We are at that time of year when students are frantically selecting courses for their upcoming year of university. I love getting to talk with first-year students about what courses they want to take and what they hope to do with their degree.
又到了大学生们开始抓狂为下个学年选课的时候了。我也很喜欢尤其是和一年级新生们讨论他们想修的课程，包括了解他们未来对自己想在学位上取得成绩的预期。
Best of all, I love the students that come in well-prepared and excited for all of the courses—those students who say, "I can't choose, there are so many that sound interesting." When I hear that, I know that that student is going to do well.
我最喜欢看到同学们进来的时候都准备好了，对所有课程都感到兴奋，踌躇满志的样子。尤其那些同学，他们会说：我简直无法选择，太多课程都太有趣了。当我听到这样的话，我便知道他们都会干得漂亮。
On the other hand, there are the few students that have not yet found their passion and some that just don't seem to want to be here at all. When I ask, "what courses are you most excited about taking?" and the response is, "whatever course is the easiest," I think, "Wow, you are in for a lot of lessons in the subject of life."
而另一方面，也有少数人并没有找到学习的激情，其中一些看上去甚至都不想来上学。每当我问：“你最想上什么课？”时，他们只是回答：“嗯，最简单的就好。” 此时我会在想：“不得了，你们生命中可真是有不少课要上了。”
I learned those lessons when I was going into my second year of university. A friend of mine, Jeff, was a year behind because he had been diagnosed with cancer and had been going through intensive chemotherapy during what should have been his first year. I spent many days up on the cancer ward visiting Jeff.
当我进入大学二年级的时候，我学到了那些生活教给我的课程。我的一个朋友，名叫Jeff, 他落后了一年，因为他被诊断出了癌症，本该上一年级的时间，他几乎都用来进行高强度的化疗，我也花了许多时间去癌症病房探望他。

Lessons learned
我学到的
During my second year, Jeff was able to register for his first year courses and on the days when he was up to it, he would rally all of his energy and go to class. Jeff was told that his diagnosis was terminal and that there was nothing more that they could do for him. Jeff knew that these were the last weeks of his life and his priority was not to go sky-diving and visit exotic lands; all he wanted to do was be a regular 20-year-old and go to his first classes at university.
在我上二年级的时候，Jeff可以注册上第一年级的课程了。到他终于能够来上学的日子，他必须打起十二分的精神来上课。因为Jeff实际上已经被告知他的病已是晚期，医生也为无力回天。Jeff自己也知道这已经是他生命中所剩下的为数不多的几周了，但是，他的首选并不是去跳伞，去世界稀奇之地旅游，他最想做的就是做一个正常的20岁的年轻人，去上他大学的第一堂课。
Jeff would have known that he was never going to graduate and yet he was able to see the value and gift that education was and spent his last few weeks learning. While Jeff was learning about Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus, he was also teaching me an important life-long lesson—Go To Class!
尽管Jeff早已知道他这辈子无法从大学毕业了，但他仍然能够看见用生命中最后的时日来学习的价值。当Jeff学习着化学、物理、微积分的时候，他也在教我生命中最重要的一堂课——去上课！去学习！
It seems un-profound, but really he taught me the importance of taking full advantage of the basic things in life.
这领悟看上去并不那么深刻，但是他真的教会我明白了尽可能利用好生活之本的重要性。
The best things in life are not those rare moments that are exceptional, but those everyday moments, the routine that we create, the regular ways that we occupy our time and build our life. If we can find inspiration in the everyday, we will be present and engaged in ways that will invariably lead to success and happiness.
生活中最好的事并不是那些独特的，可遇而不可求的瞬间，而是简单的日常瞬间。那些我们每天的常规，我们用以填充时间，构建生命的普通日常。如果每天都能获得启发，活得有意义，那我们一定会获得成功和快乐。
The big picture
宏观地看
Jeff passed away on October 10th of my second year. He only made it to his first month of university. From that moment on, I saw each class and assignment differently. When I started to feel overwhelmed, tired and stressed, I would think of Jeff and it revitalized me. I have always gone to class. It is a simple way that I pay tribute to Jeff's strength and honour his memory.
我大学二年级的的十月十日，Jeff去世了。他只尽力完成了第一个月的学习。从那以后，我开始以新的眼光来看待每一门学科和每一份作业。每当我开始感觉不胜重负，疲劳，压力山大时，我一想到Jeff就会重新打起精神。我从不缺课，这也是我向他的力量致敬的方式，他活在我的心里。
Although I graduated many years ago, I am committed to life-long learning. Every year I take another course or attend a conference. I happily engage in the routine of my life and am grateful.
虽然我已经毕业多年，我仍将自己投入了一生的学习中。每一年我上一门新的课程或者出席学术会议，我都很开心地参与其中，它们就是我的日常，我很感恩。
As you chose your courses and as the school year draws closer, think of Jeff. When you are too tired, too stressed, too bored, too confused; think of Jeff, pick yourself up and Go To Class.
随着新学年的到来，当你开始选课的时候，也想一想Jeff，当你觉得又累又疲惫又无聊乏味又茫然不知所措的时候，想一想Jeff，打起精神来，好好上课吧！