Chess

I am a seasoned chess enthusiast with 7 years of professional training under my belt. My skills in this strategic game and numerous victories in prestigious national tournaments earned me the title of National Second-Level Athlete in Chess (国家二级运动员) and Chess Association Master (棋协大师) during my primary school years. Even after deciding not to pursue a full-time career in chess, I continue to practice chess during my leisure time, participating in city-level and inter-institutional tournaments that offer both intellectual stimulation and competitive excitement. Sometimes when I visited my hometown, I assisted my coach in mentoring the next generation of young chess players. The odyssey through the chess world has been a crucible, tempering my resolve and fortitude. I’ve faced numerous pivotal games, each bearing significant consequences for my chess career, and my team’s standing. Chess, akin to a civilized form of warfare, is about the pursuit of victory—sometimes a necessary one. We are seasoned to compete with the top echelon of players, aware that in the end, only one can win in a match. In defeat, we extend courteous congratulations to our adversaries, engage in reflective analysis of our gameplay, and strategize on improvement for future wins. Remarkably, this mirrors the academic research process, where every setback is a stepping stone to future success.

Basketball

I enjoy playing basketball and watching basketball games. At Stanford, I enjoy following the NCAA tournaments.

Furthermore, I have been a fan of my hometown basketball team, the Qingdao Eagles, for over 10 years. I deeply admire players such as Guang Li, Chengyu Zhang, Qingming Wang, and Ruize Wang, whose careers exemplify the principle that practice makes perfect.