From September 26 to 28, I paid a short visit to CSU, where I gave a talk entitled “Non-invertible Symmetry and Topological Holography.” Since then, life has been a little hectic, and it’s only today that I finally found a quiet moment to set down a few words about the trip.
I arrived in Changsha, Hunan, on the night of September 26. My flight had been delayed by forty-five minutes, yet the driver—kindly arranged by the physics department—waited patiently for me. After the long journey from Singapore to Changsha, I finally reached the hotel close to 1 a.m. Exhausted, I fell asleep almost the moment I lay down.
My talk was scheduled for the following morning, where I gave a brief introduction to some of my recent work on lattice models and topological holography. I was delighted to meet many new friends and to revisit my former teachers—it felt both familiar and refreshing.
The world changes so quickly; many things on the campus are no longer as they used to be.
I returned to Singapore on the morning of September 29. The familiar green line carried me to Clementi, then home. After a quick breakfast at Toast Box in Clementi Mall, I found myself once again at CQT—as if the journey had quietly folded back into the rhythm of everyday life.
By the way, I’ve completely fallen for Nanyang coffee—locally called kopi. I used to have my morning cup at the Q-Cafe in CQT, but gradually, I began picking up Nanyang coffee from the canteen instead. Its bitterness was striking at first, yet over time I’ve come to savor it, as if the flavor itself had quietly woven into my mornings. I usually pair it with French toast or Kaya toast, making for a simple but comforting start to the day.
It’s hard to believe that another year has already passed. I hope that when this hectic semester finally winds down, I’ll have the time to write more and capture the little threads of life as they unfold.
Zhian Jia | 贾治安 