🎉 Graduated from Sichuan Agricultural University
The sudden outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 and the delayed college entrance exam caught everyone off guard. As a newly turned adult, I found myself swept along by the tide, ending up in a place I had never imagined: Ya’an, Sichuan - Sichuan Agricultural University. With mixed emotions, I boarded a plane to Sichuan for the first time, embarking on my four-year university journey.
It was my first time being so far from home, so far that my previous social circles became distant, and the language, food, and living habits were all different. I was initially shocked by Ya’an’s somewhat outdated city environment and the old dormitories at Sichuan Agricultural University—dorms from the last century with no hot water in the eight-person rooms were particularly hard to adapt to. However, when I knocked on the door of room 505, the enthusiastic roommates made me feel a strong sense of belonging. Their warmth and help allowed me to quickly integrate into this new living environment without feeling awkward or strange, and it filled me with anticipation and hope for my future university life.
Before going to university, I was determined to major in computer science, but by a twist of fate, I ended up in the information and computing science program, which is heavily math-oriented. For someone like me, who was entirely focused on computers, this was a significant challenge. The first semester’s courses in mathematical analysis and advanced algebra, which were highly theoretical, caused me a lot of discomfort, with many problems and concepts being quite confusing. Fortunately, with the help of various teachers and classmates (especially Huajun Chen), I managed to maintain good grades. I vividly remember staying up late watching Professor Qiu Weisheng’s Advanced Algebra and Professor Chen Jixiu’s Mathematical Analysis to achieve good results. Although I didn’t do exceptionally well in mathematical analysis in the end, it did help me adapt to the rhythm of self-study and exploration in university. This gave me a solid knowledge base for the subsequent challenging math courses and prepared me mentally for future research in deep learning and computer vision.
During university, an unexpected biking event led me to meet my best friend for the four years—Xiaoming Xiao. One day, my bike, which I used for commuting, had a flat tire, forcing me to go to the school gate for repairs. After fixing it, a classmate invited me to join their cycling trip to Mount Mengding. The next day in class, I discovered that the classmate who had invited me was also in my major, and through various activities, we gradually became familiar. Xiao’s loyalty and enthusiasm left a profound impression on me; he is one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. In the following four years, we helped each other and progressed together. Whenever I faced difficulties, he was always there to support me firmly, helping me overcome obstacles. Our friendship is the most precious gift I received during my four years at university.
With Xiao’s help, I also got to know Ya’an, this “bashi” city, better. He introduced me to a local family behind the school’s back hill, where I first experienced the local customs. Grandma Zhang was very hospitable to the students of Sichuan Agricultural University, and every time we celebrated together, I felt a strong sense of belonging. Fishing, cooking, barbecuing, and picking cherries left me with many unforgettable memories.
Due to my strong interest in micro-films and video production, I was fortunate to meet a group of like-minded friends in university. We founded the Ten Cameras club to shoot and produce micro-films. Some of the classmates excelled in photography, while others were good at poster making, and everyone had their own strengths, from which I benefited greatly. Although we didn’t continue working on projects together for various reasons, this experience allowed me to meet many sincere friends who had a profound impact on my life and future plans. If I had to summarize this experience, I would say, “The process is far more important than the result.”
In the latter part of university, while preparing to go abroad, I dedicated most of my time to the research laboratory. I formed the “Deep Vision Agriculture Lab” among undergraduates. In the lab, I met many juniors and worked on a series of projects that intersected biology and artificial intelligence. We applied for projects like “Internet+”, “Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, and “Research Interest Groups” and published some journal papers. Of course, the success of the lab couldn’t have been achieved without the help of Professor Zhaoli Shen, who provided us with space, funding, and guidance. Without his support, our lab wouldn’t have been able to function properly.
During my university years, I encountered many teachers who had a profound impact on me. Among them was Professor Huang Houhui, who taught me Numerical Analysis. His humor and wit left a deep impression on me. Professor Wang Jianjun, who guided me in Mathematical Modeling and Mathematical Analysis, also helped me gain a lot of knowledge.
Finally, I want to thank my girlfriend, Siyuan Mu. We met in a research project, got to know each other through collaboration, and eventually fell in love. We share similar views and life philosophies, and she is a rare partner in my life. Whether in research, study, leisure, or travel, she has always been by my side. Without her support, I would not have achieved what I have today.
Four years have passed in the blink of an eye. At the moment of taking graduation photos, many sentiments had to come to an end. Therefore, at the end of this blog, please allow me to post some graduation photos to commemorate the past four years.
