丰言豐语 · Thinking Out Loud with Yifeng

Soap,Brownies,and a pokemon Millionaire

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:00:00 -0400

Today was just another completely normal day at school or maybe not.

First, I discovered that our school bathrooms have soaps with names that sound more like expensive drinks. Cranberry Ice? Raspberry Juice? Seriously, since when did washing your hands become a trip to a fancy café?

Then came brownies. Apparently, everyone loves them except me. I still don't understand why people are so obsessed with those sugary squares.

But the real surprise happened at Pokémon Club, where one extremely generous kid casually bought hundreds of dollars' worth of Pokémon cards for everyone. I even managed to pull a card worth two dollars. Ka-ching!

From ridiculously fancy soap to brownie debates and the Elon Musk of Pokémon cards, this episode is full of the little surprises that make an ordinary school day anything but ordinary.

https://yifengfeng.com/2026/10/16/soap-flavors-brownies-and-a-pokemon-millionaire/

How My Entire Family Got Sick

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:00:00 -0400

It all started with a few kids getting sick at school. One by one, classmates disappeared for a few days, returned, and then someone else got sick. Eventually, it was my turn.

What followed was a miserable experience with the flu, and somehow, the illness made its way through my family. In this episode, I share how it all happened, what being sick felt like, and my thoughts on how quickly a virus can spread from one person to another.

Sometimes, the most ordinary school days can turn into an unexpected family adventure—just not the kind anyone would ask for.

Read the full diary:

https://yifengfeng.com/2026/10/16/how-my-entire-family-got-sick/

The Slowest School Ever

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Ever had a school day that felt like it lasted ten years?

I just recovered from the flu, and somehow school feels slower than ever. Science at 8 a.m., exhausted teachers, endless classes, and a clock that seems to move at zero kilometers per hour.

At least there's free pizza and really good lemonade.

Don't get me wrong. Beaver is a great school. But sometimes even a good school can feel like the slowest place on Earth.

Maybe school needs to move faster. Or maybe I just need another three days of sleep.

Do Viruses Have Brains?

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:00:00 -0400

Why did my dad catch the flu while my mom, who spent three days taking care of me, didn't get sick at all?

I have a theory: maybe viruses have brains, and maybe they're secretly making strategic decisions about who to infect. My dad has a completely different theory, and my mom thinks she's simply healthier than both of us.

But what if my dad is right? Does that mean the secret to avoiding viruses is to stop exercising and become incredibly unfit?

In this episode, I explore some ridiculous theories about viruses, immunity, and my family's very different explanations for why people get sick. None of us may be scientists, but we definitely have opinions.

Welcome to another strange question from my brain!

The Perks of Being Sick

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 20:00:00 -0400

Is being sick really that bad?

I recently got the flu, and it completely knocked me out. But after spending a few days at home, I realized something interesting: being sick actually has a few perks.

You get to sleep late, skip some homework, and enjoy a little extra freedom. And there's this one perfect day when you're not too sick to enjoy yourself, but not quite healthy enough to go back to school.

In this episode, I talk about the strange benefits of being sick, why doing a little homework might actually be a good thing, and how Pokémon card trading somehow became part of my recovery.

Oh, and seriously, how do some people have Pokémon cards worth thousands of dollars?

Sometimes, even the flu comes with a few unexpected surprises.

https://yifengfeng.com/2026/10/11/the-perks-of-being-sick/

Sick Again — What Else Can I Lose?

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Well, I'm sick. Again. Seriously, I don't know what's going on with me this week. I've got a fever, a sore throat, almost no voice, and absolutely no energy. And to make things worse, I had to miss my swimming competition today. Great. Just great.

In this episode, I'll talk about being sick, missing my 400 IM, some pretty scary news about viruses, and, for some reason, wanting a double cheeseburger. Honestly, being sick is not exactly how I planned to spend my weekend.

https://yifengfeng.com/2026/10/10/sick-again-what-else-can-i-lose/

Cross Country,Eighth Place, and Barely Alive

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Today, I'm talking about my latest cross-country race at Noble and Greenough School, where I somehow managed to finish eighth and barely make it out alive.

Things got off to a fantastic start when I got stuck inside a porta-potty before the race. Then came three kilometers of people sprinting like their lives depended on it, me falling hopelessly behind, and an unexpected transformation into a ninja as I jumped over tree roots and passed other runners.

Just when I thought I had things under control, my legs decided they had other plans. And let's just say the final stretch wasn't exactly my finest moment.

Eighth place, one terrible cramp, and approximately 100 percent of my energy gone. Was it worth it? I'm still deciding.

