Zeynep Özcan

Belén Pérez Wicht

In this episode, I sit down with Belén Pérez Wicht, a first-year UC Berkeley student double-majoring in environmental engineering and business. Belen shares her journey from Peru to California, reflecting on how her recent experience with the Baret Scholars program fundamentally reshaped her perspectives on life, success, and ambition. We dive into the competitive culture of elite universities, the profound difference between a "have-to" versus a "can-do" mindset, and the power of finding abundance and creativity within daily routines. Key Takeaways: * The Berkeley Pressure Cooker: Belen discusses navigating a highly competitive university environment where students often define their self-worth by productivity, and why she consciously chooses to prioritize fulfillment over sheer output. * The Power of "Can" vs. "Have To": Drawing from a neuroscience lecture on class attendance and human psychology, Belen explains how shifting from obligation to capability removes limits on what you can achieve. * Unlearning at the Ashram: Belen shares a pivotal moment from her travels in India where an 80-something-year-old woman at an ashram completely reframed her deep anxiety about college admissions into a lesson on trust and peace. * Creative Pillars & Expansion: From keeping massive, collaborative travel journals to exploring photography, Belen highlights how staying connected to creativity helps her stay grounded despite a heavy engineering workload. Follow Belén on Instagram @belen.perezwicht and on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/belen-perez-wicht-b012a1277/]. If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it. If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here [https://forms.gle/QaLL86Rs8F9x1ksr7]. To learn more about me, have a look at my website [https://www.jasonpatent.com] and / or follow me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonpatent/].

Christiaan Burger

Christiaan Burger reflects on his global journey that didn’t go according to plan — and turned out better for it.   From South Africa to Japan to a small liberal arts college in the U.S., Christiaan traces how each new context reshaped who he was, often in surprising ways. What stays constant is his instinct to lean into the unexpected.  The Baret Scholars year emerges as a turning point: a crash course in uncertainty, adaptability, and saying yes to what the moment offers. Along the way, he discovers something simple but powerful: connection gets easier when you remind yourself to connect with others on a deeply human level. Christiaan also speaks candidly about the disorientation of returning home, the seeming loss of an intense shared world, and the effort it takes to hold onto those relationships across distance.  Follow Christiaan on Instagram @christiaaniss or on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiaan-burger-343438248/]. If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it. If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here [https://forms.gle/QaLL86Rs8F9x1ksr7]. To learn more about me, have a look at my website [https://www.jasonpatent.com] and / or follow me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonpatent/].

Kazim Tug

What a joy speaking with Kazim! Here are a few of the themes from our conversation: Identity & Belonging: Navigating a "binary" Northern Irish upbringing as a mixed-race Muslim, and finding a sense of home within international cohorts. The Power of Unlearning: Shedding first impressions and biases while learning to balance high-octane social energy with necessary solitude. Reentry Realities: The jarring transition from global travels to 12-hour factory shifts, and the value of staying grounded. Optimism in Action: Using grassroots initiatives, like forming a diverse football team, as an antidote to political apathy and a catalyst for systemic change. In the episode we mention an article Kazim wrote about integrating schools in Northern Ireland. It's a great read. You can find it here [https://commentcentral.co.uk/raised-in-harmony-educated-in-segregation-northern-irelands-schooling-disaster]. Follow Kazim on Instagram @kaz7im If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it. If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here [https://forms.gle/QaLL86Rs8F9x1ksr7]. To learn more about me, have a look at my website [https://www.jasonpatent.com] and / or follow me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonpatent/].

Juliana Bakhtsizina

In this episode, Juliana Bakhtsizina and I cover a number of fun and interesting topics, including the "unlearning" required to become a global citizen. Juliana shares her transition from a rigid, plan-oriented academic mindset to one that embraces the unpredictability of experiential learning. From navigating the "logistical nightmare" of a lost passport in New York City, to co-founding the student-run magazine Étoile, Juliana shows us how growth is rarely a passive byproduct of travel; it comes from radical intentionality and sustained mental effort. Key Takeaways: * Curiosity as Effort: Why Juliana forced herself to ask a question of every guest speaker, and how she treats curiosity as a muscle rather than a personality trait. * The "Unlearning" Process: Breaking out of cultural molds and discovering new facets of identity through the modeling of more extroverted peers. * The Reality of Re-entry: A candid look at the "lowest lows" of returning home after a transformative nine-month journey, and the strategies she used to bridge the two worlds. * Creative Consolidation: The origin of Étoile and the importance of turning passive observation into active creation. Follow Juliana on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/moving.europe/]. If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it. If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here [https://forms.gle/QaLL86Rs8F9x1ksr7]. To learn more about me, have a look at my website [https://www.jasonpatent.com] and / or follow me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonpatent/].

Zeynep Özcan

Zeynep Özcan reflects on resilience, cross-cultural friendship, and what it means to grow while navigating the world at 18. A few lines from our conversation: “It’s inevitable that there will be miscommunications—but the person in front of you is someone you care about.” “If everyone thinks their individual action won’t matter, nothing will ever change.” “Looking at the problems of the world and wanting to act is more important than just feeling sad about them.” A thoughtful conversation about growth, openness, and the courage to keep learning. Follow Zeynep on Instagram @zonkey_blog [https://www.instagram.com/zonkey_blog/] and on TikTok @zonkey.blog [https://www.tiktok.com/@zonkey.blog]. If you enjoyed the episode, please hit FOLLOW and give us a 5-star rating. You'll never miss an episode, and others will find us more easily. Also, please tell your friends about it. If you have any specific feedback to help improve the pod, please leave it here [https://forms.gle/QaLL86Rs8F9x1ksr7]. To learn more about me, have a look at my website [https://www.jasonpatent.com] and / or follow me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonpatent/].