UCLA PIQs

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

When I first got into photography, I found myself unsatisfied with the still images I produced. They seemed lifeless and unexpressive. The more I thought about it, the more I was intrigued by the potential that lies in crafting moving images that incorporate elements of animation and music. Thus videography became my creative outlet.

Videography provides an outlet for my conscientious behavior. The process begins with a demand for immense planning required to understand the angles and lighting setup required for the shoot. Between first hitting the record button to the click of an uploaded final project are hours of post-production - editing shots and sequences, creating animations, and syncing it all to music - that require creativity to explore and precision to edit. For what many may consider to be a very tedious and time-consuming activity, this hyper-focus on details has evolved into a creative activity of mine. My perfectionist nature has led me to appreciate the details, which allows me to more deeply engage in the creative aspects of production.

Videography results in endless possibilities of final form, posing a variety of fulfilling creative challenges in each form. In a 30-second promotional clip, I relish the chance to compress a multitude of ideas in a small space. I am stretched to create animations that capture engagement without neglecting the necessary content conveyed. In a 10-minute short film, I appreciate the opportunity to be more personal, utilizing abstract shots to convey social issues in unconventional manners. Regardless of form, videography provides a flexible outlet to share stories that need to be heard.

Whether it is the hyper-attention to detail in the editing suite or the creative problems posed by various video forms, I continue to find endless passion for videography. There is something rewarding about seeing the hours of planning, execution, and editing come together in one curated video. By letting people into my world, to see things through my lens, I realize that videography has evolved from an early interest in photography into a creative tool of storytelling.

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

For the longest time, there was no question that I was going to graduate high school from the same school I had attended since kindergarten. As a detail-obsessed person, I had my final two years of high school perfectly planned. But then, at the end of my sophomore year, I moved to Singapore, disrupting my entire carefully constructed plan.

The most significant challenge I faced in my new environment was dealing with Singapore's academically rigorous culture. I quickly learned that entering a culture of perfectionism is liable to produce a heightened level of stress, greater competition, a heavier workload, and sometimes brought disappointment with the unexpected lower grades. I felt myself conforming to Singapore's kiasu culture as I took up multiple tuition classes after school - not because I was failing classes, but because I felt like I was not doing enough to achieve the very best.

There were times when I was frustrated with the backbone of the society as there is less emphasis on the equally important but non-academic aspects of a youth's life. In Jakarta, I was recognized for participating in multiple sports teams, yet in Singapore, I was given odd looks for continuing to participate in volleyball competitions as exams neared.

Nonetheless, moving to Singapore exposed me to a community that never settled for "good enough," as reflected in my school's motto of "The Best Is Yet To Be". It showed me that I was able to cope with such academic rigor and the pressures, in fact, pushed me to achieve more than I already believed I could.

My move challenged not only my obsession with plans and detail but my idea of my home. It posed a challenge to develop mature mechanisms to adapt to new environments. I had grown up in a relaxed culture, and suddenly, at one of my most vulnerable moments as an individual, I was thrust into the polar opposite environment. I faced challenges with an unfamiliar study culture but today I am still standing because I learned to adapt and grow with change.

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

As a Singaporean living in Indonesia, I always held a feeling of being internally displaced. This distanced me from the socio-political situation in Indonesia, with a voice that reminded me I was not truly Indonesian. I was aware of the political and social crises, but with a peripheral perspective.

However, my school promotes a strong nationalist value that over time triggered a sense of responsibility of building up Indonesia, encouraging me to improve the welfare of the country. Though my identity crisis may have initially distanced me from such situations, it then challenged me to engage in my own way: organizing a TED talk to highlight the change that is often overlooked in Indonesia.

The central problems contemporary Indonesia faces include corruption, poorly maintained public facilities and precarious infrastructure. But Indonesia, particularly the upcoming millennials, have shown great commitment to addressing these issues, and more. Indonesia now stands for the potential that lies in the hands of its people, and efforts people have pursued based on their individual passions and drive for the nation. My vision in this event to highlight these achievements led to the birth of the theme "Catalyst for Change" for TEDxYouth@SPH. This student-led event attracted a crowd of more than 300 with 7 speakers ranging from a feminist author to a politician to a founder of an NGO to a businessman.

Though this event may have been an initial pursuit of a connection with my country, ultimately it has grown to be a pursuit of my school community's connection with our country's ongoing issues and progress for change. Ultimately the success of this event lies in the birth of new relationships and connections that followed. Fellow students reached out to speakers that truly grasped their interests and were exposed to opportunities such as internships, interviews or even just another talk over coffee.

To have sparked the conception of this event, successfully executed its first run, and to receive updates of its annual occurrence, I believe that TEDxYouth@SPH has provided an outlet, particularly for students to understand and connect with their - our - country.

Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

When my dad was 14, he fled his home in Indonesia due to anti-Chinese violence. He spent his exile in Singapore, constantly feeling internally displaced when traveling back to Jakarta. Although my trajectory is an inversion of his - I moved to Jakarta after growing up in Singapore - I have come to understand that beyond genetics, I too inherited this same state of permanent displacement: an identity crisis.

I reflected on my identity while self-producing a documentary titled "A Sense of Belonging". This struggle of identity and the confused feelings were not unique to me and my dad, as they were fundamental to millions defined by the concept "Third-Culture Kid" - people who have multiple cultures embedded in them. Realizing that it is not just my problem helped me appreciate that my belonging does not lie in one place, but rather to one purpose: to embrace this dual perspective to achieve a curated sense of belonging.

As I learn more about this concept and about myself, I realize I do not need to fit in the mold of strictly one culture, but to find a purpose in that mixture, to take the most worthy and useful aspects out of each culture. This affords me the flexibility to reach out to Singapore's continual pursuit of perfection and nothing but perfection, while also embracing Jakarta's more laid-back culture. Finding a healthy balance between these cultures is a continuous exercise that challenges me to identify what is most suitable for my personality in each culture.

So, as a Third-Culture Kid like my dad, I may feel rootless, but on the other hand, the lack of attachment to a single identity offers me the freedom to be the author of my own self. It is the commitment to diversity and inclusion of the University of California that lends itself to a person of my sense of identity; the freedom to author oneself.