(Reported by Reziwaguli) To celebrate the 31st World Book Day and further advance the building of a book-loving campus, the award ceremony and reading reflections sharing session for the "Open Your Mind with Reading: 21-Day Check-in" Reading Challenge, hosted by the university's Youth League Committee and organized by the School of Materials Science and Engineering, recently came to a successful close at the Liufang Campus. Chen Enyu, Deputy Secretary of the University Youth League Committee, Ma Ke, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Reziwaguli, Secretary of the School's Youth League Committee, and more than 50 student representatives from various schools attended the event. With books as their medium and reflection as their companion, participants completed the 21-day reading check-in journey together, and through persistence and sharing, infused the spring campus with a deep, vibrant love of reading.

Reading as the Path: 21 Days Witness the Power of Growth

During the event, students maintained their daily reading check-ins, sharing excerpts, reading notes, and personal reflections in online groups. Their posts—ranging from classic literature to specialized works, and from print to digital reading—captured in photos and words their perseverance and transformation through the 21-day journey. Amidst their hectic academic schedules, students made a conscious effort to set aside time each day to quietly commune with words and encounter fresh ideas, gradually turning reading into a deeply ingrained habit and allowing the campus to be continuously steeped in the love of books.

Hongmei Liu from the School of Foreign Languages

Peng Liu from the School of Materials Science and Engineering

Yang Yu from the School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering

Leaders' Message: Nurturing the Spirit of Youth Through the Love of Books

At the event, Ke Ma, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, delivered a speech. He warmly praised the perseverance and dedication students had shown during the 21-day reading challenge, and offered three hopes for them: first, to read the classics and cultivate a broad vision, drawing wisdom from timeless works; second, to think deeply and focus on practice, closely linking what they learn from books with professional innovation; and third, to persist until reading becomes a habit, making it a lifelong source of motivation for growth. He encouraged everyone to nourish their hearts through books and let reading inspire action, to strengthen their ideals and convictions and enhance their overall qualities through reading, and to let a true love of books become the brightest hue of their youth.

A Collision of Ideas and a Feast of Reading Reflections

During the reading reflection sharing session, outstanding representatives from various schools took the stage one by one to share what they had gained from reading and the spiritual insights they had discovered. Hongmei Liu (School of Foreign Languages) spoke with heartfelt sincerity about the emotional resonance words had awakened in her; Peng Liu (School of Materials Science and Engineering) drew on his personal growth journey to illustrate how he practices long-termism through reading; and Wenshu Liu (School of Materials Science and Engineering) demonstrated a practical path to improving foreign language proficiency by consistently reading English-language journals. Other students, including Yitian Xu, Ruoxi Liu, and Ziheng Yang, also presented, one after another, their diverse reading perspectives and unique understandings, revealing the spiritual growth and leaps in thinking that reading can bring. The atmosphere was vibrant with round after round of applause, and amid this collision of ideas, the students found resonance and inspiration.

Commending Role Models: Inspiring Continued Reading

After the sharing session, the first, second, and third prizes were awarded to recognize students who had excelled in the reading challenge. One by one, the winners stepped onto the stage to receive their certificates and prizes, greeted by enthusiastic applause from the audience. This honor was not only a recognition of their dedication to reading, but also an encouragement and a torch-passing of the reading spirit—one that will inspire more students to pick up books and, through reading, encounter better versions of themselves.

Although the 21-day reading check-in has drawn to a close, the journey of reading never truly ends. "Open Your Mind with Reading" was more than just a reading challenge—it was a youthful journey of persistence and growth. It allowed students to find inner tranquility through reading, spread warmth through sharing, and keep the campus steeped in the love of books. Taking this event as an opportunity, the university will continue to deepen the building of a book-loving campus, guiding students to strengthen their cultural confidence, cultivate enterprising character through reading, and strive to become a new generation capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation.