2021-04-21

【Aiden in English】

〖“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” What does this statement mean to you and can it affect what you do? (800 Words)〗

        “Take the shot if you’re open, Aiden.”

        I nod. Down six, we needed three-pointers to close the gap in these two minutes. I exhaled and rubbed my shaking hands against each other. Stepping onto the court for perhaps the last time in my middle school rec league career, I wasn’t ready to leave without making a splash.

        I was wide open. The ball came to my hands. I looked around, and there was a good five feet of space between me and any defender. I planted my feet firmly behind the line and centered my balance. I adjusted the ball in my hands and went into my shooting motion.

        But I didn’t shoot. I passed the ball back to the point guard and gritted my teeth as I watched my teammate toss up a contested three-pointer that barely grazed the rim. 

        Later that night, I stood in my driveway at the top of the key and put up three after three after three, watching one after another land in the basket. With each swish of the net, I asked myself, “Why didn’t I shoot?”

        I soon recognized that by continuously practicing in my tiny driveway bubble without distractions or pressure, I had transfixed my skills to this unrealistic setting of peace and perfection when in reality, a competitive match features many mental challenges I was unprepared for. That summer, after the rec league season, I tagged along to as many scrimmages with friends as possible, growing accustomed to shooting the ball in an imperfect setting.

        Basketball, a microcosm of my eventual metamorphosis, opened my mind to other doorways of life. Slowly but steadily, I broke out of my cocoon. I opened an English writing course at my local Chinese school; I tutored kids in English on weeknights; I ran for school officer positions, and even though I did not win every election, I nodded and always told myself, “It’s better than not shooting at all.” 

        Over my freshman and sophomore years, I explored business as a possible career field; however, I lacked the confidence to take charge of a team or lead a room in conversation, a quality that many business TedTalks labeled as a necessity for success. Once I realized that taking unreliable business leadership quizzes on sketchy websites wasn’t sufficient for self-improvement, I set my sights on an officer position in my high school’s Investment Club. Hoping to motivate my studies in a career path, as well as to gain leadership experience, I saw this goal as an opportunity to tackle two problems at once. 

        After leading a small squad of club members to a third-place regional finish in the Stock Market Game’s Spring Session, I landed the club’s president position. With that title came the responsibilities of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Investment Conference, a conference dedicated to raising financial literacy to high school students by inviting speakers and professionals. As we prepared for the task ahead, my team and I were blindsided by Covid-19’s destructive powers. 

        Faced with the tough decision of whether to host a conference at all, I decided that it would be better to take this challenge on rather than pass up the shot. As we approach the opening conferences of the season, the Investment Conference is now virtual and trending in a positive direction.

        Through my trials and failures, attempts and air-balls, I discovered that discomfort was a signal for improvement. It also symbolized a decision. Thus, when someone says to “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable,” I see a choice: either crumble under discomfort and pass the ball or take the shot. Now, after taking chances and gaining mixed results of success and failure, I’ve grown comfortable with taking risks.

        Schreyer Honors College offers the next choice for me: the Smeal College of Business. At Schreyer, I look forward to joining groups such as the Nittany Lion Consulting Group, a student organization that focuses on solving real-world issues with clients. As a quarantined high school student, the outside world remains much of a mystery; however, Schreyer offers the opportunity to light up my future, and if I get the chance, I will not let discomfort sway me from my shot.

【红霞译文】

〖“奋发有为”，这句话对你意味着什么并如何影响你？ (800 字)〗

        “儿歌，如有空挡，一定投篮。”

        我点了点头。落后六分，我们要在两分钟内靠三分球追赶上来。我屏住呼吸，揉搓着颤抖的双手，尽管这可能是初中娱乐联赛生涯中最后一场交锋，可我不愿甘拜下风。

        球传到我手中，身边没人阻拦，我环顾四周，自家后卫距离我足有五英尺以远。我把脚固定在三分线后，保持身体平衡，一边调整持球手型，一边摆好投篮架势。

        但我并没投篮，反将球回传给控球后卫，队友差点投中决定胜负的三分球，我咬紧牙关。

        当天深夜，我站在车道上三分球区弧顶，一个三分球接着一个三分球地连投，篮球应声飞入篮框，百发百中。随着球网一次次翻腾，我问自己：“为什么不投篮？”

        我很快意识到，反复在不分神或毫无压力的车道丁点大空间打球，即使球技练到炉火纯青的地步，也没法做好实战打比赛的心理准备。那年暑假娱乐联盟赛季结束之后，我尽可能多跟朋友们一起拼杀对决，逐渐培养出逆境求生的信心。

        篮球是最终引发我质变的契机，它给我打开新世界的大门，我慢慢破茧成蝶。之后，我在本地中文学校开设了英语写作班，利用周日晚上辅导孩子功课，积极参与学生会委员竞选活动（尽管并非每次都能胜选），我总是勉励自己：“努力不一定成功，但不努力一定不成功。”

        在高一和高二那年，我开始摸索向商科发展；然而，我对领导团队甚至主持会议缺乏信心，而“科技·娱乐·设计演讲”却认为这是走向成功的必要条件。在我看来，与其从事华而不实于己无益的行业，不如将注意力放到管理高中投资俱乐部上来，这样既可以规划个人职业生涯，又能提升领导能力，可谓一举两得。

        在宾州春季“股市博弈”地区性比赛中，以我为首的投资小组夺得第三名，接着我被选为俱乐部主席，责任驱使我主办宾州东南部投资会议，本次会议邀请了演讲嘉宾和专业人士，旨在普及高中生金融知识。正当一切准备就绪，2019新型冠状肺炎病毒疫情爆发，立刻让我们陷入茫然之中。

        在面临是否继续召开会议的关键时刻，我决定要勇于迎接挑战，而不是放弃出击。本届大会开幕在即，投资会议已全面上线，目前正朝着积极方向发展。

        经过努力与失败、试投与三不沾，我发现逆境不仅敦促改变，而且还象征果敢。因此，当有人说“奋发有为”，我面临的是抉择：纠结中要么传球要么投球。如今，通过成功与失败的磨练以及酸甜苦辣的考验，我已经学会担当。

        宾州州立大学希瑞尔荣誉学院让我另辟蹊径：斯米尔商学院。在校期间，我加入尼塔尼山狮顾问集团，这是致力于帮客户解决实际问题的学生组织。作为一名被疫情隔离的高中生，外面的世界扑朔迷离；然而，荣誉学院之光将照亮我未来之路，如有机会，我不再临阵退缩。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2018: Yo-Yo and Friendship(空竹与友谊)

Yo-Yo @ 2017 Lansdale Intl Fest(2017年兰斯代尔国际节抖空竹)

2013届光华毕业生(2013 GHCS Graduates)

Driveway Bubble (自家车道球场 06-25-2019)

Crosslink(相关博文):

12th Grade(高中四年级)