Sopheak Kanika Chan (Academic Year 2024-2025) – Trust the Process.
Favorite Quote: “Stability limits growth.” – Terry
An interesting fact about Kanika is that she considers herself a full-time daydreamer, balancing ambition with naps. She runs on occasional existential crises, caffeine, and thoughtfully curated Pinterest boards. Surprisingly, she didn’t expect to enjoy calculus, since she found pre-calculus challenging the previous year. However, she now gets an adrenaline rush whenever she solves an equation correctly, and it has become one of her favorite subjects—partly because of the relaxed pace of the class, where everyone learns individually or collaborates to solve problems. The most challenging yet exciting project for her has been her Research Capstone, as she had to operationalize her own variables, making it very personal and difficult to “perfect.” While citing references correctly wasn’t always enjoyable, she believes it is an important skill she will carry forward. Chemistry was another tough subject for her, as memorizing chemical concepts was challenging, but she acknowledges its value for her future.
During her time at AUPPHS-FA, Kanika has been deeply involved in impactful activities: she worked as a marketing and funding intern during her junior year, gaining entrepreneurial experience; hosted a financial literacy workshop at a children’s center, where she taught disadvantaged students about budgeting and saving while crafting piggy banks from recycled water bottles; and co-authored a children’s book featuring characters with disabilities, promoting inclusivity and representation in media. Her favorite memories are from the last few months of senior year—a sentimental time of shared lunches, collective exam prep, and cherishing every moment with friends before parting ways.
After graduation, she plans to pursue higher education at university and dreams of owning a cow farm 10 years from now.
Her advice to juniors at AUPPHS-FA: “Always take big risks. Definitely step out of your comfort zone as much as possible, and expand your bubble. Seize every opportunity that comes your way and welcome it with open arms!”