本文选自《Sophos索斐》的博客，点击查看博客原文

　　In our previous posts, we have discussed many of the technical requirements of applying to a U.S. college.  These rightfully dominate much of your time and energy while in high school, but we do not want you to lose sight of the end goal of this long, difficult process.  It is not simply admission to a top U.S. college.  Rather, the goal is the stellar education you will receive and the personal leap forward you will make while on campus.  With this in mind, I want to share my own experience with this exciting transition – my first year at Harvard.  While in many ways this story is personal to me, it is also widely applicable to undergraduates at many competitive colleges in the United States。

　　I still remember my first day.  My parents and grandmother beamed with pride as we moved my belongings into Greenough 206 [1].  The dormitory hallways were filled with students and parents, all of whom wore their nervous excitement perceptibly.  The students were apprehensive about embarking on an unknown path beyond the comforts of home and high school, but at the same time excited about where it could lead them.  Likewise, the parents were at once anxious about letting go of their children and optimistic about the maturation that independence would bring.  Thus, after we had said our emotional goodbyes, we were all left at an uncertain crossroads [2]。

　　Fortunately, the first week provided for a smooth transition.  Affectionately known as “Camp Harvard,” it is a relatively stress-free time when the freshmen are alone on campus to get to know the school and each other.  I met so many amazing people that first week, and each seemed to have the impressive credentials I expected of a Harvard student.  Just within Greenough, there was a student on the floor above me who was a two-time national mock trial [3] champion and a student on the floor below me who was already enrolled in graduate-level quantum physics.  And, of course, right down the hall was Kate, who was surrounded by the buzz [4] stemming from her book。

　　The caliber of my fellow classmates was at once both motivating and intimidating.  I knew they would push me to achieve, but I also questioned how exactly I had been accepted.  This is only natural given the aura [5] of Harvard and its extremely competitive admissions process, but it was still a bit unsettling.  Moreover, my self-doubt was reinforced by my first round of midterm exams and papers, which spanned a 24-hour period from October 23rd to October 24th.  I remember the dates clearly because it was the first time in my life I had been academically overwhelmed.  From the very beginning, I learned a valuable lesson – there would be no such thing as perfection on any assessment, whether an exam or paper。

　　That first year was a humbling experience.  Unlike in high school, I was challenged in all of my classes.  I also learned infinitely more than I did in high school – and enjoyed learning more, as well.   I enrolled in a diverse set of courses, which included economics, mathematics, expository writing, ethics, Greek literature, and Islamic history.   Despite the initial shock, I did quite well academically.  It was truly a rewarding experience, and as the year progressed, I became more confident that Harvard was indeed where I belonged。

　　However, what shaped my freshman year was not the academic rigor, but the interaction with my classmates.   My most notable experiences occurred outside of the classroom – late-night study sessions over pizza, impromptu debates about serious and not-so-serious topics, and amusing dormitory antics [6].  Harvard brings together a unique group of intelligent, interesting, and passionate students, whose lone common thread is a refusal to be defined one-dimensionally [7].  The results can be astounding.  For four years, we pushed each other both academically and personally, and each walked away from graduation a better person because of it.  I know this is certainly true for myself。

　　So, as you toil away with the application process, please keep this lesson in mind: personal development, not simply admission, is the ultimate goal of college!

　　Until next time,

　　Matt

　　[1] Identification: Greenough 206; Explanation: I am referring to my freshman year dormitory.  I lived in Greenough Hall, Room 206。

　　[2] Definition: Crossroads; Explanation: I am referring to a critical juncture in our lives, at which the outcome was uncertain and the decisions made could have led to vastly different consequences。

　　[3] Definition: Mock trial; Explanation: I am referring to a competition in which students have to argue a legal case in front of a fake court。

　　[4] Definition: Buzz; Explanation: I am referring to the atmosphere of excitement surrounding Kate, which was caused by other students learning of her recently published book。

　　[5] Definition: Aura; Explanation: I am referring to the intangible associations brought to mind by the name and place of Harvard.  In this case, I mean that I found it difficult to place myself at Harvard given the image of prestige and academic excellence it held in my mind。

　　[6] Definition: Dormitory antics; Explanation: I am referring to lighthearted behavior carried out around the dormitory, e.g. an innocent prank played on an unsuspecting student。

　　[7] Definition: Defined one-dimensionally; Explanation: I am referring to the fact that Harvard students cannot be characterized based on one personal quality.  Instead, they are dynamic individuals who pursue a variety of activities and excel both inside and outside of the classroom。

　　在之前的博客，我们讨论了很多关于申请美国大学的要求，努力达成这些要求估计会占据你高中的很多时间，但是我们不想让你们在漫长的申请之路上迷失方向，申请美国名校不光是为了得到名校的录取书，更多的是在整个申请道路上你们的个人成长和对自己更加清晰的认识。明确了这一点之后，接下来，我想和你们分享一下我在哈佛大学第一年的经历，虽然都是我的个人经历，但是也可以普遍适用于美国的名校。

　　我仍然清晰地记得第一天，我的父母和祖母带着自豪帮我把东西搬到Greenough宿舍楼的206房间。整个寝室楼都挤满了学生和学生家长，每个人脸上都带着些许紧张和激动。学生紧张是因为即将告别舒适的家和高中生活，但却对未来充满激动。同样的，家长紧张是因为就要放手让孩子们离家了，但却同时对他们独立的走向成熟充满信心。就这样，充满感性的告别之后，我们被留在了人生的分叉路口。

　　幸运的是，第一个星期的“哈佛训练营”还算顺利，主要是熟悉校园和同学，较为轻松。也就是在第一周，我见到了很多符合哈佛特质的“牛人”。在我的宿舍楼Greenough，我楼上的一个同学两次赢得了全美模拟法庭的辩论冠军，我楼下的一个同学已经开始学习研究生级别的量子物理学了。当然了，在王可住的寝室附近，同学们都在阅读她前不久出版的书了。

　　看到同学们的才能，我感到的既是一种激励，也有一点恐惧。我知道和他们在一起，可以促使我的成长，但我也默默感到，我怎么也会被哈佛录取。虽然我知道在哈佛这样竞争及其激烈的环境中，这种感觉是很正常的，但是，我还是感到一些不安。此外，第一次的中期考试更加加剧了我的不自信。那次考试从10月23号到24号整整持续了24个小时，我仍然记得那具体的日期，因为那是我人生第一次在学习上受到了打击。从那以后我学到了很有价值的一课：任何考试、评估，都不会有完美的。

　　不像在高中，第一年是谦虚的一年，我受到了来自全班的挑战。但是，和高中比起来，我学到了多很多的东西，我乐于学习，乐于学习更多的东西。我选了很多种类的课程，有经济学、数学、说明性写作、道德、希腊文学和伊斯兰历史等。除了最初的一些打击，我在学习上还是不错的。这确实是一段很有意义的经历，随着时间的推移 ，我越来越自信了，越来越觉得我是属于哈佛的。

　　我在哈佛的第一年得到了很好的塑造，这不光来自严格的学业，更来自和同学们的交流。很多好的经历都是来自于课外，比如晚上在比萨店和同学们一起学习，针对严肃或者日常问题的即兴交流，或者是在宿舍的搞笑活动。哈佛是一个聪明、有趣、有激情的学生们交流的场所，而不是一个单一化的一元世界。四年里，我们在学习上生活上相互促进，每个人都得到了很好的发展。

　　所以，当你正挣扎于名校申请的时候，请记住，个人的发展比被录取更重要！

　　迈潇