Daniel Lin

1. Past

2. Passions

2.1. I remember I had interest in logical puzzles and games such as Rubik's cubes and Geometry Dash. These activities would be a large part of my elementary life and I spent a lot of time playing with them.

2.2. The music I was interested at the time was a mix of popular pop songs combined with more electronic music. I enjoyed singing my heart out to some of these songs, even if I wasn't hitting all the notes. Singing for me really helped boost my mood through breaks or work time.

2.3. My favourite season at the time was the wintertime. I enjoyed the magic of seeing the first snowfall of the season, and bundling up to head outside and play for hours in the snow with friends. One of my fondest memories of winter was a day where I took my first sled and sped down a hill at an unbelievable speed.

3. Personality

3.1. Growing up I was a reserved and quiet kid who only opened up and let out my loud side in front of the few friends I had and were comfortable with.

3.2. I'd like to think I was an alright kid, as many peers and adults had commented on my politeness both in and out of the classroom, rarely getting into trouble or causing conflict with others.

3.3. My ego was definitely a lot larger than it should've been, often getting ahead of myself at times and showing off in front of others when the opportunity arose. Looking back on it now, I've since realized that I'm not the best person out there, not as good as I once thought I was.

4. Education

4.1. For my elementary years, I attended Montecito which is located in Burnaby. I found that the staff were super supportive and open to helping anyone who asks for it. Through my 8 years there, I achieved decent grades and developed my character for the better.

4.2. Though the first few years of my elementary life at the school were pretty slow, the intermediate changed that. We were taught to work more independently as well as in group settings, and often had many fun activities to complete. My favourite memory would be gym class, where my 7th grade teacher often took us outside to play games such as capture the flag and softball.

4.3. My teachers were often strict but understanding, and were very helpful. Though many issued a lot of tests, their classes in general were relatively enjoyable with minimal homework. Additionally, they presented me with many opportunities to help out around the classroom and set up many assemblies.

5. Origins

5.1. My mom's side of the family originated from Hong Kong, but she was born here in Burnaby. My dad immigrated to Canada at the age of 16, while his side of the family mostly lives in Taiwan and Japan.

5.2. I am Chinese and can speak both Mandarin and Cantonese in casual conversation. Since I was born here, my first language is actually English.

5.3. My grandparents had many struggles of their own for their upbringings, often living with close to nothing. I'm fortunate and grateful for their efforts which have allowed for the privileged life I have today.

6. Present

7. Future

8. Relationships

8.1. I am in a fortunate position to have family that supports and cares for me. As with any healthy relationship, there are often hardships and conflicts that occur, but for the most part I believe that it's for the better. I have a younger sister who can be a handful at times but I'm grateful to have someone like her in my life who cares for me greatly.

8.2. This year I've almost cut everyone from school out of my life and gone in another direction completely. COVID has brought many new people into my life; people who I think are a good influence and are pleasant to be around. Most of the friends I have now are older and are people I can look up to and ask for advice.

8.3. Aside from family gatherings, I barely speak to a lot of my relatives. A large reason for this is the language barrier, as I often have trouble understanding their dialects since I speak English primarily. Another reason this is that almost half of my family lives in other cities or continents around the world, making communication difficult due to the difference in timezones.

9. Activities/Interests

9.1. Photography is a great way for me to express myself in a visual way. I enjoy the network that comes along with taking photos, as well as composing and trying new angles which push my mind to be more creative.

9.2. Cycling is a sport I enjoy doing in my spare time. I enjoy the spontaneous nature of planning random routes and pushing my physical and mental limits to ride farther than I ever thought I could. I love the sensation of wind rushing against my face as I accelerate down a hill. Recently, I got into a bad cycling accident so I'll be retiring my bike for good.

9.3. Expanding and growing my network through games is something I've done more of ever since the coronavirus hit. There's no feeling quite like getting off of school or work and putting on my headset to chat with online friends till the early hours of the morning.

10. Personality

10.1. Ever since high school, I think I've become a more outgoing person. So far I've had almost no trouble meeting new people and creating healthy relationships along the way. A large part of this is through photography as well. Through meeting like minded individuals, I've found it easier to hold conversations on mutual interests.

10.2. Whenever I meet someone new, I try my best to make a good first impression by being as respectful as possible. I strive to treat everyone equally even if they haven't reciprocated that respect towards me.

10.3. Others' perception on me varies from person to person. Some people may say I'm caring or easy to work with, or even flexible. It depends on the type of relationship I have with the person, as there is a fine line between a friendship and professional relationship.

11. Strengths/Challenges

11.1. I'd like to think that I'm doing alright in school right now, getting moderate grades in the majority of my classes. I usually get my work done on time but have work habits that I could improve on. Even with poor work habits, I'm fairly happy with my grades right now.

11.2. I am confident in my ability to communicate with others. I have no problems with meeting new people and chatting up old friends alike. One thing I can work on is being more present in conversations and overall sounding more engaged.

11.3. One thing I struggle with is time management. Even if I have a whole day to do my work , I usually won't get started until midday or even nighttime. When a big project is assigned, I stress about completing it but always put it off until as late as possible.

12. Goals

12.1. I seek a fulfilling lifestyle, making memories with those closest to me. I want to become more independent by having a plethora of income streams, as well as complete schooling so I can pursue various career paths when the time comes.

12.2. One of my life goals is to own a property of my own. Considering how expensive the real estate in the Vancouver area is, I would have to put in a lot of time and effort to be able to reach this goal one day.

12.3. I want to further pursue photography as a potential career option. This would include a studio as well as establishing myself online. With more freedom in the near future, I see this as a goal that could actually happen.

13. Career

13.1. I don't currently have a set plan for my future. If I could choose, I would pick a career path in either real estate or a job involving cars like working dealership. Both of the aforementioned would require a degree and a lot of time invested, but I feel that it'll be worth it for me at least.

13.2. The online world is becoming a larger part of our day to day lives, and will only continue to grow in the coming years. I'd like to learn how to conduct my business online through blogs, popular sites, or even social media.

13.3. Photography can serve as a secondary income stream. I'd like to do many paid shoots with brands or shoot weddings to earn a little money on the side.

14. Skills

14.1. I want to further my language skills by picking up other languages such as Korean or Japanese. Since I'm currently immersed in Asian culture as I'm of Asian descent, I'd like to explore the other parts of the continent and their respective cultures. Without a language barrier, I would be able to fully immerse myself in a culture different from what I'm used to.

14.2. I want to further refine my photography skills if I want to continue pursuing it in the future. I can accomplish this by networking with more creatives and shooting as often as I can.

14.3. Since I have an interest in cars, I'd like to improve my understanding and comprehension of mechanics so I could one day work on my own car. As of right now, I will be washing and detailing cars until I have one of my own to work on and experiment with.

15. Education

15.1. My graduation from Burnaby North is scheduled for June 2023. By then, I should have enough credits to be able to qualify for universities in Canada.

15.2. I'd like to attend a university in Canada to study in business or even visual arts if I really wanted. Some potential schools include UBC Sauder and SFU Beedie if I wanted to further pursue a career in business or real estate.

15.3. With my degree and skills obtained from secondary and post secondary studies, I hope to find a job that is not only enjoyable but also has decent pay.