Okay, so Rachel Hsiong isn’t an actual DJ. But just as an EP raises awareness of an artist’s talent, I hope this article will allow her the attention she deserves! Rachel is a second year Mechanical Engineer who is a perfect candidate for Campus Celebrity. Some people (much like myself) find their sophomore year to be fraught with a perpetual nagging sense of snack-hunger, messy buns, regular all-nighters, juggling due dates for papers, and a shaky attempt to keep a grasp on a slippery GPA. Not that Rachel doesn’t experience these things (I assure you, she is, indeed, human), but the way in which she handles the aforementioned while maintaining an impeccable GPA, position as Momentum Internal Lead in Triton Engineering Student Council, membership in an exclusive engineering honors society (Tau Beta Pi), and belonging to a group of Jacobs School Scholars astounds me. Everyone, it is my pleasure to present Rachel Hsiong.
Q: What are you involved in here at UCSD?A: I am part of TESC [Triton Engineering Student Council], Tau Beta Pi, and a bio-inspired materials lab on campus. I prepare samples right now, but I’m also working on my own project studying Porcupine fish and the structure and composition of their spines.
Q: What do you want to do after you graduate college?A: That’s tough. I don’t really know what I want to do. That’s why I picked Mechanical engineering, because it has so many different applications. So I’m using college to help me decide what I like and narrow my focus.
Q: How do you balance your GPA, extracurricular activities, and a social life?!A: I don’t really! I just sleep really late. And somehow get things done… it’s like magic!
Q: Describe your ideal Saturday.A: A Saturday where I don’t have to worry about doing any work and I can just relax! Probably going to the beach with my apartment mates.
Q: Do you have any nicknames?A: My apartment mates call me “DJ.” One of them started calling me Rachy-Rach, then it became DJ Rachy-Rach. Then she dropped the “Rachy-Rach,” but kept “DJ.” Which is ironic because I have never picked the music that plays in our apartment. I just listen to whatever plays. A more appropriate nickname would be “DJ You-Pick” or “DJ What-Is-This-Song-Called.”
Q: What is one of your biggest quirks?A: Whenever I touch hot objects, instead of putting them down, I just exclaim “HOT HOT HOT!” Basically every time I take something out of the microwave.
Q: Do you have any advice for other collegiettes?A: Just because you’re a female engineer doesn’t mean you have to bend to the stereotype of being masculine or purely analytical. Just embrace being a female and an engineer! You don’t need to go out of your way to be like one of the guys. When people ask me what it’s like to be a female engineer, I’m a little surprised because it’s not something I’m hyper-aware of. To me, we’re all students and we’re all learning. We all want to prove that we’re good at what we do.