Yicong Li

Student

Yicong is a G12 student with a deep interest in chemistry, biology, and math. Beyond the classroom, he is a saxophone player in Tri-M Music Honor Society and takes part in the South China Leadership Summit that takes charge of TEDxTalk. He enjoys combining analytical thinking with creativity, whether solving a problem set or performing a piece of music, and learns to connect ideas with people.

I’m passionate about science, the process of exploring questions and working through problems to discover answers. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy playing music, which helps me find balance and creativity.

Social media has already become one of the most powerful influences on how people think, act, and make decisions. While it connects to everyone and gives a voice, it subtly affects our opinions, even without realizing it. The Internet tracks and collects our data, creating an "echo chamber" where our perspectives get narrower for everyone. This shapes everything from what products we buy to how we see science, politics, or even ourselves. It’s important to become more aware of how social media shapes our thinking. By recognizing its influence, we can learn to question what we see and make choices based on critical thinking.

I once watched a TED Talk where the speaker conveyed that mastery doesn’t come from talent, it comes from practice. That simple idea changed how I viewed myself. When I first started playing sax, it was frustrating. The sound was squeaky, and my rhythm was off. At that time, I thought maybe music just wasn't for me. Until I was reminded that nobody starts perfect, progress only comes from showing up again and again. So I kept practicing. I realized that practicing is about persistence, and persistence leads to improvement.

Actually, I love video games and play them really well.