Finding Inspiration and Confidence at Chongshi Girls’ School

“Grades aren’t everything,” notes Wuruoyan, a student at Chongshi Girls’ School in China. “What truly matters is the courage to persevere, even when things get tough. Now at the end of my senior year, I realize that every challenge I faced helped shape the person I’ve become.”

When Wuruoyan first started at Chongshi, she was incredibly shy. Math, in particular, felt impossible for her. But Chongshi was a warm and supportive community, and the teachers were always ready to lend a hand. She explained, “Here, I learned that failure isn’t something to fear—it’s an opportunity to begin again.”

Math remained Wuruoyan’s weakest subject, but she knew she had to confront her fears. So she decided to run for Math Representative—and was elected. With that role came responsibility. She began taking more organized notes and seeking help from her teachers. Though her grades still fluctuated, Wuruoyan never stopped trying. “I drew inspiration from Pearl S. Buck, the renowned author who spent her childhood right here in Zhenjiang,” she noted. “Like her—navigating life between Chinese and American cultures while staying true to herself—I persevered, even when math felt overwhelming. Her novel The Good Earth taught me that growth, like farming, requires patience and time.”

In her second year, Wuruoyan became the league branch secretary. This position pushed her to think beyond herself. She started organizing meaningful class activities: paying respect at a martyrs’ cemetery, spending afternoons listening to elders at a retirement home, volunteering at a welfare center to support children, and exploring museums where history came alive through artifacts and stories. These experiences built her confidence. She was no longer the shy girl—she could speak confidently in front of the class and coordinate group projects with ease. “Like the resilient women in Pearl S. Buck’s stories, who never gave up despite adversity, I found my voice,” Wuruoyan said.

Still, challenges persisted. Even in her final year, her math scores were inconsistent. Seeing others improve while she struggled, she sometimes hid her tears. “But I remembered how Pearl S. Buck continued writing through wars and hardships, building understanding between East and West with her words. So I kept going. I came to believe that true strength isn’t about never falling—it’s about rising every time you do.”

On the day of the college entrance exam, Wuruoyan was nervous but a sense of calm came over her. All those hours of practice, the support from her teachers, the study sessions with friends—everything fell into place. In the end, she earned a strong score in math and was accepted into the university of her choice.

“Now I understand: Chongshi didn’t just teach me knowledge—it taught me resilience,” she noted. “Pearl S. Buck’s life showed that building bridges between cultures takes both heart and effort. Through math and through helping others, I learned to be brave. Wherever life takes me next, I’ll carry this strength with me. I will continue to learn, to help, and to shine—even when the path is difficult.”