亲爱的各位毕业生，尊敬的各位老师、嘉宾、各位家长：
Dear graduates, esteemed professors, guests, and parents:
大家好！
Good morning!
很荣幸能够作为教师代表参与见证国际法学院第十三届毕业生的毕业典礼，在同学们踏上人生新征程之际献上诚挚的祝愿。
It is a great honor for me to address today’s ceremony as faculty representative and witnessing the graduation of the 13th cohort of graduates of STL. As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, I want to extend my heartfelt wishes for your future endeavors.
国法楼前凤凰花开的路口，上周花儿还在阳光下热烈似火，这周雨水打落的花瓣铺成花路，一下就有了离别的实感。
In front of the STL Building, the blooming phoenix flowers at the intersection symbolize the graduation season. Last week, the exuberant flowers were still dancing to the sun; and this week, the petals are being knocked down by the endless rain, scattering all over the ground. Suddenly, the sense of an ending is brought into life.
同学们在被授予学位前需完成三大挑战：（1）如何笃定自信地在五分钟内让老师理解你五个月（？）写成的毕业论文；（2）如何让嘴角保持最佳弧度听完典礼上每一篇致辞；（3）如何保证学位帽全程不滑落被院长拨穗并收获人生照片。现在进度条刚好过半。
Before being awarded your degrees, you must complete three challenges: (1) How to confidently make your professors understand your five-month thesis in five minutes; (2) How to keep the perfect smile while listening to every speech at the ceremony; (3) How to ensure your graduation cap stays securely in place while the Dean turns the tassel, capturing a perfect photo. And now you’re halfway through it.
以上只是说笑，致辞分明只是对我的挑战，尤其是雷蒙院长金玉良言在前。我更习惯默默陪伴同学们成长，在这个对过去深情回顾，对未来美好憧憬的庄严时刻，应当向各位优秀的毕业生分享什么呢？想来想去，还是一如既往，希望大家对自己多些关照。
Jokes aside, giving speech is clearly a challenge for me, especially with Dean Lehman’s wise words preceding mine. I am more accustomed to being a quiet companion as you grow at STL. At this solemn moment as we reflect affectionately on the past and look expectantly to the future, I can’t help but thinking what I should say to all of you. After mulling it over, I decided to, as always, share with you the importance of taking good care of yourselves.
巧合的是，今天是5月25号，“我爱我”，是一个特别适合关怀自己，嘉奖自己的日子。这四年并不容易，你们既要完成课业要求，又要应对外部环境不断变化，如今终是功德圆满顺利毕业，现在，值得用最热烈的掌声来庆贺和鼓励。掌声同样献给始终关心你们、支持你们的家长、老师和朋友们。
Coincidentally, today is May 25th, a day that sounds like “I love myself” in Chinese, making it particularly suitable for caring for and rewarding yourself. These four years have been anything but easy. You had to meet academic requirements while dealing with the constantly changing external environment. Today, at your own graduation ceremony, you deserve the warmest applause for celebration and encouragement. The applause also goes to your parents, professors, and friends who have always cared for and supported you.
我也想借此机会，正式地、真诚地表达对同学们的赞美——你们可能是这几年STL最为特别的一届毕业生。
I also want to take this opportunity to formally and sincerely express my admiration for you—you might be the most special graduates STL has seen in recent years.
特别在哪里呢？
So, what makes you special?
特别在，2020年进校伊始，你们并没有复制以往STL 1L学生的剧本。当别的1L学生还埋头挣扎于绩点竞争，当老师们正在担心如何安抚线上教学可能会带来的落差感，你们已经把1L生活过得精彩纷呈，连STL大楼都呈现出建成以来最为活跃的模样。用现在流行的话说，你们的精神状况已经是next level。
You’re special because since you came here in 2020, you did not follow the script of previous 1L students. While other 1Ls were struggling with GPA competition, and professors were worried about the potential emotional gap brought by online teaching, you made your 1L life vibrant. Even the STL building started to take on a more vigorous look than ever since its construction. Your mental state was what people like to say now on the next level.
