What a busy year it has been. Before I knew it, we reached the end of the year again. There was indeed a lot going on—plenty of rushing about—but I’ve managed to achieve some significant milestones. I take up my pen once again to write this year-end summary as a testament to the year that was.

The Grid: The Final Destination for Electrical Engineers

Running Ragged for a Job

After a full year of suspension, I returned to my studies on schedule to begin my final year of university, officially becoming a “fresh graduate”. Consequently, job hunting naturally moved to the top of my agenda. As an Electrical Engineering student from a university with historical ties to the former Ministry of Electric Power, finding a job isn’t exactly impossible. However, saying it’s easy wouldn’t be accurate either. given the current climate: slowing economic growth, an uncertain international situation, reduced hiring demand, and the “rat race” becoming increasingly intense everywhere.

In September, I attended a graduate job fair, handed out a few CVs in person, and applied for four or five roles online. I only received interview invitations from two companies. I experienced primarily that the prestige of being from a “former Power Ministry affiliated university” is really only recognised within the power system itself¹. The employment market is just the way it is right now. Apart from the power system, decent-paying jobs are not easily found by students from “standard universities” (non-elite institutions) like ours. But in comparison, at least they still accept our CVs; for some other majors, companies won’t even look at them.

Written Exams for the Two Grid Giants

Working for the Power Grid represents the most relevant and stable career path for my major. The largest employers in our field—State Grid (SGCC) and China Southern Power Grid (CSG)—both require candidates to pass a written exam to qualify for an interview. The exam covers eight subjects in total: Circuit Theory, Electrical Machines, Power System Analysis, Power System Protection, Power Electronics, High Voltage Engineering, Electrical Equipment & Main Systems (called “Electrical Part of Power Plants” at our uni), and the Administrative Aptitude Test (essentially a civil service competency test).

The first seven are technical subjects, while the Aptitude Test covers a bizarre range of topics, including corporate culture, which you simply have to memorise. Current affairs and politics(Yes, this is also a subject) are mandatory, but what do they test? Extremely recent events—editorials published in Qiushi (the Party’s² theoretical journal) just days ago appeared directly in the exam a few days later. I was honestly speechless.

This year’s exam was strange, particularly regarding difficulty. Historically, there are always a few calculation questions, and Circuit Theory usually tests flexible problem-solving ability. Based on this intelligence, I had mastered numerous calculation types—electrical computations, numerical settings, equivalent transformations—and felt quite confident. The result? The first batch of State Grid exams didn’t feature a single calculation question. The Aptitude Test was simple enough for primary school children, and the technical part tested pure concepts. If it weren’t for the CSG exam still requiring practical application, my study efforts would have been practically wasted. Unsurprisingly, classmates who were strong at calculations and did well in mock tests essentially bombed this exam. Conversely, those with less impressive academic records who struggled with maths managed to get decent scores by rote learning. At the end of the day, it’s just a corporate recruitment test; outsiders can never guess how they’ll set the questions. I did what I had to do, and the final hiring outcome was excellent, which is all that matters.

Interviews, Interviews, and More Interviews

In December, I rushed to four interviews. For the CSG Guangxi Power Grid Ltd., the only interview location was Guilin, forcing me to skive off classes travel there. This resulted in my final trip of the year. Visiting Guilin twice in two years felt quite nice.

The State Grid interview made me a bit nervous. To prevent interview questions from leaking to subsequent candidates³, they employed fully closed-loop management. The process was long—mostly spent waiting in a holding room. All electronic devices were sealed away starting at 1:30 PM. After an hour-long psychometric test, the long wait began. They screened the film The Battle at Lake Changjin to keep us entertained, and provided tea and snacks. Dressed in suits and sitting upright, silently reciting my one-minute self-introduction until I knew it backwards, nervously waiting while watching the movie—it’s a flavour of anxiety you only understand if you’ve been there. Looking back, it was actually quite interesting.

