EPISODE 3: AMBER ZHAO
May 30, 2024
INTERVIEW BY PRIYANKA GERA
Edited by Amar Gopal
Photo by Ivan Dominguez
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Minnesota, in a suburb of St. Paul called Shoreview. Pretty typical small-town suburb.
Anything to do in Shoreview if someone were to visit?
Shoreview is so residential; I think we only have one restaurant in the whole town. It’s kind of like this area, where in Valhalla we just have the campus. If you are visiting Shoreview, just come visit me :) If you are going to Minnesota in general, everyone goes to the Mall of America. It's maybe the biggest mall in the country. It has an amusement park inside and an aquarium too. There is no tax on clothes in Minnesota. People love going to the North Shore; it's very beautiful. Lots of lakes. Definitely visit in the summer.
Do you consider yourself an outdoorsy person?
I definitely was before college. I went to college in the city (in NY) so it took away my outdoorsy side from lack of exposure. Now that I am up here, though, I’m really enjoying it more.
So what brought you to NY from Minnesota?
I went to Columbia and I applied there early. When I first visited NYC, I didn’t like it; it was very loud, very dirty, and it smelled like pee everywhere. I came anyway because I wanted to go to Columbia. I always loved reading and science, and Columbia Engineering requires students to take some core humanity courses. At the time, I loved it, and over time, I grew to love the city because of college.
Any tips for anyone moving into the city?
Get used to small spaces. Also, in the summer, it gets really disgusting in the subway. Use the MTA app to time when the trains are coming so you don’t have to wait down in the station for too long. It’s too hot and humid.
DId you take gap years?
I took 2 gap years. For the first 1.5 years, I worked at a fertility clinic. It was interesting. I learned a lot.
That’s a very diplomatic answer. [Both laugh]
That’s all I am going to say about that. For the other half of the year, I worked as a legal advocate for an organization called Crime Victims Treatment Center. They provide free mental health and legal services to survivors of violent crimes in NYC. I had volunteered with them before, and one of their permanent legal advocates was going on maternity leave, so I was a temp for her. It was a perfect fit though because I had already been involved with the organization. I had already gotten into school at that point, so it was a great chance to do something non-medical for the remaining time.
What about your family? Will you be the first doctor?
No. Both my parents are MD/PhDs.
Do you have siblings?
I do! I have an older brother named Alan, who lives in Brooklyn. He is a project manager at a startup. I don’t really know what he does or what project manager means [both laugh].
Are you the youngest? How was that like growing up?
I definitely felt like the baby. I still expect that from my family. I feel like my brother had it a bit easier, though. I remember my mother used to say that B’s (in school) were fine, but then my brother’s friend's parents commented once “You are so easy on your kids.” After that, my mother said that B’s are not fine for me. So they really got strict with me.
In an alternate universe, what would your profession be?
Oh, something with animals for sure. I was actually going to apply to vet school. But then I thought, “would I rather work with humans or dogs?” I love animals so much that I would not be able to handle the emotional factor of their care; but for humans, it's not that I don’t like them, but it's easier to manage that aspect. I was also really into the environment and evolutionary biology (and still am), so I could also see myself being a marine biologist in Australia, studying sharks or something.
Do you have any pets?
I do. No surprise, everyone knows Beansprout.
No, I don’t know about Beansprout. Tell me more.
You know Beansprout. You liked my instagram story yesterday! [Both laugh]
Well, now I know.
He's an orange cat. His full name is Beansprout, but we call him Beanie. He is almost two. I’ve had him since he was a kitten. A friend of a friend found him in their backyard in the city. Funny story, I used to be a big dog person (and I still am), but I was allergic to cats. One year, my boyfriend moved in with someone who had a cat, and I used to be there a lot; it changed my life. I needed a cat after that. I saw this girl with a kitten crying on Central Park West, and I held it. I had a breakdown on the street because I was so mad I was allergic. I made an appointment with an allergist afterward to get allergy shots so I could get a cat. Around the time I was about to be cleared from my allergist, my friend’s friend found Beanie. So here we are.
How did his name come about though?
He used to be really small, and he's a pale orange. I wanted a funny, punny name. In Chinese, his name is Dòu Miáo (豆苗), which means bean sprout. But because he is a cat, it’s Dòu Meow. So his English name is Beanie; his government name is Beansprout, and his Chinese name is Dòu Meow.
I love all the different names. Does he respond to all of them?
No, I just call him Beanie. Sometimes I call him Smallhead Beanie because his head is so tiny. He actually met Dr. Beck last week—she has a veterinarian background. She loved him. I want to see if he can meet Dr. Lerea, who I think really loves cats.
