Sophean Daliya (Academic Year 2025-2026) – Stressful, Fun, Nurturing
Favorite Quote: “Every day alive is another reason to keep living. I believe that as long as you make it through another day and wake up alive, that is itself a reason to keep moving forward and continuing to live.”
An interesting fact about Daliya is that because of her love for learning new things, she has developed many hobbies. Even if she is not an expert at first, her curiosity and excitement help her quickly learn the basics. Some of her hobbies include sewing, drawing, video editing, visual design, gaming, and writing.
Her favorite subjects are AP Statistics and English. She enjoys Statistics because it challenges her to think outside the box and use creativity when analyzing and answering questions. She has also always loved English classes because of her passion for literature and writing, which makes it one of her favorite subjects every year. The most challenging assignments for her have been research papers, as she tends to write in a narrative style, which differs from the more objective and academic style required in formal research writing. She believes that classes involving language and communication, such as English and Literature, best prepare students for life because being able to clearly express thoughts and ideas is essential. While she recognizes the importance of STEM subjects, she believes that strong communication skills are just as vital.
Outside of school, Daliya is very passionate about dance. In addition to participating in the school’s dance club, she also dances outside of school. She used to be part of an all-girls dance group at her previous school and occasionally meets with them to practice and film dance videos together. Alongside modern dance styles like Hip-Hop and K-pop, she also continues practicing Khmer traditional dance because she believes it is important to preserve and carry on her country’s cultural heritage. One of her most memorable moments at AUPPHS-FA has been practicing and rehearsing with her dance club members in the third-floor dance studio.
After graduating from AUPPHS-FA, Daliya plans to start by learning how to drive. At the same time, she will either continue working on her university applications or prepare for university if she has already received an offer. Her advice to juniors at AUPPHS-FA: “Be kind to yourself and have integrity. Compassion for yourself will lead to compassion for others. Integrity, even if it goes unnoticed, will help you with your self-respect and mental health. There is so much hate and injustice in the world, so I hope that, to the best of your abilities, you try to put out as much love and kindness that the world so desperately needs.”