Sharon Cheung, Former Chapter President, Flushing High School
Sharon Cheung, Chapter President and Glammy Scholarship Award finalist, shares about her inspiring future plans. Originally published July 19. 2017.
Joining GlamourGals has been one of the best decisions I’ve made throughout my four years at Flushing high school. It has allowed me to see the break in society’s social standards that only females are allowed to have an interest in activities such as nail polish and makeup. Flushing High School’s chapter had its first ever male volunteer at one of our makeovers. GlamourGals welcomes people of all genders, breaking gender roles and the social norm. It allows people to freely express themselves and do what they love without judgment while making a difference at the same time. Having a mix of females and males in our group has made it more diverse for the seniors as well. The one elderly male who comes to every makeover to get his nails done finally has another male companion to converse with!
As the chapter president of Flushing High School’s GlamourGals chapter, I’ve been able to discover my areas of strength an strive to improve on my areas of weaknesses. Being a naturally shy person, I was doubtful and unsure of my leadership abilities. I constantly questioned whether I was the right person for the job. My first task of chapter president was to find a nursing home that my chapter would be able to volunteer at. Making phone calls to people other than my family was always a scary task for me. However, I knew that if I was to be a great leader, communication skills would be crucial and the key to being successful. My experiences had made it clear to me that “Hard work pays off” wasn't just another cliche quote the adults say to encourage their children. I first had to trust myself and believe that I was able to take on my role as chapter president. I discovered that facing my fears, putting in the effort, and being tenacious allows me to accomplish great things, making the long journey worth it.
I was always told by the adults around me to pick a practical career. Growing up with an Asian family, I have heard the never ending, “Be a doctor. Be a lawyer. Be an engineer.” in my lifetime. There was always the pressure to pick a job that was highly profitable and one that my parents can boast about to their friends. However, I was never really interested in those areas and my dream in life is not to become the next Bill Gates but to be happy with what I do. In the next 10 years, I hope to walk into work with a smile on my face, excited to start the day. I knew that I enjoyed helping others and being a part of something special- a reason as to why I joined GlamourGals. The experiences I have made as a GlamourGals volunteer have helped me pick a career choice that fits my interests and is “practical”. I plan to major in Business as I enter college next year and hope to eventually open up my own non-profit organization that will help make a change and difference in people's lives like GlamourGals has. I will carry the memories and skills I have gained during the past two years as a GG volunteer on with me as I continue on my studies and my journey.