With the experience (and Offer) from the State Grid interview under my belt, the subsequent Southern Power Grid (CSG) interview was far less nerve-wracking. The CSG format differs from the State Grid. State Grid uses a semi-structured, double-blind interview: the first candidate draws a set of questions from sealed envelopes, and subsequent candidates answer the same ones, perhaps with a few follow-up queries. The interviewers cannot see your CV and can only score you based on the ID number you drew; you are not allowed to state your name or background. CSG, however, is interviewer-led. They ask various questions based on your CV, including technical and supplementary questions. The difficulty depends entirely on the interviewer’s mood. For instance, during my Hainan Power Grid interview, the technical interviewer drilled down relentlessly into my internship experience with incredibly detailed technical questions. In contrast, the technical questions at the Guangxi Power Grid interview were much friendlier, involving basic switching operations and lightning protection facilities.

The Bittersweet Grid Training

Most people taking the Grid exams sign up with a training institute, and I was no exception. As early as last November, I methodically enrolled in a national cram school. They had two campuses; I chose the one further out in the suburbs since the rent was cheaper.

The training schedule was intense and the workload heavy. The summer session involved 41 consecutive days of classes with only three rest days in between. Mobile phones had to be handed in before class every day. Fortunately, iPads were allowed for note-taking purposes, which gave me a rare opportunity to slack off occasionally.

Actually, during that period, I found a rare chance to focus entirely on one thing. Apart from classes, I didn’t have to worry about anything else. So, while my body was tired, my “mind” wasn’t actually that weary. Now that I’m back at university, having to worry about big and small matters alike, my body isn’t as tired, but my “mind” is far more exhausted than before. Coupled with a recent cold and cough, sleeping 12 hours a day hasn’t brought much improvement. I can only wait until everything is sorted, then take leave, go home, and get some proper rest.

Retracing Steps

Yongzhou

I returned to Yongzhou early this year to visit relatives. My grandmother is nearly 90 years old but still quite hale and hearty; visiting often is simply the right thing to do. She has looked after me since I was a child, and my gratitude is beyond words. I often feel at a loss regarding how to repay her, so visiting Yongzhou at least once a year is my way of fulfilling some duty as a grandson.

As for Yongzhou itself, it’s still the same; nothing has changed. After all, this isn’t an era of economic explosion, so how could a small city like this change much? Stagnation isn’t necessarily a tragedy, and change isn’t always a blessing. Like after the Cultural Revolution in the last century when everything changed, but everything also became unrecognisable. The commercial complex that was bustling when I was a child now basically only has clothing shops open on the ground floor. The cinema and old arcade closed long ago; the floors converted into dining areas are now dim and dreary. Any new restaurants, whether chains or independent ventures, inevitably fail after the initial hype washes away.

Hong Kong

My trip to Hong Kong this time was just for fun, with no special objective other than mooching off the hotel room during my mum’s business trip. Of course, I opened a Bank of China account⁴ while I was there. The whole itinerary was rather unremarkable. The only unique part was staying in a flat in Wan Chai for a few days, where I could buy groceries and cook for myself (or eat “two-dish rice” takeouts), experiencing a slice of working-class life.

Guilin

The main reason for going to Guilin this time was the interview for the Guangxi branch of the Southern Power Grid. Naturally, I also took the opportunity to eat Chunji Roast Goose and Haitian Rice Noodle Rolls. The only downside was that it rained during the two days of the interview, leaving me with little inclination to walk around or sightsee. However, I ate my fill of rice rolls and roast goose—tasted great, would come again.

Old for New

My previous computer was an i5 12450H + RTX 3060 Laptop configuration. I’d used it for over two years, and just a few months ago, I bought two sticks of Crucial⁵ memory to upgrade it to 32GB. Frankly, there was no issue continuing to use it.

However, memory chip prices were still at a low point at that time, and government trade-in subsidies further reduced the cost of new devices. Combined with the recent launch of the 50-series graphics cards, the price of new laptops was incredibly attractive. Unfortunately, my pockets were shallow, and I didn’t have the budget for the latest generation CPU + latest generation GPU combo. I had to settle for the second-best option: an N-1 generation processor paired with the latest generation graphics card⁶. I’ve been using it for nearly half a year now, and the daily experience is excellent, though the howling fan noise really kills the mood. Overall, I consider the laptop a case where the flaws don’t obscure the virtues. With storage prices skyrocketing and government subsidies tapering off, I doubt we’ll see laptops this cheap again anytime soon.

