Real Talk: Reframing the Risks
5 – Real Talk: Reframing the Risks
Real Talk Five Summary
By Shawn Li & Peter Hu
On July 21st, 2019, the Upper Dublin Chinese-American Association (UDCA), in collaboration with the UDSD Asian-American Students and Families Committee, hosted its fifth iteration of the Real Talk series. Real Talk, a semi-annual event aimed at encouraging student-parent communication and offering the collective wisdom of high school- and college-student panelists, is often centered around a theme, which this time was about perceived risks and their relevance to everyone’s daily lives..
After a few opening statements, including a heartfelt farewell to the estimable Robert Kim, the panelists (Raymond Zhao, Arwen Yoon, Max Jin, Eric Wang, Peter Hu, and Hyelee Yoon) began the dialogue with a discussion on how each of them has dealt with risks and fears. Many of those fears, unsurprisingly, dealt with the social sphere. Some found it difficult to talk to certain people; others worried about how everybody else would accept them.
In applying these frameworks to how they navigated recent developments in their lives, patterns began to emerge. Often the most difficult experiences produced, in hindsight, the most salient and favorable reflections. Despite the opportunity cost of forgoing an internship in favor of working at a restaurant, Raymond decided to see how something he had always taken for granted really worked. Having gone in with few clear expectations, he came out after one and a half grueling months with much greater respect for the packed, repetitive schedule of a restaurant host, as well as the chaos perpetuated in the kitchen. Arwen took the plunge and enrolled in a college far from home, knowing that she would endure a few weeks of difficult transition, but being convinced (as it turns out, rightfully so) that the new experiences, environment, and doorways to opportunity would enrich her worldview and earn her friends that she wouldn’t otherwise have.
Sometimes it was a sense of stagnation that spurred on action. Rather than spend a summer doing nothing, Eric took a camp counselor job and learned to work with rowdy, energetic children and direct their focus to camp activities. He put up with a good deal of mischief and excitement, but ultimately found it entirely worthwhile. After evaluating his life and deciding that college wasn’t giving him enough motivation to justify its cost, Max enlisted in the U.S. Army to fly drones, with an eye towards having future government support and strong credentials for joining or starting a drone business. This, despite the fear that he might not be good enough to serve his country, or potential fallout with his parents, has given him a definitive goal and future to focus on.
Sometimes a risk wouldn’t produce such stellar results. Peter, who does not have the gift of generating easy conversations, was working as a teaching assistant at a summer physics academy and became concerned about a particularly quiet student. Instead of simply moving on, he repeatedly tried to ask if anything was wrong, but in the end found his worries misplaced. The awkwardness, however, did not bother him for long, as he explained that perhaps he would have had greater regrets in ignoring the student than in starting an uncomfortable conversation.
Mrs. Hyelee Yoon provided the valuable perspective of a parent, and spoke a great deal about the risk inherent in shielding one’s children from too much risk. This addressed a new layer of consideration, one that gave parents in the audience much to ponder, and reaffirmed the notion that moderation is key: certainly children cannot be expected to take on the world unassisted, but they must also be actively and consistently pushed out of their comfort zones to ensure robust development.
Throughout the talk, audience members submitted anonymous comments on provided note cards, and in accordance with the topic, the panelists encouraged audience members to take the risk of getting to know one another on a more personal level after the forum concluded.
Overall, the reception has been very positive, and chatter about the event has been circulating through social media. The panelists would like to thank all attendees for their enthusiasm and support! The next Real Talk is tentatively scheduled for Winter Break. New panelists and volunteers are always welcome: if you or anyone you know is interested in contributing or being a part of this program, please contact Dr. Liang via liangling6@gmail.com for more information.
Panelists
- Peter Hu - UDHS Class of 2016
- Raymond Zhao - UDHS Class of 2018
- Max Jin - MHS Class of 2018
- Eric Wang - NPHS Class of 2022
- Arwen Yoon - UM Class of 2022
- Hyelee Yoon - Owner of Quo Vadis Consulting
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