Eileen Liu

What’ve you enjoyed most about your area of study? Was there a particular discovery, new skill or way of thinking, or insight that you found especially valuable? Please share an example from your favorite class or experience.

I’ve had so many great experiences in all of my Chinese classes. This semester, I really enjoyed reading and translating Chinese poetry in Classics of Chinese Literature in Translation. Translating the lines was difficult, but it made me appreciate how beautiful and concise the original writing was. The poets managed to convey so much meaning in just a few characters, and even after more than a thousand years, their words still felt so relatable. I think analyzing these poems really helped me understand how universal some human experiences are.

How does the knowledge from this field, or your interest in it, combine with your other major or minor studies at MIT?

Classes like Business Chinese have taught me how to communicate professionally in Chinese, which is definitely a useful skill to have, but even aside from that, I think my interest in Chinese culture has helped me learn to adapt to different cultural values and connect with others.

An MIT education includes study in the scientific, technical, social science, arts, and humanities fields. How do you think that wide range of knowledge and perspectives will be valuable to you – for your career success and for your enjoyment of life?

I’m glad I had the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects at MIT. Improving my Chinese skills and learning more about Chinese culture opened up a whole new world for me and even changed the way I connect to my family. I’m able to enjoy so much more media, whether it be anything from donghua to poetry, and understand my family history on a much deeper level.

What are your plans for the future?

After graduating, I will be working as an actuary in Jersey City. In my free time, I hope to read more books in Chinese and learn more about Chinese culture!