Reflections

"Shen Qi, a student from the Mathematics Department, is an outstanding student with excellent academic performance and well-rounded development. Last academic year, he successfully defended his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and published several papers in SCI and core journals. He also won the long-distance running championship at the Capital University Track and Field Games. Please welcome Shen Qi to the stage to speak."

The host succinctly summarized Shen Qi's performance and achievements in all aspects during his freshman year in just a sentence or two.

Shen Qi walked discreetly to the center of the stage, bowed, and began to speak, "Distinguished leaders and fellow students, good afternoon. I didn't want to attend this outstanding student commendation meeting because I'm too ordinary and don't deserve the title of 'outstanding'."

The leaders were laughing just now, but they've stopped.

The students in the audience weren't laughing just now, but now they are.

Behind the scenes, staff member Tan Lulu was both amused and exasperated. "Shen Qi, don't talk nonsense. Saying you're not good enough is a slap in the face to the school leaders and the student council, isn't it?"

Shen Qi paused for a few seconds, gathering his emotions, and then reflected on the past and the present. "From ancient times to the present, Peking University has produced countless talented men and women, geniuses and prodigies. Our predecessors inspire us, and the development of the times spurs us on. Since stepping into Peking University, I have been constantly thinking about how to transcend the ordinary and reach excellence, so as to be worthy of the identity of a Peking University student?"

"After a year of deep thought, I found the answer in Yenching University's motto."

"What is the motto of Yenching University?" Shen Qi looked around the audience and asked the question.

The students below the stage looked at each other in bewilderment. What is our school motto? There are four characters engraved at the entrance of Yenching University: Yanjing University.

Other universities often place a stone at their main gate with a motto such as "Strive for self-improvement and cultivate virtue."

Shen Qi shouted, "Our school motto is: We have no school motto!"

"Yes, that's right. Our Yenching University is different from others; we don't have a motto."

"Has anyone gained any insights from the fact that Yenching University has no motto?" Shen Qi asked again.

The official explanation for Yenching University's lack of a motto is that the university spirit is inclusive, respects all opinions, and does not restrict the free thinking of teachers and students with rigid rules and regulations.

Shen Qi offered his opinion. "With the wisdom of the seniors at Yenching University, surely they could have written a powerful and thought-provoking motto?"

"The lesson I learned is that nothingness is existence, and not striving is striving!" Shen Qi clenched his right fist and raised his arm, speaking with great passion and fervor.

"What our senior wants to tell us is that we have nothing, we have everything, we are at peace with the world, and we reign supreme!" Shen Qi raised his arms, brimming with fighting spirit. He hadn't written a speech; he was improvising.

Politics +8

+12

Chinese +2

+3

Suddenly, the system displayed a bunch of messages about increased political and language experience points.

Is this what you mean by Yenching University having no motto? Are you implying that the Internationale must be realized?

Tan Lulu was nervous. The school entrusted the student union to organize the outstanding student commendation meeting so that outstanding students could play a leading role and inspire all students to study hard and make progress every day. It was not for you, Shen Qi, to talk about politics.

Fortunately, Shen Qi was able to maintain a proper balance. Having accumulated enough Politics Experience Points, he concluded. "We quietly read and quietly pursue scholarship. When we reach the pinnacle of human knowledge, we will ultimately transcend the ordinary. Thank you, that concludes my remarks."

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience. The leaders murmured among themselves, "Shen Qi's views, though radical, are quite insightful. Quiet reading, transcending the ordinary, democracy and freedom, scientific development... It wouldn't be unreasonable for Yenching University to establish a motto that aligns with the trends of the times and the core socialist values."

A certificate of honor for outstanding student at Yenching University, an 8,000 yuan university-level scholarship, and a 3,000 yuan special scholarship from the School of Mathematics are Shen Qi's gains today.

System: "New achievement! Congratulations to the host for winning the school-level Outstanding Student Award. 30,000 Academic Excellence Points are hereby awarded."

Wow, you can achieve something by bragging!

Shen Qi was quite happy; it was an unexpected bonus.

