Hobbies

Piano

I’ve always had a fine ear for music, and was sold the very first time when I got my first keyboard as a present all those years ago. Since then, I have gotten to RCM level 9 with a deep understanding of music and technique. I’ve consistently played in the yearly concerts organized by my high school as a way to bring my skill and compositions out into the local public. In 2018, Les Six, a piano group which I was a member of, won first place in Los Angeles at the GOCAA International Competition. Recently, I moved onto playing and composing music individually for some more creative freedom.

Graphic Design and Film

A YouTube channel I had started back in 2015 ignited my interest in graphic design and film, and I’ve been making and editing videos and pictures as a hobby ever since. This hobby was then furthered when I enrolled in a Communications Technology course at my school, giving me real world examples and training. This was never a direct career goal or interest in the beginning, but I have learned so much and now take pride in actively making creative media texts, as well as how I display my personal image through this medium.

Karate

I’ve always respected martial arts, for both the history and modern self-defence applications. I first started my small journey in an after-school program with Taekwondo in elementary school, but it wasn’t as useful compared to learning in a traditional dojo. Later on, I got an invite from one of my friends to try out a free class at the dojo he went to, and it just clicked from there. I got started right away and was a dedicated student eventually reaching up to 2nd degree black belt in ranking. I still practice occasionaly on my own for physical fitness, as well as keeping general self-defence in my mind because you never know what could happen out there.

Ballroom Dancing

When most people say they are dancers, it’s usually in styles like jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, etc. that kind of thing. However, I fall into a different category. My parents suggested to sign me and my sister up for ballroom dancing as partners. It seemed very awkward at the beginning, but we soon learned to like the style and its special quirks. We decided to also go competitive and participate in competitions up to reaching pre-champ rank (that last year being very intensive) and winning many medals. Participating in dance has helped grow my self-esteem as well as boosting my image at parties (particularly with a partner). Once COVID hit, with all the restrictions, dance lessons came to a halt. However, I still occasionaly review some routines, individually or with my sister, so that these skills are not forgotten and I can apply them to real social scenarios.