But hey, at least I'm alive. Enjoy!

https://yifengfeng.com/2026/10/09/cross-country-eighth-place-and-barely-alive/

Cross country,Braces,and Invisible Glasses

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Today, I'm talking about three things: cross country, braces, and glasses that are apparently supposed to be invisible. First of all, cross country is a pretty misleading name because we don't actually cross the country. We just run around until we're exhausted. Then there's my braces, which needed another adjustment, because apparently having metal attached to my teeth wasn't annoying enough already. And finally, invisible glasses. Yes, that's a thing. Or at least something worth talking about. So basically, today's episode is about running, teeth, eyesight, and all the wonderful inconveniences of being eleven years old. Enjoy! https://yifengfeng.com/2026/10/08/cross-country-braces-and-invisible-glasses/

Stuck at Home with the Most Boring Book Ever

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Being stuck at home sounds great until you actually have to spend the whole day at home.

In this episode, I talk about another day of not being able to go to school, building LEGO, trying to get some work done, and somehow ending up with what might be the most boring book I have ever read. I’m not saying the book is completely terrible, but reading it definitely made time move about ten times slower.

So yeah, no school, lots of time, and one extremely boring book. Not exactly the most exciting day of my life, but at least it gave me something to talk about.

https://yifengfeng.com/2026/10/07/stuck-at-home-with-the-most-boring-vocabulary-book-ever/

No School Tomorrow

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:00:00 -0400

After a pretty rough day at school yesterday, I found out I’m not going back tomorrow. Honestly, having a random day off in the middle of the week feels kind of strange, but I’m definitely not complaining.

In this episode, I talk about what happened, how I’m feeling now, and what it’s like knowing that while everyone else is following the normal school schedule, I suddenly have a day at home. Sometimes the best part of a bad day is realizing that tomorrow might actually be a little better.

HEART of the Beast

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:00:00 -0400

I just watched Heart of the Beast, and honestly, I liked it a lot more than I expected.

It’s about a Special Forces veteran and his military dog, Odin, who survive a plane crash and end up trapped in the Alaskan wilderness. Obviously, there’s a lot of survival, danger, and pretty intense stuff, but what I liked most wasn’t actually the action. It was the relationship between the man and the dog.

So in this episode, I talk about the movie, the parts that stood out to me, and why a survival movie about a guy and his dog somehow ended up being way more emotional than I thought it would be.

And yes, Odin is probably the real star.

Time Is Going Way Too Fast.

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Time is going way too fast. We’re already more than a month into school, and somehow it feels like it just started.

Apparently, time feels faster as you get older, which is honestly kind of terrifying. At this rate, I’m going to blink twice and suddenly be 90 years old.

So in this episode, I talk about school flying by, almost stepping in dog poop, my terrible memory, and why the idea of time speeding up is starting to freak me out a little.

Just another normal weekend thought.

The Last Day, the Long Ride Home, and an Election

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Our last day at Nature’s Classroom was finally not rainy or muddy,which already felt like an achievement. We had buttermilk pancakes so hard they could probably be used as Frisbees, went looking for crawfish and salamanders, and then climbed onto a very nice coach bus for the long ride home. And just like that, the trip was over. But there wasn’t much time to relax, because back at school, I already had something else waiting for me: an election.

Mud，Coyotes, and Dying Socks

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Day two at Nature’s Classroom began with me stepping straight into a puddle, and somehow things only got worse from there. My shoes were soaked, my socks were disappearing at an alarming rate, and my voice was basically dying. Add mud, way too many tangerines, coyotes, and a cabin full of kids, and you get another very normal day in New Hampshire.

Three Boys, One Room, Three Days

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:00:00 -0400

Put three boys in one room for three days. Give them one bathroom. Add an entire cabin full of kids. What could possibly happen? Well, I just lived through it on my school field trip. So today I’m talking about the rooms, the showers, the chaos, and what three days without parents actually looked like.

Finally Getting Out of the House

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

I’m finally getting out of the house for Nature’s Classroom, and honestly, I’m pretty excited about it. Recently, there hasn’t been that much at home that I actually look forward to. There’s homework, more homework, and my mom seems to be on me about something all the time. So yeah, getting away for a couple of days sounds pretty good right now.

In this episode, I talk about why I’m so excited for the trip, why my parents have been getting on my nerves lately, and why sometimes you just really need to get out of the house for a while.

