Lily Yang: Helping and Cooking for Good

 

Name: Lily Yang

Year: Senior

Major/Minor: Biochemistry/Chinese

Hometown: Dublinm Ohio

 

This week, Her Campus had the opportunity to interview the President of Recipe 4 Good, Lily Yang. Recipe 4 Good is a philanthropy based club at OSU that combines the cooking and community service. Throughout the year, the club raises money and/or cooks for various charities! Read on to see how Lily got involved with this amazing club and much more! 

 

HC: What activities/organizations are you involved in?

LY: I am deeply involved with Recipe 4 Good and Primary Care Progress. I also work part-time as a pharmacy technician and volunteer at the AHI Free Clinic.

 

HC: What got you interested in volunteering?

LY: Volunteering has always been a part of my life since I was young, however, high school is when I really began pursuing opportunities to help the community on my own. I love volunteering because it’s a great way to spend your free time and you’re not only benefitting yourself in the process, but you’re helping and affecting many other lives that you may not even realize.

 

HC: How did you get involved in Recipe 4 Good?

LY: Recipe 4 Good was actually my last stop at the involvement fair my freshman year. I had never heard about it, was not looking for it, Andy (the current treasurer) simply stepped out and asked me “Do you like food?” and who doesn’t love food? I responded back to him and that’s how they got me signed up. The organization participated in events similar to what I loved doing in high school so there was a sense of familiarity that really helped peak my interest. Of all the organizations I actually went to the involvement fair to learn more about, the one I originally had no intentions of joining became the one I was most involved in, so you can never know what’s going to happen.

 

HC: What’s your favorite memory of OSU so far?

LY: That’s a difficult question since there are so many moments that come to mind. I’d probably have to say the Mirror Lake jumps are my favorite :) It’s when we’re all having the most fun doing something silly together. And despite all the attempts to stop this tradition from happening, it withstands every year.

 

HC: If you could be anyone in the world for a day, who would you be?

LY: Although I’m not huge on politics, I would honestly love to see what it’s like to run the country for a day — so I’d have to say the President of the U.S.

 

HC: What’s your favorite food/dessert to make?

LY: There are three things: Chili, Dutch Cream Cheese Wafers, and Baklava. Sorry, I couldn’t narrow it down to one.

 

HC: If you could go anywhere in the world for a week or two, where would you go?

LY: I know it’s cliche, but I would definitely go to the beach. Not to lay on the sand and slowly work my way to skin cancer, but to actually swim in the water, or play frisbee or volleyball on the sand. There are simply so many great aspects about the beach… There’s plenty to do during the day, and even at night (my favorite time by the ocean), you can walk along the shore and it’s astonishingly peaceful. It reminds you that the world, or the universe, is full of things bigger and grander than us.

 

HC: What’s your favorite place on campus?

LY: Although I don’t go there often anymore, I really love the library in Orton Hall. It has a character to it that makes you feel warm, welcome, and safe.

 

HC: If there was one piece of advice you could give incoming freshman, what would it be?

LY: Be involved. Getting involved with student organizations, research, etc. are what will make your college experience yours. Ohio State is so big, it has something for pretty much any area of interest you can think of. There’s even a club who’s main purpose is looking for other clubs giving out free food and going to their meetings. There’s something for everyone and it’s a great way to make friends who you may end up seeing in your classes! Although Ohio State has around 50,000 students, getting involved and getting to know students on campus can make the university feel small at times.

 

HC: What is your favorite place to go to or hangout in Columbus? 

LY: My friend recently introduced me to this event called Damn Girl. It’s a disco funk type dance event that’s held once a month and it is ALWAYS a great time :)