Lenovo of graduation certificate

 　　, holding the heavy yet light certificate, I felt a sense of closure after more than a decade of schooling. Ignoring countless ellipses, a big question mark still looms over the future.

　　From now on, we are no longer students, but members of society. Yet, the vibrant tapestry of social life has only just begun. There will be no teachers to guide us, no one to highlight key points, and no practice exams. However, some future exams may be more important than any of our school days, or perhaps they will be like ripples on a calm lake, spreading meaningless circles.

　　I am about to stumble into an unfamiliar world, a world I have countless times envied and even demanded my parents and the adults around me treat me the way they treat adults. Entering this world is an inevitable part of life. My parents, teachers, relatives, and friends have done a great deal of preparation work beforehand, and more than a decade of schooling has been the most basic and solid preparation. Receiving this certificate marks the end of all preparation. No matter how well you prepared, you must accept it.

　　I recently recalled a question my third-grade teacher asked me: "Do you know why you're called students?" To this day, it remains the most classic question I've ever been asked by any teacher, and his answer was unique: "Study: means to explore; student: the opposite of familiar, referring to things unknown. Student: means you are exploring things you don't know." This rural teacher explained a simple yet overlooked question in the simplest terms, a question I'll never forget. During my middle school years, I was confused about why I had to study, and what the purpose of studying was—was it merely to pass exams? When I received my university acceptance letter, it felt ironic; I had invested so much time, effort, and money, only to receive a worthless piece of paper. Now, I'm glad that although I didn't understand the meaning of the college entrance exam back then, I still listened to my parents and took it. The answers to those past questions might have been found in a book; they might have become clear as I grew older; or they might have simply drifted away with the passing years. Today, receiving this certificate makes me feel an even heavier burden on my shoulders: to first explore and support myself in an unfamiliar world, then my children, and then to give back. But I feel no fear; instead, I'm full of confidence.

　　Last night, I gave some of my books to a senior, and it felt like giving him a piece of my own flesh. Those books were carefully selected by me, some still bearing traces of my high school days. After moving them around, many were either given away or thrown away, and the rest were eventually given away. Looking back now, I see it as a farewell to my student days, and I hope that the recipients will find more meaningful reflection while reading them.

　　In any case, learning should be less about utilitarian goals; reading is an indispensable spice of life. Graduation is not just an end, but also the beginning of another kind of life. Of all the years of schooling I've spent, I think learning how to engage in lifelong learning and making it a life philosophy is more important than a degree.