Juan David Campolargo

Christopher Xu

The gap semester is partially an experiment for myself to see how much I am capable of if I focus. Since freshman year I’ve been heavily involved with two different student car teams, a rocketry team, a robotics research lab, and many open-ended engineering class projects. I was almost always simultaneously working for multiple purposes at once, and while I don’t regret any of them—they were each great experiences and I learned a variety—I never got the chance to pour my soul into a single one, and get the satisfaction of being at the edge of the performance envelope.

This semester, there are clear priorities. No homework or final projects to be excuses for sucking up time, and I will be dedicating almost all my engineering bandwidth to the single project [The robotic squirrel] that I feel most passionate about.

Other than just being able to know the experience of intense focus, I believe it will also act like a calibration for me to make better estimates of my own ability in the future. If I go back to splitting attention over multiple technical projects, I’ll have a good estimate of how much total bandwidth I have and divide it intelligently.

I want to learn what my limits are for self-discipline and self-learning. Leading my own project means that there are no truly rigid deadlines and I must motivate myself over any frustrating bumps. I will also need to seek out sources for learning, and find out what I should figure out myself compared to what I should consult other people on. Practicing and calibrating my limits will help me in the future in gauging how effective I am going to be and plan my workflow more accurately.

—Christopher Xu, Why I'm taking a semester off

In Why I'm taking a semester off, Chris explained why he took a gap semester to build the project closest to his heart: a robotic squirrel.

I first met Chris in the fall of 2022 while working on a vertical landing rocket. We assembled a small team, and Chris, along with Aaryaman and Ethan, worked together. That rocket was the beginning of our friendship too.

From day one, I knew Chris was one of the most talented people I had ever met at UIUC. Not just talented, but incredibly hardworking (he juggled multiple engineering clubs, research, and a full load of demanding electrical engineering classes). Despite how much he took on, Chris consistently excelled while remaining exceptionally humble.

Our friendship grew, and during the following spring break in March 2023, I spontaneously decided to gather some friends and head to San Francisco because I simply felt like it would be an interesting idea. We spent an unforgettable week there, knocking on doors, meeting interesting people, enjoying taco Tuesdays, attending parties, and soaking in the ambitious energy of the city.

Something clicked for Chris during that trip.

His dream since starting college was to create a robotic squirrel. Initially, he imagined working on it as a side project, something to slowly build alongside everything else. But being around other ambitious people that week made something clear: there are real benefits to excelling at something outside the mainstream, and focusing deeply on one thing is a way to stand out. Knowing how to build a robot is more useful than getting good grades, partially because good grades are saturated. The squirrel stopped being a hobby. It became a candidate for his life's work. He took a gap semester, put in long hours each week, and a year later, the project existed.

He actually did it.

Why share Chris’s story?

It’s an example of what happens when you believe in yourself wholeheartedly.

First, Chris didn’t limit himself.

Early on, he explored broadly. He joined every engineering club that intrigued him and worked in multiple research labs. He never said, “I can’t do everything; I must focus.” Instead, he stayed curious, eager to learn different types of engineering, until finally, the pull of the robotic squirrel became irresistible. Then he went all in.

By then, he knew people across different teams and had learned how to connect ideas and skills from very different projects. He drew from Solar Car, Liquid Rocket, a team focused on ultra-efficient prototype vehicles, and several research labs. He combined those approaches into a single project and tried methods that weren’t standard in any one group.

After that gap semester, Chris never viewed college the same way again. He couldn’t. He saw life and college more like a professor or a graduate student, driven by self-directed projects and genuine research rather than superficial club involvement.

What stands out most about Chris isn't just his genius, though that’s undeniable. It’s his humility and care in everything he does that truly makes him an extraordinary human being and friend.

Things You Can Learn from Chris:

  • Take yourself seriously and believe in yourself enough to pursue ambitious ideas: Commit to a personal project that excites you, even if it initially feels daunting or far away.
  • Explore widely at first: Join multiple clubs or activities that interest you, learn broadly, and build relationships across different groups. This helps you find the area that you truly care about.
  • Test your limits by fully committing: Try dedicating one semester, or even a few months, exclusively to your most important project. Doing this teaches you your true capabilities and improves your ability to estimate future workloads.
  • Stay humble: Learn openly from others, pull ideas from different teams, and create things no one else has before.
  • Take a Gap Semester to create or do something you’re proud of.

Learn more

By the way, not only are Chris and Alex geniuses and kind but they are also super talented actors as portrayed in Mission Impossible: Illinois

Front cover for The Jailbroken Guide to the University
Use the appendixThe back of the book is part of the book.

The appendix keeps the examples, guides, profiles, and source trails close. The book gives them sequence, context, and a way to turn curiosity into action.