Access to a nation's top universities for even the poorest of its citizens is a hallmark of a fair and merit-based society, where familial associations and geographic proximity matter less than a student's character, academic performance, and community outreach—in short, his or her readiness to enter an institution of such stature. While I cannot attest to the experiences of all applicants, much less my peers in the U.S., my experience highlights the potential faults of a system that runs counter to this ideal.

I grew up in a mid-sized city in southeastern China. I always knew what I had to…

An element often overlooked or underappreciated when we think about cultural exchange is the regional and local connections that make a place dear to the people who live there. Some cities have been more loved than others, especially in public awareness. How many songs have been written about New York, San Francisco, Beijing, or Chengdu? Music and other forms of media reflecting people’s feelings about a place are undoubtedly an important part of culture and identity. These songs, like "Take Me Home, Country Roads," or "San Francisco," reflect a more localized and personalized kind of attachment that remains largely lacking…

Why is it so hard to find real friends in a hyper-connected age?

People in our generation have grown up with greater access to social networks than ever before. With one swipe, we can talk to someone on the other side of the globe. And yet, even as it has become easier to meet people, making real connections has become harder for many Gen-Z individuals. Why is this the case? And what can we do to change it?

Sincerity is always the best policy. Many times, we would rather keep something to ourselves than speak our minds simply because we…

Today we start a brand new chapter in the history of our newsletter! Here are the major changes I would like to announce:

First, we are moving all of our past issues to the new site. We plan for it to take around a week. When we're done, you will be able to search for all past articles by their title or content. It will be a great way to fully utilize the large number of articles we have and offer a better experience for readers and contributors alike.

Second, we will be adding new personnel to update and maintain…

Nine months ago, we embarked on a journey around the world as fantastic and unlikely as that taken by Phileas Fogg in acclaimed literary history. It is fitting and proper that we should compare ourselves to that eccentric but strong-willed gentleman, for like him, we have overcome great difficulty to achieve the impossible. We too ended up falling in love, not with a beautiful Indian girl as Fogg did, but with something that will stay with us for the rest of our lives - that wonderful proposition that with sincere and friendly exchange, we have a chance at making friends,…

We were born in an age of opportunity. Across the globe, people of this generation have grown up with the knowledge that they are increasingly connected to the rest of the world. With connectivity comes the power for one generation to completely alter the world they live in. Together, we can harness the power of the wind for electricity, the smarts of artificial intelligence for knowledge, and most importantly, we can look within ourselves for that one quality that will, in the end, make all the difference.

As we glance over our shoulders at what humanity has accomplished in the…

Of all the values we hold essential for social mobility, fairness and equality of opportunity rank top of the chart. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that without fairness, the underprivileged will never have a chance at moving up the social ladder, and the privileged will sit precariously in their perches, wary of the masses' envy.

Why do we work hard every day? Aside from momentary bursts of patriotism or selfless dedication, most of us wake up every day wanting to create a better future for ourselves and our families. But what if that road is blocked? What could we do when our six months' worth of work is only worth what others do in a day?

What we can learn from the ancient past

As the world enters an uncertain age once again, it may be wise to look back to avoid repeating the same dark paths as before. The value of studying history lies not only in discovering facts about our ancestors but also in learning lessons about what to do and what not to do when deciding state affairs.

History proves that innovation is key to progress. New inventions, when fully adopted, can propel a country's rise, while strict controls on thoughts and ideas often foreshadow a nation's decline. This dynamic was evident during…

Covid has come and gone. Thanks to the leadership of the Chinese government and the great sacrifices made by the Chinese people,

we now live in relative safety from the disease here in China. I will never forget the moving and heart-wrenching stories I saw on TV

and social media.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a direct affront to the right to live – the most basic of all human rights. The Chinese government acted swiftly and responsibly, both with regard to containing the virus at home and providing humanitarian aid abroad. China was the first to be hit with Covid-19,…