We were lucky to catch up with Alexandria McBride recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alexandria, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Being married to a woman and learning a language that originates from a country where same-sex marriage is still illegal today, often leads to uncomfortable conversations. Therefore, I go in with confidence when I say “wife” in Japanese because I want people to know that I meant what I said. I am not going to let my confidence in my Japanese skills hinder how confident I am in who I am. People will take you seriously when you take yourself seriously. If doors close because of who you are, they are losing out, not you!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I graduated in 2021 with a Health Science B.S. but found my passion for a more specialized field in Gerontology on an international scale, after taking a course on global aging. I returned to OSU to finish my Japanese Bachelors and work with Age-Friendly Columbus where I found amazing guidance in working towards my research interests. I went on to present that work at the Ohio Association of Gerontology and Education Conference and received the Arnedia Smith Outstanding Undergraduate Research Paper Award, as well as a poster presentation with The Asian Conference on Aging & Gerontology in Tokyo and the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics Asia/Oceania Regional Conference. Now I am finishing my final year at OSU and hope to continue my studies on Japan’s aging population in graduate school.
Japan is well known for having one of the longest life expectancies in the world, not to mention its healthy lifestyle and quality healthcare system. There is a worldwide demographic shift where older adults are beginning to take up a greater portion of the population. Japan is at the forefront of this shift and I know being able to understand what has and hasn’t worked will be vital to the rest of the world. I want to be at that forefront, finding those solutions and sharing with the world.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities I’d recommend to any students out there with an interest in gerontology or any health care research fields are, curiosity, confidence and passion. When it comes to curiosity, trust me, I get when you go through so much schooling and pay so much money, you don’t want to let the extracurricular classes persuade you away from the goal. However, I found my calling in the last semester of my first undergraduate degree. Suppose I had only given myself one option, I wouldn’t be presenting my work in Japan. I wouldn’t have been winning awards. I wouldn’t have made the connections I have now. Was it the best financial decision, maybe not. However, because I found my purpose, I had a greater push to make it happen.
That leads me into passion, in Japanese, there is a word called “ikigai” which very loosely translates to ‘a reason for being’. It is not that I work hard, I am living vigorously. Whenever, I am at my job, in classes, and running a student organization, it’s sometimes hard to fuel my work ethic. So, I try to always remember why I am doing what I’m doing, then it feels less like work. I know people say this a lot but it’s true: fake it till you make it. I didn’t truly understand this until I was encouraged to pursue my own research. I was always telling myself, that I needed an impeccably perfect research plan, it needed to be led by someone better than me, I needed to be in a PhD program, and that I needed more qualifications than I had. I was unaware of how many undergraduate research conferences and awards there were. I felt so unqualified. Yet, I had all the knowledge, tools, education, and connections I needed. So I faked the confidence. Now I have the prestige to back up my confidence with ease.
Finally, you will need confidence. I know people say this a lot but it’s true: fake it till you make it. I didn’t truly understand this until I was encouraged to pursue my own research. I was always telling myself, that I needed an impeccably perfect research plan, it needed to be led by someone else, I needed to be in a PhD program, and that I needed more qualifications than I had. I was unaware of how many undergraduate research conferences and awards there were. I felt so unqualified. Yet, I had all the knowledge, tools, education, and connections I needed. So I faked the confidence. Now I have the prestige to back up my confidence with ease.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
I am currently struggling with time-lines. I have big dreams of doing my graduate degree in Japan because I can keep up my language skills as well as continue my research. However, anyone who has worked on graduate school applications can tell you how far out in advanced you must prepare, how many recommendation letters you need and how much time it consumes. Doing all this while still in school and working has definitely held me back.
So, I am learning patience. I plan to take a break from school at least over summer to focus on application preparation and narrow my university search. I of all people know that life is longer than we all expect. I have a whole lifetime to complete my goals!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexandria-Mcbride
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alexandria-mcbride98
- Twitter: @AlexandriaMcB
