Welcome to my page! I’m Samantha Wai, and I’m a sophomore at SHC. I am definitely a person who can be nervous when you first get to know me, but when I start to warm up, I can be very funny and talkative. I am also very resourceful and persistent when obstacles are put in my path. In terms of academics at SHC, my favorite classes currently are probably Advanced Pre-Calculus and AP Psychology. I’ve always loved math since I was younger until now because of its countless layers to unfold and the straightforward answers that I can derive from it rather than having to think more critically. The way that it brings out the analytical side of me and challenges me in its unique and sometimes tricky ways allows me to grow and continue to learn new things every day. Psychology, being a new AP class for me, has been both challenging and incredibly interesting. It has actually recently become a new interest for me, as I was not sure if it would be what I was expecting. However, it turned out to be even better and much more fascinating than I thought it would be. I enjoy learning about the mind and behavioral processes that each and every one of us has. Through this class, I also hope to understand more of the underlying causes and effects of mental health issues, especially because my 2021-2022 i2 project revolved around the correlation between social media and mental health.

In school, extracurricular clubs I have joined this year and last year include the Emerald (school newspaper), Tech Crew, Debate Club, and Badminton Club. Out of those, I am most involved and interested in Tech Crew and the Emerald. For tech, I am a part of the sound crew and love that I can learn new things about technology while helping out with sound in productions or events when needed. Working behind the soundboard not only gives me a sense of responsibility and control but also helps me practice communication and collaboration with others. I enjoy the Emerald because I can write about topics I am passionate about and improve my writing skills greatly. This year, I am working as a section editor in the Opinion section, so I love that I can talk to other writers and help them publish their own articles. These various clubs have provided me so far with a great SHC experience and allowed me to be more active and connected with my peers and those around me.

Outside of school, I enjoy pursuing other interests. I absolutely love baking and cooking during my spare time. I am not very good with art, but I feel like baking and cooking can be outlets for expressing my creativity. From doing the smallest things like adding a much-needed pinch of salt to a sweet chocolate chip cookie to experimenting with new flavors, ube (purple yam) being a unique favorite of mine, I feel as though I can be creative with what I add to my food. I also have a lot of fun volunteering to help others. Some things I have done before are helping at food banks and cooking for those in need. During the summer, I volunteered as a TA for a school program that helps low-income students and spent a week as an ambassador for Jumpstart. Currently, I am helping out at a program called ENGin, practicing English with a student my age in Ukraine. These are some things I have volunteered for before, and I hope to continue to do more as I grow older. As for leisurely activities, I enjoy watching TV and hanging out with my friends. Some of my favorite movies and shows are Heartstopper, Beautiful Boy, Stranger Things, and New Girl. Additionally, I have a lot of fun hosting sleepovers and going to places like the mall and interesting food areas with my friends.

During my time here at SHC, I hope to continue to do many things, like progress immensely in my studies, meet new people and challenges, and undertake more activities that will help me reach my best potential and change me for the better. As a member of the i2 program, it is my hope that I can make an effort to help out and change the community I live in through my ideas and determination. I want to be able to make a difference in the lives of others, whether it may be a few or many. That being said, with the i2 program’s help, I believe that I can contribute to the well-being of others so that I can be a positive influence on the world around me.

MY BLOGS

My 2021-2022 i2 Project

This year, for my i2 project, I, along with my partner, Michael Bridon, have decided to create a short video documentary that centers on the topic, How Social Media’s Standards Affect Mental Health. Our plan is to conduct research on the topic, as well as on ideas that surround the topic such as social media, […] Read more

The i2 Journey Begins

As a freshman in the i2 program at SHC, I am so excited for my new journey and the challenges and experiences that come along with it. Being able to make it into this program has been so exciting and completely new for me. I was not really sure about what this program was at […] Read more

i2 Projects

How Social Media Standards Affect Mental Health

In this era, almost everybody has seen or at least heard of social media. It is everywhere, and there are billions of people that use it and even consider it as a part of their daily life.

Project details

atypicalautism.com

Welcome to my project! I'm Sam, and this website is dedicated to an interesting topic I have been able to learn about this past year, which is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Project details