If there’s a competition that brings everything about cubing together—competitiveness, friendships, diverse backgrounds, critical thinking, and unforgettable experiences—it has to be the World Championships. Countless world records, continued dominance by the world’s best, rising stars (some as young as seven years old!), and millions of solves in the past two years all culminate in the final quest to be crowned World Champion.

I had the great privilege of competing in four events (though I was unable to compete in the 3x3 due to having a flight back home that night—only to leave the next morning for a summer program). I also got to meet countless stars like Tymon Kolasinski, and the G.O.A.T. of cubing: the one and only Feliks Zemdegs. What was most special to me, however, was how warm yet intense the environment of the competition was. Everyone was socializing with cubers of different ages, experience, and even nationalities. At the same time, the world’s best were duking it out on stage. Despite having attended close to twenty competitions, this was the very first one where I got to experience/watch a World Record be broken live—specifically, Tymon’s 5x5 World Record average. It’s a marvel how a single puzzle cube invented fifty-one years ago has established a community spanning of hundreds of thousands of people, dozens of countries, and the entire globe. I also got to tour the University of Washington, visit Kona Kitchen (owned by Cobra Kai actor Yuji Okumoto—great guy!), and watch an exciting Seattle Mariners game with my friends Henry and Max.

I’m extremely grateful for the memories I’ve made and the places I’ve discovered in the short time I’ve spent here. The World Cube Association/CubingUSA made an excellent choice selecting a vibrant, lively city like Seattle to host the world’s best competition. For now, it’s time to take a step back and get back in the lab. I’ll be back at Great Lakes at the start of August!