Welcome to my blog! My name is Krishan Patel and I am a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. I’m from Hillsborough, New Jersey which is twenty minutes away from Princeton, for reference. I have lived in three different towns in New Jersey, a town in eastern Pennsylvania, a town in Belgium, and now, the city of Pittsburgh. Even though I have been moving around my whole life, I love to travel and visit places I have never seen before. Fortunately, I have been blessed to be able to go see the world; China will be the twentieth country I will visit in my life. During middle school, when I lived in Belgium, I experienced different types of culture, people, and languages since I attended an international school and lived in a foreign environment. I also love golf & football. I played on the varsity golf team at my high school and play for leisure when I can. I did not play football, but I was raised as a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan!

I am studying Finance in the College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh. Around campus, I am involved with the Social Responsible Investment Portfolio. This portfolio has access to real world funds and we invest this money into the financial markets as a club. I am apart of the Macro Research team which presents news reports to the club which outline current macroeconomy news, current events, and corporate news. Also, I was just inducted into the University of Pittsburgh’s Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society chapter.

I work as a camp counselor at a golf course near my home over the summer and provide tips on technique and make sure there is a safe environment for the young golfers. I also have internship experience at a local law firm that was an opportunity presented to me through my high school. This internship helped me prepare for what working in a professional environment might feel like. I was showed what it means to work apart of a team on a bigger project. This experience has had numerous benefits for me in college such as being able to work with groups easier, time management, and expanded my professional network.

I will be going to the most populous country in the world, China, this summer for two weeks to see an international smartphone industry environment and physical landscape. Instead of only looking at the country from the outside, as a tourist, I will be studying China from two perspectives: a tourist perspective and a citizen perspective. I am excited to learn more about what the daily life is for an average Chinese citizen and how it is compared to people living in U.S. cities. I am also excited to see the many historical landmarks China has to offer.

I hope that this trip helps me grow as a person and opens my eyes. I chose to go to China because I wanted to learn more about how the world works. China is a great starting point to understand how the world runs because it is one of the biggest economic powerhouses. They operate with the most efficiently of any country. I would also like to gain new friends and stories from this experience. Lastly, I am always expanding my professional network and if I meet people in China who can help me further my business career, I will be in contact with them.