Who I Am Matters

Where do I come from?

My name is Lucia. I'm from a small town called Westford right outside of Boston, Massachusetts. My parents immigrated to the US from China and studied their Master's degree in Boston before settling down in the suburbs. My favorite part about growing up in Westford was that there was a mini ski resort that everyone would go to after school in the winter. 

Where am I going? 

After I finish college at USC, I want to spend the summer traveling before starting my job. I will be working in real estate private equity. I hope to spend some time in my twenties living in New York City, but I'm unsure where I will be after that point.

How do I plan to get there?

I will get there by staying motivated, planning ahead of time, and keeping my network close.

How am I like my parents?

I am like my mother in that I am aware and sometimes hyper-aware of the small things. She would always notice the tiny details when doing tasks and interacting with people. She could always tell how you were feeling.

I am like my father in that I can be a happy observer. In large groups I can find my father sometimes sitting and listening to others. I enjoy observing situations and developing an understanding of people around me first before getting involved.

How am I unlike my parents?

Growing up in the United States, many of the experiences I've gone through have been different from those my parents went through growing up in China. 

Have you developed your own expectations for yourself?

I would like to think that I have, however I am still struggling to hold my accountable to my own expectations. I sometimes find that it takes me a while to work towards my goals because I end up making excuses in the moment which ultimately add up. This happens with long-term expectations that need more time to work towards.

I would say I was operating under someone else's expectations for most of my life but am starting to be more diligent in setting expectations for myself as well.

Who serves as a model for you of someone who lives life with great passion and personal responsibility?

My orchestra conductor. I remember that each rehearsal I would learn something fascinating about him. He would always be so passionate of his work and get excited about the small things in life. He also instilled in us important values that he wanted to pass on in simply being a decent human being. 

What wild animal do you feel a special connection with and why?

Whenever anyone would ask me what superpower I would want to have I would always respond: to fly. I feel a special connection with birds because I always admired their ability of flight and being able to see from a whole different perspective.

A significant childhood encounter with a tree or plant?

Growing up, my brother and I spent most of our free time finding things to do outside. One time, we noticed that if we went under the skirt of the pine tree in our yard, the branches form a perfect staircase. From that day on, we would constantly climb up the pine tree and call our little perch our hideout spot.

Horoscope Signs

• Sun Sign: Virgo
• Moon Sign: Cancer
• Rising Sign: Cancer