Asian Doesn’t Start with A+ | Olivia Lai | TEDxPhillipsAcademyAndover

one thing i hate (being an asian american) is that my hard work is brushed away. when i do well it's "because she's asian" rather than "because she worked hard". it really drains away my motivation

I'm a Korean student who attends an American School and there is an award for getting all good grades for your subject. I have this weird mindset that I am supposed to and expected to get that award. But my parents don't even mind if I don't get any awards. It's just my mind acknowledging the stereotypes of an Asian and feeling like I should be a high achiever in academics. I really appreciate the message that is given out in this speech.

When you're literally an Asian who is the laziest person they know.

Every student should be expected to achieve regardless of race, economic situation, or life.

I thought the title was saying that the word Asian didn't start with an A.. I was like wtf does it start with then???

I know exactly what this is like. Whenever I get the occasional lower grade, everyone has to rub it in my face that they did better.

There's this mind set in my class that everyone is really afraid to raise their hand and answer the teacher's question because every one of us is scared of what'll happen if we say the wrong answer. Sometimes we overthink that everyone will laugh at us and the pressure is really high if you're well-know to be good in a specific subject. I was called the "human dictionary" in my class since I knew hard words that they didn't and whenever I can't give them the definition of the word I would panic. I think the most thing we're (some) scared about is failure and when we don't meet everyone's expectations. My teachers had urged everyone to not be afraid but it's really hard if it's been imprinted to your brain since kindergarten. 😔

Wondering if 70% or more of the views are from Asians 😂 I'm one also

I'm Asian and I am not good at Math,in fact I hate Math.

well done! I am an Asian American myself. I definitely felt this kind of pressure a lot myself as I went through high school, undergrad, and postgrad studies. Now that I am a professional as an occupational therapist, I still sometimes feel this way. I remembered when I am being mentored in my professional field, the positive stereotypes definitely played a role in my mentors' expectations. Yes, after some initial struggles, I have began to surpass my mentors' expectations (including being on the TEDx Talk for the second time later this month.) But, I agree that it is important to get to know each student (or mentee in professional worlds) for who they are with good understanding for their strengths and weaknesses. I think it is important for each student (or mentee) to have just right level of expectations placed on them to keep them motivated and strive to be the best they can be.

I know this may not apply to every Asian... but to me sometimes I think if I can live up to that stereotype of being an Asian who's good at Math and does well at school, I feel proud of myself. And not just for Asians, everyone who succeeds in achieving what you want should feel proud too!

I'm an Asian American. People: ARE YOU CHINESE?????? Me: nope People: Japanese? Me: nope People: Korean? Me:nope People: WHAT ARE YOU?? Me: a person. ________________________________ Friend: WOW! your so good at drawing :3 Me: Because I watch YouTu- Friend: because your Asian and apparently Asians are smart and awesome

Thank you.

As an Asian American it's really annoying when your parents need so much to be proud! All we get is a "oh good job, but you could have been student of the year of the whole, instead of for just 6th grade." Like what!!!! Really???

"If the scientist who builds the rocket makes one mistake, the whole ship EXPLODES"

asian grading scale Alright Below Average Cant eat dinner Don't come home Find a new family

"Blood Type B? Failure running through your veins." Thanks dad

This girl across the country understands me better than my parents

In my school, I was one of the top students in my grade. My friends always thought that I would get into ever single academic event in school, because I was Asian. My classmates would always ask me what my grades were at the end of the term, so then they can compare to me. When I told them that in elementary, the lowest grade I ever got was an A- they said "Because you're Asian! Of course you would stay in the A range!" I knew that wasn't right. Then, in 4th grade, I had gotten a lot of awards. I had placed second in the Schoolwide Geography Bee, I lost to an Asian who was in 8th grade. I had won gold in the Schoolwide Speech Festival. I received the "builder of the month" which was a really high award you can get at my school, like EXTREMELY high. I also got into the High Honor Roll out of 4 people in my grade. I received perfect attendance and citizenship also. My friends expected me to get the same awards in fifth grade also. Then, in 5th grade, I had missed the passing grade to get into the Schoolwide Geography Bee. My friends were confused and said "You lost to a white person?! An ASIAN lost to a WHITE" and I felt so stereotyped. I thought that I didn't work hard enough, even though I missed qualifications by one. I had gotten into the speech festival again, but I didn't win, and ended up losing to a white person. Again, I was stereotyped and teased about me being beat by someone other than an Asian. Asians are expected to be the perfect human, but we aren't. We are just like everybody else in this world. Even though we might have been the top one year, it doesn't mean we will be the top the next. Thanks for taking the time to read this. ☺️

Asian American. Good at math. Yes, I fall into the stereotype, but the part I can related the most is the part where I NEVER ask for help. During my college years, things like professor's office hours and TA-led study sessions were all useful resources that I could have utilized, but I rarely did. As much they helped me, I never feel the encouragement to go because it makes me feel like admitting that I'm not good enough. It gets very bad because I'm a passive introvert and I really need these handholding by mentors. I'm happy that the current research lab I work in are small enough and my boss would work closely to my supervisor and me to make sure I'm on the right track several times a week, but I'm still learning to speak up for the help I need and deserve, for my future career.