江阴: Jiangyin
Jiangyin, Jiangsu
The long way here.
Jiayi Zhu. Born beside the Yangtze, studying math + CS in Seattle, graduating June 2027. This is how I got here. Take the boat.
31.92° N · 120.27° E
爱: Love
01 / Where it starts
Born beside the Yangtze, 2004.
I was born in Jiangyin, a river city in Jiangsu, in 2004. I spent much of my early childhood with my grandparents. That’s where love started for me.
31.92° N · 120.27° E · 长江
A paper boat
On the Yangtze. This is where the journey starts.
An oil-paper umbrella
Plum rain season in Jiangsu: soft rain that goes on for weeks.
My grandparents’ window
My grandparents raised me through my earliest years, and they have supported me ever since. I’m grateful to them for more than I can write here.
02 / The crossing · 2019
Across the Pacific, together.
In 2019 my parents and I crossed the Pacific so I could go to high school in the United States. My parents and grandparents have always been my greatest supporters, through every up and down.
Pacific Ocean
The first year was hard. I didn’t have the language yet.
Three lanterns, tied together
My parents and I crossed together in 2019. My parents and grandparents have always been my greatest supporters, through every up and down.
Sea glass
Worn smooth by the sea. The hard parts round off, given time.
The moon
海上生明月，天涯共此时。
Over the sea the bright moon rises; though far apart, we share this moment.
Zhang Jiuling (张九龄), Tang dynasty
感恩: Gratitude
03 / Orange County · 2019–2023
Nearly the same latitude. A new language.
Orange County, 2019–2023. The friends I made here made a new language and a new culture feel like home. I’m grateful to every one of them.
33.68° N · 117.83° W
Jiangyin, 31.9° N. Orange County, 33.7° N. Nearly the same latitude, on opposite sides of the Pacific.
A bundle of friends’ lanterns
Orange County sits at 33.7° N, Jiangyin at 31.9° N: nearly the same latitude, an ocean apart. My high-school friends made adapting to a new culture much easier. I’m grateful to every one of them.
原谅: Forgive
04 / Seattle · University of Washington
Then it started raining.
University of Washington, Applied & Computational Mathematical Sciences: Discrete Math & Algorithms. Dean’s List. I helped lead the Chinese Student Organization, reaching 2,000+ students.
47.655° N · 122.308° W
A red lantern
As a student leader of the Chinese Student Organization, I led cross-functional marketing initiatives reaching 2,000+ students.
A Dean’s List letter
Applied & Computational Mathematical Sciences, Discrete Math & Algorithms. GPA 3.70.
A rain-soaked umbrella
Seattle teaches you to stop waiting for the rain to end.
Forgiveness falls like rain, on everyone, and lets love grow again.
05 / What I build
Pipelines, golden records, and a pet shop.
Three software engineering internships centered on data platforms and pipelines, a hackathon, a small business, and something new that is still growing. Pick anything up.
Seattle · Bellevue · Jacksonville
A pudding cup
Creme Pudding Pet Shop, the e-commerce startup I founded and run.
06 / The loop
Love. Gratitude. Forgive.
When there is love, gratitude grows. Gratitude makes room for forgiveness. Forgiveness lets love thrive again. I practice these three words every day. They are a circle.
river → sea → rain → river
07 / Next shore
Graduating June 2027.
Dawn · the next shore
Currently building an app for the future of personal well-being.
Available to start Summer 2027