Start planning for your summers early – what would you like to do?  Where would you like to live?  What would you like to learn?  What have you learned in college that might change your mind?  I think your plan of studying fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get into the right courses.  We of course hope you come back to Beijing, but you should go where you think is best for you. 

　　你还要早点开始规划你的暑假——你想做什么？你想呆在哪儿？你想学点什么？你在大学里学习是否会让你有新的打算？我觉得你学习艺术设计的计划很不错，你应该想好你该去哪儿学习相应的课程。我们当然希望你回到北京，但是最终的决定是你的。

　　Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life.  In the past, I have helped you quite a bit, whether it is in college application, designing your extracurricular activities, or picking the initial coursework.  I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver’s seat – this is your life, and you need to be in control.  I will always remember the exhilarating feeling in my life – that I got to decide to skip kindergarten, that I got to decide to change to computer science major, that I got to decide to leave academia for Apple, that I got to decide to go to China, that I got to decide to go to Google, and most recently, that I got to decide to start my own business.  Being able to decide means you get to live the life that you want to.  Life is too short to live the life others do or others want you.  Being in control feels great.  Try it, and you’ll love it!

　　不管是暑假计划，功课规划，抑或是选专业，管理时间，你都应该负责你的人生。过去不管是申请学校、设计课外活动或者选择最初的课程，我都从旁帮助了你不少。以后，我仍然会一直站你身旁，但是现在是你自己掌舵的时候了。我常常记起我生命中那些令人振奋的时刻——在幼儿园决定跳级，决定转到计算机科学专业，决定离开学术界选择Apple，决定回中国，决定选择Google，乃至最近选择创办我的新公司。有能力进行选择意味着你会过上自己想要的生活。生命太短暂了，你不能过别人想要你过的生活。掌控自己的生命是很棒的感觉，试试吧，你会爱上它的！

　　I told your mom I’m writing this letter, and asked what she wanted me to say.  She thought and said: “just ask her to take care of herself。”  Simple but deeply caring – that is how your mother is, and that is why you love her so much.  In this simple sentence is her hope that you will become independent in the way you take care of yourself – that you will remember to take your medicine, that you will get enough sleep, that you will have a balanced diet, that you will get some exercise, and that you will go see a doctor whenever you don’t feel good.  An ancient Chinese proverb says that the most important thing to be nice to your parents is to take care of yourself.  This is because your parents love you so much, and that if you are well, they will have comfort.  You will understand this one day when you become a mother.  But in the meantime, please listen to your mother and take care of yourself。

　　我告诉你妈妈我在写这封信，问她有什么想对你说的，她想了想，说“让她好好照顾自己”，很简单却饱含着真切的关心——这一向是你深爱的妈妈的特点。这短短的一句话，是她想提醒你很多事情，比如要记得自己按时吃药，好好睡觉，保持健康的饮食，适量运动，不舒服的时候要去看医生等等。中国有句古语，说“身体发肤，受之父母，不敢毁伤，孝之始也”。这句话的意思用比较新的方法诠释就是说：父母最爱的就是你，所以照顾好自己就是孝顺最好的方法。当你成为母亲的那天，你就会理解这些。在那天之前，听妈妈的，你一定要好好照顾自己。

　　College is the four years where you have:

　　•    the greatest amount of free time

　　•    the first chance to be independent

　　•    the most flexibility to change

　　•    the lowest risk for making mistakes

　　So please treasure your college years – make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, evolve yourself into a bi-cultural talent, be bold to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges. 

　　大学是你自由时间最多的四年。

　　大学是你第一次学会独立的四年。

　　大学是可塑性最强的四年。

　　大学是犯错代价最低的四年。

　　所以，珍惜你的大学时光吧，好好利用你的空闲时间，成为掌握自己命运的独立思考者，发展自己的多元化才能，大胆地去尝试，通过不断的成功和挑战来学习和成长，成为融汇中西的人才。

　　When I faced the greatest challenge and opportunity in my life in 2005, you gave me a big hug and said “bonne chance”， which means “good luck” and “good courage”.  Now I do the same for you.  Bonne chance, my angel and princess.  May Columbia become the happiest four years in your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be。

　　当我在2005年面对人生最大的挑战时，你给了我大大的拥抱，还跟我说了一句法语“bonne chance”。这句话代表“祝你勇敢，祝你好运！”现在，我也想跟你说同样的话，bonne chance，我的天使和公主，希望哥伦比亚成为你一生中最快乐的四年，希望你成为你梦想成为的人！

　　Love,

　　Dad (& Mom)

　　爱你的，

　　爸爸(和妈妈)