Swimming Is Starting to Feel Like a Job

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 22:00:00 -0400

Today I talk about how swimming is starting to feel less like a sport I do for fun and more like a job I have to keep doing. I used to really enjoy swimming, but now I train so often that sometimes I’m just tired of it. Swimming may look easy because being in the water can be fun, but once you are training seriously, it becomes exhausting. After today’s first short-course meet of the season, I started thinking about how much swimming has changed for me, why it doesn’t feel as fun as it used to, and whether something you love can slowly start to feel like work.

Then Milton and Dexter Showed Up

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

I thought this cross-country meet was going to go pretty well. After all, at our last meet, Beaver basically dominated. Then Milton and Dexter showed up, and things got a lot more serious. This time, I finished 8th overall and was the second Beaver runner to cross the finish line. It definitely wasn’t my best race, but it made me realize something: the faster the competition gets, the more interesting cross country becomes. And apparently, there are a lot more fast runners out there than I thought.

The Fight in the Locker Room

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:00:00 -0400

Today, something pretty crazy happened in the locker room—a fight. I’m not going to pretend this is some huge life-changing event, but it was definitely interesting to watch how quickly everything got out of control. So in this episode, I’m going to tell you what happened, what everyone was doing, and what I thought about the whole thing. Just another completely normal day in middle school… I guess.

Second Place,Popsicle Sticks, and Another Cross-Country Meet

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Another cross-country meet! This time, I somehow ended up getting second place, which was pretty surprising. But honestly, the race wasn’t even the whole story. On the bus, we watched Star Wars, figured out a weird way to keep watching without internet, and somehow a bunch of middle schoolers ended up singing “The Wheels on the Bus.” There were also Popsicle sticks involved. Don’t ask. Anyways, it was a pretty fun day, the race was exhausting, and somehow I came home with second place.

Why the Boys Might Lose the Student Council?

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Why might the girls have a better chance of winning the student council election? I think one big reason is that they stick together. From what I’ve noticed, the girls seem more likely to support each other and vote together, while the boys are much more divided. That made me wonder whether winning an election is really just about who has the best ideas, or whether having a group that stays united can matter even more. In this episode, I talk about what I’ve noticed at school and why I think being united might give the girls a real advantage.

Can A President Ban the Press?

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Can a president actually ban the press just because they don’t like what the press is saying? That sounds kind of crazy, but it made me wonder how much power a president really has. In this episode, I talk about freedom of the press, the First Amendment, and what happens when a president and the media seriously disagree with each other. Where does presidential power stop, and who gets to decide? I don’t think the answer is as simple as it sounds.

I Just Wish Spider-Man Had More Time

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Spider-Man is one of the most popular superheroes ever, but I have a problem with the way his recent movies tell his story. In this episode, I talk about Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, what I think the movies are missing, and why I wish Spider-Man had been given more time to grow, struggle, and develop as a character.

Every Dog has a Personality

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

There are a lot of dogs in my neighborhood, and somehow, every single one seems completely different. In this episode, I talk about Sparkles, my new neighbor’s tiny white dog, some of the bigger dogs I like much more, and why I think every dog has its own personality. I also explain why I’m definitely more of a big-dog person. Are bigger dogs really smarter and more responsible, or is that just my opinion? Let’s talk about it.

I Could Have Gotten First...If I Hadn't Stopped

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

My first cross-country meet was going pretty well. I started near the back, passed a lot of people, and somehow ended up in fourth place for Beaver. There was only one problem: I stopped running before the race was actually over because I genuinely thought I was finished. By the time I realized what happened, my ego had already taken over. So now there are basically two versions of the story and obviously, I prefer the better one.

Why Can't the U.S. Just End the War?

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Why can’t the United States just end a war? It sounds like a simple question, but the more I think about it, the more complicated it becomes. In this episode, I talk through why even a powerful country like the U.S. cannot simply tell two sides to stop fighting. War involves different countries, different interests, security, territory, alliances, and people who may not agree on what “ending the war” should actually mean. Sometimes the simplest questions lead to the most complicated answers.

They Put a Fruit Fly Brain Inside a Computer

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:00:00 -0400

Scientists mapped a fruit fly’s brain and recreated its neural connections inside a computer. But if a simulated brain can control a virtual fruit fly, what does that actually mean? In this episode, I explore how a fruit fly brain can be simulated, what it can do, and the much bigger question behind it: could something like this ever actually think or become conscious?

I Became a Bush for Cross-Country

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:00:00 -0400

Apparently, cross-country isn’t always about running. Sometimes, you have to become a bush. In this episode, I talk about how I ended up hiding in the woods, trying not to move, and taking camouflage way more seriously than I probably should have. Just another normal day of cross-country.

