In the just-concluded debating competition for freshmen of Wuhan University (WHU), Qiu Jingtian is a debater himself as well as a most frequently invited judge. However, being a debater is by no means the single tag for him in his six years of colorful campus life here at WHU.
Passionate about debate
In 2009, Qiu entered WHU as a freshman. His occasional appetite for debate led him to be a member of WHU’s Debating Team and he has integrated debate into his life. His strenuous efforts have made him the first and the only Double Champions and Excellent Debater in the Jin Qiu Debating Competition for Undergraduates and the Hong Feng Debating Competition for Graduates in WHU. During the undergraduate period, Qiu would spend at least six weeks on the Jin Qiu Debating Competition annually with ten competitions each week. Both his family members and friends wanted him to quit debating because of its time-consuming and exhausting nature. Nevertheless, Qiu resolutely indulged his passion for debate in his four- year study. “WHU’s Debating Team ranks top three in China. Therefore, I hold it is of great significance to debate here.” as Qiu puts it.
Qiu quotes a line from A Road Not Taken, a poem by Robert Frost, to explain how he makes those choices in his life, “Two roads diverged in a wood. And I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.” In his opinion, no matter what he chooses, he can only cover one part of it and what counts is to manage that part well.
Longing for the better
As people were labeling Qiu as a debating genius, he chose diametrically a different way in 2013 to support the western region of China echoing the trend for college students to serve the western region. He never ducked the hardship of toiling on the pig farm or visiting left-behind children in remote areas, which earned him the title of ‘Excellent Volunteer in the Hubei Province.’ Qiu says, “People will be humbler after they tramp over mountains, as they are exposed to a more realistic and complicated world and then they can be aware of their shortcomings. Sometimes life experience is much more important than logical thinking. Firsthand experience is totally different from the knowledge learnt from textbooks.”
Qiu does not stop his exploring footstep after coming back from his voluntary services. In 2015, Qiu spotted another new trend, namely the Wuhan action plan to promote sound development of the Internet financial industry. He boldly established Wuhan Yangtze River Crowdfunding Financial Transaction Co. Ltd. together with four partners from the Debating Team. This company was even inaugurated by Mayor Ruan Chengfa. It is out of sheer personal interest and the promising future of this industry that Qiu chooses to enter this industry. As a COO assistant, he is engaged in research, planning and other preparatory affairs of the company. He is also in charge of drafting official documents and correspondence. What’s more, he applies the Internet thinking in strategic cooperation, product design and planning department businesses so that this company can be fully integrated into the sound ecological environment for the development of the Internet finance. This company has a registered capital of 50 million yuan and a headcount of 50 people.
Qiu Jingtian is sharing his experience
For the next summer holiday, Qiu will embark on a new journey to seek an internship. Although he has not decided on which post to take, he is resolute and optimistic. He says, “It is only natural to be confused at times. Interest is only a factor when it comes to job hunting. We should be fully aware of the differences between job and our interest.”
Pursuing Multiple Dreams
In the golden age of debate, this young man has reaped a reputation in WHU or even the colleges and universities in China. However, Qiu draws in his claws at the right time and then throws himself into new fields to realize his full potential. It calls for strong inner impetus to pursue continuous changes, to walk out of one’s comfort zone, and to strive for breakthroughs in new fields. It seems like a daunting task. However, Qiu braves all the difficulties and makes steady progress during this complicated journey full of twists and turns. He encourages us to read the changes in the trend of the times and to listen to our inner voice when making choices. Qiu says, “Just as Gu Cheng wrote in Honesty, an ultimately honest person will face no choices, because there is only one path ahead of him. This path has nothing to do with his vision. For example, if you are an apple tree, you will bear apples in the end, though you look forward to bearing oranges.”
QiuJingtian is a young man craving for books
Recently, Qiu is reading a book called Age of Ambition, about the modern and contemporary China. The gleam in this young man’s eyes has revealed his resolution to devote himself to this age of opportunities.
(Rewritten by Zhang Ran, edited by Mark & Hu Sijia)