更特别在，你们让“多元化”这个词有了画面。多元化一直是STL倡导的价值目标，但前几年不同专业、不同背景的同学们来到STL后，有影响力的学生群体却显示出惊人相似的发展轨迹，其他同学也许是被裹挟着也加入竞争的行列。到了你们这里，开始认真思考何为良好生活，何为自己想要的生活，天地突然变得广阔。本身法学院的每一天都是对智力和毅力的考验，在课程之余，有的同学还致力于创造更好的读书讨论环境，有的同学召集各类体育小组，更多同学广泛参与公益活动，凝聚兄弟院校的同侪力量，通过各种行动和方式去感知社会，在相互理解、相互尊重中成长，为法学院注入了新的生机和活力。
You’re special because you brought the word “diversity” to life. Diversity has always been advocated by STL. However, in the past few years, despite the fact that students came from different majors and backgrounds, influential student groups showed surprisingly similar development trajectories. Other students might have been swept into this competitive wave. But with you, you began to seriously consider what constitutes a good life and what kind of life you would want. The world suddenly became broader. Every day in law school itself is a test of intellect and perseverance. When you step outside classrooms, some of you tried to creat better study and discussion environments. Some organized various sports groups, and many more actively participated in public welfare activities, uniting the power of peers from sister colleges and universities to understand the society through various engagements and grow through mutual understanding and respect, injecting new vitality and vigor into STL.
老师们甚至开始研究，到底是什么原因导致了这些变化。可能是你们这届确实天赋异禀，可能是特殊时期节奏慢下来让大家有更多的时间去关照内心，也有可能是校园管理方式发生变化……可惜，基于研究伦理，我们不可能设置对照组来测试单个的影响因素。
The professors even began to study what caused these changes. It could be that your cohort is exceptionally talented, that the “slow mode” during the special period gave everyone more time to care for their inner selves, or the changes of campus management methods… Unfortunately, based on research ethics, we couldn’t set up a control group to test individual influencing factors.
动因不可探知，改变确实在发生。这几年，PILF法律援助业务不断壮大，STL中国法公众号的影响力不断提升，“体育总局”帮大家用汗水排解压力，各种线下活动和调研将STL的理念传播到大湾区的教育系统、法治机构，等等等等，这些都是你们留给STL的宝贵传承。
The causes are unknowable, but the changes are indeed happening. In recent years, the PILF legal aid business has grown. The influence of the WeChat public account STL China Law has continuously increased. The “Sports Bureau” has helped everyone relieve stress through sweat, and various offline activities and surveys have spread STL’s philosophy to the education system and legal institutions in the Greater Bay Area. These are all valuable legacies you leave to STL.
当然，这四年也有确实艰难，彷徨困惑的时刻。在超出自助的界限时，也需要寻求老师、家庭和朋友帮助，吐露焦虑，言说痛苦，讨论未来，相互取暖。现在，你们即将毕业走向工作岗位，也许终于成为当代年轻人所称“上岸”群体的一员，那么，曾经的焦虑和低谷是否一去不返了呢？
Of course, these four years have also had truly difficult, confused, and perplexing moments. When it can’t be resolved by yourselves,, it is necessary to seek help from professors, family, and friends to whom you can express your anxiety, talk about your pain and the future so that you won’t be alone. Now, you are about to graduate and enter the job market, perhaps finally becoming what young people today call the “safe landing” group. So, are the anxieties and frustrations of the past truly gone?
导致我们焦虑的问题，有些只是阶段性的，随着时间推移和自我能力提升，在发展中得到了自然的解决，像课业压力，为实习而头痛，现在已经不再重要。而有的问题还会长期伴随，比如，如何应对宏观环境变动带来的风险？如何在追求事业成功的同时，保持内心的平衡和满足？如何在复杂的法律环境中，坚持良善和道德的底线？如何在面对新的法律挑战时仍能始终更新知识保持敏锐？等等。这些问题难有答案，需要始终探索。正是因为这些问题随时可能触发，也就意味着即便我们现在在“岸上”，脚下踩着实地，也并不是完全稳定的。
Some of the problems that cause us anxiety are merely temporary and will go away over time and with the improvement of our abilities, like academic pressure and the headaches from finding internships, which now no longer seem significant. However, some problems will accompany us for a long time, such as how to cope with the risks brought by changes in the macro environment, how to maintain inner balance and satisfaction while pursuing career success, how to adhere to kindness and moral principles in a complex legal environment, and how to continuously update our knowledge and stay sharp in the face of new legal challenges. These questions rarely have definitive answers and require constant exploration. It is because these issues can trigger anxiety at any time that even if we have landed safely now with solid ground underfoot, it does not mean complete stability.
毕竟，陆地再宽阔，也总是漂在洋面上。我们没有上帝视角，不知道脚下这一块“岸”是广阔的大陆还是一隅岛屿。那么就需要不断去复盘，当焦虑的潮水再次涌来，这次我是不是能更好地应对。
After all, no matter how vast the land is, in the end it always floats on the ocean. We don’t have a god’s-eye view and can’t know whether the “land” beneath our feet is a vast continent or just a small island. Therefore, we need to constantly reflect and review. When the tides of anxiety surge again, will I be able to handle it better this time?
