Other Interests

Rock Climbing

I have climbed for almost 10 years now, focusing mostly on bouldering. Some of my notable ascents include:

  • God Module V11, Horspens 40, AL
  • Stasis V11, Calico Basin, NV
  • Mega Man V11, Hospital Boulders, AL
  • Pocket Sands V10/11, Hospital Boulders, AL
  • 3 Pads and a Toddler V10 FA, Calico Basin, NV
  • Hustle and Flow V10, Hospital Boulders, AL
  • Golden Harvest V10, Rocktown, GA

I also occasionally partake in local climbing competitions. Over the last few years, I have been a finalist in these competitions:

  • Rockspot Brookline Spooky Send-Off 2024 - 5th place
  • Benchmark Climbing Battle of the Beast 2024 - 3rd place
  • Central Rock Gym Harvard Ritual 2024 - 6th place
  • Central Rock Gym Harvard Summer Boulder Bash 2023 - 1st place
  • Central Rock Gym Framingham Flaming Ham 2023 - 6th place

I also do a dangerously high amount of Moonboarding, having completed 496 benchmark problems. I am ranked 62nd in the United States in the Moonboard rankings, a testament to my love of 40-degree crimp ladders. I also do a good amount of setting on CRG Cambridge's new spray wall, which is good fun!

Clarinet Playing

Playing at a concert with the MIT Ribotones.
I have played the clarinet for 12 years, first with the Decatur High School Wind Ensemble and currently with the MIT Wind Ensemble. In high school, I played with the Georgia District Honour band, and more recently, I played for two years with the MIT Video Game Orchestra (VGO). I also occasionally play with chamber groups such as the MIT Ribotones, a group of MIT students who perform in retirement homes in the Boston and Cambridge area.
My favourite pieces include Crussel's 3rd Clarinet Concerto Op. 11, Busoni's Clarinet Concertino Op. 47, Cavallini's Adagio e Tarantella, Spohr's 1st Clarinet Concerto Op. 26, and Weber's Clarinet Concertino Op. 26. All pieces that I've found on IMSLP.

Board, War, and Role-Playing Games

My beloved 0-5 Seraphon.
In the little free time I do have, I enjoy playing board games, particularly with the MIT Strategic Game Society (SGS). I mainly enjoyer heavier interactive games and my favourites include all the usual suspects: Spirit Island, Oath, Caverna, Barrage, War of the Ring, Glomhaven, Clash of Cultures, and of course, Twilight Imperium. Notably, I actually prefer the 3rd edition of Twilight Imperium over the fourth. A worse game perhaps, but there is a certain old-fashioned charm that I feel was polished away in TI4.
I also played a good amount of Warhammer: Age of Sigmar back in high school. I was quite fond of my little plastic dinosuar army and the angry dwarf who accompanied them, although I was never too good at actually playing the game. Unfortunately, nowadays I am much less able to indulge in my miniature-painting pursuits (although rumours have it, I am becoming interested in Trench Crusade).
As one may guess, I have also explored tabletop role-playing games, game-mastering Dungeon World and Dungeons and Dragons campaigns for my friends over the last year. I've become quite curious about Draw Steel recently, though I haven't played yet.
I wish I could say I played Magic: The Gathering, but I mostly just read articles on the CEDH meta and watch LSV force artifacts in Vintage Cube, which is always entertaining.

MIT French House La Maison Française

I am currently the president of the La Maison Française (LMF) living group. We are a 40 person community dedicated to daily dinners, a clean kitchen, and various vaguely French-themed activities and events. If you are a current or incoming MIT student, I highly recommend checking us out.

Origami

In middle and high school, I did a good amount of origami, even designing my own models. I did a few exhibitions at my high school and library, and during my freshman year I was a member of OrigaMIT, but these days I’m afraid I have not the time. Someday, I may go back to relearn some paper folding, but for now my works remain a pleasant memory of simpler, less busy times.

(Left) Anárion 2022, original model designed with 48x48 box pleating. (Right) Men et Manus 2022, designed by Brian Chan.
(Left) Origami Exhibition at my local library 2022. (Right) Origami Exhibition at my high school 2022.