Life in Ross/Asia ^①

Shiyou Wu

Oh, would I never forget?

Expecting kickoff at problem set zero,

Proud of completed eighteenth like a hero,

Disillusioned by Axioms and WOP deduction,

Tenacious against high-volume Set 9's desperation,

Ecstatic about building QR from the ashes of Lemma,

Fulfilled with deriving magical Mobius Inversion Formula.

Oh, would I rather listen once more?

Johnny's subtle eloquence in seminar,

Nick's distinctive laughter at cafeteria,

Pol's fantastic lecture on cryptology,

All lovely counselors' hilarious song "STILL ON SET 3" on Talent Show party,

Also honorable Pollack's pet phrase

and his meaningful "mathematically you've come of age".

Oh, would I keep in memory for eternity?

Staying up to watch 2018 World Cup finals together,

Playing wild soccer while being free rider at leisure,

Seeking the spot HFI predecessors halted on the Yellow Mountain site,

Catching both Mars close approach and total lunar eclipse at night,

Celebrating birthday for brother Bear who always remarks nifty,

Also warm family dinner at dumpling house and hotpot shop nearby.

When it comes to wave farewell,

We take group photos with smile,

Shootwhite board in silence,

Turn off dormitory lamp in tears.

Here, Ross camp

Leads me through the dazzling initial of Number Theory,

Renders me epiphanic understanding by framework beauty,

Shows me entrance to a brand-new world delicacy:

The more cheese, the more holes;

The more holes, the less cheese.^②

Likewise,

The more you know, the more you ask;

The more you ask, the less you know.

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① : 2018 Ross Mathematics Program (Asia)

② : By Albert Einstein