This ordinary is from Hong Kong, and studies at Boston University. Traveling is her passion.

What are your thoughts on American education?

I’ve heard that it’s really shitty, and I am glad that I didn’t have it here because then my math [skills] would be bad. I liked how in Hong Kong, you have classmates [,] certain corners and spots in the class. I also think that it’s really sad that Americans learn languages but they can’t say anything after learning a new language. I want to know what went wrong. Like how do they pass anything if they can’t even have conversations.

If you could teach anything in college, what would it be and why?

I think one of my favorite classes was Intro to Linguistics. Because I am a speech therapy major, I really liked it. There are so many different languages but they all share something in common. That class made me realize why I like speech therapy. Linguistics and speech therapy are ways that I can understand all languages without knowing to speak them.

Who was the best educator that you ever had?

In college, there’s a class called Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Mechanisms with Professor Raade […] she was such an animated professor. She would explain and demonstrate […] she wouldn’t mind doing funny demonstrations. That really helped us a lot to understand our body structures. For our vocal cords, she would use two rubber bands. Visualizing is so important. A lot of professors don’t know how visualization is important. It helps us memorize. She also used a lot of different colors and highlighters for graphs and body structures. For me, it helps me a lot because it’s like drawing a mind map. It makes sense to me. it’s nice to look at something that’s not black and white. She left which is really sad.

What makes a good and respectable instructor?

Really smart but still willing to explain what she/he knows. Smart teachers are condescending […] and it’s important for professors to have the passion to help understand the message.

If you could change anything about American education, what would it be?

I don’t know enough about high school stuff. [W]ell right now, I am interning at MGH and working on legal project where we try to improve special education services provided by public schools in Boston areas. Looking into it and researching it made me realize that American laws are good but they don’t know how to implement it well. There is a problem in implementation and monitoring. Apparently in America, in order to become a principal you don’t have to have a teaching experience. And a lot of them don’t know what education is supposed to look like. Being a principal shouldn’t be a money-making tool. You should have a vision or a heart to love the kids. A lot of people don’t know how to interact with students […] they are just there for the money.

What is your biggest regret in college?

1. I wish I took Italian. I always wanted to take it.
2. Earlier in college, I tried to make too many friends and tried to enlarge my social circle without thinking if I really liked them. I should have been more selective and hangout with friends who would help me grow. There are friends that I could’ve been closer with–but I did not.

What is the best thing about BU?

It’s big enough that you can always find something that you can fit in.

What is the worst thing?

Tuition and Chinese

What is your advice to people?

I would say that just be honest with what you feel and think. Being nice behind your feelings, you think you are doing a favor for people, but it’s selfish. It’s gonna accumulate to a point that it will ruin a relationship and not helping a person to become a better person.

What makes you happy?

Traveling to a new country and going to a local restaurant and getting something that I really like to eat. Probably at a place where I can people-watch.