither an expensive work painted by a prestigious artist nor a luxurious piece owned by an aristocrat. The art work that I appreciate the most is something that everybody can obtain: our nature.
Nature provides people with different feelings at any time and anyplace. When we look at the grass, we learn its resilience throughout the year. When we consider the fleeting nature of those flowers' blooming, we realize the value of capturing the moment. Nature is the artwork that I appreciate the most since it never ceases changing.
Throughout the years, nature has painted itself into four different motifs. Spring is a miraculous experience. The whole world comes alive after the winter in which it seemed that everything was dead. The world comes filled with colors and the scent of delicious greenery. Summer is an inspiring experience. The flowers began to fade. Nature continues to strive for its life even without the addition of those vibrant colors. Autumn is a nostalgic season. Nature uses warm red and orange to express itself. It's romantic, yet occasionally lachrymose. Winter is a peaceful experience. All of the hues appear to be fading. Nature comes into the rest. At the end of the year, nature provides us with a tranquil setting in which to rest our brains and re-energize.
Nature is undeniably one of the greatest works of art, inspiring people in a variety of ways. It stimulates people with various perspectives and experiences. It also motivates a number of artists to create world-class works of art. Most significantly, nature is a vibrant work of art that is accessible to everyone.
I Am Third Scholarship
My goal in education and life could be divided into three parts: short-term, mid-term, and long-term. My short-term goals are to maintain my overall GPA, be a peer tutor, participate in multiple volunteer services, and get my Registered Nurse (RN) license. My mid-term goal is to pursue a higher education, become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), and become fully independent financially without relying on parents and others. Lastly, my long-term goal is to benefit humanity as a whole, not just myself.
As a middle-class child, I need to admit that I am much more fortunate than many people in the world. Therefore, I constantly ask myself, "Why?" Why am I here and much more fortunate than many others? Why was I born into a happy family who didn't have to worry about food, shelter, or warfare? Why am I able to walk, think, and talk? Finally, I realized that all these fortunes are neither accidental nor random, but a purpose and a calling. "I must not accept good fortune as a matter of course," stated Dr. Albert Schweitzer, "but must contribute something in return." I quickly reflected this thought on myself and came to the conclusion that I want to contribute myself directly to humanity. This thought also sets my mind to working in the medical field. Nursing is not only a career for me; it is also an inner calling to care, assist, and listen.
In the future, I would like to become a nurse who can help people not only physically but also mentally. I wish to start a non-profit counseling organization that can serve people all around the world. Having good mental health is one indicator of having good physical health. Nurses have such a good opportunity to directly interact with patients. Treating patients out of illness is one responsibility of nurses, but helping patients to have better mindsets is even more important.
According to statistics, the rate of people facing mental health difficulties has soared to 19.86 percent over the last five years. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also points out that mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetimes. Like the virus, mental illness is contagious. Mental disease can spread from person to person, and no one is immune to it. Mental health problems are invisible but fatal, which assassinate people all around the world.
With the rise in mental disease, I recognize the need of maintaining excellent mental health. A number of academics also believe that excellent mental health can help people avoid being physically ill. I want to be a nurse who can assist people not only physically but also mentally. I am pursuing a double major in nursing and psychology to equip myself to fulfill this calling. Nursing has given me a greater grasp of how to care for others, and psychology has given me a better comprehension of how people think. In the future, I would like to recruit more people who have the same passion as me and found a free-cost counseling organization that provides service available not only to individual patients but also to people all around the world.
Suraj Som Aspiring Educators Scholarship
There is a great debate regarding whether or not spirituality, science, and math should be linked. Some people believe that science and math are too secular to explain spirituality, while some believe that spirituality is too ambiguous and opaque to combine with science and math. As far as I am concerned, spirituality should always be incorporated into science and math, and vice versa.
Scientific and mathematical advancements have the potential to increase human civilization as well as societal convenience. However, without spirituality, an immoral and unethical situation may result. Germany during Nazi rule is an excellent example of this. Nazi focused only on the scientific and mathematical development, ignoring the core of human spirituality. The result of this, as everyone knows, was a complete disaster.
Poliomyelitis hit the human race last century, and the COVID 19 hit the human population this century. Owing to vaccine research, we are able to protect ourselves better against these fatal pandemics. However, few people know these vaccines are the contribution of HeLa cell, and even fewer people are aware that the owner of HeLa cell was an African-American woman—Henrientta Lacks. It is widely assumed that a doctor from John Hopkins took away her cells without the consent of Henrientta Lacks. This is another example of ignoring the core value of humanity as well as spirituality when developing science and math.
