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 University seems to be just around the corner, near home, at the same time. 

        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.

【紅霞譯】

        我從未花費心思考慮過自己的未來，不過今天跟着爸爸去普林斯頓“王子城”大學轉悠時，我才開始意識到十年後所面臨的選擇，將來我在哪裡﹖

        沒錯，爸爸就是想讓我了解一下等自己長大以後可能要去的地方，況且普林斯頓大學近在眼前。
        去普林斯頓之前，我腦海里閃現出“六面旗”遊樂園的城堡，“城堡”一詞的確可以涵蓋普林斯頓校園景象。首先，離家僅有個把小時路程的大學幅員遼闊，多數建築物看上去歷久彌新，正面頗具中世紀古韻，樓與樓之間的建築風格相差無幾，雖比我想像的要小，但卻蔚為壯觀。校園又像一座公園，吸引不少遊人停留駐步，休閒也好，參觀也罷，無論怎樣都十分愜意。我們轉來轉去，拍拍相片，看看建築，同時還注意到夾雜的當代設計標記。一棟離校門不遠的玻璃樓傲然屹立，顯得稀奇古怪，如同在北極邂逅大猩猩。如果你不明白我的意思，讓我直說吧，大猩猩從不來北極生活。因此，在層出不窮的古典殖民式建築群里，冷不丁冒出一個玻璃樓外來貨，令人感覺怪兮兮的。

        當然，普林斯頓到處充滿驚喜博人眼球，且不忙夸那裡的松鼠。說起松鼠，真可謂無所不在，我走到哪都能看到它們不是嗑堅果吃，就是樹上樹下竄來竄去，松鼠儼然也是普大學生中的一員。

        仔細想一想，普林斯頓大學環境確實不錯。不過對我而言，目前考慮若干年以後的事為時尚早，不如回到賓夕法尼亞“山林”州老家好好把握自己初中時代的大好年華。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2010: 小學二年級家長會(Second-Grade Parent-Teacher Conference)

Aerial View of Princeton Univ (鳥瞰普林斯頓大學)

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

(亞歷山大“守衛者”大廳·普林斯頓大學管弦樂團和普林斯頓交響樂團的駐地)

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

(喬琳“美麗”大樓·20世紀中葉建成的學院哥特式建築風格本科生宿舍樓)

Triple Arches between Henry Hall & Foulke Hall

(亨利“領主”樓與福爾克“人民”樓之間的三重拱門)

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

(雕塑《約翰·威瑟斯彭“神慈·狹長的綿羊之地”》——普林斯頓大學第六任校長 11-08-2014)

Sculpture of Oval w/ Points

(雕塑《帶點的橢圓》11-08-2014)

Dickinson Housing, a Self-Governing Co-Op

(迪金森“強大”宿舍樓·學生運營的合作社 09-06-1998)

Richardson Auditorium in the 19^th-Century Romanesque Architecture

(理查森“強大之子”音樂廳·19世紀羅馬式建築 09-06-1998)

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

(威瑟斯彭大樓·1877年建成的本校歷史最悠久、最著名的學生宿舍樓)

Hamilton Jewelers in Town

(普林斯頓漢密爾頓“平丘山”珠寶店 09-06-1998)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

USA(出遊美國)

6th Grade(初中一年級)