Ideals, Playground, and High School#
date: July 15, 2022
slug: 2
status: Published
tags: Essay
type: Post
Before the college entrance examination, I always thought that the difficult months of the third year of high school were just a fleeting moment in life. It wasn't until after the college entrance examination that I realized that the experience of the third year of high school would accompany me for a long time. Just like the one minute in "Days of Being Wild" that Su Manzhen thought was fleeting, she later realized that the one minute before 3:00 p.m. on April 16, 1960, became the distant memory she could never forget in her life.
Sitting on the ground with crossed legs, looking at the sky, the sunset, the cats, and most of all, the high school students in their youth.
What is the true face of life for us? Is it slipping into nihilism, eliminating all pressure and anxiety, getting rid of all traditional customs and social opinions, doing whatever we want, being free and unrestricted? Or is it realizing that freedom and responsibility always go hand in hand, and that one must temper their life in responsibility and pressure? The former is just fantasy and utopia, while the latter is the real world. This is how it is in practice, we can only and should wholeheartedly accept the true appearance of the world and the true face of life. Based on this, we should not lose faith, hope, and constantly draw strength from it to move forward.
Recently, the most striking image for me was the acceptance rate of the college entrance examination in each province in 2021. Regardless of the number of people, the admission rate for 985 and 211 universities, or the admission rate for first-tier universities, Henan Province ranked first - of course, representing the greatest difficulty. I really like a saying, "The stars do not disappoint those who are on the road." I do not praise suffering, but I should not pretend to see through everything and live a negative life after facing hardships. Dare to face life, feel the ups and downs of life, and withstand the impact of social tides. This is not a legendary hero novel, but the true state of life for every ordinary person who strives with their hands and minds.
Coincidentally, when the younger students were running, the music playing in my headphones was "Ultramarine". In my ears, there was a virtual story, chasing dreams; in front of me, there was a tangible reality, also chasing dreams - or rather, fighting for the right to pursue dreams. Every youthful smiling face signifies a touching vitality, it is the vitality of youth surging, it is the confidence of making no regrets. Eighteen is the age of vigor and vitality, dreams are their expectations for themselves, dreams are their commitment to what should be. This expectation is a taste of novelty, an expectation that they can enter their ideal university, live the life they want, and fulfill their aspirations; this commitment is invaluable, a commitment to the longing for social fairness and justice, a commitment to the hope of a better future.
Everything decays quickly, but dreams always remain. I will always admire those who, after realizing the truth of life, choose not to lie down and persist in pursuing their ideals; I will always admire those who always maintain a revolutionary optimism and keep fighting. It is not only outstanding individuals who dream, but those who are good at dreaming are outstanding. Tonight, the younger students running in front of me have nothing to rely on except for their pursuit of expectations; they have no special talents, only a dedication to their commitments.