I feel like the worst has happened to me, so what better person to skate to 'Madame Butterfly' than me?

To all the little girls out there, I would tell them to really appreciate what their parents do for them. And also to truly believe in their dream. If they truly believe that they're capable, things will happen for them - as long as they put in the work, of course.

You can train to be ready for the nerves, and we simulate it all the time, but it's never the same when it actually matters.

Sports is expensive, and you have to find a way to pay for it.

I've dreamed about going to the Olympics ever since I was young.

It was my goal and dream to be selected to the Olympic team, so I knew going into it the amount of responsibility I was given.

I don't necessarily always feel happy when I'm skating.

Being named to the Olympic team has special meaning to it because I feel like I've come full circle.

I started skating when I was five years old in Pasadena, California.

I guess I can be stereotypical and say that Asians are very cheap.

I like to be bold and different and to go and try things.

Narcissism is just self-confidence.

For my dad to say he's proud of me - in English - is a really big deal.

I'm great at dishwashing.

My parents are super excited that they've produced an Olympian. I don't think they ever would have imagined this would happen in a million years, so I hope I represent not only Team U.S.A., but the Japanese-American culture and my family as well.

My Olympic moment from the individual event was that I was really able to enjoy my skating, and so that meant a lot to me, and I didn't portray that accurately.

I think, as a skater, I started out really strongly, and as I have grown in the public eye, I have had my rough seasons that most people don't get as much attention for.

I used to skate around the rink with my mom, and we used to race each other until I started getting way better. Then she hung up her skates and resorted to playing my music at the rink.

I'm that person: I will literally do everything to not get out of bed, so I have alarms set for every 15 minutes.

Who cares if you get last place. This is the Olympics. Making it is the hard part.

A long time ago, a sports reporter wrote that I wasn't strong in the free-skate, that I was more of a short-program skater. And that bothered me because I work so hard every day just for a person to judge me on a couple of bad skates and deem me a bad free skater. That's absurd!

I have always believed that I've been an amazing skater regardless of what the results say.

My mom is really dedicated to me. She drives me to school and skating, wakes up for me, and I'm just really appreciative.

I don't even remember how many times I've sprained my ankle. I've had stress fractures galore and torn my PCL. You just take a little time off if you have the time, and if not, you keep training until you can take the time off.

It was really, really heartbreaking to not be named to the team in Sochi, but some things are just not meant to be. That experience changed me as a skater. I took a step back and decided that some things are not worth accepting. I wanted to be on another Olympic team. I took time to evolve myself as a person and as a skater.

I'm a solo skater; the sport can be lonely.

I just want to redeem myself and show the world that... it wasn't a fluke that I won at nationals. I can compete on the international stage as well.

Whenever Michelle Kwan texts me or mentions my name, I'm like, 'Wow.' I still can't believe that this is someone who I grew up looking up to, and they know my name.

Maybe Asians are switching from studying to sports.

Everyone has been injured, regardless of whether they're an athlete or not.

I'm very Asian, and also my mom raised me to be polite and to eat whatever is put in front of me. I actually enjoy snails a lot. And I've eaten sea urchin and that shebang.

I fall a lot during training.

I made history here by landing the first triple axel for a U.S. lady, third at the Olympics, and that's a big deal.

When I come home from training, my attention immediately has to focus on my school courses, which helps keep the stress level balanced. I mostly balance both by drinking a lot of coffee and making sure I time manage well, which doesn't happen all the time, especially during finals week.

Not only would my parents work full hours, my parents both woke up at 5 A.M. My dad left the house at 5 A.M. to go to the fish market to pick out his own fish, and my mom woke up at 5 A.M. to wake me up in order to get me ready for skating before school.

Getting to the Olympics was the hard part.

When someone really, truly believes in themselves, magic happens.

I really believe in myself.

Just really believe in yourself and stay true to yourself.

In the history of sport in general, people stick around. Look at Shaun White and Lindsey Vonn just continue on, Olympic cycle after Olympic cycle; that is why they are famous.

I got to meet Rachel Platten, who sings 'Fight Song,' I love that song.

It's been exciting to share my story for people to relate to me and reach out.

Although there's a stigma that you learn only until a certain point, and then you just maintain, for me to learn the triple axel at 24 goes to show that anything's possible.

People have drawn me, which is super cool. I'd love to print some out and put them on my wall.

There are always moments when I think about leaving skating, but when I think about that, I'm not very smart, and I'm not very pretty, and there's nothing else that stands out about me besides my skating.

It was hard for me to leave the nest, but my mom is super proud of me. She said, 'You became independent really quickly, and I'm so proud of you,' but she misses me all the same.

Being the heavy favorite is not always a good thing because of the amount of pressure on an athlete.

I think it's because I'm so hard on myself that I can push myself this far.

I have a great work ethic because I've watched my parents work super hard.

I've learned a lot from my parents.