My University, My Future

The College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) has long since become history, and the processes of application and admission have also passed. Due to a less-than-ideal performance in the exam, I eventually enrolled in the Mathematics Xiangqin Innovation Class at the School of Mathematical Sciences, Shipai Campus (Main Campus of South China Normal University).

Someone once asked me if I regretted getting such a score. I said there is indeed some regret, as I originally had great ambitions for a more prestigious university. However, if you ask me whether I regret how I spent my senior year of high school, I would firmly say I do not regret it at all; in fact, I am very happy with how I lived it (exam preparation, research, playing around...). Regardless, I will make the most of my days at university, focusing on research and savoring the experience. I do not believe a single university can determine my life, but I am certain that my university years will be an important part of it.

If you ask me about my future plans, I can only say I don’t have any specific plans. After all, the future is so far away and so "chaotic"—how could one possibly predict it? However, I can still make a "qualitative" estimate of the general direction. In the future, I want to do research-oriented work. Although I am studying mathematics, I will strive to study it in combination with physics. Therefore, I might engage in work related to physics or mathematics in the future. Of course, if none of these can be realized, I can still become a teacher. After all, education is a field I am quite interested in (especially after watching the Bollywood movie 3 Idiots). If I am not a talent myself, I hope I can cultivate some talents.

Fortunately, I am at the Tianhe Campus (Shipai), and many of my familiar high school classmates are also there. This way, we can get together more often and have more exchanges in the future. That’s great! I look forward to those moments.

Many readers might not know how to pronounce the character "Xiang" (from the class name). On some ordinary mobile phones, this character cannot even be displayed. "Xiang" is pronounced "rang." "Xiangqin" is said to mean encouraging diligence. South China Normal University (SCNU) began establishing Xiangqin Innovation Classes in 2010, while the Mathematics Xiangqin Innovation Class was established in 2011. There is only one class with 25 students, admitted in the first batch, and it belongs to the non-teaching (research) category. The training goal is set according to a seven-year integrated Bachelor-Master program.

Some information found online:

Mathematics Xiangqin Innovation Class Training Program.pdf (Very long and wordy)

South China Normal University Homepage: http://www.scnu.edu.cn/scnu/

School of Mathematical Sciences, SCNU: http://maths.scnu.edu.cn/

Shipai Campus Address: No. 55, Zhongshan Avenue West, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province