By Kandace Fung (CMC) '19
Staff Writer

TSV: What is one thing most people don’t know about you?

MT: Most people don’t know that I have struggled with very intense anxiety for several years, and it was so bad that this past summer that I was basically bedridden for two to three months.

TSV: What makes journaling appealing to you?

MT: I journal as a way to be thoughtful throughout the day. I don’t like spending the entire day mindlessly and going to sleep feeling like I haven’t accomplished anything and wasted a day going through the motions. It’s a way for me to remember the things that I have learned and remember the interactions that I’ve had. Yeah, sometimes there are things that happen that are very meaningful to you, but you forget after a few years because there’s no reminder.

TSV: Has there ever been an obstacle you’ve had to face that altered your perspective in life?

MT: My grandfather got a stroke a few years ago. It really showed me the fragility of life and how even knowledge and intellect are transient in the sense that they are not things you can hold onto, even though some people say that no one can take away what you know. My grandfather he was a very bubbly character, always the center of attention at the dinners, always made all of us laugh. He was a very intellectual historian. He knew all the history facts. He know what was happening around the world. Then bam... He got a stroke and wasn’t able to talk anymore or communicate anything. And a lot of times, it seems like he cannot remember. It wasn’t just a communication problem but rather he couldn’t remember things anymore. It really shocked me because even knowledge is transient.

TSV: What is something you’ve done recently that you’re proud of?

MT: Recently, there have been interpersonal conflicts, and I have been able to make peace and seek wisdom in confronting issues in a way that is not passive aggressive, in a way that’s sincere. An example is when people do things that hurt you, and they might even know, I have been able to first and foremost be aware and see the ways that I have contributed to the problem and sincerely apologize for it without expecting the other person to see the ways they have contributed to the problem. So basically dealing with my side of the problem and being sincere about it, being okay with the other person not apologizing. I think that has really brought peace to what would have been a volcano explosion.