To All Earth Science Enthusiasts and Olympiad participants

Hello everyone — students, teachers, and fellow Earth science enthusiasts!

I’m Ziyan Fang. Some of you might have seen me yesterday at the exam venue, volunteering. I’m from Nanjing Foreign Language School and was a member of the Chinese national team at the last International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO). I’m also excited to share that I’ve been admitted to the University of Cambridge in the UK.

Today, I’m deeply honored to have been invited by the organizers to share with you some of my reflections on Earth science and my journey through the Olympiad. But before I begin, let me ask you a question: Why are we gathered here today?

I’m sure many of you would offer different answers. But one answer, once shared by a group of IESO participants in a past year, has always stayed with me. It was simple and unanimous: “Because we love nature.”

From my perspective — and perhaps many of you will feel the same — Earth science is a field full of surprises. When we first step into this world, we might not know exactly what it encompasses. Many of us are drawn in simply out of curiosity about geography or landscapes. But as we dive deeper, we discover astonishing things: geophysics that explains the invisible forces of the planet, climate and meteorology that connect to our everyday lives, even planetary science that extends Earth’s knowledge to other worlds. Each Earth system has its own fascinating way of functioning, and all of them are interlinked — shaping, disturbing, or reinforcing one another.

To me, preparing for the Earth Science Olympiad has been a window into how Earth scientists think — their logic, their sensitivity to patterns, their drive to ask why. It’s about dialoguing with mountains, rivers, stars, and oceans. It’s about exploring the mechanics of Earth and cosmos, caring about the evolution of life and its future, and trying — even in small ways — to explain and maybe even influence the natural world we love. That’s not just meaningful. It’s joyful, and truly lucky.

Now, thinking about the Olympiad journey itself, I want to say this clearly: everyone who has made it to this point should be proud, no matter what the final results turn out to be.

By choosing to join CESO, you’ve all taken a brave step beyond the boundaries of your school textbooks and syllabi. You’ve ventured into a completely new field — and that takes courage. Whether you realized it or not, your ability to learn independently has grown tremendously. From searching for materials and problem sets, reaching out to mentors and seniors, spending hours digging through Baidu or Google — you’ve gone from knowing nothing about Earth science to building a framework of understanding, connecting concepts across disciplines, and shaping your own sense of the field. That’s an incredible achievement.

No matter what field you pursue in the future — Earth science or not — this ability to self-learn, to explore, and to integrate information is a gift that will serve you for life.

But for me, the Olympiad experience went far beyond learning facts or methods. It shaped how I think about values — especially about results and process.

One of my coaches once told me he disliked how Olympiads can feel cruel or overly selective. Everyone walks in with hope and passion, but not everyone walks out with the same reward. He worried that disappointing results might extinguish a student’s love for the subject.

As results day approaches, some of you might be feeling similar anxiety. So I want to share a bit of my own story. Last year, I was preparing for CESO and my A-level exams at the same time. The pressure was intense. But one of my teachers said something that stuck with me: “No matter the outcome, all the effort you’ve poured in, everything you’ve built up, is already valuable.” That hit me hard — because I’ve always been someone who values the journey. I realized that I was already achieving my goal simply by studying, reading, organizing notes, and thinking deeply. I didn’t need a result to prove my growth.

So before results come out, I encourage you to ask yourself: What did I want to get from this experience? Was it the thrill of competition? A desire to bring honor to your school? A deep passion for Earth science? Or maybe you just enjoyed being part of a community — surrounded by friends who love observing, discussing, and sharing what they learn?

Whatever your reason, take a moment to reflect. Each person’s answer will be different, but I promise you — your answer will be worth hearing.

Finally, I want to share with you a single sentence — one of my favorite lines from this entire journey. It was said by the chair of the international committee at the opening ceremony of IESO: “Just enjoy the journey.”

I adore that phrase. “Enjoy” might sound light — almost whimsical. But it’s actually a powerful mindset. When we stop seeing challenges as filters or threats, and instead begin to face them, assess them, and engage with them, everything becomes a little more interesting.

I still remember after the international round ended, the first thing I thought was: Wow, that exam was brutal — but it was also strangely fun. That was the first time I felt how transformative this mindset could be.

It’s also what helped me during my Cambridge interview. I was shaking with nerves, but I found the conversation itself utterly fascinating. Even when I made mistakes, the professors’ guidance made total sense, and I walked out — just like some of you probably did yesterday — groaning in frustration. But also thinking: Those professors are amazing. That was such an enjoyable academic discussion. (Well, maybe an academic battle.)

This Olympiad has trained me, not just for Earth science, but for life. And I hope it will help you learn to enjoy the process of learning and questioning, to enjoy every challenge, whether that’s the Gaokao, university choices, postgraduate exams, or job applications. This mindset really, truly matters.

And honestly, even from the smallest perspective — this CESO journey has been full of joy. From the cool, overcast day of fieldwork, to music under the night sky and glowsticks in the air, to tasting Huaiyang cuisine in the cafeteria or through delivery — maybe someday, when you look back, you’ll feel a little nostalgic about it all.

Past participants always say this: the Earth Science Olympiad is one of our most vivid dreams, a celebration of shared passion. It shapes our growth, our learning, and our friendships. It will live on in one of the brightest corners of our memories.

Thank you to the organizers and teachers for giving us such a beautiful experience. And thank you to every one of you — I’m grateful for our encounter.

As we approach the moment when results are announced, I sincerely wish that each of you will find your own best gift in this journey. And more importantly, just as the IESO chair said: I hope you could enjoy this journey. Thank you!