对于这些困惑，我并没有智慧去提供解决方案，只能说处理好和自己、他人乃至世界的关系，以下角度的练习可能有效，值得尝试。
For these confusions, I do not have the wisdom to provide solutions. I can only suggest that managing our relationships with ourselves, others, and the world might be helpful. And the following tips are worth trying.
第一，面对变化，始终关注内心。“用舍由时，行藏在我”。外部世界的变化难以掌控，我们可以通过自身努力获得内心的完整和精神的安宁。了解并接受自己的局限性，才能真正听从内心的声音，而不被外界的嘈杂所裹挟。内心有信念和目标，就不必追求所谓标准化的人生，更不必在意“标准”是否随时代变动而改变。
First, always focus on the inner self in the face of change. As the famous poet Su Shi once wrote, though one cannot decide his professional assignments, he has complete control over his state of mind. Changes in the external world are difficult to control. But we can achieve inner completeness and mental peace through our own efforts. Understanding and accepting our limitations allows us to truly listen to our inner voice without being overwhelmed by external noise. As long as we hold dear our beliefs and goals, there is no need to pursue the lives defined by most people, nor do we need to care if such definition will change with the times.
第二，面对复杂，保持开放和尊重。先爱自己才有爱他人的能力，才能真正在尊重他人的基础上去建立合作和关系。在接纳自己、追求个性的同时，也应尊重他人价值偏好和选择。希望同学们可以收获健康正向的关系，对抗复杂系统可能带来的风险。也请记住保持与母校、与同窗的联系。STL的求学经历不仅仅是四年的时间和回忆，更是你们人生底色的一部分。这里的校友和师生情谊，都将成为你们未来道路上的坚定支持。
Second, maintain openness and respect in the face of complexity. You’re able to love others only when you know how to love yourselves. Then you can build cooperation and relationships based on the genuine respect for others. While accepting youselves and pursuing individuality, you should respect others’ values and choices. I hope you can build healthy and positive relationships to counter the risks of complex systems. Also, remember to stay in touch with your alma mater and classmates. The experience at STL is not just four years of time and memories but a part of the fabric of your lives. The friendships and camaraderie you’ve fostered here will be steadfast support on your future paths.
第三，面对虚拟世界，过具体的生活。数字化时代已经渗透到我们生活的方方面面。AI技术确实可以带来极大的便利，虚拟世界也能够赋予人们巨大的影响力，但在这种环境中，我仍然想提醒大家，抽出时间去过具体的生活。具体的生活意味着什么呢？意味着我们要多关心身边的人，与家人、朋友面对面交流，建立真实的情感联结。具体的生活还意味着走出家门，去感受大自然的美好，去发现现实世界中的丰富与多样。具体的生活还包括做一些实实在在的事情，哪怕它们看起来很微小。做一顿可口的饭菜，阅读一本好书，亲手制作一些小物件，或者参与一些公益，这些都能带来日常的意义和满足。正如古语所言，“为者常成，行者常至。”理解世界必须通过亲身体会，不断打破信息茧房，眼中的世界才不会片面失真。
Third, live a concrete life in the face of the virtual world. The digital age has permeated every aspect of our lives. AI technology indeed brings great convenience, and the virtual world can grant immense influence. However, in such an environment, I still want to remind everyone to take time to live a tangible life. What does living a tangible life mean? It means caring more about the people around us, having face-to-face interactions with family and friends, and building genuine emotional connections. Living a tangible life also means stepping out to appreciate nature’s beauty, discovering the richness and diversity of the real world. It includes doing practical things, no matter how small they seem. Cook a delicious meal, read a good book, mak small crafts by hand, or participate in charity—all these can bring meaning and satisfaction to daily life. As the ancient saying goes, those who continuously strive often succeed, and those who keep moving forward often reach their destination. Understanding the world requires personal experience. Ony by constantly breaking the information cocoons can we see a world that is not segmentary and distorted.
有位教育家说，“任何被教的人，只是人的一半。”我的说教到此为止，接下来就交付诸君于社会，“自我答责”地让自己成为完整的人。愿你们未来的每一步都自觉自信，自爱自得。
An educator once said, anyone who is taught is only half a person. My preaching ends here. I now hand you over to the society to “self-answer” and become complete individuals. May every future step be taken with conscience and confidence, and be followed by self-appreciation and content.
最后，毕业季都爱以风借势，我也把酒祝东风，且共从容，只愿明年花更好，期与君同。
Finally, we Chinese like to send wind-related wishes to students when they graduate. Here, I’d like to toast to the eastern breeze, and let us enjoy the moment with ease. May the flowers come into richer blossoms in the coming year, and I look forward to sharing that with you here.
