Meet Lily Tang | Engineering Student at Texas A&M University

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lily Tang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lily, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
There hasn’t been a moment in my life where I haven’t faced adversity. I consider it a part of my daily life at this point. But I think knowing when to give up and continue going is subjective to every situation you’re in. Obviously there’ll be moments where things feel impossible, but with a good support system and self-belief, overcoming tough situations is manageable. There have been times when I’ve given up on things, but it’s because I came to the conclusion that the things I was fighting for didn’t have any benefits. Fighting a losing battle is a hard thing to recognize and I think that’s what a lot of people don’t realize. It’s a hard lesson to learn but giving up and continuing on is all about thinking about what serves you and what doesn’t.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I currently hold three president positions and one event coordinator position at my school. Since I’ve always admired the upperclassmen and their hard work, I wanted nothing more than to reach their level of success or even beyond. As I was grinding through multiple dual-enrollment and AP-level classes, SAT prep, 1- to 2-hour-long orchestra rehearsals, and a part-time job, I finally achieved the things I had longed for since freshman year. It wasn’t an easy journey, as balancing all my extracurriculars and personal life honestly gave me premature grey hairs. But I stayed motivated through the struggle because I knew that my struggle would lead to recognition and fulfillment of my desires. I also found support in my friends and older siblings, who always knew to keep me chugging along no matter how much I complained or wanted to quit. There were so many lessons I learned, which were to understand my limits and know that asking for help was okay. I grew up very independent and hated asking for help, but I grew to learn that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness but a demonstration of leadership. I also realized that it is okay to take things one at a time, that quality over quantity is a large factor of life and it’s okay not to rush things. Rushing means less attention to detail, which can easily affect the larger picture more than most realize.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would probably take them to Chinatown or Bellaire. First, we would begin with GongCha, FengCha, or really any boba place. They have a huge menu that both boba lovers and non-boba lovers can choose from, and they’re all really delicious. Next, Korea House or KPOT for Korean BBQ, both of which are excellent. Although KPOT offers a wider variety of meat and hotpot for those who prefer more than just BBQ, Korea House offers more authentic Korean flavors. But, being Vietnamese-American also means that Vietnamese cuisine is always a welcome option. A new pho restaurant called Di An Pho serves traditional Vietnamese coffee in addition to their pho. The next two stops are HMart and Chung Chun. Chung Chun is a well-known Korean corn dog restaurant that offers a variety of corn dog fillings like mozzarella or sausage and toppings like potato or ramen. And since HMart is a Korean supermarket, I suggest getting the carbonara Buldak ramen, lettuce kimchi, or the brown sugar boba ice cream. Then, I would pick Honeymee or 85 Degrees Bakery for dessert.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my best friends Brooke, Stella, Leslie, Gia, Karyme, and my oldest brother Phillip. I met most of my friends in elementary school when I moved to my new district; then I met the rest of them in middle school and we formed our friend group right then and there. As for my brother, even though we have a fourteen year age gap, that has never stopped us from becoming as close as we are. He used to babysit me as a kid and I began modeling myself after him. Whether it was personality, music taste, or even slang, it was always because of him. He has never failed to be my listening ear and the only one to constantly keep me humble. They’ve all been my biggest support group through all of my trials and tribulations. I owe who I am today and a lot of my inspiration to them.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillian.langg/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilytang21/