Los Angeles Architect Designer

My time in high school

Attended high school in the
1990s

Overall high school experience
7/10. Academic pressures, not feeling completely understood by friends, but generally a good time.

Grades in high school
Mostly A's

 

Favorite subjects
Visual Arts, English, Computer Science / Engineering / Technical

Struggled with...
PE, no hand eye coordination which made it stressful.

Favorite extracurricular
Cultural / Language


Life since high school

I’ve learned to value my time and energies and to spend them on and with people I share interests with, can grow with, and learn from.

Attended college / university at
UPenn

Majored in
Architecture and art history

Post-graduate education or training
Harvard graduate school of design

Places lived in US
Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts

Places lived outside the US
Paris, Seoul

Current occupations / past occupations
Architect/designer

Industries I've worked in
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (e.g. Law, Accounting, Interior Design, Graphic Design, R&D, PR, Advertising, etc.)
- Retail Trade

Did your education prepare you for your career or occupation?
Yes

Has your education or career/occupation trajectory ever changed? How?
Yes, considered fashion, did PR internships, then back to architecture


A little introspection...

To me, being successful means...
Doing what I love, working hard at it every day, and realizing that I've grown by making mistakes.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I don't associate success with (quick) fame or money, and have found that by just doing what I've described aa my idea of success, have found that the recognition and rewards are coming and feel that they are deserved.

My greatest accomplishment to date and what I’ve learned from it
Working on the seed of an idea (with a friend from high school actually), starting over 2 years ago, that we've been making slow but real steps to realize.

My biggest mistake or regret so far and what I’ve learned from it
Partying too much in my 20s, spending time on things or with people that weren't productive or worthwhile. I've learned to value my time and energies and to spend them on and with people I share interests with, can grow with, and learn from.

An unexpected event that significantly changed my life and how it impacted me
My mom got sick when I graduated from grad school and what was supposed to be a 3 month break at home ended up being 2 years - and resulted in my staying in CA which was unexpected considering my goals at the time (but now a happy turn of events).


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