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Writer's pictureCynthia Standley

Shiyu Lucy Zhou (Pour painting)

Updated: Aug 3, 2020

Meet Meet Shiyu Lucy Zhou

Medical Student, Class of 2023, UA COM-P


Describe your morning – what time do you get up, what do you do first, next, and what is for breakfast? I get up around 6 AM to the sounds of my puppy, Oreo, eagerly awake and ready to start the day. First I get him breakfast and watch him scarf down his meal while I sip my coffee. Then we go on a walk together before I have my breakfast, which is usually 2 eggs, bacon, and oat nut bread. On lazy days I'll just have a banana. These tend to be Oreo's favorite days and he has definitely developed a taste for frozen banana bites. What happens next? What do you do for lunch? After playing with Oreo for an hour to tire him out, I start doing my flashcards, which takes about 3 hours. I like to get them done in the morning when my mind is most clear. My boyfriend, PJ, works from home now so I try to prepare an actual lunch rather than eating leftovers. My favorites are Asian foods like dumplings and ramen, but recently I've been making a lot of salads and soups. What do you do for dinner? Cooking dinner is a huge part of my day and I usually start mentally preparing before I've even finished lunch. One of my favorites is baked salmon with roasted veggies (zucchini, squash, sweet potato, & kale). It's so easy to toss everything onto a baking sheet and throw it in the oven. While I wait for it to cook, I usually finish my flashcards or watch a video for school. How do you end the day and what time do you go to bed? I end the day by taking Oreo on another walk and playing with him until he goes to sleep at 8:30 PM. Afterward, PJ and I usually watch a show together until our bedtime at 10PM. Right now we're watching Avatar: The Last Airbender (I highly recommend, it's on Netflix!) What art are you doing and when do you do it? I started to pour paint after I was accepted to medical school and had more time on my hands to take up a new hobby. For me, pour painting is a beautiful, cathartic experience that transcends conventional methods since there are no brushes or rules of where the paints can go, and the possibilities are endless. Pour painting has allowed me to practice patience, all while testing my creativity and problem-solving skills. I admit that most of my paintings don't turn out exactly how I initially envisioned them, but somewhere along the way, I discover something new, and usually better than what I had planned. One of my favorite parts of pour painting is mixing the paints and using my knowledge of chemistry to layer colors based on density and intermolecular forces. Who would have guessed that general chemistry knowledge could come in handy when making bubbles and rings! When I moved from California, I left all my paints behind so I haven't been able to pour paint for a while now, but I am planning on starting a new art medium soon :)


What are you reading? Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller. It's a very powerful book that takes place in my hometown and the author went to my alma mater. What are you streaming? Avatar: The Last Airbender, Dead To Me, & Community (I know, I need to just choose one and stick to it but I always watch multiple shows at once for some reason...) How are you feeling? I feel very blessed that these days I'm actually feeling quite well amidst all that is going on in the world right now. I feel safe and protected in the comfort of my own home and lucky to spend time with Oreo and PJ. What’s the first thing you’re going to do when the quarantine ends? I'd like to take Oreo out and have him meet other people and dogs. And finally, have our delayed housewarming party with my classmates!

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