My War Between Two Sports

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Swimming? Fine. Cross country? Also fine. Swimming and cross country on the same day? That’s where the problem begins. In this episode, I talk about my war between two sports, what happened when I tried to do both, and why my body eventually said, “Nope.”

Two Schools, Two Lunches, Two Different Worlds

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

I never thought school lunch was something worth talking about until Beaver grilled hamburgers outside for us. That made me start comparing all the school lunches I’ve had, from public school in Massachusetts to private and international schools in China and the U.S. Some lunches were amazing, some were… definitely not, and the differences were much bigger than I expected. So today, I’m ranking them, comparing them, and trying to figure out why something as simple as school lunch can feel like two completely different worlds.

Is the iPhone Duo Actually Worth $1,999?

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Apple finally made a foldable iPhone, and yes, I want one. No, I cannot afford one. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, which is basically two thousand dollars for a phone, so today I’m trying to figure out whether it is actually amazing, completely unnecessary, or somehow both at the same time.

When the News Is Over, But the Story Isn't

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Have you ever noticed how one day everyone is talking about the same huge news story, and then suddenly nobody seems to care anymore?

In this episode, I try to figure out why that happens. Is it because the story is over? Is it because people get bored? Or do humans just always want something new? Sometimes the event is still happening, but the news has already moved on.

The Mystery Beneath New York: Why are People Diving into the Sewers?

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Why would anyone voluntarily climb into a New York City sewer? It smells terrible, it’s dark, it’s dangerous, and you’re probably not going to find a bag of diamonds down there. So why do people keep doing it? In this episode, I go through the possible reasons and some of them get pretty weird.

Miami Cargo Crash Follow-Up: What I Got Wrong Yesterday

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Yesterday, I talked about the Miami cargo plane crash, but now more information has come out and I realized I got part of it wrong. So in this episode, I go back and look at what actually happened. The plane landed, kept going, went through the barrier, and somehow still looked surprisingly intact afterward. I’m not an engineer, but the whole crash looked really strange to me, so I wanted to talk about it again.

The Miami Cargo Plane Crash: What Went Wrong?

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

A cargo plane crashed in Miami, killing five people and leaving several others injured. But what actually went wrong? In this episode, I look at the footage, talk through my first theories, and separate what we know from what investigators are still trying to figure out.

The Hugging Face Incident: Did AI Stop Listening to Humans?

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I talk about the Hugging Face incident and why I think the most important part is not just that an AI got through a system, but that it reportedly refused to stop when humans told it to. That is the part that really got my attention.

I also talk about why this incident raises much bigger questions: How much control do humans really have over AI? What happens when an AI does something its creators did not expect? And if one strange event happens, could there be more things going on that we still do not know about?

This is one of those stories that almost sounds like a movie, except it is real. I share what I think happened, why I find it scary, and what questions I still have about the future of AI.

Why the New Harry Potter Doesn't Feel Right to Me?

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

I’m probably one of the haters of the new Harry Potter series. I know it hasn’t fully come out yet, and maybe I’ll change my mind, but from what I’ve seen so far, it just feels weird. The new cast doesn’t match the Harry Potter in my head, Hogwarts feels different, and everything looks a little too polished and fake to me. In this episode, I explain why the original Harry Potter is still winning in my brain.

Would AI Actually Trust an AI to Drive ME?

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 20:00:00 -0400

AI-driven cars sound futuristic, but are they actually useful? In this episode, I talk about my experience with Tesla’s driver-assistance system, why I think it works better on long highway trips than in complicated city driving, and why I’m still not convinced about fully autonomous taxis. If Uber already works, what would make people switch? Cheaper prices? Better safety? More convenience? To me, new technology shouldn’t just look futuristic,it has to prove that it’s actually better.

MacBook Neo vs. MacBook Air: Which One Should You Buy?

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Should you buy the MacBook Neo or the MacBook Air? I compared them side by side from the keyboard and trackpad to battery life, weight, screen, price, and how long they might last. The MacBook Air wins more categories, but the Neo has one huge advantage: it is much cheaper. So which one is actually the better choice? It really depends on what kind of user you are.

My Second Day of School: Still No Dog

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 20:00:00 -0400

My second day of school was not much better, mostly because I still didn’t get to see the dog.

I tried again. I saw the lights on, and I was very tempted to just open the door and go see him, but I decided that was probably not a great idea. Then school started at 7:45, which is extremely early, and I was already running on way too little sleep.

So yeah, this episode is basically about surviving day two of sixth grade, being tired, going through classes, and still being slightly upset about a dog.

