By Myra Chen
When you ask junior Charisse Nguyen what she wants to be in the future, she might list every category to exist. Full of boundless energy and curiosity, she just can’t quite seem to narrow her hobbies and interests down into a singular career path. But do not fret because Nguyen will always follow through on her tasks to the end, though she tends to put such a task at the very bottom of her to-do list.
Despite procrastinating and disliking fast-paced activities, Nguyen holds vast spurts of energy, perfect for badminton. Being on the Fountain Valley High School varsity badminton team wasn’t easy however.
“After being shoved on varsity after playing for the first time, I had to juggle basically everything in my life,” Nguyen said. “I was not used to being on a team and it took up a big chunk of my time.”
To add more onto her plate, the junior joined Baron Banner when she was a sophomore to explore her hobby in photography. With a donut in one hand, a camera in the other and an uncle right by her side, Nguyen’s admiration for camera work began with trips to the beach. Under the mentorship and expertise of her uncle, she learned to take pictures as a means to relieve her stress. Though Nguyen doesn’t have much practice because said uncle took her lens, she enjoys street photography and macro photography.
Her dedication to photography is admirable, but she doesn’t see it as a career prospect.
“I love photography as a hobby, but it’s not something I want to commit my life to because I can’t make money from it,” Nguyen said.
Her practicality is a quality, like many others, that she obtained from her uncle.
Nguyen’s practical nature also stems from the anime character, Yor, from “Spy x Family.” She immerses herself into anime and has adopted similar characteristics as Yor, excluding Yor’s secret life as an assassin. Her straightforward personality is one of her most defining traits that others may misinterpret. But when Nguyen opens up, she becomes a welcoming bubble of sunshine who enjoys spending time with others. Nguyen’s and Yor’s similarities don’t end there.
While both hold their family close to their heart, the junior goes one step further and finds sentimental value in items. Nguyen likes to hoard random objects in her room, most notably, her collection of Salonpas patches and paper clips, which she doesn’t have it in herself to throw out.
“I save like literally anything… maybe I’ll use it someday,” Nguyen said.
By keeping her little trinkets out of the trash, she showcases her consciousness about the Earth. Not only does she reduce her contribution to pollution, Nguyen actively reduces her carbon footprint by walking from place to place to reduce gas emissions. Through photography, Nguyen displays her appreciation and passion for all things nature by making their beauty a common subject of her artistic works.
Don’t overlook Nguyen because of her small stature. Behind the scenes, she thrives in badminton, photography and as a learner. Her strong will and artistic talent bring her to be a formidable force as she pursues her passions and impacts the world, one step at a time.