WDYDWYD?

[Rachel Lee]

It’s not like I’ve never been asked this question before. I’ve heard it in some form or another. Like when people ask for me to describe myself, what my favorite activities are, and why I like to do them. And when I would answer these questions, the answers came easy. But when asked, “Why do you do what you do?” and that alone, without specifying what kind of answer is expected, this question becomes much more thought provoking. Thinking about it now, I believe that I’m still discovering what that really means to me as I try to define myself as an individual and as the person I would ideally want to be.One of the first things that comes to mind is what I’m doing right now as a college student at UCLA. I’m here because I worked hard as a high school student. I’m here because I want to make my parents proud and I aspire to one day become a doctor. I’ve most recently tried to become more involved in opportunities other than academics such as peer advising at an underprivileged school in Los Angeles, learning a traditional Chinese string instrument, and possibly joining an acapella group because of my love for singing. I’ve been trying to do things that I love and pursue my passions, while working hard with my academics and appreciating my education.The second thing that comes to mind when asked this question causes me to delve a little deeper than thinking about what I’m doing right now. I think about the core values that I have and how I might be able to integrate them into my everyday life. I consider family and the feeling of a community to be one of the most important things that people should treasure and value. I value confidence in oneself despite the external pressures and influence that could cause an individual to think otherwise. I value honesty, goodness, and appreciation. And each day, I believe in the importance of growing and learning with these values. That is what I want to do.