Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Year: 2017
Major(s)/minor(s): IGS major with a double minor in Business & French and Francophone Studies (will be a Business major in the future, I hope)
HC: What are you involved in on campus?
Rachel Attah: I am the Events Coordinator for Kaos Kids. So all those Kaos spam messages you see on Facebook are by moi. I mean well, I promise! I am also a part the Brandeis Korean Course Language Initiative (BKCLI), an amazing organization that is the sole reason why Korean is offered at Brandeis. Through their Korean Language Table Program, I have been diligently studying Korean on my own time for the past two years. I am also a member of the Brandeis Korean Student Association (BKSA) as a fellow lover and admirer of Korean culture as well as a fellow dancer in the Girls Dance Group. Everyone should come check out K-Nite next semester as it is always a blast, there’s amazing performances, and free food. Who hates FREE food? No one is who. I also volunteer for Waltham Group: Language Empowering Action Project (LEAP) as an ESL tutor where I help immigrant adults in the Waltham Community improve their English language proficiency as well as assimilate to American culture. Oh! I also work for the Campus Center Team. So that beautiful, smiling face that greets you ever so kindly and answers all of your questions at the Info Booth desk in the SCC, is me. Who wouldn’t be in a good mood when you have the best job on campus?
HC: Of the activities you are involved in, what has made the most impact on you as a person?
RA: That’s a hard question as I like to think that all experiences/encounters change me in one way or another. However, if I was to pick just one, I would say Kaos Kids. I find that dancing is my own little safe haven away from the stress of college as well as a place for self-discovery in an open environment. Kaos Kids has allowed me to challenge myself as I learn new dances and techniques, experiment with different dance styles, as well as choreograph my own pieces. Choreographing is an art within itself and something that I do struggle with as it doesn’t come easy to me as other things do. But in the end it is an immensely rewarding process to both create something new and have people perform it in front of a live audience. So when everything’s said and done, you can say “I actually created that piece and people enjoyed it.” Overall though, I like the family aspect and the diversity that exists within Kaos the most. It’s always motivating to know you have friends who share the same passion as you, who can help you grow as a dancer and as an individual as well as double as a support group when times become difficult. It’s a type of community that I think anyone can benefit from and should seek out during their college experience.
HC: How do you like to spend your free time? Or is free time a mythical beast that you sometimes read about on cryptozoology conspiracy theory websites?
RA: What is this “free time” that you speak of? Hahaha (but seriously though). When I am not being a hermit due to studying for an exam, or writing a paper, I like to chill in my dorm. It may seem kind of lame to other people, but I value my alone time. It gives me time to recuperate from the stress of just anything and catch up on anything I’ve missed in life. So chilling for me includes, catching up on TV such as the Vampire Diaries or Arrow, watching K-Dramas (which completely beat American soaps by a longggg shot), playing acoustic guitar, or sleeping. If I am feeling active, I’ll go out to Boston or Harvard Square, do some shopping/ give myself a little pick-me-up or just hang with my friends.
HC: Is there anything you would like to accomplish before you graduate from Brandeis? Any bucket list you are crossing items off of?
RA: For most of my life I feel like I’ve been stuck in this dichotomy of enjoying my youth and preparing for the real world. In my opinion the later is much easier to accomplish because it is more predictable, more controlled in a sense, but with youth anything is possible. So during my time at Brandeis, I want to treasure the simple things in life and try everything at least once because at the end of the day I don’t want to simply just exist. I want to live. Do I have a bucket list per se? Not really. I do what I like and sometimes I like to change it up. It’s as simple as that. Oh, but I am interested in martial arts. So if anyone knows about any good MMA or UFC gyms in the Waltham area, please let me know!
HC: What are your plans after Brandeis?
RA: I aspire to either become a cultural advisor, work for the State Department, become a Foreign Service Officer, or the U.S. Ambassador for South Korea. Most likely, all of those things in that order as they are stepping stones to the next position. Oh, for those who don’t know what a cultural advisor (aka International Consultant) is, it is an individual who helps businesses enter the international realm and help alleviate any tension that may arise due to cultural differences. Having difficulties with communication between your French and Swedish employees? Call me. Need someone to make the management transition process from Mexico to China as smooth as possible? Call me. Whether it is translating or acting as a liaison between clients and managers a cultural advisor’s goal is to make sure you reach your destination with peace of mind. In a nutshell, I hope to become the Olivia Pope of intercultural communications (minus the scandal).
Quick facts:
Favorite Movie: X-Men (all variations)
Favorite Book: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (the entire series, really)
Favorite Place to Hang Out with Friends: Anywhere with food. A girl’s gotta eat.
If you could travel anywhere without cost being an issue, where would you go? South Korea. Hands down.