Wilson Shi '24
College/School: College of Human Ecology
Major(s): Nutritional Sciences
Minor(s): Microbial Sciences; East Asian Studies
Campus Involvement: Kessler Presidential Scholars Program, Anime Club
What photos did you choose to share and why are they meaningful?
I chose these photos because I think they tell a story of perseverance and community. The first photo (above) is me standing alone at the Newman Arboretum with my former Kessler Scholars mentor Alejandra behind the camera. This was one of few moments where I got to hang out with someone face to face during my freshman year at Cornell. My mentor took me out to the Arboretum to explore some of the nature that Ithaca has to offer, despite the not ideal weather. Our freshman years were consumed by the looming shadow of the pandemic. Our ability to make friends and form communities (which already was a difficult task in college) was made almost impossible. I feel like the first photo is sort of symbolic of this reality that we faced. We were all alone with a bunch of dying nature around us. We had to latch on to what little we had, grit our teeth, and push through it all.
The second photo (below) is basically a polar opposite to the first. I was no longer alone, with my face being covered by a mask. Instead, I was smiling, surrounded by great friends and great leaders. The perseverance that pushed us through the tough early years at Cornell has led to this victory. And who better to celebrate it with than the very people who have been there with you every step of the way. The Kessler Scholars Program has been such a rock throughout my entire college journey since everyone involved with the program was always so willing to reach out and support me even through the toughest of times.
How have you grown during your time at Cornell?
The biggest areas in which I’ve grown over my time at Cornell are my teamwork and leadership skills. Since Cornell is such a big place, I feel like you get to meet and work with so many different people in your four years here. From the time of the first picture, I feel like I wasn’t a leader yet, that I didn’t have enough experience in college and in life. But by taking advantage of all the opportunities that I was given, from being a Peer Mentor at Kessler to officer positions at clubs, I feel like I was able to find my own voice and the confidence to speak my mind no matter what.
What's a core memory you'll always have from your time at Cornell?
A core memory from my time at Cornell takes place during finals week of the Spring 2023 semester. I had just finished all my exams and was meeting up with some senior officers from the Anime Club who were going to graduate in a few weeks for some boba. I had just been elected President of the club a few weeks prior and was soon going to be the only officer in 2022-23 to move on to 2023-24.
We all sat down together at U Tea and played board games, drank boba, and updated our club’s history on the official website. It was all very low-key but those few hours had a big impact on me. It was the first time that friends that I’ve made were going to be graduating and moving on with their lives. This moment sort of served as our last meeting. At the end, I left feeling a little bittersweet, sad that it’ll be a while before I see them again but glad that I was able to meet them in the first place.
What's the one thing you'll take away from your experience?
While the classes you take and the research you do at Cornell may make you a smarter and more gifted person academically, it pales in comparison to what non-academic experiences at Cornell have to offer. Being able to broaden your horizons with people who are not just in the same major or the same class can teach you so much more about yourself and others than any class can. Five years down the line, I won’t remember all the tests I took or the problem sets that I did. But I will definitely remember all the moments that all of my non-academic ventures allowed me to experience.
What advice would you have for new Cornellians?
My biggest piece of advice for new Cornellians is to not be afraid of new things and new opportunities. There may be some club/organization/position that you may be hesitant in joining/being a part of. But a vast majority of the time, taking that first step will help you learn so much about yourself and about others. Being hesitant only means that you are not moving forward!