As the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games went into full swing, so were the volunteers. With their passion and dedication, the volunteers fueled the Games. 11 student volunteers from Tsinghua PBCSF participated and shined in their positions.

Zhu Qiyuan is one of them.

Qiyuan is a PhD student at the PBCSF. She came to Beijing in 2015, just when Beijing successfully bided for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Deeply touched by the National Speed Skating Oval and the Beijing-Zhangjiakou intercity railway under construction, she made up her mind to be a Winter Olympics volunteer, and eager to tell the China’s story to the world.

Qiyuan served as the service assistant for the National Stadium operations team and the team leader of stands 606 and 607. Her responsibility includes distributing materials to more than 300 audience at the opening and closing ceremony, checking tickets for the second time and guiding audience to exit the venue after the ceremonies.

Qiyuan had been attending the weekly volunteer training at the National Stadium since December 2021, which covered pandemic prevention and control, first aid skills, accessible venue mobility and services. Yet, the complicated routes of the National Stadium made her all at sea. There are more than 20 entrances and exits at each floor and the stairs are complicated and differ from each other. To be acquainted with the venue and ensure a safe, warm and comfortable experience for every guest at the game, she and her team paid several visits to the Stadium, and performed better and better.

Group photo of volunteers

It is an unforgettable life experience. Being a volunteer means that she would not be able to reunite with her family for Chinese New Year. Instead, she spent New Year’s eve with her teammates, where they had a good chat over dumplings. It was a special New Year celebration that she would still remember. 

For Qiyuan, every effort was finally paid off when she saw the smiles on the audience’ face, and hearing them saying “thank you”. “Since we have a shared future.” said Qiyuan.

Photo of Qiyuan and her teammate

It was also an interesting experience when she was greeted by one of the audience who happened to be a Tsinghua alumni and a student volunteer for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics 14 years ago. Similar experiences made them closer. Qiyuan is proud to claim herself the “volunteer of second generation”. “Olympic spirit passes on.” said Qiyuan.

By Lin Yingyu