With determination set, all that remained was action. Having a clear goal, a healthy mindset, and a solid foundation provided a strong start, but Achieving ideal results required diligence, effort, and persistence. I constantly reminded myself that success depended on these qualities.
After completing a political course in Xi'an at the end of July, I initially planned to return home for a break. However, a week at home yielded slow progress, likely due to the overly comfortable environment, so I decided to return to campus to continue my studies. The school was in the suburbs and nearly empty during summer. In the hot and lonely days of August, I endured the toughest 20 days of my graduate exam preparation. With no one to talk to, I would sing loudly in my dorm, though off-key and with improvised lyrics, finding joy in it. To prevent the dorm from overheating, I used a thick winter quilt to cover the windows—surprisingly effective. The ceiling fan buzzed constantly, and when engrossed in reading, I often forgot to wipe sweat, which dripped onto the pages smelling of books… Looking back, these moments of finding joy amid hardship bring a wry smile.
Once the semester started, my senior-year study routine revolved around the classroom, cafeteria, and dormitory, repeating for ten, twenty, even thirty days, which was difficult for my youthful curiosity to endure. Even more challenging were the high plateaus and bottlenecks in study that emerged. In November, I struggled with professional courses; the required textbooks were not fully grasped, while time to read Gao Hongye's edition was very limited. Should I abandon the required textbooks, or thoroughly study them first before skimming the other edition? This question lingered in my mind, severely affecting efficiency. At night, I went to the playground, letting the quiet night and refreshing breeze settle my anxiety and organize my thoughts. I jogged lap after lap… Studying was like running a long-distance race; I had to persist and thoroughly master the required textbooks. Later, I realized this choice was correct: once I mastered the required materials, reading the authoritative textbook became much easier, like building the main trunk and branches of a tree first, then adding leaves and fruits naturally. All of this stemmed from initial dedication and persistence.
