Valedictorian Speech

Dear graduates, parents, teachers, and members of the administration:

Thank you for the opportunity to speak at this highly anticipated event. After two years of studying, tests, reflective statements, critical thinking, and most recently exams, we have completed the IB Diploma Programme.
Throughout these two years, we have made many decisions affecting the outcome of our exams, wellbeing and future. Some decisions have been good, some great, and some terrible. Overall however, I think we should be proud of our achievements, and I do believe the school is proud as well.

优秀毕业生致辞

亲爱的毕业生、家长、老师，以及学校的工作人员:

非常荣幸能够有机会在这个备受瞩目的毕业典礼上发言。经过两年的学习、测验、总结、反思， 还有近期的考试，我们已经完成了 IB 学制的大学预科课程。

在这两年的时间里，我们做出了很多的决定，它们影响着我们的成绩，我们的生活，还有我们 的未来。有些决定做得非常好，有些特别成功，而也有些决定却很糟糕。但总体而言，我认为 我们应该为我们所取得的成绩感到自豪;同时，我确信我们的学校也同样以我们为荣。

When students are asked, what is special or great about our school, two things are always mentioned. Firstly, the 800-year long and prosperous legacy of our school, a legacy teachers, staff and students alike all take great pride in being a part of. I think this class has contributed positively to this legacy, with good academic results, engagement in student-led activities, and good results in the science competitions. This year, our school will have four competitors representing Norway in the various international science Olympiads, including Victoria and myself, this is the most of any school in Norway.

每当被问到这个学校有什么亮点或特别之处时，我们总会提及以下两方面。首先，这是一所拥 有八百年悠久历史和光荣传统的学校，全体师生都以能成为其中一份子而感到骄傲。我们这一 届毕业生以优异的学习成果，丰富的课外活动以及突出的竞赛成绩，进一步为母校的历史传承 添砖加瓦。今年，我校将有四名同学代表挪威参加各类国际奥林匹克竞赛，其中也包括 IB 学 制的 Victoria 和我。我们学校是挪威所有学校中参赛选手最多的。

Secondly, we are proud of the diversity of students, accepting social environment and personal engagement in issues outside of the academic. The IB fits these descriptors exactly. Our class is made up of multiple nationalities from many continents, has a wide range of personalities and interests, and is omnipresent in the various extracurricular activities of our school. In every committee, club or other activity, such as the school paper and Hugin, IB students can always be found. This may of course, to some extent be due to our CAS requirement, but I do believe similar levels of engagement would be present regardless.

其次，多样的学生背景，包容的人文环境，以及学生们对课余活动的积极参与同样令我们自豪。 IB 项目的课程恰好与我前面所说的这些相吻合。我所在班级的同学们来自各个大洲多个国家; 他们风格各异，兴趣广泛，积极参与学校的各种课外活动。IB 的学生们活跃在学校的各个学生 组织中，各个兴趣社团里，例如校刊和 Hugin 学生会。当然，这在一定程度上也是由于我们的 课程中 CAS 部分的要求，但我确信， 即非如此，我们也同样会积极地参与这些活动。

It is also important to mention the academics. Though the Extended Essays and Individual Investigations was a headache for many and often resulted in some trivial, uninteresting investigations, it taught us important skills that other school systems do not provide. I therefore think it is important that we personally thank those who have guided us throughout these two years.

For me personally, I would like to thank all my teachers, including Per Kristian, Tor Edvard, and Åshild.

• I would especially like to thank Jens-Petter and Øystein for giving me the freedom to learn and develop independently, whilst also providing guidance when needed.

• I would also like to thank Christa, the platonic ideal of teachers, who corrected every past paper we wrote leading up to the exams, provided us with a wide range of resources to improve our writing, and gave exceptional guidance with outstanding personal engagement during our two years in English class.

• Lastly, but most importantly, I would like to thank Erik Holst, who provided me with inspiration, challenges, support and guidance in maths for three years, making maths my favourite subject.

课业学习当然也同样重要。虽然长篇论文和案例调研对许多人来说都是一件头痛的事情，其中不乏琐碎而枯燥的调查，但它教会了我们很多其它学制中没有涉及的重要技能。因此，我们应当衷心地感谢在这两年中引领我们走过这一切的指导教师。

