THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER

9 | FEATURE

Looking back
Why Geometry teacher Yichen Zhang left, in her own words
JULIE HENG gut,” Zhang said. “As the year went ed quizzes and tests from English to I really don’t want any of [my stu-
on, it just didn’t go away. And it was Georgian for me. She was constant- dents] to think there’s anything that
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF just like a lot of dread, a lot of nega- ly asking kids to stop talking. And I they did. There’s a certain point
I never had Ms. Yichen tivity, and I couldn’t place it.” think it was really hard on her.” where I realized I just have to take
Zhang as a teacher — I took Geom- This year, she was teaching Some students admitted care of myself.”
etry before she started teaching it at five sections of Geometry in three they’d just stay on their phones For the time being, she
Huron last year — but anyone could classrooms, which she thought during class, whether during lec- hopes to finally get that gym mem-
tell she is the kind of teacher that would be better than last year, when tures, activities or otherwise. bership. Clean the apartment. Eat
cares. she taught four sections of Geometry “I understand...the pressure healthier. Read. Think.
A couple of weeks ago, she and one Geometry AC in four class- and stress that students are under,” Think about the state of
became our second mock trial coach. rooms — but it didn’t get better. Zhang said. But for some students, education, she says. About the dis-
She’d take care to transcribe her “sometimes connect between high school and
thorough handwritten notes from that kind of college math and practical life skills.
our practice trials and email comes out” in About equity in a much larger sys-
them to each of us. She always class. tem designed “to exhaust you so that
asked us what we needed before “There’s a you don’t have as much time to take
making thoughtful suggestions. lot of you that care of your students and have it be
I’d talk to her about the is outside of this equitable for everyone.”
University of Chicago, where classroom, that’s She heard that at a con-
she got her bachelor’s in even outside of ference, once. It really struck her.
economics and a master’s the school, that I asked her if she might want to be
in education, not only, but needs to be taken a part of such educational develop-
also about her experience care of,” Zhang ment. For now, she said she’s com-
on the mock trial team said. “And I was pletely stepping back.
but about life and expec- getting frustrat- “I will keep my ears open,
tations and hopes and “I was more exhaust- ed that I couldn’t do that in the time but I am not going to be involved in
dreams. ed,” Zhang said. and under the constraints that I was anything yet,” she said. “Just to sort
Her former stu- “My heart goes out given. Again, unrealistic expecta- out where I am. And to make sure
dents describe her as to everybody who tions, but it was just a layer after lay- that whatever I decide to do next, I
“peppy” and “excited.” has to switch be- er of exhaustion.” go into it with a very healthy mind-
She’s the kind of person tween the class- The stress also manifested set and with realistic expectations.”
who listens to you intensely rooms, especial- physiologically — pain lasting weeks Ms. Zhang took a second
and dances with her eyes. ly as a teacher. that would keep her up or wake her to swallow a few almost-tears. Her
When I found out, We’re all trying up. many-layered scarf, covered in col-
midway through fourth hour, to make sure ev- “I was turning into some- orful logos of Hogwarts houses, was
that today was Ms. Zhang’s erything is shipshape.” body that I did not like: I was not as loud in the quiet room. Her hair was
last day at Huron, I did a bit She felt like she patient as I wanted to be. I was not pinned up as always. She wore a thin
of a double take. wasn’t giving students the as empathetic as I wanted to be,” she silver watch on her left wrist and a
It turns out I wasn’t feedback she wanted to said. jade bracelet on her right.
the only one. give them fast enough. She She saw the effect of her In Chinese culture, it is said
“It was just a lot of felt like she couldn’t take behavior on her family. She started that wearing jade has healing prop-
quiet shock,” Zhang said. “I care of her students and feeling the alarming tug of toxic in- erties. When you’re healthy, you
tried to [tell my students] in make sure they were all ternal dialogue. nourish it, so that when you’re ill, it
a way that felt rushed to me. learning. Two weeks ago, she an- nurses you.
I didn’t know if I could do it — GRAPHIC BY “I think most peo- nounced her resignation. It was a “I appreciate everyone
not cry, hold it together — like, we LYDIA HARGETT ple didn’t appreciate her Friday. around me a lot more,” she told
still have a project we need to get as much as they should There were definitely stu- me. “Because everyone is struggling
done!” have,” sophomore and Georgian ex- dents that brought positive ener- through something.”
But she’d been thinking change student Giorgi Berdzenish- gy to every class. For that, she was She insisted I take a dough-
about it for a while. vili said. “I’m probably the only one grateful. nut, and then she smiled.
“Since the beginning of the who thinks so. She showed us videos “There have been a lot of
year, I just had this feeling in my that helped a lot and even translat- good times here,” Zhang said. “And

University of Michigan students bring soul to newly-opened smoothie shop

Justin Schulman and Sabeen es of development, the group sugars, juices, or preservatives
Khan, University of Michigan had to set detailed expecta- and [it’s something] we’re very
business students. The stu- tions for what they wanted proud of.”
dent-led aspect of the business Soul Smoothies to be,
This initiative on
has heavily influenced the and what it would health was car-
company’s build-up and im- be known for. ried out by
pact in the community; while Two main co-found-
being stationed in the Ross components er Justin
School of Business provides emerged, Schul-
convenience for students. as ulti- man, and
For Khan, being the mately the it has
Marketing Director of a ful- company been an
ly functioning business was caters to influen-
completely new, and it quickly everyday tial ad-
became a worthwhile and ben- people’s dition in
eficial endeavor. health and the com-
A Soul Smoothies employee poses with “The Protein, The Pro- “I think, to be honest, convenience munity.
tein, The Protein” smoothie to promote the refreshing smooth- socially, [Soul Smoothies] has needs.
ie during finals week. COURTESY OF SOUL SMOOTHIES been the most rewarding ex- “As stu- “Ann Arbor in
perience of my college career,” dents, one of the main general has seen
VISH GONDESI What further separates Soul
Khan said. “I have talked things that we really under- a surge of health-focused
Smoothies from the rest, how-
SPORTS EDITOR about it in every single inter- stand is if you don’t have the restaurants,” Schulman said.
ever, is its founders, who ar-
view and have taken away so time, we want to be a conve- “I think that we’ve definitely
Going straight from the en’t big bucks CEOs but rather
much because I think it’s very nient way [to] get a healthy contributed to that.”
books to running a business is everyday college students.
rare that in college you can get snack or meal,” Khan said.
a very rare, but that’s how Soul The company is a stu- Continue reading on our
such a hands-on experience.” “What’s on our menu is what
Smoothies came to fruition. dent business led by DJ Bailey,
In the beginning stag- you get: there are no other website thehuronemery.