Q: Please tell us about your current plans after high school. And what inspired you to choose this path?
A: I plan to major in biochemistry and molecular biology, and I hope to at least get my master’s. I wanted to into this field because I lost two of my grandparents to cancer, and I’d like to contribute to the cure in anyway possible.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
A: My parents own a pediatric therapy center in Lawrenceville, and my sister Hannah is a sophomore at North Gwinnett. We’re originally from the Philippines, and we moved from Southern California to Suwanee in 2014.
Q: Where do you go to school?
A: North Gwinnett High School
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
A: I love Friends, Beto’s Tacos, and Fukulala.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
A: I would love to travel to Hawaii; I love being near the sea and could use some relaxation on the islands.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
A: The Last Dance
Q: What’s the best advice you ever received from a teacher? Who was the teacher?
A: In 8th grade, my P.E. teacher Coach McGinnis told me, “Nathan, I think you have a lot of potential, and you’re gonna have a lot of options when you go to high school. Whatever you choose to do, whether it be basketball or something else, please put forth your best effort, because only good things can come from it.”
Q: What is your go to band when you cant decide what to listen to?
A: It’d probably be between the Eagles or Ramones.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
A: I would love to meet with Jeremy Lin, because we have a lot in common, especially with our Asian heritage, love of basketball, and importance of family. I’d probably meet up with him at Friends or grab some sushi at Fukulala.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
A: I love how Suwanee is family-oriented and finds ways for the community to come together and hang out with each other through Food Truck Fridays and the various festivals throughout the year.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
A: I see myself starting a company in the health industry that researches, administers, and delivers world-class, effective treatments and cures to major diseases, and I hope to have a doctorate in biochemistry.
Q: Favorite month? holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
A: My favorite month would probably have to be May; every year, the excitement before summer is something I can’t really compare to anything else. My favorite holiday is Christmas for sure, because my entire family comes and visits for 2 weeks. My favorite day of the year is the first day of summer; I always hang out with my friends and we burn
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
A: My late grandfather inspires me to be the best I can be. He provided an example of success with his self-owned business that made his family very rich. However, he loved his family so much, and never failed to put them first; he made sure we were going to be as well off as possible before he passed.
Q: If you could go back over your entire school career what is one thing you would do different?
A: I’d probably push myself to take harder classes or at least do dual enrollment, because I didn’t start taking AP classes until my junior year and I feel I would have been accepted into more colleges had I put myself through those classes earlier
Q: Who or what do you miss the most right now?
A: I miss the feeling of those last few days in the halls, meeting with my friends before we’d have to rush to our next class after losing track of time. My excitement was just beginning to build about the next chapter of life, and now there’s just a gap wher I thought that feeling would be
Q: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities?
A: I played basketball for North for 2 years and played rec basketball for another 2. Currently, I am a Starbucks barista.
Q: What’s the first thing you want to do when this quarantine is over?
A: Throw a prom or a pool party with all my friends in my backyard and just enjoy each other’s company for a while.
