HC: Where are you from?
Ike: Toronto, Canada
HC: What is your class year?
Class of 2016
HC: How long is the flight home?
It’s about an 8 hours Drive and a 1.5 hour flight
HC: What’s the temperature in the winter/summer?
Summer is really similar to New England. It’s about 60-70 and sometimes goes up to 90 and the winter is pretty cold. It gets down to around 10-20 and sometimes even down to -10 degrees
HC: What do you do at home on a typically Saturday night?
Mostly hang out with friends. We normally hit up the shopping malls. Toronto has a lot of really great restaurants so we love to go around and get some good food. I also like to play some pick up basketball games with my friends.
HC: How did you hear about Amherst? What influenced your decision to come here?
Back during Freshman year of high school when I was starting to think about college a little bit, I started looking at Canadian Universities and American colleges. One thing that stuck out were the liberal arts college. So when it came time to apply, I thought why not go for the best ones like Williams and Amherst.
HC: Did your high school send a lot of students to American Universities and Colleges?
I went to an IB school so about 50% of kids wanted to go to American schools but only about two or three actually end up going each year. In my year, it was 3.
HC: What are some differences that you’ve noticed between home and Amherst/what have you found surprising about Amherst?
One of the biggest changes for me is living in a small town. Everything is really accessible back home. Like, the bus comes around every 3 minutes. Here, PTVA takes like an hour. Another thing is that here, you can see stars. In Toronto there is so much light pollution in Toronto because it’s a big city so I never really see the stars. It is a more rural setting here, which I like sometimes because it’s quieter and better for studying.
HC: What type of activities are you involved in at Amherst?
I’m a part of DQ (an Amherst Acapella group), the Chinese Student Association, and International Student Association. I also play Intramural basketball.
HC: What are some things you miss about home?
Definitely the food! There is wide array of really good food in Toronto that I can’t get at Val. Also, being able to get around. Accessibility. I can get where I need to go in like 5 minutes, whether using the car or the bus system. I also miss my friends a lot. Here, most students have maybe four or five other students from their state, city, or even high school. There are no other students from Toronto in my class, so sometimes it can get lonely in that way.
HC: Do you find yourself more drawn to International or Domestic students?
Being raised in Toronto, you are being raised in a very western culture. It’s not like coming from China or the Middle East where the American lifestyle might be a complete culture shock. I am really comfortable with the culture and the people.
HC: Do you see yourself sticking around after Amherst?
I’m not sure yet. I would really like to work in America but if that doesn’t work out then I would just go back to Toronto. I also speak Mandarin Chinese so I could also go to China for some opportunities.
HC: What is your favorite thing about Amherst?
Definitely the people. The people and the professors. I’ve only been here for a semester and a half but I already have made so many close friends. My friends here have definitely helped to make me a better a person. I love the tight-knit community. The professors all really want to help you do well and succeed. They are all so open to speaking with you during office hours and after class or even typo-ing (Take Your Professor Out). Everyone here has done something special or is really good at something and I really like how we all share and teach each other.
HC: Was this your first time in America? If not, how often have you been?
No, not at at all. It is so close. We come down to NY almost whenever we want. So I have been to America so many times. My family really loves to travel so we’ve been to Florida, the Mid-west, Arizona, among other places.
HC: What do you plan to major in?
Not sure yet. I am probably going to major in chemistry but I’m also really interested in art. I love music and the performing arts so I’m not totally ruling out doing something with that.
HC: What has been your favorite experience so far?
The first time DQ performed in front of an audience. It was for DIVOH. We had just auditioned and been accepted into DQ like two or three days before and immediately after we were in they told us that we were going to perform. We (all the new DQ members) were really shocked and kind of nervous but it was so much fun. Acapella is really easy going and you’re supposed to have fun on stage. It was great to get up there and perform for all the potential students.