Senior Ainslie Chen sits before her desk, an image for her story hovering in her mind. Her fingers fly across the keyboard, bringing her ideas to life. Slowly but surely, the piece comes together, developing into a coherent work as Ainslie adds elements of her personal experiences and memories. 

“Writing is a creative outlet for me,” Ainslie said. “It helps me process things outside of myself and it’s a subconscious expression of my genuine thoughts. I’m contributing to a piece that contains elements of me that you can only see through non-verbal means — it’s not only more liberating, but also challenging to discuss my innermost thoughts in a way that is indirect and abstract.” 

Her enjoyment of writing has prompted her to dabble in different styles and genres. Recently, Ainslie gravitated toward more poetic writing after taking Art of Poetry and Fiction in senior year. 

“I really like this recent piece that I wrote — it not only was super fun to write, but it was also different from what I normally write,” Ainslie said. “It’s a blend between poetry because it’s really free form and prose. I found that this piece specifically follows a train of thought. I find that incorporating a bit of poetry into your writing makes it a lot more figurative and there’s a lot more sensory detail.” 

Involved in many contests over the years, Ainslie notices her growth, especially when she applies her skills writing in nonfiction for her college applications. By refining her writing techniques, she learned how to convey her experiences with originality.

“College apps were a bit of a challenge because it was purely nonfiction, which means I couldn’t rely on the facade of fiction as an anchor point or a safety net,” Ainslie said. “After going through that challenge, I found that my writing was a lot more authentic and more of what I wanted to express.”

Over the years, Ainslie not only improved her writing, but her attitude towards it has also taken a positive turn. She credits her development in writing to releasing herself from the outlines and standards she previously confined herself to.

“I’m a lot more willing to take on new challenges now that I’ve removed the pressure of conforming to this one line,” Ainslie said. “I’ve taken a lot more risks in my writing and I’m more willing to see where my writing takes me as opposed to trying to control the direction.” 

Her increased confidence and willingness to try new things have also contributed to her dabbling in other activities, including exploring her interest for Latin and leading banner painting for Harker’s Junior Classical League, a club dedicated to fostering appreciation for Latin through conventions and events. 

“The difference between design and writing, is that you do design with other people, while writing is a much more solitary process,” Ainslie said. “While I do like hanging out by myself, doing design with other people is a different change of pace. It keeps me grounded because I get to talk with these people and I’m not just thinking about stuff in my own head.” 

This year, Ainslie has taken on a leadership role in JCL as co-president. Latin teacher and JCL advisor Clifford Hull applauds Ainslie for the initiative she has taken to bring the club to the next level. 

“She’s very driven, very focused, and it really pleases me to see that she’s bringing a lot of direction to the club,” Hull said. “She’s gone above and beyond herself: she decided that she wanted to bring more focus and now there’s a captain in the ship that’s steering the ship in the right direction.”

Ainslie’s dedication to Latin does not stop at JCL, as she proves herself as an exceptional student in her Latin classes. Her attention to detail shines during their student-taught classes, where she showcases her unique and insightful interpretations of a Latin text. 

“I’ve been teaching for 46 years and a couple of her perspectives on the poem blew my mind because I had never thought of approaching the poem from that point of view,” Hull said. “It was brilliant and really exciting, and I always look forward to it because I’m always learning something from a fresh set of eyes.”

Ainslie particularly enjoys going to conventions for JCL, describing it as a “fever dream.” Through these conventions, Ainslie values the camaraderie she achieves with her friends. 

“We do everything together, so it’s like you’re put in this little escape room,” Ainslie said. “You learn things about each other that you didn’t know before, and you often make it out of the trip, closer and able to rely on them more.” 

Close friend senior Juliana Li first met Ainslie in sixth grade, and appreciates how they have not only maintained but strengthened their friendship. 

“She is compassionate and really generous: she’s willing to go out of their way to help other people,” Juliana said. “She’s also generous towards not only her friends but also everyone around her and willing to do things to make sure that they’re okay. She is there to support me whenever I need it and of course I’ll do the same for her.” 

Close friend senior Claire Perng shares this sentiment, as they got to know each other during online school. Claire highlights Ainslie’s growth over the course of their friendship. 

“Our friendship definitely helped me get through COVID,” Claire said. “She’s become more open as a person, and she’s more confident in herself and her abilities and is more sure of what she wants in life of sorts and also more able to be social, relaxed and, and sure of herself.”

From writing stories and leading JCL events, Ainslie has learned to integrate creativity into her activities. As she reflects on her journey, Ainslie hopes to focus on the meaningful aspects of what she loves, always striving to cherish valuable memories. 

“Enjoy the process, don’t take things too seriously,” Ainslie said. “That took me too long to realize, and now that I’ve realized it means a lot more to me than it previously had. I’m doing things for my own happiness now — not for comparisons worth or peer pressure.”