by: Atharava Pandey and Ivan Habib

Sports Editor and Website Manager

Balancing school with badminton and other interests, junior Eric Hou still makes time to have fun this year. Despite his busy schedule, Hou manages to put his best foot forward and take advantage of every opportunity.

Hou is currently taking seven classes: Orchestra, AP English Language and Composition, French 4 Honors, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, AP Physics C, and AP US History. When asked how he balances all his classwork, Hou claims that the work is not as bad as it seems, even with his tendency to procrastinate. He maintains that his carefree attitude allows him to avoid feeling overwhelmed with all his commitments. Hou particularly enjoys math, attributing this fact to his family: “My brother did a lot of math as a kid, and my dad also really likes math. So I kind of just followed their footsteps.” Hou plans to major in math, specializing in either quantitative finance or math research, as he is fascinated by the patterns of mathematical processes and their numerous applications. 

Excelling in many STEM-related competitions, Hou has pursued his interests to a great extent beyond the classroom. In particular, Hou participated in the Canadian Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad (CAAO), placing in the top 14. This olympiad is an individual problem-solving assessment that consists of practical and theoretical concepts at an advanced level. Hou’s CAAO performance earned him the opportunity to take part in the Canadian national training camp for astronomy, where he and 14 others flew to Canada to partake in three rigorous days of lectures, assessments, and workshops. Reflecting on his involvement, Hou explains, “I am not going to lie. Everybody was a lot better at astronomy than me but I think it was a good, fun experience.” Hou is interested in potentially pursuing olympiads at the international level in the future, hoping he can qualify for one of the STEM ones, such as math. 

Outside of the classroom, Hou can be found smashing birdies on the badminton court. Hou says, “I like to play badminton in my free time a lot, actually. It is a good way to reset.” He enjoys both the camaraderie with the team and the competitive aspect. Hou was a member of the varsity team last year and believes he has improved significantly over the offseason, putting him in a strong position to win more games this year. 

When facing tough times, Hou consistently reminds himself, “To not be too serious sometimes and be more relaxed. I think if you are stressed out about something, you won’t do well in it.” He believes it is important to balance your work with fun to avoid burnout. Across hard classes, important astronomy competitions, and badminton tournaments, Hou gives it his all and rises to every challenge.