Math has felt natural to Xing Yang for as long as they can remember. After winning gold at the International Olympiad in Informatics during COVID and completing two years of military service, they are excited to dive back into the world of pure mathematics in Cambridge. Xing Yang shares what has maintained their interest in math over the years, their passion for teaching physics to younger students, and the pastime that can distract them from studying all day.

We caught up as they started university (interview edited for length and clarity):