Flow actually turned my interests back to academia.

One of the deepest flow experiences I’ve ever had happened during my English Language exam when I was 16 or 17. I had finally picked the right classes and—for the first time in years—I was genuinely enjoying studying, not the school per se, but studying, reading, and writing. I’d revised hard for the final. I was focused. And yes, I’d probably had a little too much Lucozade that morning (but hey, caffeine kickstarts a flow state).

When I opened the exam paper and saw the question staring back at me, there was a flurry of nerves. Then, on reading the question, I realized the stars had aligned. Everything I had read in the lead-up to that moment was there—filed neatly in the cabinet of my mind. And it was so easy to access. Quotes and citations were top of mind. My nerves dissipated and the room fell quiet. It was just me and the paper, silently working away.

After that, I don’t really remember doing the work. Flow did it.

It felt like my brain had opened up. Every cell that needed to work was working. Need a reference? Got it. Need the exact layout of page 32 from the textbook? Right there. Need to visualize the table or graph? There it is. I was in the zone.

Afterwards, my mum was waiting at the school gate to take me home. I told her about what had happened—how I’d lost track of time, how everything just clicked, how quiet and focused my mind had become. I must have sounded mad: But Mum, it was like my brain opened up and all the information was there!

It felt euphoric.
It felt like a positive mental breakthrough.

Years later, I’d learn that what I experienced had a name: flow. And that moment didn’t just get me through an exam—it shaped the direction of my life. I got top marks in my A-levels and packed my bags for university. University introduced me to an orphanage in Peru. Peru introduced me to culture. Culture took me to Hong Kong. And Hong Kong led me to America.

Flow brought me back to learning. And I’ve been chasing it—in my work, in my writing, and in my purpose—ever since.

I envision a future where children's voices are heard in the field of research and psychology. I am looking to meet and speak to children, adolescents, parents, and those who work with children in order to deeper my understanding of how children experience flow and how it relates to their happiness. 

My mission is to speak to, connect with, and learn from children and emerging adolescents on the topic of flow. I aim to better understand how to incorporate children into research that concerns them and their ability to flourish.