• 对我个人而言，我要感谢所有教导过我的老师，这其中包括 Per Kristian，Tor Edvard， 以及 Åshild。
• 我特别感谢 Jens-Petter 和 Øystein 给予我的独立发展和学习的自由，并在有需要时提 供的悉心指导。
• 我还要感谢 Christa，一位柏拉图式的教师典范。她总在考试之前尽心帮助我们修改论 文，努力为我们提供了丰富的学习资源，在这两年的英语课程中，竭尽全力给予我们最高水平的指导。
• 最后，我要感谢对我而言最重要的一位老师，Erik Holst。三年以来，他给予了我无限 的启发、挑战、支持和教导，并让数学成为了我最喜爱的学科。As we got closer to the end of our years at IB, I, along with all my classmates expected a profound sense of relief and happiness to strike the moment our last exams were finished. For me, this was supposed to be on the morning of the 17th of May, an additional cause of celebration. And though we all undoubtedly celebrated, I was never struck by the sudden sense of liberty, freedom and joy. I consulted with my friends on this matter, and they all had the same experience, or rather the lack of any experience. We all still felt that there was another exam tomorrow, and the day after that, and so on. After traumatic experiences, for example war, many are diagnosed with something called post-traumatic stress disorder. I think we all have post-exam stress disorder.随着我们的 IB 课程临近结束，我和同学们都热切期待着最后一场考试收卷的那一刻，以及它将带给我们的由衷的欣慰与幸福。对我而言，那应该是万众狂欢的挪威国庆节五月十七日的上 午——一个额外的庆祝理由。尽管我们也都庆祝了，但我从未被那突然到来的自由、自主和喜悦的瞬间所打动。也许是因为我们阅历尚浅，没有足够的承受能力，当我和朋友们讨论这时， 他们也都表示有同样的感受。我们甚至仍然觉得明天还会有一场考试等着我们，然后还有后天， 无穷无尽。在遭受心理创伤时，比如说战争过后，许多人会患上创伤后应激障碍。我想，我们这也可以叫作“考试后应激障碍”。The cause may be a subconscious anticipation, or rather anxiety for the exam results on the 6th of July. The judgment of whether or not university conditions will be met, on whether or not applications for retakes will be submitted, and on whether or not dreams will be crushed. For consolation, I would like to quote the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”. This is also the time to thank parents and family, for providing us with comfort and encouragement when we need it the most.究其缘由，可能是我们潜意识中对于七月六日考试结果的期待，或者说是焦虑，因为这个结果将决定我们能否满足大学的入学条件，是否需要补考，又是否会梦想破灭。为了能够得到一丝慰藉，我愿引用英国前首相 Winston Churchill 的一句话，“成功并不是终点，失败也不是尽 头:唯勇气长存”。现在也是感谢我们的父母和家人的时刻，因为他们总会在我们最需要的时候带来安慰和鼓励。Another cause of post-exam stress may be anticipation and fear of the future. The realisation that our years at Katten are finished, and that we will soon embark on a journey to the unknown and unfamiliar. Though the IB Programme at times was filled with torment and anguish, it has nevertheless been a safe and consistent experience. Now, there is less certainty of what our futures hold. For encouragement, I would like to quote the American author John Shedd. “A ship in harbor is safe – but this is not what ships are built for”.

考试结束后压力无法消散，这更是源于对未来的期待和不安。我们意识到，高中生涯已经结束， 大家都即将踏上通往未知和陌生的旅途。虽然 IB 学制偶尔也令人倍感煎熬，但它仍不失为一 个安全平稳，始终如一的避风港。而现在，我们尚不确定未来将会把每个人引向何方。我想用 美国作家 John Shedd 的一句话来鼓励我们，“船舶停在港湾固然安全，但那并不是造船的意 义”。

After two years in each other’s company, it is now time for each one to embark on a journey, all to different locations, and though our dreams and ambitions span a wide range, I believe that our paths will cross again, sometime in the future, when we are all a bit older, and a bit wiser. Sometimes I like to think back to myself two or three years ago, and am amused by how little I knew, bathing in the bliss of ignorance, thinking I knew so much. Now I stand here today, having attained a broad and balanced body of knowledge, but instead of feeling enlightened, I am more curious than ever for what more there is to learn. For inspiration, I would like to quote the Italian painter Michelangelo. “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”

Stay hungry. Thank you!

两年以来，风雨相伴。而今天，我们即将为了各自的目标开始新的征程。虽然每个人怀着不同 的梦想与雄心，但我相信，我们还会在未来重逢。那时的我们，应是成长了很多，也睿智了很多。有时，我会回想起两三年前的自己，感觉甚是好笑。那时的我无忧无虑，所知甚少而又踌躇满志。此时此刻，我站在这里，固然有了更广阔更全面的知识体系，但却并未自满，反而对未知的一切充满好奇并迫切地想要去探索。在此，意大利画家米开朗基罗可以给我们以启发， “对于大多数人而言，最大的危险不是目标太高而难以企及，而是目标太低以至垂手可得”。

（让我们继续保持）求知若渴。 谢谢大家!

下面的链接是曹一叶18岁成人礼时父母对他的评价。

file:///Users/xuefei/Downloads/Max18%20-%20Tekst.pdf

本文之所以被登出来，是想让读者了解一个挪威华人二代在挪威学习生活的感受和心态。 取长补短，相互交流。