Hello there, fellow human! Congratulations, you have stumbled upon my existence! My name is Abby Huang and I am currently a senior at Naperville North High School. I’ve got the most patient and supportive brother at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign right now and Papa and Mama Huang giving me unconditional love at home.

And to you, fellow human, I gift an exclusive, limited edition definition of yours truly, found nowhere else in the cosmos:

abby huang  [a-bee hwong]

noun.

1. an unapologetic book hoarder, particularly introverted
2. a burnt out artist, especially one who experiences short bursts of inspiration
3. a racket girl, specifically one who is in love with badminton
4. one who aspires to be every child’s nightmare (see orthodontist)

 

Let’s break her down, shall we?

1. BOOK HOARDER

I love reading. The idea that a writer can choke me with joy on one page and bleed my heart on the next is mind-blowing to me. As an introvert who often despises reality, books have become my escape. Because of that, I will admit that reading is somewhat of a guilty pleasure for me.

Nevertheless, my library flourishes, and your judgments are puny irrelevancies, fiend. 

My beautiful bookshelf (and admittedly the floor around it) is stuffed (and stacked) with books I have yet to read. Only fiction, of course, because I get enough nonfiction from my non-fictitious life, thank you very much. 

 

 

2. BEFUDDLED ARTIST

I have been art-ing since the womb. I love drawing, painting, digital art, and photography. It’s this obsession with finding a way of expressing myself that I can lose track of time doing, because losing yourself to a task? That’s everything. My stress is immediately silenced. It’s just me and my art. That’s all there is. That’s all that exists and that’s all that matters. It’s bliss.

 

 

 

But only when I’m inspired. Burnout is real, folks. I used to want to be an artist, but taking five consecutive semesters of art drained me. There was no juice left. Every time I burn out, I get so frustrated with myself because I can’t generate new ideas. Such is the struggle of the artist, but although it drives me insane, it does give me the opportunity to take a break and spend time doing other important things.

 

3. BADMINTON BABY

I started playing badminton in 7th grade, and fell in love with how good it makes me feel. I am in no way an extremely athletic person, but this sport has helped me destress so much in high school. I’ve joined the Naperville North Girl’s Badminton team every year, and I’m both eager and sad about this upcoming season being my last. 

I’ve loved all the seasons so far, but last year was my favorite. So many memories and good laughs, especially with my doubles partner, Kyra. Listen here, when you find a doubles partner who moves and grooves with you and who’s got your back on and off the court? It’s the best feeling ever because it’s so rare. 

That’s why I’m gonna tell you this:

Find your Kyra. 

 

4. BRACKET BUSINESS

Biology is the best science, and I’m ready to square up on that. For a long time, I dreamed of going to medical school. Unfortunately, a little sucker of a diagnosis slapped some reality into me. The stress of med school would destroy me both physically and mentally.

As dejected I was, it turned out that dentistry was what I really wanted. I’ve always hoped that my career would be hands on, and that if it combined art and science, I couldn’t possibly be happier. What’s more? My dad is a dentist, and I basically grew up in his dental office, helping flip rooms when I was old enough, and more recently assisting in actual procedures. 

I had always thought I didn’t like dentistry, but I realized after I got to assist that I had just gotten numb to it over the years. Helping my dad make crowns and do root canal procedures and fillings was the hands-on experience I truly wanted for my future, and I saw just how much art was involved in all of it.