Running With the Pack
On the Other Side of the World
Childhood
During a chilly autumn morning in Murray, Kentucky, I was born to Cheng-Da Hsu, a student majoring in molecular biology, and Ching-Ying Chen, an architect in the making. Within a few months, our family made the move to South Bend, Indiana. As an infant, my mother took care of me twenty-four seven while my father studied for a PhD degree at the University of Notre Dame. However, when my mother had the opportunity to study at Washington University in St. Louis, my father encouraged her to go, promising to take care of me while he finished the last segment of his doctoral program.
My father needed to conduct many experiments; so naturally, I spent a great deal of time in a scientific laboratory. On a typical day, after my father picked me up from daycare, I would sleep on the lab couch or wander around while my father ran experiments late into the night. This special upbringing really developed my ability to adapt to different environments, an ability that was crucial to me in the future.
Elementary Years
I was five when my father finished his studies at Notre Dame. Our family reunited in St. Louis, where I was to start elementary school. Going to elementary school was a wonderful time of my life. I performed well in school, easily finishing assignments before I even went home. With a lot of spare time, I greatly enjoyed reading and went to the county library every week. I also enrolled in our school’s gifted program. These led to me being dubbed the “smart kid” at school. School really boosted my self-esteem and gave me a great sense of accomplishment.
Aside from school, I had many other activities. I took piano lessons on a weekly basis. The first few years of practicing classical music was an arduous experience for me. However I grew to love music and now think of being able to play the piano as a blessing. Our family regularly went to church. I enjoyed going, but it was more of an opportunity to socialize and make friends. On Sunday afternoons, after church, I also went to Chinese school as my parents greatly emphasized the importance of knowing the language.
During my years in elementary school, I had a very smooth journey. I read quickly, learned new concepts easily, and even graduated with a presidential award! However, I developed a laid-back personality, maybe even being complacent with my ability at the time. My fifth grade teacher wrote of me on my final report card:
“Justin is an exceedingly bright young man, but he often does the minimum amount of work required to get a good grade. Justin, Roger Bannister, the man who was first credited with running the mile in under four minutes, said, ‘The man who can drive himself farther once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.’ Unless you are willing to put in the extra effort, even when it hurts, you will always be running with the pack. To come out a winner, in front of everyone, you will need to apply more of yourself and your intelligence to the task at hand.”
I didn’t like these remarks at the time, but little did I know how important these words of wisdom would be in the next few years of my life.
