Let’s Talk Family

Howdy! My name is Chau, and I am a biomedical sciences major
with high hopes of pursuing a Doctorate of Physical Therapy as the
next step in my education. This is my second year as an ambassador,
and I am excited to get to share my love for this college from the
perspective of an undergraduate.

ChausFamily

Chau and her family

If I were given an opportunity to stand up and speak in front of
a crowd, I would speak on behalf of my parents. I would speak about
their dreams for our family and their humbling personalities that
have made me the person I am today. I am an Aggie, but one with a
unique start. When asking high school senior Chau for her reasoning
to attend Texas A&M University, she would say, “Because TAMU
has friendly campus.” This is true, but it has turned into so much
more. The Aggie Core Values are what I embody and love to share.
The pride I hold when someone asks me where I attend school is
quite extreme. It is that power and the lessons of the
12th Man that rubbed off on me and made me convert my
entire family to Aggies as well. As my senior year goes, I have
found that I reflect and have had that bittersweet mindset
throughout the year.

I had the opportunity to go to Vietnam this summer and visit
both my parents’ hometowns. My dad was a city boy, and mom was a
country girl. It had been more than 10 years since I visited
Vietnam, and I was stoked to end my anatomy and physiology-filled
summer with a trip visiting family. I got to hug my 91-year-old
grandma, the strongest women I know; drink Vietnamese coffee with
my favorite uncle almost every morning; cook vegan meals with my
aunts; and drive on scooters with my cousins. It was these little
things that were most important to me to celebrate and
appreciate.

Even more so, I got to experience my culture and my unfading
love for a grand amount of people I have only known through Skype
conversations for the majority of my life. We all share multiple
things in common, including our selfless personalities and the
honor and respect we have toward each other and the world around
us. Coming back from this trip enlightened me. I built bonds and
created connections even though we are once again on the opposite
sides of this earth. My family members are my backbone, and they
make me smile even on the most stressful days as a college student.
I like to compare my family as true Aggies because their character
and positivity is my inspiration and motivation in many of my
rigorous classes.

School is tough, but my time here has definitely been worth
every moment. Being an Aggie makes me feel like being part of a
bigger family. Throughout my three years (going on fourth, WHOOP!)
here at Texas A&M University, I don’t like to say that I have
changed, but I have. I took a huge leap attending a school that
separates me by six hours from my parents, a school with which my
family had no association. My biomedical sciences major has
broadened my horizons and let me meet people who share the same
passion for healthcare, and I have found that it is the little
moments, like bus rides to West Campus and random hallway talks
waiting for the classes to start, that remind me of the memories I
made with my family in Vietnam. The strength of my family and the
Aggie spirit is strong within me.