Who am I?

Growing up in New Jersey, I was given internet access at a very (maybe too) early age. My Chromebook led me to discover a majority of my humor and interests today. I spent hours in my room watching Minecraft Let's Plays and art tutorials. At the time, Minecraft was seen as kid-like, at least to my elementary school friends. At a young age, building Minecraft adventure maps despite being made fun of during lunch period, I decided to always be true to myself.

My childhood dream was to make everyone in the world laugh. I'm not sure how I would’ve done that. Maybe something built in the future would've allowed me to transfer a joke into the mind of every human being. All I knew was that I loved making people laugh. Obviously, I don't have the exact same dream. Humor is subjective, and I'm not that funny in all honesty. Still, I like to carry my childhood aspirations in spirit. I still love making people laugh, which has led to me meeting some of the greatest people in my life. "A day without laughter is a day wasted" is kinda cringey to say, but it's true. Especially during such a stressful and important year of my life, humor alleviated all my stress. Maybe I can't make everyone laugh, but I’ve shared happiness and fond memories with everyone in my community. Remember to vote Vincent Cheng for Class Clown of 2026 :).

Video games have always been crucial to my life. Beyond its entertainment value, I've witnessed beautiful stories, made connections online, and developed a passion for creating. I'd like to specifically thank Pokémon Diamond. This is the first Pokémon game I played, previously experiencing it through my sibling’s 2DS screen. I vividly remember catching a Starly for the first time. There are 151 unique Pokémon designs in this game. Each 1 taught me about myself. I loved and took pride in my partners. I dedicated hours to catching every single creature to finish the Pokédex. I can recall every name, entry, and design. My sketchbooks back then were riddled with my own designs, imagining a Pokémon generation of my own. I knew what my ideal starters would be; I knew their movesets. I thank Pokémon for teaching me curiosity and creativity. There’s a reason I have a whole shelf dedicated to it. The fake Pokémon that I dreamt up paved the way for my passion for art.

Moving was, at the time, one of my hardest challenges. I felt like I lost a part of me. Dreams of attending the same college with all my childhood friends were instantly crushed, as I started 8th grade in a different state. I struggled to find a balance. My free time was spent in Discord calls with my friends back home. Instead of making any new friends, I grasped for what was left of Jersey. High school was when I finally branched out. Initial years were spent the same way, yet as time passed, I finally found another friend group. Forever, I'll be thankful for people willing to introduce themselves and talk to me. Everyone I’ve met has allowed me to be the best version of myself. I became confident in who I am and can only thank every interaction I’ve ever had for that. I’ve attempted to repay the favor to others. I’ve since met so many great people and have included them in everything I do. Finally, I've found my balance in who I surround myself with. My greatest memories have been made in high school, yet I still talk to everyone in New Jersey daily. I’ll never forget my roots. They've all motivated me to chase passions, join extracurriculars, and be the best version of myself.

Enough about my formative years. While I believe this all laid the groundwork for my current self, my biggest growth has been in High School

I used to believe my life was boring. Everything was routine; weekdays were spent in school, the hours after were spent on homework and video games, with the weekends being rest days. I have chased many new experiences since then. From visiting Japan with my cousins to riding Kingda Ka at Six Flags after driving 4 hours with 8 High school boys, I don't regret new experiences. The lesson I want to teach is rather the opposite: routine is comfort. I do the same things every day, but those same rituals are what excite me daily. I greet my calculus (and formerly Pre-calculus) teacher with a "good morning" every class. Walking home, I'm sure to greet the same crossing guard. We’ll have a quick conversation about the weather. She might compliment me on how tall I’ve gotten since freshman year. Then, the light flashes and I say my goodbyes as I walk home. It’s the same routine small talk, yet it never gets old. It's simple gestures, but they make lasting impacts. I'm happy to be invited out, and I'll never hesitate to work on my hobbies, yet those days in between where I have no plans are just as memorable. Make every day matter. Simply helping people and talking to them speaks volumes.

I used to think after-school activities were useless. Robotics meetings just meant more errors in the code and disappointment when our robot inevitably crashed into the lockers. Physics "review" sessions were spent listening to my teacher's military stories rather than practicing for our exam. It seemed like wasted time. However, while some days lacked in academic content and building progress, I made many connections just from showing up and being there. Showing up over the Summer to take apart old robots and plan for another year of Robotics, I got to converse with all my peers. I interacted with the club advisor, whom I originally was too afraid to speak to. Realizing his genuine passion for engineering, I learned about his college days, his future plans, and his favorite Halloween candy (Hi-Chew). Maybe I would've done better if we actually practiced physics questions, but his stories in the military were a welcome break from the constant formulas and diagrams. Every moment is priceless. Even if I made minimal progress on the robot, I made unbreakable connections with those around me.

By far the most useful class I've taken is AP Research. I used to hate research and presentations. I'd often get lost in century-old papers full of convoluted definitions. My first presentation in AP Seminar left my legs shaking. To make matters worse, my topic was based on living environment, a class I struggled with in my freshman year. Despite these issues, I was determined to persevere and acquire the necessary life skills. My project was about plants and how their varying morphological root traits could better reduce erosion. Searching for a solution to the constantly diminishing coastlines in America, I hoped to find a cheap, easy solution made from vegetation. Months of experimenting, research, and failures all led to my presentation, where I got across my points confidently, ultimately receiving a 5 on the exam. I'd found actual data. My work in school could be used by actual scientists to help find a solution to a worldwide issue. AP Research showed me that my academic work has value. What I've done in school isn't just to get to a good college, but to make an impact. Presenting my paper again at the school's Symposium the month after, I excitedly spoke in front of a crowd on everything I did. My curiosity from AP Research has spread to other activities. From my MathFest Silver-winning Presentation about chess engines to my DECA presentations on food and business marketing, I've grown to embrace audiences and research.

I realize that the trait that connects all my activities is creativity. In elementary, I was known as the “art kid”. My happiest memories at the time involved winning a local art competition and meeting our town Mayor. That blue ribbon is still hung in my room. Combined with my love for video games, I began to make scratch projects. A stubborn kid pushed that site to its limits. I had dreams of recreating the most famous games just out of simple block coding (I couldn’t). This persistence to learn how to replicate effects drove me to actually learn coding and continue making games (albeit a lot smaller and more realistic) in my free time. I started to make animations because of film. I learned to edit and make YouTube videos because of Minecraft Let’s Plays. I started making music to give others the same feeling I got from my favorite albums. I write papers to get my thoughts across to other people and have meaningful discussions. Everything I do is about creating things. Whether it’s through words or images, I want to make a lasting impact on our world.

These are a few of the most defining moments in my upbringing. Each lesson, memory, and story shapes who I am today. I know not everyone will read through my lengthy reflections, but that's simply me. As time goes on, I look forward to adding even more to my journey.