Humans of Haas: Mei Qi Liang
What was the college application process like for you, being a first-generation college student?
I was fortunate to go to a high school that had 83 students in our graduating class, so the counselors were really helpful, because they paid a lot of attention to each and every one of their students. Also, when I first applied to college, I was thinking financially, how much can my parents afford, because it’s not only for myself but also for my entire family. Since both of my parents never had any formal education besides primary school, they see education as a gateway to many opportunities in life, so they would do whatever is necessary to provide me that education — even if that means they won’t see me for half a year, even if that means it would be a large monetary commitment to what you want to pursue in the next four years. I want to give value to the investment that my parents are making.
Has being in London influenced or changed your future goals?
I’ve always considered law. That’s somewhere I know I want to end up in, even though it might take me a long time. In my English class, every Thursday, we walk around London. I’ve been to Canary Wharf, and I’ve been to the investment banking district. I realize that London is one of the areas where you definitely see the effects of globalization, just being in that presence in London and being able to stay up to date with current policy events. Every time I go into the station I always grab a newspaper just to see what’s going on in the current global environment. In that sense, coming to London has made me realize how you can tie law together with the economy and business. That recognition gave me more momentum, a more refreshing desire to pursue what I want to pursue.
