<aside> 💡 Yes, after working for 8 years, I am going to study in Canada. This is something I could never have imaged 10 years ago when I was a sophomore in Hangzhou.
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<aside> 📎 This document was initially posted on Meituan’s internal BBS on July 16, 2024, and has been slightly modified for this public version.
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Today is my last day at Meituan and my final post on this BSS. I never thought I would stay for 2,298 days, but I still want to leave something behind. The work itself might not interest to everyone, but what I can share meaningfully, besides how ordinary people can use ChatGPT which I shared last year, is about learning English and the path to studying abroad.
Recently, many friends have been asking me about the process of returning to school (some even suggested I could charge for consultations, but I think it’s a minor issue and not necessary). I realized that this experience might be useful and valuable. Friends have said it’s worth writing about, as it resonates with ordinary people. So, I consider this my small contribution.
Additionally, it serves as encouragement to those around me. After all, it happened to someone close and is a real experience.
<aside> ⚠️ Disclaimer: The content of this document is purely personal sharing and does not constitute any substantive advice or reference. Please use your own judgment.
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When friends ask me about it, I tell them that you only need to answer one question; everything else is just a matter of following the steps.
This crucial question, the one Meituan often asks, is Why? Why do you want to leave (immigrate)?
It’s not necessary to have everything figured out before taking action. Looking back at my own experience (detail below), I didn’t have a clear plan from the start. But I could push myself to the next milestone and then validate my ideas through real action before making a final decision.
(Writing this, I also thought of a recent article I wrote on “data-drive decision-making”. Just writing documents, analyzing data, setting up processes, and conducting reviews isn’t enough. What truly verifies an idea is taking real action.)