EPISODE 6: JEFF TANG

FeBruary 26, 2025

INTERVIEW BY AMAR GOPAL

Edited by Priyanka Gera

Photo by Ivan Dominguez

Where did you grow up?
I'm from Connecticut. I grew up in a small town called Cheshire that's about 40 minutes away from New Haven.

What’s something you liked about Cheshire? 

I guess the people I grew up with. I honestly feel very lucky to have gotten to know them. It was a small predominantly white town, but even for being a small town, it had a very strong Chinese community. It was nice to have that sense of connection. 

If someone were to visit Chesire, Connecticut, what’s one thing they should do?
Go to another town—because it's so small! There's honestly nothing to do. We would all go to the next town over to find things to do like watch movies or do anything really. We did have a sand pit for volleyball so that was nice for me.

Was there anything at all to do there?
We did have a really massive community pool. And if you were into competitive swimming, we had a really good swim club.

Were you into swimming growing up?
Yeah, I actually did competitive swimming from fourth grade all the way up until I started high school. One thing my town likes to flex is that we hold the longest sports win streak of 213 wins. It even got mentioned in the Library of Congress.

What was your favorite thing to do as a kid?
When I was younger, I mostly played video games. But as I got older, I got really into volleyball. I started in my freshman year of high school, and it pretty much took over as my main hobby.

What got you into volleyball?
Some of my friends were into it, and they encouraged me to try out for the high school team. I figured, why not? It seemed interesting, and I wanted to do something active. My high school was actually pretty competitive for volleyball, so I got cut twice before I finally made the team. But by my senior year, I was a varsity starter. Looking back, I’d say it was one of the best things I ever did. I grew a lot from playing volleyball. Volleyball also helped me build confidence in myself. It even became a way for me to connect with people when I moved to new places. It was my way of finding a community wherever I went.

Where did you move to after Cheshire?
First, I went to Boston College. I was actually the only person from my high school who went there in my grade. I only knew two other people, but they were in different grades. The second time I moved was to Brooklyn for my gap year.

Is there a specific reason you chose Boston College?
Honestly, not really. It was the most prestigious college I applied to. I originally wanted to go to Northeastern because I thought the school fit me a lot better, but my parents wanted me to go to Boston College because they felt it would set me up for success due to its reputation.

What did you major in?
I started as undecided because I wanted time to explore my options. I always had an interest in medicine, so I was on the pre-med track. At one point, I tried computer science, but I absolutely hated it. After two years, I fully committed to biology.

Were you interested in biology from that point on?
Some parts of it were interesting, but honestly, the class I had the most fun with was organic chemistry.

Why did you pursue medicine after your interest in organic chemistry?
My dad has a background in chemistry, so that was always something I had exposure to. But while I liked the subject, I couldn’t see myself doing chemistry long-term. It felt like something I would get bored with after a while. Medicine, on the other hand, constantly evolves, and I like the idea of always learning something new. Plus, it felt like the most direct way to help people, especially in scary moments when they’re dealing with a serious diagnosis.

Have you always been attracted to high-stress situations?
I wouldn’t say I’m attracted to them, but I think I handle them well. I learned to shut down my emotions in the moment and focus on what needs to be done. That really helped when I was working as a medical assistant in Brooklyn. We had urgent situations where we needed to call ambulances, and in those moments, I was able to stay calm and focus on what needed to be done to help the situation.

What did you like about being a medical assistant?
I really liked being hands-on. I worked in a gastroenterology clinic, and I was directly involved in a lot of procedures. I was the one preparing equipment, assisting with procedures, and getting patients ready. It was a fast-paced environment, and I really enjoyed the operating room-like setting.

Are you interested in working in the operating room now?
Yeah, I’m interested in anesthesiology. During anatomy, I found I don’t like the feeling of cutting someone open. I dissociated enough to get through it, but it wasn’t my thing.

Would you say you’re more of an introvert or extrovert?
It depends on the day. Sometimes I’m super extroverted and want to vibe or I just want to be by myself.

What does self-care look like for you?
Recently, it’s been sitting down and reflecting, usually while listening to music. Right now, my go-to artists are Sia,  Tiffany Day, and Kendrick Lamar. Working out and cleaning my apartment also ranks pretty up there.

What’s your go to Sia song?
“Bird Set Free” by Sia.

Will you be the first doctor in your family?
In America, yes. I have an uncle who is a doctor in China. I don’t have much contact with family in China though beyond visits every few years.

Do you like visiting China?
Yeah, it’s fun. But it’s also interesting because when I walk down the street, people immediately recognize that I’m foreign, probably from the way I carry myself. Something I do screams American.

If you could pick another profession, what would it be?
Probably something in music or art. I really respect people who put themselves out there, creating art or music that says, “This is who I am.” Either you connect with it, or you don’t. 

What’s one talent you wish you had?
Beatboxing. It’s one of those things you can do anywhere, and it’s so unique. It’s also an art form that’s inspired by its own limitations—there are only so many sounds you can make with your mouth, but people still come up with insane beats. Adding a loop station turns it into a whole live DJ setup.

How do you define success?
I think success is being able to wake up most days and feel good about yourself and what you’re doing. You know when you’re really happy and you feel that fullness in your heart? Success is being able to wake up most days with that feeling. Not every day—because life happens—but most days.

Is that based on your profession or personal life?
For me, it’s mostly personal. Career plays a role, but I don’t think anyone can be truly happy just from professional success. You need friends, hobbies, personal projects—things that make life interesting outside of work.

What do you want your legacy to be?
I don’t need my legacy to be anything grand. I just want to be someone that people think back on and say, “Oh yeah, I knew him. He was a pretty chill guy, and I’m happy to have known him.”

What does being a good friend mean to you?
I think it’s about trust. A good friend is someone who’s there even when you’re not at your best. Someone who supports you and helps you be the best version of yourself.

Do you have an example of a friend doing that for you?
I’m lucky to have a lot of examples. The best thing my friends have done for me is just being there when I’m struggling—whether it’s mental health, academic stress, or anything else. Just helping me stay grounded and reminding me of reality. If you don’t have people you can rely on, I don’t think you’ve truly lived.

What’s a friendship deal-breaker?
Probably not being genuine. If I feel like someone is putting on a facade in their interactions with me, it’s hard for me to be friends with them. Since I’ve moved around a lot and met so many different people, I think I’ve developed a pretty quick sense for picking up when someone isn’t being authentic.

Best gift you’ve received?
It’s happened twice—both times, it was a surprise birthday party when I wasn’t expecting it.

Any advice for current students?
Take the time to enjoy your opportunities now because a lot of what you’re doing now won’t be possible later in life. Also, focus on building a supportive community of people you trust. Life is hard enough as it is—surround yourself with the right people.

Oh, one last thing—I want to give a quick plug for our school’s mental health department. Therapy really helped me, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone struggling. Resources are there for a reason—use them.

Contact Jeff at jtang8@student.nymc.edu.

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