avid questioner.

In addition to writing for school and outside organizations, I was practicing and improving my production and research skills in the following classes: 

Part of my undergraduate career started online during the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning I had to complete this course with the mechanics of my own iPhone. I learned how to shoot my own videos using an iPhone and a cheap tripod in addition to building skills in Adobe Premiere Pro. The first video is an interview assignment I did with a classmate from high school who grew a quick following on TikTok. The second video is a short PSA of clips and audio I was given by the professor to practice my Premiere Pro skills. Finally, the last video is a culmination of the skills I learned in the virtual semester, which focused on the phenomenon of instant coffee that took over TikTok for multiple months.  

In Spring 2023, I took Narrative Journalism to fulfill my Journalism electives, covering a daycare based in a home on M Street. Known as Ms. P’s Daycare, I spent several weeks observing the daily activities of Ms. P and her two daughters as they took care of multiple kids in the comfort of their home, crafting their  decade-long experience in 1000+ words. It takes a lot of effort to do what they love, and they are not slowing down. Read on if you want to more about  how this family takes on childcare!

In Spring 2023, I took Magazine Writing to fulfill my Journalism electives and wrote 2000+ words on a local Dungeons & Dragons — a tabletop role playing game — group based in D.C. and was formed online. The story took me over two months to complete but it’s one of my favorites as I got to branch out of my tendency to report on areas close to Foggy Bottom. Want to know more about D&D? Read below!

In Spring 2022, I took Data Analysis for Journalism and Political Communication where I and my SMPA classmates learned how to use R Studio in 15 weeks. My final project for the class had to consist of three individual graphs that actively delivered the evidence for my research topic (world-renowned K-Pop male group BTS). The link below showcases my beginner experience with R Studio and my small analysis of BTS and their economic impact on the South Korean economy.

In Spring 2024, I completed my capstone for the Journalism major within SMPA. For the semester, I had to produce 3 projects in different mediums: podcast, news package, and a short documentary. Each idea is unique to what I wanted to cover in the local DMV area while also fitting the beat of social advocacy topics and issues. You can click on any of the 3 projects to view my work!

In Spring 2022, I wrote about the cultural and political history of the LGBTQ+ community in Japan as part of my Politics and Foreign Policy of Japan final research paper. Using 3000+ words and 20+ sources, I got to briefly research how the LGBTQ+ communities in Japan came to identify themselves and how each sub-community's cultural significance evolved since the 1800s. I end the paper with a short synopsis of the recent and past Japanese federal policies enacted to recognize LGBTQ rights and the slow rise of LGBTQ+ politicians in municipal and provincial governments. Access to my paper is available in the PDF below. 

In Spring 2024, I took a history class titled Two Koreas that documented how North and South Korea came to be post-colonization and post-Korean War. The course mainly brought up topics of neo-imperialism, occupation, identity and many more in just 15 weeks as the class read and watched numerous Korean stories told through autobiographical memoirs, comics, and films. My final paper consisted of a 10+ page literature analysis of Heinz Insu Fenkl’s Memories of My Ghost Brother, specifically connecting his mother and other Korean camptown women’s experiences to the broader context of misogyny and ethnic homogeneity apparent in post-Korean War society. Access to my paper is available in the PDF below!