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Graduation Speech by JD/JM Student CHEN Xi

CHEN Xi, JD/JM graduate of the STL graduating class of 2022
陈曦,STL 2022届JD/JM毕业生

Good afternoon, Class of 2022!  Please allow me to be one of the first and one of the many people to tell you, congratulations!  We made it!  I know it was said earlier, but if you believe as I do that it truly took a village to get us here today, please join me in thanking the Dean, the faculties, the alumni, and the administrators in the front row; also thanking our friends and families in the auditorium and on the livestream.

亲爱的2022届毕业生们,下午好。很难想象,我们历经千难万险,终于在今天顺利毕业了,祝贺大家!请和我向坐在前排的院长、教授、校友和行政老师们,以及身处礼堂和正在屏幕前观看直播的朋友和家人们,致以最诚挚的感谢。

I am very honored to be speaking here.  But to be honest, I didn’t know what to say in the speech.  Memories, a flood of memories from the first day in STL, rush into my mind.  In 2018, we started strong as 1Ls.  Well, we were not strong at all, we were super weak.  We were so afraid of cold calls, especially cold calls from Professor Rudolph, because he would just ask you “Please open page 100 and tell me the meaning of the second word in the second line.”  We were so afraid of exams.  I always thought we were the most miserable law students in China, because we had to take four times of final exams each year.  We were so worried about our GPA.  I wouldn’t deny that the first grade I received in STL was a B, coming from Professor Norman, and I cried in front of Jing Hu for a long time.  I believe many of us wanted to quit STL, but we didn’t simply because the tuition was too expensive and nonrefundable.

能站在这里代表2022届毕业生发言,我深感荣幸。但老实说,我并不知道要在演讲中说些什么。回头看在STL走过的四年,数不清的回忆涌入了我的脑海。还记得2018年时,我们成为了“强大的”一年级学生——好吧,我们一点也不强,我们其实超级弱。我们是如此害怕cold calls,尤其是来自Rudolph教授的cold calls,因为他经常会大声问某个倒霉鬼:“请打开第100页并告诉我第二行第二个单词是什么意思。”我们是如此担心考试。我一直认为我们是国内最悲惨的法学生,因为我们每年要参加四次大型期末考试。我们是如此焦虑于GPA。我仍记得我来STL收获的第一个成绩是Norman教授给出的B,收到成绩后我在镜湖面前默默流了很久眼泪。我相信我们中的很多人都曾计划从STL退学,但我们并没有这么做,因为这里的学费又贵又不能全额退款。

But despite everything the past four years have thrown at us, we are here.  We made it.  We learned how to analyze a case, how to use IRAC to write a memo, how to break down an opinion from Justice Cardozo, and most importantly, we learned how to live a positive life and become straight, aspiring, and responsible citizens.  To each and every one of my classmates, when you look back at your law school experience, I sincerely hope that you’re proud of yourself.

尽管四年生活给了我们百般磨难。但艰难困苦,玉汝于成。今天,我们欢聚在这里,庆祝着毕业。是的,我们做到了,我们顺利毕业了。在STL,我们学会了如何分析案例,如何使用IRAC写memo,如何理解Justice Cardozo的法律意见。最重要的是,我们学会了如何积极生活,并成为一个正直的、志向高远的和有责任心的公民。同学们,当回首四年法学院时光,我衷心地希望我们为自己感到骄傲。

Class, our education here at STL is actually a privilege.  Take a look at the news.  Many are suffering from social violence, inequality, discrimination, and many other things that conflict with what we have learned from STL.  I believe that service to our communities, to the country, to the world, is a core part of who we are, of the mission that animates this Law School and this university.  If we stand here without doing something to change their circumstances, that would be nothing but an insult.

实际上,我们在STL接受教育实是一种特权。看看新闻吧,无数人正在遭受社会暴力、不平等、歧视以及其他不公正,这与我们在STL的所学所见相背离。为我们的社区、国家和世界进行服务是STLer的使命所在,也是STL和北京大学的使命所在。如果我们不做些什么来改变那些不公正,那将成为我们的耻辱。

Class of 2022, by this degree and by this ceremony, we become the ones who can speak and be heard.  We must use our legal education to seek justice and ensure that we continue forward by being a voice for all, not just a few.  We are becoming lawyers, civil servants, and bankers after graduation, but nothing can stop us from being dreamers, thinkers, and advocates who voice for the vulnerable and reform our system.  Class, use your voice and change the world.

2022届毕业生们,今天的我们手握北京大学的学位,已经成为了可以发声并被世界听到的人群。我们必须用好我们所接受的法律教育,努力追求公平与正义,为所有人而不仅仅是少数人发声。毕业后的我们将成为律师、公务员和银行家,但这并不能阻碍我们同时成为梦想家、思想家和倡导者,更不能阻碍我们为弱势群体发声并改良我们的制度。同学们,学会善用我们的声音去改变这个世界吧!

Today, with the degree in hand and with our profound gratitude to those supporting us here, we can say we have conquered the STL J.D.

今天的我们要毕业了,带着对支持我们的人的深深感激,我们可以大声喊出,我们已经征服了STL的J.D.学位。

Class of 2022, congratulations on four years!  We are going to begin a new chapter in our lives, and you know you can always seek help from your old friends at STL.  Congratulations!

2022届毕业生,恭喜我们今天顺利毕业。即将开启生活新篇章的我们请不要忘记,无论我们身处何时何地,都可以向STL的老朋友们寻求帮助。愿我们前程似锦!


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