Episode 15: Kevin Hui

February 23. 2018

I’ve always been drawn towards fantasy and storytelling. Growing up, I’m lucky to have lived a very normal life, to the point of boring and uneventful. I went to grade school like everyone around me. I got into university and now that I’m in medical school...nothing has really changed. Just more and more academia. I never experienced any extreme life-changing events or that crazy story that everyone seems to have. Because of that, I’ve always found myself just daydreaming, wanting to learn and to explore different worlds. But, since I never had an interest in travelling, story telling and worldbuilding was an easy way to do just that.

It’s probably why I developed such an interest in Dungeons and Dragons. For those of you that don’t know how it works, a game master creates a world in which he moderates and tells a story. Everyone else plays as a character in that world. It’s like an interactive story book where most of the choices of your actions are determined by a 20-sided die. It’s kinda amazing that even for just a few hours you can inhabit an entirely different world, while playing a character yourself. They can be as similar and different to yourself as you want, it’s all up to your imagination. Instead of physically becoming someone else, you try to inhabit the minds of different characters and tropes. It’s fun because it allows you to learn about who you are, but also who you’re not.

The first time I played D&D was early on in undergrad. I’ve always loved playing board games because I loved the tactical aspects of them, but until that point, I had never known someone near me who even played D&D. When I learned that the board game club at Cornell was hosting games, and one of my close friends was part of it, I knew that was my chance to get into it. It was honestly one of the best decisions I made in undergrad. I’ve met some really incredible people that I would have probably never met otherwise, some that really counter the “nerd” stereotype attributed to D&D players. It’s more than just a game, it’s a way to get to meet and know other people that, just like any hobby, share a common interest. It’s definitely a large community and it was very intimidating for me to try and first join it. The lorebooks are large and the rulebooks are even larger. But, you don’t even have to memorize every tiny rule or every worshipped deity to have a good time. I certainly didn’t. It is what you make of it so you can go as deep into it or as far laid-back as you want.

When I first started playing the game, I would normally create characters that fit my personality. I wasn’t ready to leave my comfort zone. I’m a really shy person, so I usually liked to play paladins; quiet, stoic, righteous and good at bashing evil. As I got more comfortable, I started expanding my comfort zone and creating more talkative characters such as bards, who are usually charismatic and the face of the party. The first time I tried it, it was incredibly fun to inhabit such a different role and be a more active player in conversations. It has even helped me outside of the game to be a little more outgoing. It is definitely still a work in progress, but I do think that I have been able to talk to people more comfortably, just from getting practice in a role-playing game..

Getting into D&D has really acted as a stepping stone on how I understood and perceived myself. I always saw myself as a shy and quiet person who would definitely not try to be the center of attention in any room. I’m much more comfortable being a wallflower than anything else. This game allowed me to explore the things that I don’t usually do, and to be more outspoken and talkative. I think D&D is an experience definitely worth exploring if you are into acting, or even to just get to know yourself and others better.

What are your 5 Most Recently Played Artists on Spotify?
My musical tastes are kinda varied:
The Midnight- Think 80s music, but with a modern twist. This is my go-to usually at the gym
Lydia- My girlfriend was the one who introduced me to this indie band. It’s mellow and great for when you want to relax
Video Game Soundtracks- They can range from emotional to epic. The instrumentals were built to help a player focus. It can make going to the bathroom feel like a monumental accomplishment. My currently favorite soundtrack is from The Witcher III
Fall Out Boy- At the heart of it, my musical tastes haven’t really changed from the mid 2000s
Stan Rogers- Imagine what a pirate sea shanty sounds, and you get Stan Rogers. It’s a good song to sing along with your lads

If you could have any superpower, which one would you choose?
Photographic reflexes would be cool, the ability to look at someone and to be able to perfectly replicate their movements or actions. Like Taskmaster from Marvel. I do like to learn so why not learn faster?

Pick something or someone from NYMC to give out a shout out to!
I’ll give 3 shoutouts:
1 to my roommates, Tom and Tim, for being the best roommates I’ve had in my academic life
1 to Humza, for all the midnight fried chicken runs
And lastly, a shout out to the GI Interest Group!

If someone wanted to talk to you, they should lead with…
Anything video game or board game related. Also, since the promised land of Block 3 is coming up, I’m trying to come up with a D&D tutorial session for those who are interested in experiencing how D&D is played. If you are interested, please message me so I can keep you updated with my plans.