Fencing

Q: When did you start playing your sport?

A: I started fencing when I was thirteen. Bernardsville Middle School had an after school program for fencing that one of my sister’s friends started so my sister joined the first year and then I started going and watching and joined the following year.

Q: What foods/drinks are in your ideal fridge?

A: Sushi, bubble tea, Eileen’s cheesecake from New York, my mom’s soy sauce chicken, ramen noodles, kimchi, Mondu soon doo boo from BCD in New York, kale chips, and Ito-ben dark green tea, pears, and buffalo wings.

Q: What was your most memorable moment in your sport throughout high school?

A: When I won state individuals last year. While at the beginning of the year I was included in the list of athletes to watch, I don’t really think anyone, including myself, really expected me to win state individuals. I was only the third person in our school’s history to ever win state individuals.

Q: If you could play any Olympic sport for any country, which would you choose and why?

A: USA all the way! If I could choose any sport, I would probably just stick with fencing because I really like the community of people and how it is both a very individual sport but also can be a team sport.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to your Freshman self, what would it be?

A: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE ANY OF THE HOGGE RESEARCH PAPERS.

Q: Do you have any secret/hidden talents?

A: I fence lefty but I am really a righty. I taught myself to do other things with my left hand so sort of a self-taught ambidextrous

Q: If you could meet one professional athlete, who would it be and why?

A: Gracie Gold because she is just an amazing person and her figure skating is beautiful to watch.

Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals/superstitions?

A: Whenever I compete at national events I always have to eat something with buffalo sauce the same weekend. I don’t really know why or how I started it, but it’s something I would definitely feel weird about if I stopped doing.

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

A: I am not really sure. I want to study Economics and Finance in college and eventually go into international corporate law. I am definitely counting on college to help me figure out what field I want to go into.

Q: Where do you plan on applying to college?

A: I signed my National Letter of Intent for Duke

Q: If you could be really good at any activity you aren’t already good at, what would it be and why?

A: Staying organized. I am always running late for things or losing my homework or keys or something else important and I don’t pay enough attention to deadlines or important dates.

Q: If there was a movie made about you who would you cast to play yourself?

A: Aubrey Plaza, I think she is really funny and could get how sarcastic my tone is a lot of the time.

Q: If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?

A: Telekinesis because honestly I am a pretty lazy person and I think it would be great if I could just get things to come to me by thinking it instead of getting up and getting it.

Q: What is your greatest weakness?

A: I can be too intense a lot and because of that I get in my own head and often focus on what I did wrong when I fence rather than what I did right.

Q: If you could have one teacher as a parent, who would it be and why?

A: Dr. Hogge because he is a true renaissance man. He is one of my favorite teachers, his wassel and chocolate chip cookies are amazing, and his discussions are really entertaining and fun.

Q: What is your favorite TV show?

A: Gotham, How To Get Away With Murder, Scream Queens, House of Cards, and Bones.

Q: What do you love most about your sport?

A: It isn’t that mainstream but still very popular globally. This makes our community really close so I have made friends from places like Texas, California, Germany and Singapore. Just a few weeks ago I was in Bratislava, Slovakia for a Junior World Cup for the second time; a place I never even imagined going once, let alone twice thanks to fencing.

Q: Who is one person you will never forget from your time at Bernards?

A: Alicia Tsai and Hailey Hahn. They’re both some of my best friends and some of my best memories here at Bernards because of them.

Q: What is your favorite thing about high school?

A: It gave me the opportunity to figure out what I want to study in college and allowed me to do things that I enjoyed while also letting me look impressive to colleges and helping me get into Duke.