Spirituality, science, and math are indispensable to each other. In Christian worldview, humans are created in the image of God. This is the aspect of spirituality. However, all those processes, such as meiosis, gene editing, or intron splicing, occurring in our bodies are all about science. In my perspective, all these physiological processes and scientific processes in our body are part of God’s creation, and humans discovered them through science and math. This is also the reason why designer babies are often controversial since they are scientifically sound but spiritually unethical. Science and math without spirituality are neither flawed nor vulnerable. Science and math are human discoveries, while we should never forget the very beginning—the spirituality. Spirituality undergirds scientific and mathematical development. Although those scientific and mathematical inventions and discoveries are improving each year, none of them jump out of the frame of spirituality.
Another way to see the importance of spirituality is through humans. In a broad sense, humans are the members of the animal kingdom, but we are distinguished from animals by our spirituality. Due to spirituality, humans are able to love, to receive love, to learn, to create, and to discover. The core value of humanity is spirituality. Without spirituality, what will the meaning of science and math be?
Bold Perseverance Scholarship
I have Tourette's syndrome, a nervous system disorder accompanied by unwanted movements or sounds. When I was in primary school, my peers would make disgusting facial expressions when I made tics that I couldn't control. This had an impact on me not only socially but also academically, as I was unable to focus on quiet activities or long periods of sitting at a desk. I had told my parents several times that I wanted to transfer to another school and that I did not want to study.However, my parents never succumbed to my condition and also never conformed to my request to transfer. Instead, they were adamant about addressing the root of the problem, and they began to teach me self-control.This has been one of the most challenging journeys I've ever taken in my life. My parents attended me at all hours of the day and night for many years. They reminded me as soon as I began to grimace and make strange noises, and all I had to do was control them. For most people, refraining from being odd appears to be a simple task. However, People with Tourette syndrome may feel as if tens of thousands of worms are attacking their bodies at the same time. Finally, my parents accompanied me to conquer Tourette syndrome. This is not a quick fix, but rather a long-term battle. But with perseverance, I can now control myself and behave like a normal person. My parents helped me go from being a bullied student to a popular student at school. Although this perseverance was not my attainment, I believe that perseverance can overcome every challenge that comes to us. In the future, I will continue to tackle any challenges with the same mindset.
Bold Career Goals Scholarship
I'll graduate from college and begin working at the hospital in five years. But I'll continue to study since, along with nursing, I want to be a nurse anesthetist or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Not only will I grow academically, but I will also grow spiritually. As a result, I want to attend church every weekend and train as a pianist. I'd get my pay after working in the hospital. I'd also like to become a philanthropist and donate a portion of my earnings to charity. I would also like to volunteer in hospitals or underprivileged areas in my homeland, Taiwan.
Ten years from now, I'll be thirty years old. And I'll continue to work at the hospital, but in a different capacity. A nurse anesthetist or a doctor of osteopathic medicine, for example, I'll also have my deposit, so I'd like to start my charity to gather funds and assist others in need. My foundation and I will traverse the world, constructing public infrastructure in disadvantaged places. Furthermore, I would move my parents to the United States to live with me so that I could personally care for them. Because of what my parents raised and taught me, I believe that filial piety is really important. Apart from that, I am aware of my country's flawed medical system. Unlike in the United States, most people in Taiwan regard nursing as a difficult job with low pay. One of the main motivations for becoming a nurse is to marry a doctor. This, I believe, is attributable to a lack of a well-organized nursing system as well as service education. In the future, I'd like to return to my homeland and change this negative tradition.
Bold Hobbies Scholarship
Zooming with my family and friends in Taiwan is my favorite hobby.
During the Pandemic, I have not been home for over three years as an international student.
Time difference between countries makes communication more difficult. So I value the time with my family even more. The fact, on the other hand, is that people in Taiwan have their jobs and lifestyles. As a result, I constructed a win-win scenario with some of my relatives in the States: A weekly Zoom meeting. I refer to it as “Saturday dating”
However, after a few weeks, some of them began to lose interest in this Zoom gathering, and I was determined to make this meeting meaningful to all of them, not just to me. After discussing it with my cousins, we agreed to put on a weekly performance to entertain our Taiwanese family, and also invited them to perform during the conference.
