Han Chiang High School’s Inspiring Prodigy – Lee Ruo Zhen

Lee Ruo Zhen is a junior student from J1E Zhi(智). When interviewed, Ruo Zhen first expressed her gratitude towards both her parents and teachers for giving her the chance to participate in such competitions, as well as for their guidance. Regarding the competitions she had previously participated in, they included elocutions, art contests, math competitions, cup stacking contests and more.

Achievements and Awards

Ruo Zhen also mentioned that one of her proudest achievements was when she received the opportunity in America to participate in a mental arithmetic competition at the small age of 7. She went on to win first place, still feeling proud of it till this day. Furthermore, Ruo Zhen stated that she often revises and prepares for upcoming competitions after she’s finished with schoolwork, usually before she goes to bed. She shared that this method has helped her manage her time effectively, balancing both studying and competition preparation so she isn’t lacking in any aspect.

Future aspirations

Moreover, Ruo Zhen revealed that she aspires to become a mental arithmetic or mathematics teacher in the future. She hopes to educate other people and encourage them to step out of their comfort zone, and join more competitions just like how she did. Other than that, she shared what was to her, the best advice she had ever received. Ruo Zhen said to never overestimate or underestimate your opponents. Instead, she urged us to learn from our opponents and always strive to improve.

Advice

Furthermore, Ruo Zhen advised to not stress too much over competitions, and to strive for the best no matter what, as even Ruo Zhen herself had faced difficulties with managing her time initially. Lastly, Ruo Zhen shared her opinions on some of the benefits of actively participating in different competitions. Some benefits include not only being able to broaden your knowledge and skills, but also being given the opportunity to learn from your opponents and do even better, as she believes there is always room for improvement.

Improvements

Other than that, Ruo Zhen shared that she still wished to improve on her time management, as she thinks it would help reduce some stress and allow her to spend more time on herself. She stated that she has started to use planners to map out her weekly schedules, a habit that she strongly encourages others to follow. Ruo Zhen then proceeded to talk about some of the extracurricular activities and tuitions she attends, such as the Chinese debate club of Han Chiang High School, science, and mathematics tuitions. She added that these courses have helped her in public speaking, self confidence, and her academics.

Benefits

Ruo Zhen expressed that though actively participating in different competitions is good and something she encourages, she also reminded everyone that always being busy may lead to burnout and strain personal relationships with friends and family. Lastly, Ruo Zhen said that, since her last competition, she has improved much more. This is because she was extremely nervous and under-confident during her first competition as compared to her latest one.

In conclusion, Ruo Zhen is a role model for all of us. She aspires both the younger and older generation to a better future, inspiring all of us to persevere through hardships and overcome challenges.