#GraduateStory | Winnifred Lyu: When the Path Is Uncertain, Trust Your Feet



I recently began studying French near Beijing's East Third Ring Road to prepare for university.

The area is familiar. Throughout high school, I passed through it countless times, hurrying to an exam or a lesson, or heading toward another important event with some anxiety.

One afternoon after class, I walked out again. People hurried across the intersection, and glass office buildings reflected the light. Everything looked familiar. I suddenly realized that the periods when I had worried about doing enough were already behind me, their passing marked by all these journeys.

Looking back over three years at BAID, I see changes that developed gradually through small moments.



Part 01

Speaking Before I Felt Ready

I remember a warm-up activity in a foreign teacher's class. Each student had to speak at the front for five minutes, with no preparation time. The instruction was simply, “Say anything you want.”

I felt nervous in my seat, with my mind almost blank. At the front, I said whatever came to me. Those five minutes were an uneven monologue. When I finished, classmates applauded, and the teacher smiled and encouraged me.

That ordinary classroom moment helped me appreciate how trying something can make it feel less intimidating. I gradually learned to give myself a chance before deciding what I could do.

Part 02

Continuing Through Difficulty

In Grade 11, I chose Ms. Ren's AP Physics C: Mechanics course because of the major I was considering. Many classmates approached it as a natural next step; for me, physics was my weakest subject.

I quickly filled one notebook and began another. Initially, I spent much of my time trying to understand the formulas. Classmates often advanced through a problem while I was still considering why its first step worked. After an explanation, they might discuss another approach while I remained focused on the previous calculation.

Gradually, I became more willing to ask further questions and visit Ms. Ren after class. Even when my questions were basic, she patiently helped me understand the reasoning.

When the results of an ordinary quiz were returned, Ms. Ren paused and said, “The only A+ in the class this time belongs to Lyu Jingwen.” I looked up almost automatically, barely registering her words. A student in the front row smiled: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” Classmates applauded.

I have always remembered that brief moment. Over time, I understood how small improvements develop through ordinary days and repeated attempts, including those that initially go poorly.



Part 03

Making Decisions Through Practice

Three years ago, as I entered Grade 10, I began formatting articles for the school's WeChat public account and continued for several years. Now, preparing to graduate, I am writing my own account of those years.

Two years in the Publicity Committee taught me the different demands of planning and implementation. When I became department head in Grade 11, I wanted everyone to rotate between roles. It seemed fairer and offered broader development. Looking back, I had paid greater attention to whether the idea sounded reasonable than to how it would work.

Responsibilities became unclear, progress slowed, and repeated adjustments and communication held up work. It was unfamiliar territory. I needed to understand more carefully how a team actually operated.

I reorganized responsibilities so each person had a consistent role. We then shared experiences across those roles, and work progressed more smoothly.

Beyond that particular adjustment, I learned to accept that understanding could develop after beginning. Speaking unprepared and studying difficult physics formulas had offered similar lessons. Taking the first step could gradually reveal how to proceed.

Part 04

Connecting Different Interests

Choosing a major also involved changes of direction. I initially considered engineering because it seemed dependable, while feeling uncertain about what I wanted. Gradually, I recognized that I was drawn to subjects offering room for creativity alongside analytical reasoning.





I seriously considered digital media and communications, and architecture interested me too. These different fields combined structure with expression. As I learned about business, I recognized that same combination of logic and creativity. Exploration contributed to my understanding: apparently separate interests eventually helped me identify what I wanted to pursue.





Part 05

Understanding Myself Through Others

Along the way, I met friends and teachers, and other people at different stages, who helped me understand myself through everyday interactions.



I once assumed that some people belonged to a completely different world from mine. I habitually noticed my weaknesses and struggled to believe the positive qualities others saw. Being recognized and encouraged to express myself gradually changed my self-perception and helped me move toward who I hoped to become.

Sometimes, encouragement gives us a clearer appreciation of the qualities we already possess.

Over three years at BAID, trying different things and connecting experiences helped me understand myself. I learned to speak despite initial self-doubt and to attempt tasks I found difficult. I also became more comfortable developing an approach through practice, allowing answers to emerge as I worked.

Understanding myself better helped me find a place within a complex world. Growing older brought greater confidence in how I could participate in it.

Part 06

Acknowledgments

As high school draws to a close, I want to thank those who helped me gain confidence. I appreciate my own efforts and my parents' support, the care and professional guidance of Ms. Xin and Ms. Liang and other teachers, and my friends' affection and companionship.

Thank you to BAID. I am glad I chose to come here, and it will always feel like home in my memories.

Thank you to everyone who encouraged me and helped me find direction. I will continue seeking understanding throughout the long journey ahead.

Part 07

From My Parents

During three years at BAID, we watched Jingwen keep challenging herself and developing. Admission to a university and major she hoped for exceeded our expectations, and her greater confidence gave us particular joy as parents.

BAID's encouraging, accepting culture and its teachers' patient attention to individual students supported Jingwen's development. Classmates learned from one another and offered help while pursuing varied interests. In that environment, she gained courage to overcome doubts, try her own choices, regain confidence after difficult periods, and accept imperfections. Through adjustments and new attempts, she developed a clearer sense of herself.

University abroad will bring a new beginning and new challenges. We are pleased to see Jingwen already preparing. We hope she maintains her curiosity about the world and enthusiasm for life, along with commitment to her aspirations. May she remember what first motivated her and the experiences that brought her here, plan thoughtfully, and embrace her future with optimism.