One Door Closes for One To Open

Hi everyone, my name is Brandon Tsang. I first assimilated into Drexel through the Dragon Scholars Program (DSP). The program was like a crash course, allowing one to peer through the lens of Drexel students, explore the city, and have a taste of campus life.

Entering my first year, the first few months were as expected. I was mentally ready and tried to keep that mindset even after we were sent home to Zoom university. Still, I was able to make the most of it, having friends from DSP to get through together.

I soon learned my biggest challenge was job hunting during a pandemic. I thought school was stressful enough, but I remember waking up every morning and applying for co-ops externally. Drexel's co-op system was at its low, millions of people got laid off, and it forced me to adapt. I applied everywhere, but it was extremely difficult to get my foot in the door and felt frustrating as most of those doors closed. The struggle was real.

To my surprise, there was one cold email I sent out to a professor that I got back, which turned into my first co-op. I enjoyed it very much, loving what I did there and coming back after the duration of my co-op. This was a huge victory making every experience afterward sweeter by chasing it. Despite a worldly pandemic robbing my opportunities and campus life along with all the other setbacks, I feel proud of where this journey has taken me.

I am now going into my 5th year at Drexel, ready to do my thesis in a lab. I have grown from the first day I stepped foot on campus by pushing doors and leaning on those I can call my safety net. This consists of my family and friends that gave me a sense of home and the people I met throughout Drexel doing my co-ops, extracurriculars, and classes in person and online alike.