Alumni Check-in: Jake Yen (Class of 2025)

Q. Where do you live now? Why? What are you doing?

A. I live in Appleton, Wisconsin now. I live here because I go to school here, at Lawrence University. I study Physics and play on the soccer team here.

Q. What are the biggest differences between there and Kaohsiung? What’s the biggest similarities?

A. The biggest difference has to be the weather. Right now, as of around Halloween, it gets as low as 2-5 celsius. There are actual seasons here, and fall looks very beautiful when all the trees turn orange. The food here is also extremely different, and in my opinion, much worse here.

Everything lowkey tastes the same, and everything feels and tastes fake. Although, I do love cheese curds.

The biggest similarity is probably the friendly culture. In Taiwan, I’d like to think that we have a welcoming and friendly culture. I find it’s the same case in the Midwest.

Q. What does a typical day look like for you?

A. I usually wake up around 9, and I usually take a quick shower before getting a quick breakfast at the university cafe. Depending on the day, I attend one or two classes. After that I have lunch at the cafeteria, and usually have a quick nap.

Then, I go to the mall and work for a few hours, and then after I get off work I get ready to go to soccer practice. Usually practice goes till 7-8, so I then either eat at the cafeteria again or grab a bite with some of my buddies on the team. I then go back to my dorm, where I play video games or study until I go to bed around 12-1.

Q. What's one thing you miss most about being a high school student? 

A. The lack of responsibilities.

Q. What's the biggest lesson you’ve learned in the "real world" that you wish you knew while you were in high school?

A. Manage your finances, create a budget plan and be smart with money.

Q. What advice would you give to your high school self?

A. Eat more Taiwanese food and spend time with your friends and family.

Q. Did your KAS experience prepare you for life after graduation?

A. For sure, IB taught me time management and spending so much time speaking English here definitely helped me integrate into living in the US.

Q. What are you looking forward to most in the next five years?

A. Exploring my options, going to different places and figuring out what I want to do with my life.