2014-11-08

【Aiden in English】

        I have never given much thought to the future and have just let it unfold. Yet today, when Dad took me to Princeton University, I began thinking about what I would become in ten years. Where will I be in the future?

        Dad showed me one of the many places I could have grown up. Princeton Univ. seems to be around the corner near home simultaneously. 

        Before going to Princeton, the closest thing I knew was a castle at Six Flags. But the word "castle" is the definition of Princeton. The hour-drive-away school, first of all, was huge. Most buildings looked old and had medieval-style facades. Each seemed to resemble another. They were all smaller than I'd imagined but spectacular, nevertheless. The campus even felt like a public park at one point, as many people came to stroll inside, whether for fun or to experience it, I'm not sure. As Dad and I continued walking around, taking pictures, and inspecting the architecture, I also began to see modern designs. There was a glass building near the main entrance, which stood out like a sore thumb. It's like seeing a gorilla in the Arctic. In case you didn't know, gorillas don't live in the Arctic. That's how weird it was. After hanging around the colonial-style buildings, seeing all-glass buildings was a novelty.

        Princeton is just so full of surprises, not to mention the squirrels. They were everywhere. No matter where I turned, a squirrel was in sight, either nibbling on a nut or climbing a tree. They also looked like students here.

        Princeton University does have a pleasant atmosphere. However, it sounds too far into the future for me. For now, I'll stick to my middle school in my hometown, PA.

【红霞译】

        我从未花费心思考虑过自己的未来，不过今天跟着爸爸去普林斯顿“王子城”大学转悠时，我才开始意识到十年后所面临的选择，将来我在哪里﹖

        没错，爸爸就是想让我了解一下等自己长大以后可能要去的地方，况且普林斯顿大学近在眼前。
        去普林斯顿之前，我脑海里闪现出“六面旗”游乐园的城堡，“城堡”一词的确可以涵盖普林斯顿校园景象。首先，离家仅有个把小时路程的大学幅员辽阔，多数建筑物看上去历久弥新，正面颇具中世纪古韵，楼与楼之间的建筑风格相差无几，虽比我想像的要小，但却蔚为壮观。校园又像一座公园，吸引不少游人停留驻步，休闲也好，参观也罢，无论怎样都十分惬意。我们转来转去，拍拍相片，看看建筑，同时还注意到夹杂的当代设计标记。一栋离校门不远的玻璃楼傲然屹立，显得稀奇古怪，如同在北极邂逅大猩猩。如果你不明白我的意思，让我直说吧，大猩猩从不来北极生活。因此，在层出不穷的古典殖民式建筑群里，冷不丁冒出一个玻璃楼外来货，令人感觉怪兮兮的。

        当然，普林斯顿到处充满惊喜博人眼球，且不忙夸那里的松鼠。说起松鼠，真可谓无所不在，我走到哪都能看到它们不是嗑坚果吃，就是树上树下窜来窜去，松鼠俨然也是普大学生中的一员。

        仔细想一想，普林斯顿大学环境确实不错。不过对我而言，目前考虑若干年以后的事为时尚早，不如回到宾夕法尼亚“山林”州老家好好把握自己初中时代的大好年华。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2010: 小学二年级家长会(Second-Grade Parent-Teacher Conference)

Aerial View of Princeton Univ (鸟瞰普林斯顿大学)

Alexander Hall, Home to Both the Princeton Univ Orchestra & the Princeton Symphony Orchestra

(亚历山大“守卫者”大厅·普林斯顿大学管弦乐团和普林斯顿交响乐团的驻地)

Joline Hall in the Mid-20^th Century Collegiate Gothic Architecture as a Residence Hall for Undergraduate Students

(乔琳“美丽”大楼·20世纪中叶建成的学院哥特式建筑风格本科生宿舍楼)

Triple Arches between Henry Hall & Foulke Hall

(亨利“领主”楼与福尔克“人民”楼之间的三重拱门)

Statue of John Witherspoon, the 6^th President of Princeton Univ

(雕塑《约翰·威瑟斯彭“神慈·狭长的绵羊之地”》——普林斯顿大学第六任校长 11-08-2014)

Sculpture of Oval w/ Points

(雕塑《带点的椭圆》11-08-2014)

Dickinson Housing, a Self-Governing Co-Op

(迪金森“强大”宿舍楼·学生运营的合作社 09-06-1998)

Richardson Auditorium in the 19^th-Century Romanesque Architecture

(理查森“强大之子”音乐厅·19世纪罗马式建筑 09-06-1998)

Witherspoon Hall, the Oldest & Most Prominent Residence Hall on Campus from 1877

(威瑟斯彭大楼·1877年建成的本校历史最悠久、最著名的学生宿舍楼)

Hamilton Jewelers in Town

(普林斯顿汉密尔顿“平丘山”珠宝店 09-06-1998)

Crosslinks(相关博文):

USA(出游美国)

6th Grade(初中一年级)