You may have heard that life is a journey, or rather a series of journeys, consisting of unforeseen obstacles and often times, strenuous ascents that require great effort and perseverance. Each journey has its own destination that must be reached and its corresponding goal that must be accomplished. Undoubtedly, before entering college, you already made journeys in elementary, middle, and high schools. But college is an entirely new journey in the sense that you are making it as an adult. The rest of your life may depend upon what you accomplish in this expedition. In short, college is the beginning of the long journey of life.
   So, I encourage you to imagine college as a journey with the potential to improve and refine yourself. During the first two years, you should try to understand the dynamics of different fields. I encourage you to cultivate your critical-thinking skills and to sharpen your analytical skills. Develop your ability to write and express yourself eloquently. Maintain and cultivate a wide variety of skills.
   We are living in an era that is witnessing an explosion of true knowledge. Fields from business administration to medicine are developing at an incredible pace. You must learn an array of skills to keep up with this rapidly developing society. I want to emphasize the importance of learning a wide variety of subjects. This university offers more than 90 majors. It is a good chance to a taste of the different fields of academics. When choosing your classes, for instance, especially during your freshmen year, try to take courses that you are interested in.
   If you want to acquire knowledge and develop yourself as an individual, you shouldn? look for the easiest path to graduation. Instead, challenge yourself to take the difficult classes that other students avoid, and appreciate the skills that you are acquiring rather than the grades you may or may not be earning. After all, it is not for your grades but your skills that you will be valued in the world outside the university.
   During your last two years, submerge yourself in your major areas of interest. Deep exploration of your major will enrich your personal as well as your professional life in the future. The best thing you can do for this purpose is to interact with and seek advice from your professors. Your professors are a source of information committed to the search for knowledge. If you want advice about academic and career-related issues, or simply want to talk, your professors are willing to respond to your desire because they love to teach and to learn from their students. In fact, they hold office hours every week in anticipation of your visit.
   Last but not least, invest in improving your English language skills. The English language is a prerequisite regardless of what kind of job you may hold or wherever you may work in the future, for it is a global language. The better you are able to gain good command of the English language, the more information and business partners you will attain, and quicker at that.
   Now it is time to get ready for life. I wish you all the best luck.