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Today is a pivotal day for me, as many unforgettable things have happened.

I've come to believe I'm an extremely emotional person. When I received the phone call that evening, hearing that a friend had gone to New York, I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. This friend has helped me so much since I came to America, accompanying me through the most difficult months and taking me to many places I'd never been before. Those few months have left a very deep impression, especially during those times when I was at my lowest point. Having someone willing to selflessly be there for you is such a blessing. Although New York isn't far from DC, it feels like the departure of a whole world. With you in DC, I felt fearless; even in failure, I had a safe haven where I could find myself again. Although we haven't seen each other for a long time, this departure feels like a loss. There are so many kindnesses I haven't repaid, and so many difficulties I still need to face. It's time for me to be independent.

This is the first time I've been so heartbroken over the loss of a friend.

All good things must come to an end. Everyone is busy with their own lives. I wish you find your dream job in New York. I will remember this experience, and I will walk strongly on the road ahead.

I met a junior from Hangzhou Dianzi University in a group chat tonight, and I was very happy to learn that two of their students got accepted to GWU. At least in my year and the year before, I didn't run into any undergraduate alumni who are abroad. Any connection that can be made is a comfort.

The past is gone, the present is being consumed, and the future is something to look forward to. My current pace needs to change; what needs to be changed is to be grounded and seize the present.

Another unforgettable experience today was the Amazon interview. This company, ranked fifth most difficult to interview with globally, truly taught me a lesson. I was overjoyed when I received the Amazon interview invitation a few days ago; it was my first formal interview invitation. I don't call previous job interviews "interviews" because I was too confident then, showing no fear or anything truly memorable; everything felt effortless. After submitting so many resumes for my summer internship, finally getting one was a huge relief. But that night, after calmly studying their interview questions, I felt incredibly pessimistic—they were beyond my capabilities.

These past two days I've been agonizing over this interview. Sitting in front of the computer waiting for the call today, I almost gave up. How could I answer so many questions I wasn't even familiar with? How could I convince them I was a good candidate? But after the hour-and-a-half phone interview, I completely relaxed. I felt like I'd gone from a complete beginner to a proficient one, gaining real confidence. The two Indian interviewers—I couldn't understand the first one and didn't do very well—the second one, with his American accent, did reasonably well. I'm quite satisfied with my first interview; I discovered many of my own weaknesses. I will work hard to catch up with the experts in the future.

In this superficial world, I need to calm myself down. There are too many empty things, and I've been lost for a long time.