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In the quiet corridors of determination, we find a story woven with resilience and a commitment to personal and academic growth. In this article, Julie Bae was open to sharing a few insights into her academic journey, even offering advice for younger students as she reflected on her experiences.
Firstly, Julie attributes her strong work ethic to her grandparents and parents, acknowledging the sacrifices they made to support her. Their relentless dedication serves as a motivation for her to reciprocate the effort and work hard in her endeavors.
When she first entered Wayne Hills High school as a freshman in 2020 after half a year of virtual learning, Julie had already set some expectations for her year ahead of her. She explained that in the movies, there was so much drama, bullying, dating, and so on.
Drawing from her experience with Advanced Placement (AP) classes, she advises students to invest time and effort into their studies. She stresses the significance of mental preparedness and advocates for taking the weekdays off to prevent burnout, emphasizing the importance of self-care.
However, Julie also acknowledges the drawbacks of virtual learning back in 2020. She quickly found Zoom meetings become awkward encounters with many technological hiccups. However, she still identifies her senior year as the most challenging, grappling with the demands of AP Biology and the stress of college applications.
Unveiling a lesser-known facet of her life, Julie revealed that she holds a black belt in taekwondo, showcasing her commitment to pursuits beyond academics. However, it is the memories she forged with her church community that shines brightly above all else. The supportive and inclusive environment for her is a place where she finds joy come together with friendly bonds.
For Julie, the idea of success goes above mere academic achievements. Instead, it is the combination of both maturing and understanding the world’s realities. With aspirations to be an engineer, she expresses her love for physics and aims to address the gender disparity in STEM fields by promoting the presence of women.
Speaking of physics, here’s to a special shoutout to Ms. Sherger, Julie’s physics teacher from sophomore and junior year. “Without her,” Julie mentioned, “my love for physics and engineering never would’ve sparked the way it had.”
And from Ms. Sherger’s standpoint, it seems that she was equally as thrilled that Julie decided to first decide to get involved in STEM-related projects. She said in an email, “I was thrilled! Julie was my physics student and was a pleasure to have in class. And I was quite happy to see a female interested in STEM. Our club has become pretty male-dominated in the past three years.”
But in the tapestry of life, there are still lingering threads of regret. If there was anything that Julie would like to tell her younger self, it would be that there is indeed a life beyond social media and screens.
“One thing I regret when I was younger is becoming addicted to social media.” Julie said. “Don’t let yourself get addicted to it and get desensitized to bad content.”
Though on a more lighthearted segment, she also shared her favorite way to spend a day off: a retreat into the classic world of K-dramas. She personally recommends My Love from Another Star directed by Jang Tae-yoo and Oh Chung-hwan. A simple glimpse into the more leisurely side of a dedicated student, but also a reminder that even in the pursuit of excellence, moments of indulgence are crucial.
If anything, Julie would love to live the life of a 5-year old once more. She reminisces of the days when she allowed everyone to do everything for her, sleep all day, watch cartoons, and be able to eat whatever without feeling jugement.
Julie’s story is one of resilience, determination, and a commitment to personal and academic growth. As she navigates her senior year of Wayne Hills High School and pursues her dreams in engineering, her journey serves as an inspiration for students commiting to become just as hard of a worker as she.