What’s the last book you read?
I read "The Doctors Blackwell" for History of Medicine. It's about Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female MD in the U.S., and her sister Emily. It was really interesting for a biography. It’s not really my genre, but it was a great read about their lives. A lot of the book was drawn from their journal entries, so you get insight into their minds. Elizabeth Blackwell was a bit of a "pick-me" girly. She hated feminists back then. She basically says, "The problem with the tyranny of men is that women are weak," which she actually writes to someone who was organizing the Rochester Convention for Women’s Rights. She was in medical school at the time of the Convention and was invited to be an inspiration to other women, but she clearly wasn’t interested. She definitely did a lot for women though and paved a path for them.
On the topic of genres, if biography isn’t your cup of tea, what do you normally gravitate towards?
Easy fiction. Nothing too sci-fi or rom-com.
If you were to live in a book genre though, would you live in fiction or would you choose something else?
Honestly, life has been feeling like a dystopian novel lately [laughs]. I think for fun, Harry Potter post-Voldemort would be great to live in.
What house are you?
Hufflepuff.
I totally see it now that you say it, although I would have taken you for a Ravenclaw.
It’s based on values, though, right? I value loyalty more than wisdom. When I was in middle school, I was Ravenclaw and used to think, "My big brain is the best thing about me." But it definitely changes over time. I have different values now for the best.
What do you value in a friendship?
Loyalty and honesty. Honesty because I need to know who you are, and you need to know who I am. That’s when you are most comfortable with someone. Loyalty because I need to know that I can trust you, and I want people to know that I am there for them. It doesn’t necessarily mean being on someone’s side, but rather knowing that if I needed help, I can count on that person. I can call them and ask for support, and they would be there for me, and vice versa.
What song would you sing at karaoke night?
Definitely something from the Hamilton soundtrack.
You’re a Broadway fan?!
No, I just have the entire album engraved in my brain. There is nothing else in my mind. I sing Hamilton because I don’t think my voice is great, and the album is mostly rap.
What was your first job?
I was a tutor at Kumon. [both laugh]
WAIT. That’s iconic. That’s like the first job us asian kids get.
I made $7.25/hour, and I would sit there and grade their little homework packets. I did it for a summer when I was 16, in high school. I remember how the adhesive on the side of the packets correlates to the level you are studying—there was purple and green. At one point, my parents enrolled me in English at Kumon.
What is one thing you will never do again?
I have never thought about this question before. One time in high school, my orchestra went on a field trip to Italy. Our high school would do an international spring break trip every four years. The year I went, we went to Italy. We were in Sorrento—which I think is known for lemons. One thing I would do is spray this lemon perfume on my friends' wrists and tell them to smell it. And when they brought their hand up to their nose, I would bop their hands so they would boop their nose. I thought it was the funniest thing ever, and then I did it to my orchestra teacher. He was really tall—over six feet. I had to jump to do it, and I gave him a bloody nose. I don’t know if that’s what haunts him in the middle of the night, but it haunts me. He got really mad, and I knew he was mad because he didn’t say anything to me. I apologized later that day, and he said that I could help him set up chairs for the next concert. So, I walked to the venue early with him and his wife to set up chairs. It was an important lesson in knowing your audience and professionalism. I will not be doing that to any more professors ever.
What is your favorite season?
Fall. I hate it when it is hot outside. It’s sticky, and I have a low tolerance for heat. It gets progressively cooler after fall, and I think my fall wardrobe is great. All the fun pumpkin spice flavors are great.
Oh no, you’re a pumpkin spice girl?
Anyone who says they aren’t is lying. There is no way you can hate on pumpkin spice.
But I do! From the bottom of my heart.
Because you see it too much or you genuinely don’t like the taste?
I don’t like the taste.
Try a hazelnut latte. It’s a great fall in-between. It’s my go-to flavor when pumpkin spice isn’t in season.
Do you have any hidden talents?
Sometimes I can make this weird—[both laugh]—water droplet sound with my cheek. I don’t know if I can make it on command. The first time I did it was during a chemistry final, and I was bored.
OMG I heard it. That was satisfying, but terrifying at the same time.
I guess that could be a talent. I can’t capitalize on it, though. But if you’re a plumber, call me.
Any advice for future M1s.
At this school, there is a lot of diversity in terms of where people are in life. Don’t feel like you have to fit into one group. If you are trying to fit in, you won’t feel like you fit in anywhere.
Contact Amber at azhao3@student.nymc.edu.
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