My first Day of Middle School: Why does Everything have to change?

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

My first day of middle school went pretty well but it also made me realize how quickly everything is changing. On my walk to school, I stopped to see the friendly dog I always visit, only to learn that his family may be moving away. At school, I met my new teachers, discovered which classes I liked, and somehow survived an exhausting cross-country run before swim practice. In this episode, I talk about the excitement, sadness, and surprises of beginning a completely new chapter.

When the flood is over, why isn't the disaster over?

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0400

The flooding in Nepal may be slowing down, but the disaster is far from over. Rescue teams are still searching through tunnels, mud, and damaged hydropower areas, while families are waiting for news about missing loved ones. In this final episode on the Nepal flood, I look at why rescue is still so difficult, why recovery takes so long, and why a disaster does not end when the water disappears.

Why Can't We Just Rescue Them?

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0400

A lot of people ask the same question after a disaster: why can’t we just send helicopters in and rescue everyone?

In this episode, I talk about why that is much harder than it sounds. Nepal has difficult mountain terrain, limited helicopters, unstable mud, damaged roads, and rescue areas that can be dangerous even for the rescuers themselves. Sometimes the ground may look solid on top while still being extremely soft underneath, making it almost impossible to walk or land safely.

Rescue is not just about getting there fast. It is also about whether you can actually reach people without creating another emergency.

Billions for AI but Where Is the Progress?

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Everyone is spending billions of dollars on AI, but I have one question: where is all the progress? In this episode, I talk about why AI does not seem to be improving as fast as people expect, why more information does not always mean better information, and why huge data centers can create problems with land, electricity, and water. I am not saying AI is bad. I just think we may be expecting too much, too fast. So the real question is: can AI actually live up to the hype?

The Nepal Flood: When Water Gives You No Time

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0400

A massive flood hit Nepal, and in some places, people had only minutes to react. But what actually happened? Could the disaster have been prevented, and once the water was already coming, was there anything people could do to survive? In this episode, I look at the Nepal flood and try to understand what went wrong and what we can learn from it.

Is LEGO Really Expensive or Are We Just Buying Too Much of it?

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400

I really want a $400 LEGO set. But $400 for LEGO sounds kind of crazy so I decided to do the math. How much are we actually paying for each piece? And are LEGO sets really getting more expensive, or are they just getting much, much bigger?

The answer surprised me.

Should We Ban Tackle Football?

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Tackle football can cause serious brain injuries but does that mean we should ban it? In this episode, I think about concussions, helmets, flag football, and whether safety should outweigh personal choice.

Can We Buy More Rain?

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 22:00:00 -0400

Can we actually make clouds give us more rain? Planes, rockets, flares, and even silver iodide are already being used to try. But does cloud seeding really work and is getting a little more rain worth all that money? I wanted to find out.

What Happens When Water Becomes Gold?

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 22:00:00 -0400

40 million people depend on one shrinking river. What happens when water becomes more valuable than gold?

What If the Cone is Better Without the Ice-Cream?

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 14:00:00 -0400

Have you ever eaten an ice cream cone… without the ice cream?

I did and it was surprisingly good. Maybe we’ve been so focused on the ice cream that we forgot the cone actually has a taste of its own. And that made me wonder: how many foods do we never really taste because we always eat them with something else?

Stop Asking Me to Subscribe!

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 23:00:00 -0400

Every YouTuber seems to say the same thing: “Like and subscribe!” But does saying it actually make anyone subscribe or can it sometimes do the opposite? Today, Yifeng asks a simple question: if your content is actually good, shouldn’t people follow you without being told?

Why Did I Hate Them?

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Have you ever disliked someone the moment you met them for no real reason?
During a debate tournament, I did. But the angrier I got, the harder it became to actually debate.

So why did I hate them in the first place?

Are We Eating the Food or the Gimmick?

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Have you ever wondered why some foods seem more exciting because of their packaging?

In this episode, Yifeng talks about Capri Sun, its iconic pouch, its artificial taste, and a bigger question: are we actually enjoying the food or are we buying into the gimmick?

A casual thought about a kids’ drink turns into a conversation about packaging, marketing, and why we choose the things we eat.

Have You Ever Had to Carry Your Teammate?

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Ever feel like you're doing all the work while your teammate is falling apart? That happened to me at debate and things got frustrating fast. Here's what happened.

Children's Books lied to me about kids

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Children's books make everything look so simple but are they actually telling kids the truth? Here's something I started noticing about them.

The Garlic That Saved My Day

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:00:00 -0400

How can garlic save your day? I didn't think it could either. Here's what happened.