Hello world

Hi, my name is Chris Marvel. I was born in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2008 and I moved to the US in 2010. I am a student at Blue Valley High School expected to graduate in 2026. Now that the formalities are out of the way, let's start digging a little deeper.

What do I do?

In high school, I serve as my band’s drum major, play tennis, and participate in various music-related activities, including playing the French horn, mellophone, and trumpet. I’m also actively involved in several clubs and honors societies. Outside of school, I enjoy playing video games, spending time with friends and family, and binge-watching YouTube videos about psychology and technology. When it comes to TV shows, a few of my favorites are The Office, The Good Place, and Suits.

What do I want to do?

In the future I want to find my own startup based in a large city developing products that provide value to people and solve their problems. This idea is subject to a lot of change, as many “dreams” do. While that might sound vague. It is. I like to keep my options open 😁.

My Values / Who I want to be

Authenticity

Now we are getting to the stuff that I like to write about, my values. These are 3 of my most important values. I never figured out the reason to live life in a facade. We all have been around people who are inauthentically nice, tough, or knowledgeable. I find it tiring to be someone I am not, and even more tiring to be around someone that is inauthentic. Sorry if that's quite blunt, but if there is one place that I get to be 100% my authentic self, it is in this website in my writing. However, there is often a fine line between being authentic and just being an asshole. Which leads me to my next value.

Awareness

Being aware and observant is one of the most important things I have found to help me connect with other people. While authenticity is one of my most important values, being observant in social situations allows me to help others. In certain situations especially in band school, or any other activity, I find that the obligation to help others trumps being my whole true authentic self. Having been in situations where I needed help but didn’t ask for it, I’ve learned the importance of stepping up for others when no one else will. When I do help, I strive to remain genuine and considerate, tailoring my approach to the situation rather than offering generic assistance.

Adaptive

Finally, my last most important value. Adaptability is not only key to problem-solving but also to personal growth. My philosophy in doing new things is to dive headfirst with naive optimism. I commit myself to things that I am under equipped for and then I adapt along the way to problems that arise. Sometimes I fail, and sometimes I succeed, but either way, I gain valuable experience. I found that this mindset is one of the fastest ways I grow as a person; it's when I have nowhere else to go but forward.

Wrapping up

This is just a very brief summary of who I am, or at least, who I think I am. Ultimately, the purpose of these blog posts are to reflect on who I am, what I have done, and what I have experienced. To get a full picture of who I am, feel free to reach out for a conversation or read the rest of my blog posts to find out more. Thanks for taking the time to get to know me. I hope this isn’t just the end of this post, but the start of a meaningful connection.