Year Review of Li Chen

Monthly Review

Once again, the new year began with a memorable ski trip. This year, I visited a new ski resort: Steamboat, Colorado. It boasts unique terrain and easy access from the local village. However, I was surprised to see large crowds, especially on weekends, with long lines for lifts—even though the resort is three hours from the nearest major airport. Meanwhile, the search for a new home continued, bringing increasing pressure due to expectations of lower interest rates. Boston's competitive housing market, fueled by a growing influx of people, made this even more challenging. Even a condo received multiple bids. I eventually secured an offer by bidding 5% over the asking price.

A highlight of the year has been my deepening relationship with my girlfriend. We celebrated our first Valentine’s Day together and have become more involved in each other's hobbies and lives, experiencing new things along the way, such as watching basketball games at Boston College. On the other hand, the year also brought challenges, most notably the dramatic moment at Valentine’s night when I received a denial notice for my National Interest Waiver application after hundreds of days of review. This left me with the only option of appealing the decision. (You can refer to my earlier blog for details on my dramatic immigration story.)

The joy of receiving the keys to my new home quickly faded under the stress of the 30-day appeal deadline. Without prior experience or external help, it was an extremely challenging process. When I finally submitted the appeal package, I thought it would be my last battle with immigration authorities. Settling into my new home brought another set of challenges as I discovered various issues that required improvements throughout the year. After last year’s memorable events at the New England Conservatory, I became a regular attendee at their performances this year. Highlights included Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5, Mahler's Symphony No. 7, and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. I also attended a Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) performance featuring works by Dvořák—one of my favorite composers—and visited their iconic concert hall for the first time. Later, I returned to enjoy a piano concerto by the talented pianist Yuja Wang.

Despite the challenges earlier in the year, the rest of 2025 brought surprises both big and small. In April, I was thrilled to learn I had been selected in the H1-B visa lottery on my third and final attempt. I received the news while skiing at Alta Ski Resort, one of my favorite ski destinations. I also checked off a long-time wish list item by visiting the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a beautiful spot perfect for photography. April also brought a romantic trip to New Orleans, the jazz capital rich with Southern culture. The month’s biggest surprise, however, was a long-awaited family reunion after COVID, which included celebrating my 30th birthday in Boston.

As temperatures rose, I started hiking earlier than usual, exploring new spots in northern New England. These included easy trails like Welch-Dickey and Noanet Woodland, revisiting Mount Monadnock, and tackling challenging hikes like Mount Lafayette. Spirit Airlines' financial troubles allowed me to snag deep-discount tickets for weekend trips, such as visits to Charleston/Myrtle Beach in May and Columbus/Pittsburgh in September.

Summer arrived early this year, with warm waters good for paddleboarding as early as June. I also spent the season picking ripe strawberries, cooking lobsters, and enjoying the scent of blooming roses. Over the Fourth of July holiday, I took a road trip to Maine, indulging in freshly caught lobsters and exploring quaint coastal towns. Summer also brought outdoor barbecues, including one by the Charles River with colleagues and our talented summer interns.

When Boston’s Orange Line metro shut down for maintenance, I turned to biking as an alternative for commuting. Surprisingly, biking turned out to be faster than the train, offering daily exercise and eliminating the need to check train schedules. Along the way, I captured scenic sunset photos, which now adorn the walls of my home.

Fall arrived with vibrant foliage, colder waters, and ripe apples. Highlights included lantern viewing at Franklin Zoo, biking along Northern Strand Trail to Revere Beach (Bike To The Sea), and a coaster ride at Gunstock Mountain.

Our trip to Orlando stands out as the best of the year. I cherished every joyful and thrilling moment in the magical worlds of Disney and Universal with my sweetheart. The most magical part, however, was returning home to find my immigration appeal sustained (5% success rate). I ended October by celebrating Halloween in Salem, the "witch town” where creative costumes brought the festive spirit to life.

November began with an impromptu trip to Dallas, my first visit to the cowboy state, where I marveled at its unique culture. Over Thanksgiving, I escaped Boston’s cold with a road trip to Arizona. This hardcore trip with my energetic friends was packed with adventure, including visits to Tucson’s saguaro landscapes, Sedona’s art villages, Antelope Canyon’s mesmerizing colors, and the iconic rock formations of Monument Valley.

The year concluded with another unforgettable road trip to New Mexico. I enjoyed sand dune sliding at White Sands, exploring the delicate caves of Carlsbad Caverns, and delving into the Spanish colonial history of Santa Fe. The Indian Pueblo sites of Taos, delicious Mexican food, and breathtaking starry nights made the trip all the more memorable.

Year Remark

Watching fireworks at Long Wharf in Boston, I welcomed the new year, holding onto the same three wishes from last year: finding a place to call home, achieving permanent residency, and finding love. Interestingly, all three were beyond my sole control. At the start of the year, I couldn’t foresee how things would unfold, and I can hardly believe that by the end of the year, all these wishes had or close to come true. Ambitions and desires seem to fade in comparison to what life offers. I’ve learned to remain humble, grateful for what has happened, and most importantly, to cherish every moment spent with the people around me.

As in previous years, I traveled extensively this year. Travel is a wonderful way to deepen relationships and understand people better. Through these journeys, I’ve realized that the destination matters less than the company. It’s the people I travel with who truly make a journey special. For that, I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to connect with friends, both old and new.

In my professional life, I’ve shifted my focus from solely proposing novel ideas and writing papers to emphasizing product development and execution excellence. Part of this shift stems from a desire to consolidate and solidify the progress we’ve made in earlier projects. Another part is driven by the need to meet the model freeze deadlines aligned with our product timelines. This transition reflects one of the unique opportunities that industry research provides: exploring diverse ways of working and finding a balance between innovation and practical realization. It’s a path that helps me create meaningful contributions and impactful products.

On a personal level, I’m also striving to find a better balance between work and life. I’ve been expanding my interests, meeting new people, and working toward a healthier lifestyle.

Finally, with rising global conflicts and economic instability, I can’t help but feel that the world today resembles the state of affairs a century ago—perhaps the last brilliant era before a major crisis. I sincerely hope I’m wrong. Above all, I wish for peace in the world.

New Year Wishes

Immigration status.

Travel to China.

Live a happy life.