Jasmine Liao

It’s easy to spot senior Jasmine Liao on the quad catching a frisbee. Her frequent assertion that Ultimate Frisbee is a real sport, much to the denial of her friends, is an apt representation of her cheerful and eccentric personality. If you’re ever curious about Liao’s level of commitment to Ultimate Frisbee, ask her to show you her “battle scars.” She will gladly display them. Liao entered the Academy as a new lower, coming from an international school in Hong Kong. After arriving, she found that Exeter was different from what she had imagined, and learned to adjust her expectations and workload accordingly. “My lower year, I was that ambitious, annoying lower that signed up for all the clubs; I was in debate and [Model UN] and Mock Trial and [The] Exonian… it was just a lot.” Liao realized it was too much to sustain and chose to refocus on the things she cared more about. Liao remains involved in many groups around campus. Besides being a co-head of Mock Trial, she manages Student Council’s Instagram as a committee head of PR, serves as section leader of Concert Choir, is a co-head of ESSO Kids Create and acts as a proctor in Moulton House.In Mock Trial, during her upper year, Liao forged strong relationships with lowerclassmen as the leader of C team. Lower Michelle Park, a member of the team, remembered Liao as “one of the sweetest, most compassionate and friendly people [she] know[s].” Park also noted Liao’s prominent role as a leader. “She knows how to command an audience or group of people without being aggressive—she’s mastered the art of quintessential assertiveness… She was always so loving, warm, easy to approach and welcoming, yet at the same time she knew when to take control and lead a situation.”Liao first attended ESSO Kids Create as a lower to change her pace from more academically oriented clubs. “It turned out I actually really, really liked it; it was really fun, and the kids are really cute,” she said. “You can take a break from all the busy schoolwork and really focus on the kids, because if you walk into the room with worries and sadness, that is going to impact the kids, so it forces you to be happy,” she said.Instructor in Math Stephanie Girard is Liao’s current adviser and math teacher for upper spring. “Jasmine presented problems regularly and was always willing to tackle the more challenging problems, even when she was not 100% sure of her approach,” she said. Girard also mentioned Liao’s involvement in advising newer students in the dorm. In Moulton House, Liao’s presence has helped to create a welcoming and lively environment for its residents. Alicia Gopal, an upper in Moulton House, has grown close to Liao in the common room, where Liao often chats and helps others with homework. “[Jasmine] has a very welcoming and warm personality...she’s always very supportive, but also if you’re doing something wrong she’ll let you know, but in a good way,” she said. “For example, if you’re talking to her about some situation that happened today, she’ll tell you what you should’ve done and she’ll help you get to the right place.” Gopal also admires Liao’s unwavering support when times are rough. “One day, a couple of girls, including myself, in our dorm—we were having a really bad day, and [Jasmine] has a projector in her room...so we watched 'High School Musical' at one in the morning. That just gave me a great sense of relief and hominess for a day that was not that great,” she said. As an international student, Moulton House upper Zofia Kierner met Liao during orientation. “If you have any questions about homework, she’ll put her homework aside and just spend time working on your homework with you. Every time you’re in the dorm she will greet you, ask you how your day was; if you pass her in the hallway she’ll hug you or wave at you, she just brings a really welcoming environment,” Kierner said. “[Jasmine] really helped me ease into the social aspect of Exeter, or the dorm life aspect, because I’ve never really lived in a dorm before.”Given the close-knit community in Moulton House, Liao’s dormmates have come to love many of her quirks which have helped to strengthen their bonds. Upper Emmanuelle Brindamour recalled an instance when Liao created an opportunity for the girls to collaborate. “One day in our common room, she said ‘Guys, you need to help me! My cat, Pumpkin, disappeared, and I am really worried and confused where the cat went because I live on the 30th floor of an apartment building,’” Brindamour said. “So then she got us to all look at Google Maps street view of her apartment in Hong Kong to look at the shape of her apartment and investigate any possible escape routes Pumpkin could have taken.”Senior Ella Fishman, a co-proctor in Moulton, noted Liao’s organization skills, musical talent and charming idiosyncrasies. “She makes her notes color-coordinated, organized, aesthetically pleasing. She [also] hums all the time, and it's always oldies. Also, if she has any homework assignments that are audible, she will never do them outside the shower because it’s something she can do while showering,” she said. “Just knocking out two in one.”Upper Helena Mandeville met Liao through music sports and grew close with her by splitting a bag of Hot Cheetos every day after class ended. “She’s really into music and she’s really talented, and she really loves helping people,” she said. “She would go and buy you a cookie if you’re really sad."Kierner recalls Liao’s unique senior meditation writing process. “I noticed all the typing she was doing, but nothing was showing up... she said she was typing all of it in white ink so that she doesn’t second-guess anything that she’s writing,” she said.Liao’s eccentricity also extends to food. “First, ketchup and mayo is the best combination ever,” she claims.Liao also enjoys cooking with her friends, either making snacks like cookies or using subscription boxes from Hello Fresh, a service that sends three meals worth of ingredients and a recipe card. “Last week, I made bibimbap, and burgers and tacos, and I didn't have to buy anything [else] because was already in the box.”Above all, Liao hopes to return the favors her upperclassmen gave to her and share the lessons that she has learned. “I want to inspire people to pursue things that they really wanted to, and not to burn themselves out,” she said. “I just want to be that chill senior, always just friendly.”