Planning a Strong Future – Mei Li Moo King

“I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to major in because my primary concern was being able to get a job after graduation. But since I was young, I have always been told that I was really good at math. And after taking Calculus I and II, I noticed that math came really easily to me. Not just being able to work with numbers but also the theoretical concepts were easy for me to grasp. As I continued to deepen my mathematical knowledge, I was interested to learn more about the applications of mathematics, so along with my math major, I decided to minor in statistics and data science.

As expected, homesickness was a major challenge for me in freshman year. Being so far away from home was difficult to deal with, especially during COVID-19 when I couldn’t be with my family. At first, I couldn’t video chat with my mom and grandma because it would make me even more emotional about the fact that I was so far away. As time went by, I was able to overcome this challenge by being more engaged on campus and hanging out with friends, which took my mind off of things. Eventually, I was able to call my mom without getting sad and now I am much more comfortable with the fact that I am away from home because I can visit them whenever I want to.

As an international student, it is difficult to start making friends all over again in an unfamiliar place. However, I have become closely connected with other international students as well as some local students who have been some of the best friends that I can always count on for advice and support. Having people who are always there for you and understand what you’re going through is invaluable. Without them, my Meredith experience wouldn’t have been as great as it was.

Furthermore, words cannot describe how supportive and dedicated the mathematics department at Meredith is. Every professor in the department made a profound impact on my experience at Meredith. Whether it be just saying hi, getting feedback on a personal statement, asking for life advice, or being connected with an alum, they are always willing to help their students in any way they can. The Science and Mathematics Building easily became my second home thanks to the support and comfort they provided for me during my time here.

At Meredith I had three jobs: I was a Resident Assistant (until I became a Community Assistant in my senior year), a Learning Center math tutor, and media services desk assistant. These three jobs are all customer oriented. When I first came to college, I was very shy because I was so far away from home and didn’t know anyone. These jobs encouraged me to interact with many different students with different needs all over campus, which made me become a lot more confident.

Last summer I joined Dr. Romanelli in Atlanta with two other learning center tutors at my first conference where we presented our findings on how embedded tutors in the learning center benefit Meredith students. This opportunity challenged me to present in front of a large group of unfamiliar faces, which was very nerve-wracking but also beneficial in my professional development.

I also went on a trip to Italy where I primarily visited Rome, Sansepolcro, and Florence. I have always dreamt of visiting Europe and Meredith helped me make this dream a reality. On this trip, I made new friends and we collectively appreciated and enjoyed Italian life and culture. This trip was very special for me, especially because of the amazing friends and faculty who accompanied me. I am glad that Meredith brought us all together to have an unforgettable experience.

In college, I have learned that I am an over-planner and sometimes a perfectionist. Being away from home forces you to become independent much faster since you don’t have parents to rely on. I plan everything as detailed as possible and try to have backup plans just in case of any mishaps. I also get things done many days or even weeks in advance of when they’re due. However, I have learned that life just throws things at you sometimes that you won’t be prepared for and I am learning to be comfortable with the unknown.

Since the beginning of the fall semester, I have been trying to plan and decide on my best path after graduation. In my mind, I’ve had my ideal outcome and a backup in case that didn’t happen (and of course a backup for the backup) so I was very prepared. I have gladly accepted a full-time job in Risk Management at Credit Suisse and I will begin this summer.

After visiting the beautiful campus, Meredith felt like a very safe space and community. I knew that I would need an environment like this, especially since I would basically be all on my own. Meredith provided a comfortable and supportive place to call my home away from home where I was given the opportunities to have many life-changing experiences that I wouldn’t have had anywhere else.”