Gradually, Saturday dating has become an integral part of our lives. Despite the fact that the Pandemic has ravaged the whole human species for nearly three years, we can communicate and assist one another through these tough times thanks to technology. COVID-19 is still going strong, and the quarantine policy in Taiwan hasn't been lifted yet. We wouldn't be able to return to Taiwan in a short time, but Saturday dating will never come to an end.
Saturday dating is both a hobby and a habit for me. It gives me a boost anytime I'm fatigued. It gives me strength anytime I'm feeling down. It helps me to be strong when I'm going through a tough time. Saturday dating allows us to participate in the lives of others we care about. With determination, I will continue to make this significant not only to me but also to all of them.
Hobbies Matter
“Zooming is my favorite hobby.”
I enjoy reading, singing, dancing, and playing the piano, among other things. But, none of these outweigh my personal favorite when it comes to zooming. To be more specific, I enjoy zooming with my family and friends in Taiwan.
As an international student, I have not gone back home for roughly three years during this Pandemic.
Because the 12-hour time difference makes communication even more difficult, I cherish the time I can spend with my family even more. The reality, on the other hand, is not on our side: People in Taiwan have jobs and lives just like I do. As a result, I devise a win-win situation with some of my relatives here in the States: A weekly Zoom meeting. I call it “Saturday dating.”
In the beginning, only a few folks showed up for our Saturday date. After a few weeks, some of my family and friends began to lose interest in this Zoom meeting, and I really wanted to make this meeting significant not only to me but also to all of them. After discussing this with my cousins, we decided to perform each week to entertain our family in Taiwan. We sing songs in a variety of languages, ranging from Taiwanese to Mandarin and from English to Japanese. We also dance, from the waltz to the tango and hip-hop to jazz.
Within a few weeks, more and more people joined our Saturday dating. In order to keep them boiling, I invite them to perform throughout the meeting as well, so that this meeting becomes significant to both sides of the family across the sea.
Saturday dating has gradually become an indispensable part of our daily lives. The Pandemic has afflicted the entire human race for nearly three years, yet owing to technology, we can connect and support one another through these trying times. COVID-19 has not stopped yet, and the quarantine policy in my home country has not been lifted yet. We would not be able to travel back to Taiwan limitlessly within a short time. However, Saturday dating will never come to a halt. It will continue to accompany and unite us as if Pandemic does not exist and we never leave each other.
Saturday Dating is not only my hobby but also my habit. It energizes me whenever I feel tired. It provides me with power whenever I feel depressed. It strengthens me whenever I face difficulties. All of this should be attributed to my family and friends who participate in the Saturday dating. Social distancing does not restrict our distance. Saturday dating allows us to share in the lives of our loved ones. With determination, I will continue to make this significant not only to me but also to all of them.
Bold Wisdom Scholarship
"Don't Choose Extinction!"
This is the short video presented by the United Nations (UN) to fight against climate change. Up to now, our Earth has experienced five mass extinction events. However, it seems like the sixth extinction event is happening: Global warming, extreme climate, the pandemic, and the wars… This is not the extinction of other organisms but the extinction of humans. All of the tragedies we experience from 2019 till now are not spontaneous but the result of human activities. Dinosaurs could blame their extinctions on the impact of asteroid collision. However, humans have nothing to blame. All of the tragedies occurring nowadays are caused mostly by humans ourselves. This is a retaliation of nature, and the target this time is Humans. Like the deluge in the Bible, only the kindest could survive. Unlike the deluge in the Bible, we have no oak, and we even do not notice how severe the consequences will be.
As humans, we need to work together to save our planet and our next generations.
As humans, we should always keep in mind: We are not destroying our planet but destroying ourselves since we need this planet, but this planet does not need us.
So, “Don’t Choose Extinction!”
Bold Books Scholarship
There are a lot of inspiring books that allow people to reflect and contemplate. Among all the books, the autobiography of Chris Gardner has had a profound influence and an inspiration in my life. This book is called “The Pursuit of Happyness,” which was also adapted to a famous movie. In this book, the main character, Chris, loses almost everything during the most helpless period in his life. However, he never gives up. At the end of the book, he receives a job opportunity that everyone desires and is also his dream job. He tells his son Christopher, “Never let people say that you cannot do something. NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!” Reflecting this story back on me, I was not able to speak English when I was in Taiwan. Some of my classmates in Taiwan did not even believe that I would be able to survive studying in the states. But this book deeply inspired me to accomplish something that seems impossible to others. I learned from Chris that everything is possible. I keep uncovering my potential during these four years in the States. I started from failing in every subject to being able to achieve my goal on the SATs. In the future, I will continue to challenge myself, to turn myself up to eleven!