phase

1

Wenjia Zhang

COMN 2200

Professor Elizabeth Suter

Oct 11,2022

Interview and Transcription

I interviewed the first interviewee through online channels, she follows the female biological clock and is my longtime friend in junior studies. The data from the interview will help view life from other people’s description and their way of thinking and how to encourage the observance of the female "biological" clock to balance between being a mother and having a career.

Interviewer: Hello, Interviewee 1. How are you? (laughs) (deep breath) Today’s topic is the female biological clock. Please feel relaxed; if you feel uncomfortable with anything, feel free to stop me anytime. Could we start now?

Interviewee 1: Sure things. (laughs)

Interviewer: So, the first question is: How has following the female biological clock impacted your life?

Interviewee 1: (erm) My improved health is a direct result of my growing appreciation for and awareness of the intricate workings of my body.

Interviewer: Got it. (erm) Let’s move on to the next question when someone describes the following biological clock as “primitive,” how does that make you feel?

Interviewee 1: (pause) I feel that the person does not exactly know what the biological clock means. I, therefore, pity them.

Interviewer: (pause) Would you like to share more?

Interviewee 1: Sure, (erm) when some women choose to give up pregnancy at a fertile period, the chances of a successful pregnancy are significantly reduced when they get older.

Interviewer: Great. (laughs) Tell me about the understanding of a woman’s biological clock program and how it has impacted your life in the journey of your motherhood.

Interviewee 1: (erm) The variability in fertility occurs over a person's lifetime and may be tracked by that person's biological clock. Because of this, I now better understand the optimal timing to have a family.

Interviewer: I understand it. (pause) So, when did you embrace the idea of following the female biological clock?

Interviewee 1: (erm) I got the idea in high school. My mother often told me that women need to do the right things at the right time, 22 is the best age to have children, and the timing is very ripe. Women can still have a lot of time to pursue their dream careers after giving birth. Even though most women around me chose to start working, I think my mother was right. (laughs)

Interviewer: There are a few questions left. Should we continue, or have a rest?

Interviewee 1: I’m good, we can continue. (laughs)

Interviewer: What would happen if, during your fertile years, you got engaged in many activities to enhance your career life? How would you do? Would you sacrifice your career to get children first? (coughs)

Interviewee 1: (erm) I don't think it would be a good idea to focus on my profession throughout my childbearing years.

Interviewer: Can you share more things?

Interviewee: (pause) I think we can move on to the next question.

Interviewer: Of course. (pause) Is there a point when your decision to follow the biological clock to have a child early was misunderstood by your peers?

Interviewee 1: Yes. (erm) It is because, in most cases, people have not understood it fully. The reaction would have been different if they had better understood it.

Interviewer: The next question is, how do you hope others will understand the importance of using the female biological clock? (coughs)

Interviewee 1: Through educating one another, we can all get to know its benefits.

Interviewer: (erm) Do you ever regret following the biological clock? Why?

Interviewee 1: (erm) I have never regretted it because I have already seen the health benefits that come with it. (pause) But sometimes I wonder if I didn't follow the female biological clock and continued to finish college and get into work, would I be more integrated with my friends? (laughs)

Interviewer: Excellent, how do you feel about following a biological clock to give birth?

Interviewee 1: (coughs) I choose to follow this path because it is easier and with no health concerns.

Interviewer: In conclusion, how do you advise other parents with daughters who have entered fertility? (pause) Will you encourage them to let their daughters follow it to avoid delayed production?

Interviewee 1: I would advise them to follow this and avoid rushing when it is too late. (laughs)

Interviewer: Thank you so much for doing the interview; it was helpful for my research topic. (laughs) I hope you have a good day. Bye.

Interviewee 1: Thank you, Wenjia. Bye. (laughs)

Honest Self-assessment:

My preparation for the first interview is relatively sufficient because it is a native language interview and an online interview, which will be relatively relaxed. Of course, there were a lot of problems in the first interview. The first point was the time difference. It was challenging to find a relatively suitable time for both sides. The second point is that the interviewee is relatively shy, and I need to encourage them to express their thoughts more.