熊玮 贵州大学
When was the last time you felt overwhelmed by pressure? I mean so overwhelmed that you found you were willing to sacrifice your dreams just to avoid the pressure? That’s the dilemma I faced during my trip to Shanghai in 2010.
I became, firstly, intoxicated by the city's skyscrapers, clean streets, decorated stores, and the flashing neons at night. I found myself enthralled by this international metropolis and I could easily understand why tens of thousands of people, like me, were dying to rush into this city.
But soon I became aware of another side of Shanghai life. It’s not easy making a living in Shanghai. I couldn’t help noticing the worried looks on many passersby. I overheard talk of high prices and the scarcity of money. My cousin, who works in Shanghai, told me that she had learned how to survive by working like a machine, with little time to enjoy the fascinating life there I have dreamed of.
Ladies and gentlemen, how would you react to the stressful situation in Shanghai? If you were an English major, like me, crazy about the prospect and the opportunities of Shanghai, would you take the risk and leave for the big city after graduation? Or would you back down from your dreams, knowing that the pressure of life of Shanghai could destroy your dreams?
After I returned to school, I thought a lot about my trip: Should I keep dreaming about living in Utopia or should I just stop dreaming and start striving for what I want? Finally, my ambition got the best of me and I gathered up my guts to stand up to pressure. Despite all the impediments and difficulties I might meet up with, I resolved to make every effort to realize my dream,
Now my goal is set and I have taken my first step toward it by taking the Shanghai English Intermediate Interpretation Test. If everything goes well I'll prepare to go for the advanced level next year. Pressure is there, pressure is everywhere, and the only way to conquer it is by striving hard while holding fast to my dream.
When facing the inevitable pressures of examinations, jobs, marriages, housing, etc., we must recognize that dreaming alone won't do us any good. We need to give our dreams the best chance of being realized through discipline, focus, and hard work. On the road of life, pressure is unavoidable. It is how we stand out to it that matters most.
To me, standing on the stage today, competing with so many outstanding contestants brings much pressure. But I’ve learned through my experience with Shanghai to see the positive side of pressure. This competition is pressure, yes, but it’s also a precious opportunity for me to make friends and exchange ideas with you from across China. And I realized I could muster the courage to beat the stress because the message I learned about pressure, that we must see its positive side and we must embrace it to be successful, is a message I knew I needed to share with you on this stage today.
Thank you!
