Andrew Cheng is a teaching fellow in the Biology Department and house counselor in Stuart House. In his spare time, Cheng enjoys meditating, cycling, and running.
I grew up in San Francisco, West Coaster, born and raised, and my parents worked in the education and medicine sectors. Every weekend, my parents would set up an at-home science experiment for my sisters and me for us to explore the world around us, and we would also travel locally to explore the San Francisco Bay Area. I credit those early experiences with helping me become drawn to the sciences really early on. My family [also] has a history of neurological diseases, and being around family members who were suffering from neurological conditions exposed me early on to the humanistic impacts of these really serious issues of neurological health.
I was able to have the opportunity to compete for all four years for Swarthmore, and it was a really, really valuable experience for me. It taught me how to manage my time. First of all, we practiced five or six days a week, and every single day would be a two- or three-hour practice. It elevated my sense of responsibility in the hours outside of practice. Because I was inside this structured team and structured practices every single day, I was able to channel every other hour that I had into more intentional uses. Secondly, I really love running. Running has sort of been a release and a source of consistency in my life. I have transformed the way I play the sport, but at the end of the day it really is just taking steps forward and left and right occasionally.
I’ve had a couple interviews at medical schools, and they always ask me that. Being a teacher has been an intentional choice for me. I have four years of research experience. I’m really intensely acquainted with the scientific process and how the brain is growing at early ages, but I haven’t yet had a chance to apply that experience into a more humanistic context and apply it to actual patients. My initial motivation for applying to Andover was to gain some really valuable experience supporting adolescence in the many things that you all do. And what better way to do that than living in the same community that I am working in. I’ve really enjoyed my time here, but I don’t forget the big picture, which is developing those skills of connecting with young people with the hopes of applying those skills in the clinic.
I had had no dorm experience before so I was a little apprehensive at first about what really goes on as serving as a house counselor. But something that I’ve felt the most fulfilled by is being able to connect with students within periods of vulnerabilities. I’m on duty once a week and on weekends, and sometimes there’s a rare instance where a student will come up to me after duty, knock on my door, and talk to me about interpersonal conflicts that they’re experiencing, mental health things that they are struggling with, or academic anxiety things that they’re voicing. I find the most fulfillment and enjoyment by transforming my dorm space into a space where students are able to freely share how they are feeling and feel supported because an adult is there listening to them.
This is my first time working as a teacher. Something that surprised me was how much really goes on behind the scenes in a teacher’s role. I was a student as recently as two years ago, and I was a high schooler as soon as six years ago, and when you’re in class you show up, you do the work, and you get all your homework done, and that is that. I realize that there are lots and lots of support systems that faculty and teachers are working to construct for students. All the meetings that you hear about [are] all designed to support the experiences of you all, and that has been something that I didn’t expect the magnitude of. It’s been a welcome surprise knowing that schools are designed with this intentionality to catch students as they need to and guide them into these nets of support.
I’m really big on meditation through movement. There are a lot of stressors in the day, be it work [or] school. I view running as a way to clear my mind and take a break while I am still contributing to my physical and mental health. I’ve continued running after college. It’s built some really great habits for me. Alongside coaching the teams year round, I also am training for a marathon. I have a race coming up in April. I run a lot of miles on campus, so you’ll probably see me with some hat of some sort on. In the past, I have done a bunch of cycling. I cycled the east coast of Taiwan in five days. I also danced Argentine Tango in college for two or three years, which was a really fun experience.
Last year, I applied to medical school and I did not get it. That’s something I would like to be transparent about, especially because I know a lot of students on campus are within an application process themselves. I have failed, and I am still here on the other side, reapplying. There are a lot of lessons to be learned about an application cycle, specifically, how much of a mental stress it can have on you, and seniors are all too familiar with this. My message to seniors on campus is that I feel you. I’m standing right there with you as someone who is also within an application process. If anyone ever wants to chat, you know where to find me. I’m really happy to listen and hear out some of the feelings that you might be experiencing.
One of my absolute favorites is the Thai red curry chicken. Specifically the one for lunch. When they have it as a lunch option, it just hits differently. The other one is the paella. I really like it.
Interconnected. This aligns with how I view adolescence as a whole, this interconnected time. You are going throughout your day, and everything that you do, you’re doing with your peers. Sometimes you have faculty that overlap with academics, the dorm, [and] in sports, and so what this means for this whole space here is it just makes for an extremely interconnected and supportive environment. I encourage students to take advantage of that and be involved with things that you may not normally have been involved with. Try out for that sport, take advantage of the support and the interconnectedness. It is a privilege, and it can really create some deep, lasting connections with people that will last well into your adulthood and beyond.
Each week, I do mid-week mindfulness, which is five minutes of electronics away, lights off, deep breathing, and centering ourselves before we go throughout our day. One primary lesson that I want my students to take away with my classes is the value of mindfulness in promoting your mental and physical health. Here at Andover, students do a lot of things. But little breaks slow [you] down and [make you] realize how much of a joy it is to live in the moment and connect with people.