My Cat

My cat turned one year old this year (probably)⁷. Amidst the celebrations, for a male cat, growing from a kitten to an adult means his testicles start doing their job, leading to scenes like this:

While I was away in Hong Kong, this stinky cat actually climbed onto my bed to pee and poop ~~ (probably because my dad didn’t scoop the litter)~~. Unforgivable. He had to get the snip!

The cat has brought a lot of joy to my life. Aside from the destruction, he is very cute. The sofa at home has been reduced to shreds after a year of claw service. You have to pay a price; that’s just how keeping a cat is. Scratch marks, cat hair everywhere during shedding season, and occasional acts of mischief are all part of the package. Since we accept the emotional value the cat brings, we must correspondingly accept these little flaws. I almost view him as family. From that perspective, you instantly forgive these shortcomings. Thinking back, perhaps I really do love him—so much so that I’ve started to love even his flaws. Because without them, he wouldn’t be a complete cat.

Still Lifting, Still on Meds

Pumping iron, especially leg day, is truly exhilarating. Feeling that sheer release after your muscles exert power is genuinely addictive. During the time I wasn’t at the Grid training, I consistently went to the gym, not just enjoying that feeling of release but also building muscle. honestly, not exercising feels terrible.

I am still taking medication every day. I really don’t want to suffer an emotional breakdown amidst my relentless schedule. My original plan to gradually taper off the medication after a year has been indefinitely postponed. Why? Put simply, the pressure from various sources has been significant lately. While staying on meds forever isn’t a solution, and I must slowly taper off once things settle, I am far from living a stable, certain life at this point nearing graduation.

This period is continuously filled with possibilities and opportunities, but also pressure. The money spent on medicine is a small price to pay, but the “shield” it provides for emotional stability plays a crucial role.

No Time for Gaming

As you can tell from my Steam Year in Review, I really didn’t have much time for games this year. “Stealing moments of leisure from a busy life” was the theme. At the end of the year, I downloaded Delta Force. sometimes, after Grid training finished at 10 PM, I’d go home and play until midnight. I’ve clocked 75 hours so far, and it feels pretty good.

My osu! playing essentially dropped off in the second half of the year, though my PP still grew from 3,439pp last year to 4,701pp this year. This game really requires perseverance; if you stop for a while and lose your muscle memory, rehabilitation takes time. Thinking about finishing class at 10 PM, completely drained, and then trying to play a game requiring such intense concentration and reaction speed—well, “I simply cannot do it”. Ideally, mid-year, my feel for the mouse was at its peak—I could snap to anything. I thought, “No one can stop me on my road to 5 digit rank”⁸, yet here I am, still hovering on the edge of 5 digits. Quite ironic, really.

My Online Presence

In 2025, traffic to my blog rose steadily, with 48.3K UV and 95.4K PV for the year. Traffic primarily came from Google (approx. 15.8K visitors) and Bing (approx. 15.2K visitors).

My personal override rules on GitHub garnered 194 Stars, and I gained some new Followers.

One of my articles was featured on Hacker News this year, resulting in significant traffic for a few days. Additionally, the translated English and Japanese versions of the blog have attracted quite a few readers, making up a not-insignificant portion of my visitors. So, a phenomenon occurred where, despite my busyness causing a lower update frequency than previous years, traffic actually doubled. I ultimately have to make concessions to life; pressure from living costs, studies, and employment inevitably impacts my willingness and energy to update the blog. On this point, I ask for my readers’ understanding.

A New Year Approaches: Wishes for Myself and Everyone

The New Year is coming. My biggest wish this year is, of course, to resolve the lingering issues from my suspension and graduate smoothly. Once I truly step into the workforce, I hope to focus more on the technical aspects required by the power system, dealing more with equipment and less with unnecessary, or even harmful, office politics. Hard work is fine as long as it’s safe, grounded, and meaningful: safe production, less fuss, more tolerance. I hope that in this upcoming job, I can grow from a fledgling novice into a true engineer.

I also send my best wishes to you behind the screen: May your anxieties find a resting place, and may your efforts echo back to you in the New Year. May you live your days steadily and warmly at your own pace—you don’t have to win every step, as long as you know where you’re going. May you and those you care about be healthy and safe, with less senseless exhaustion and more definite happiness. And of course, I hope everyone finds more time to play games outside of study and work.

As for me, I will continue learning where I should learn, and hit the road when it’s time to move. See you next year.