Host, Shen Qi

Age: 19

Mathematics Level 8 (133/400,000)

Physics Level 6 (272/150,000)

Sports Level 5 (392/50,000)

English Level 5 (476/50,000)

Political Level 3 (2567/5000)

Chinese Language Level 3 (2303/5000)

Chemistry Level 3 (311/5000)

Biology Level 3 (421/5000)

History Level 2 (887/3000)

Geography Level 2 (549/3000)

Remaining Academic Points: 57549

Speaking on stage for a few minutes is very cost-effective; you get new achievements, academic points, an honorary certificate, and a few thousand yuan.

If given the opportunity, I should participate in more high-level, large-scale events like this in the future.

But Shen Qi knew in his heart that one minute on stage required ten years of practice off stage.

The ability to boast on stage comes from tireless hard work off stage.

Shen Qi worked hard all year, burning countless brain cells, just to earn an honorary certificate for outstanding student.

It's an achievement, big or small, something you can casually mention in your resume or application materials.

Shen Qi stepped out of the auditorium, Tan Lulu caught up with him. "Shen Qi, your main achievements last academic year came from the field of mathematics. Besides studying mathematics, you also won two track and field championships."

Shen Qi nodded. "Committee Member Tan, your summary is spot on. Today's commendation ceremony was a great success organized by your student union, generating a warm response and widespread praise from the entire school. Thank you for your hard work."

"I wouldn't dare say it's hard work, it's all for serving the people." Tan Lulu smiled and continued, "However, in that speech just now, you didn't mention math or track and field at all, you just talked about grand principles. Was it a communist manifesto lecture? I heard you're pursuing a second degree in physics. Why don't you come to our department and study Marxism? I think you have an extremely amazing talent in this area, you can speak eloquently and naturally. The graduate students in the School of Marxism are all at your level."

"Do you think I have the energy and time to pursue a third degree? Although I would also like to get a degree other than a Bachelor of Science." Shen Qi is, after all, human, not a god. Getting a double degree in mathematics and physics in two academic years is already his limit. "Tan Lulu, if there are any more large-scale, school-wide commendation events like this in the future, I happen to meet the criteria. Please have the school and the student union evaluate me."

"Have you become addicted to deceiving people?" Tan Lulu remained noncommittal.

Shen Qi was displeased. "Who did I fool? Didn't you see the enthusiastic applause from all the leaders and students just now? One student even shed tears of emotion."

"Alright, alright, you got it based on your skills." Tan Lulu said, "You even managed to make an ordinary student cry, that's incredibly impressive. Newbies without strong willpower shouldn't listen to your brainwashing speeches, Shen Qi. Let's go, Shen Qi, let's grab a lunch at the cafeteria, it's on you."

"I am very grateful for your organization in giving me the honor of being an outstanding student and representing the second-year students on stage. This working meal is on me, from the Nongyuan canteen." Shen Qi had just received a scholarship of 11,000 yuan, and he could use a tenth of that to treat Tan Lulu to a standard working meal.

Shen Qi's speech was full of passion and was not just empty talk or platitudes, but rather a reflection on his personal experiences. Indeed, one student was moved to tears.

Another female student from the second year of the Mathematics Department came to the auditorium alone after finishing her Real Analysis class. She happened to witness Shen Qi 'Shen Qi wonderful speech and was happy for him.

However, Shen Qi ran off with Tan Lulu after the meeting. The female student from the Mathematics Department walked slowly and couldn't catch up, so she could only scan a Mobike bicycle and follow behind.

The following day, at the Department of Mathematical Sciences' Research Office.

Sun Erxiong returned from his business trip with a grave expression. "The mathematics teams at Tsinghua University and Fudan University are led by Professor Kong and Professor Xin respectively. They both have a strong professional level in Mathematical Physics. At the recently concluded mathematics seminar, I had a brief face-to-face exchange with my colleagues Kong and Xin. Their research topics cover the existence and nonlinear stability of the rotating star-shaped solutions of the Euler -Poisson system, and also incorporate the study of the quasi-neutrality limit problem of the Navier-Stokes equations."

"To sum it up in one sentence, Tsinghua University and Fudan University are doing very similar things to us, and they are ahead of us in terms of project progress." Sun Erxiong lost several pounds after returning from a business trip.