Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Bruce Opris.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in South Florida with Romanian parents who always pushed me to try my best at everything no matter how small. My mom always said the end result does not have to be perfect as long as you gave it your all and tried your best, it will all work out the way it is meant to.
I always really liked school growing up and with my family for support, I was able to graduate high school with my associate’s degree in arts through dual enrollment and my high school diploma. The opportunity to do that really helped propel me forward, and I was able to make to partake in so many enriching experiences like becoming a teaching assistant for my university, joining a research lab and so many more.
I was able to finish my Bachelor’s in Biology at 20 years old and apply to Dental School earlier than I expected and I feel so fortunate to start school this upcoming August.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely did not always feel like a smooth road.
There were times when I was taking twenty-one credits at different schools and rushing back and forth between classes, the library, and extra circulars.
Some of the experiences felt so hard in the moment and countless times I thought that I wouldn’t be good enough or strong enough to make it as far as I have been able to.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Currently, I work as a Research Assitant and an Adjunct Lab Instructor in the Biology Department at FIU. The Research lab I assist at focuses on biology education and graduate school education.
It is mostly qualitative data analysis of surveys that are given to students. As a Teacher’s Assistant for Biology 2 labs, I work with classes of about 25 students teaching department-approved content such as dissections, creating quizzes, and grading lab reports.
I am most proud when I get to catch glimpses of my students solidifying concepts together in class. Each of these opportunities is short-term as I wait to start Dental School in August of this year.
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking?
I am not sure how much of a risk-taker I would consider myself. I prefer calculated risks where you get to think through how the actions will affect you and your future.
However, I do think that sometimes you have to take a leap of fate to truly get a chance to experience things and try to be more open to life as it happens.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @hbo.han
