答：我想去UCI（加州大学戴尔湾/欧文分校）。我查过很多相关资料，随着了解越深入，对这所学校就越喜爱。比如这个学校非常有名的Bren Event Center，也就是开学典礼的地方。我最喜欢的还是学校的吉祥物！一只叫Peter的食蚁兽，这只食蚁兽还有一个标志性手势叫做“Zot！”，奥巴马就曾在毕业典礼中做过这个手势。

I want to go to UCI (University of California, Irvine). I've done a lot of research on the school and the more I learn about it, the more I like it. For example, the school's Bren Event Centre is very famous; that’s where opening ceremonies take place. My favourite thing about the school is its mascot! An anteater called Peter, who also has a signature gesture called "Zot!", which Barack Obama did at one commencement.

答：我出生在新疆一个比较偏远的小城市克拉玛依，那里石油非常有名。我父亲在油田上工作，在我小时候经常给我讲一些关于石油和环境的事，比如石油在戈壁滩发生泄露了。所以我一直对环境相关问题有研究的兴趣，申请时就选了这个方向。

I was born in Karamay, a small, remote city in Xinjiang, where oil is very famous. My father worked in the oil fields and used to tell me about oil and the environment when I was a child, such as the oil spill in the Gobi Desert. So I have always been interested in research on environmental-related issues and chose this direction when I applied.

我曾经还参加过一个线上project，研究气候变化对海洋珊瑚群的影响。当时是8周左右的小组合作研讨，但最后只有我坚持下来了，在学术会议期刊（小藤注：ICHSSR 2022）上发表了论文。

I once took part in an online project to study the effects of climate change on coral. It was initially group work but I was the only one who stuck it through the whole 8 weeks and published a paper in the academic conference journal (Editor’s note: ICHSSR 2022).

其实我一开始被连拒了好几所学校，心态一度有些崩溃。后来转机发生在一天晚上，我半梦半醒间梦到自己收到offer，早上七点不到就猛地醒来，疯狂刷新邮箱，看到那封放着烟花写着Congratulations的邮件，我趴在床上又哭又笑。

In fact, at the beginning, I was rejected from several schools in a row and had quite a breakdown.  Then one night I was half-awake and dreamed that I had received an offer. I got up before 7am and frantically refreshed my email inbox, and when I saw the email with fireworks and ‘congratulations’ written on it, I lay on my back. Crying and laughing in bed. 

我觉得我从申请季学到最重要的一点是保持一个平稳的心态；回头看看以前的自己，感觉真的变化了很多。只要努力过，就值得被铭记。

I think the most important thing I learnt from the application season is to keep a steady mind; looking back at my old self, I feel that I have really changed a lot. All that hard efforts are worth remembering.

答：我认为高藤带给我的最大转变是让我变得自信。从竞选和担任班长、创立Biochemistry生化社，再到竞选学生会广播员、在每周一的高藤TALK中作为第一组班级代表上台演讲，我觉得在这个过程中我经历了蜕变。我之前是非常不爱说话的，也不敢参与活动，但后来学校里大大小小的活动都有我的身影。我非常感谢高藤能给我们一个展示自己才能的平台。

I think the biggest change that’s happened to me is that I have become more confident. From running for and serving as a class president, to founding the biochemistry club, to running for student council broadcaster, and speaking on Monday's SHTCS TALK as the first group of class representatives, I feel like I've undergone a transformation along the way. I used to be very quiet and afraid to get involved in activities, but then I was there for all the big and small events in the school. I am very grateful to the school for giving us a platform to showcase our talents.

包括像老师们也一直在鼓励我。我的班主任Joan老师，在一开始就鼓励我竞选班长、支持我创建生化社团。还有李校长，多次在我申请季焦虑的时候安慰我、指点我。

What’s more, my teachers always gave me such great encouragement. My homeroom teacher, Ms Joan, encouraged me to run for class president and supported me in creating the biochemistry club from the very beginning. Principal Li reassured me and comforted me many times when I was anxious during the application season.

其实每周末回家的时候，我妈妈都会被我最近参与的活动和想法惊艳到，因为她知道我以前很害怕社交和演讲；来到高藤后，我彷佛获得了全新的生活。我认为这对我的成长，乃至于今后走到社会上，都是很宝贵的一份财富，是靠我自己和高藤致远大家一起努力获得的。

My mother used to be amazed by the activities I involved myself with and by the ideas I’ve got. She understands how much I used to be afraid of socializing and public speaking and it seemed like I had a whole new life after coming to the school. I think what I’ve experienced here is an invaluable asset to my growth and to my future. And that was achieved by my own efforts and those of the school.

我创建社团的初衷是希望带大家探索学习生物、化学的乐趣。我们会看大量的科普视频，包括很多有趣搞笑的视频，因为我觉得学习知识的过程也可以充满幽默。然后我也带大家做了需要自己动手的活动，比如做叶子书签、做永生花等，这些都是非常有意思的一些活动。

I started the club because I wanted to explore the fun of learning biology and chemistry. We watched a lot of popular science videos, including many funny ones, because I think the process of learning can be full of humour. Then I also took others to do hands-on activities, such as making leaf bookmarks and making everlasting flowers, which were really fun.

答：没有人是天生就知道自己该去做什么的，你需要跳出舒适区，打破自己以前的思想，去一点点尝试，去接触不同的全新的领域，才能看到新的世界。当你清楚你正真想要的东西时，你就不会对未来的未知事情感到恐惧。我不希望你们做一条咸鱼，整天无所事事，而是鼓励你们去做一个感知生活、乐于挑战、充满朝气的年轻人。永远不要吝啬时光在阅读和思考上，祝愿你们的旅途永远灿烂。

No one is born knowing what they should do. You need to step out of your comfort zone, break out of your old mindset and try to reach out to different and completely new areas in order to see the new world. When you are clear about what you really want, you won't be afraid of the unknown things ahead. Don't idle away your youth. Go experience your life. Take challenges. Be vigorous, and never save time for reading and thinking. I wish you all the brightest journey.