With long flowing hair, a warm, welcoming demeanor, and a skill with words unmatched by many, James Zhan has become a celebrity in his own right within the professional writing program. An english and professional writing double major in his second year, James has managed to find a place in the hearts of many students within the small program. When asked about his status among his fellow students, he laughs and says: “I don’t feel like I’m a celebrity within my program, but someone told me that my long hair, together with my glasses and Asian face, is what makes me stands out. If that’s the case, I feel pretty damn pleased.”
Since his first year, James has been a memorable figure within PRWR. From the moment he entered his first tutorial for an introductory writing course, he commanded the attention of everyone in the room. His long hair, now considered to be his most defining physical feature, matched with band t-shirts, black pants, created an outward appearance that seemed intimidating and very metal at first glance. However, it did not take James’ tutorial-mates long to realize his softness and warmth towards other people, especially those who needed his help. He never hesitates to help or encourage those he meets, and always tries to say a kind word about everyone. James believes that some of the relationships he has formed over the past two years have truly impacted him and provided opportunities to practice and improve his writing skills, and he holds each person he meets in high regard.
However, his appearance and personality are not the only things he is renowned for. James stands out in the program as one of the strongest writers, captivating anyone who reads or listens to his work. His apparent gift with words is partially thanks to the writing experience he has gained by writing for York’s newspaper, Excalibur, and McLaughlin College’s magazine, MacMedia, but he also credits his personal love of writing: “The magic of writing always fascinates me a lot; it can create a whole new world to the readers, manipulate readers’ emotions, persuade readers…and I’d love to become good at it. Plus, the act of writing brings me pleasure.” James’ love of writing is what drove him to originally switch majors into professional writing. However, writing is not all he does.
Aside from being a student and writing for various publications on campus, James also writes music, plays in a metal band, and runs his own music production business. When I asked him about his time management skills, he laughs and cringes sheepishly: “I am not really good at managing time, but I do try to make sure I know what needs to be done by when, and know the priorities of the tasks in my to-do list. And I will get it done no matter what (most of the time).”
While not completely sure of what he wants to do post-graduation, James feels drawn towards the book industry, primarily as an editor.
His advice to both current and future professional writing students? “If you are already in the program, and you like it, then you are doing the right thing! Just make sure you keep being on track. If you are considering applying to the program: do it, because you will be amazed how much you will have improved as a writer.”