10月28号晚上我参加了在对外经贸大学举办的北京市第二届大学新生英语演讲比赛校际决赛。共有十所大学11位选手参赛（北京大学，外交学院，人民大学，对外经济贸易大学，北京语言大学，北京传媒大学，北京第二外语大学，国际关系学院，中央财经大学，北京师范大学）。决赛内容分为三部分，第一部分是定题演讲（prepared speech），第二部分是关于定题演讲的问答(Q&A),第三部分是辩论(debate)。最终，第一名是人民大学外语学院的董博（女），第三名是对外经济贸易大学法学院的蔡雯蕙，我得了第二名。这次演讲的主题是： COME WITH EXPECTATION, LEAVE WITH SATISFACTION------HOW TO FULFILL YOUR COLLEGE LIFE.

 

    大学生活是丰富多彩的，各种各样的社团与社会活动会让我们体验到各种新鲜的感觉，许多经历过大学的人都会这样说，或许将来我也会这样说。但对于刚刚进入大学生活才两个多月的我来说，一切都只是个开始，未知的东西有太多，需要去体验与感悟的东西有太多，我需要自己一点点的去尝试与品悟，我要探索并拥有自己的道路，其他的说法都只是其他。作为演讲者，我是诚实的，我把自己在大学两个月生活中最集中的情感与生活展示给听众，我说了自己想说的东西。

    语言是一种工具，一种用来交流与表达思想的工具。声音只是媒介，它的意义只是暂时的，真正印在听众脑中的是我们用语言所表达的内容。如果语言只是单纯美妙的发音，则我们所说将毫无意义，毫无意义。

    我知道自己有出色的发音，但我不愿意只做发音的工具，我带去的是我的一些想法与我的故事，而不是一张嘴与一个喉咙，更不是来回摆动貌似自然放松的肢体语言。如果我不懂怎样去摆动身体与挥舞双臂，那我就什么都不做，所有刻意与造作在我看来都不过是欺骗与愚弄！我是比赛的过客，我不是那种倾向于抢占风头的选手，我在演讲的同时聆听与观察，在学习的同时认识到一个更加需要完善的自我，一切都来去得平常和自然。

    只是一次活动，我见到了一群人，看他们做了一些事，自己说了一些话，开始喜欢一些东西，也感到厌恶一些东西。

    比赛的时间是短暂的，漫长的是准备的过程，我接触到了远远大于演讲的更多的东西。还有，我演讲的成功更多的应属于我演讲中的好友与帮我进行语言修改的海外的朋友。玻璃奖杯在获奖当晚就被我不小心摔断了，往往是这样，与友谊和爱相比，其他的一切都是短暂与易碎的。

    以下是我的定题演讲稿

 

 

Honorable judges, ladies and gentlemen:

Good evening!

 

  I don’t know how others define university life, but, after experiencing about two months of it, I’ve got my own idea. University is just another place where my life goes on. I do the usual things and adapt to a whole new lifestyle. Most important of all, I get along with new people, especially with my dear roommates.

 

  I’ve never had an experience living on campus before. I knew that dorm life was going to be the biggest role in my four years at university. I fully prepared myself to bear with whatever kind of roommates I was going to live with. I’ve been warned a thousand times: “Beware! Their snoring is hardly like the lullabies that send you to a dreamland. The athletes’ feet can pollute every cubic centimeter of the space in your small room and the smell never manages to escape through the big, open windows. The phone line in your room will always be tied up by someone and their forever talking will make you lose your temper...”

 

  Horrible, right? I felt that university life could easily be ruined for me if I had to live with one of those girls. However, with all my worries, I started and what I found was that, thank God, these people are just too lovely to be real! My worries truly had no bases.

 

  Life is never complicated with my roommates, since we all know the meanings of the words “understand” and “respect.” Things can be talked out in heart-to-heart conversations. Problems can be solved by putting together seven willing-to-help heads. The snores signal our loved ones’ sweet dreams and the thermos bottles are always full of hot water. Also, someone is always there to be an extra-loud alarm clock to make sure everyone gets up.

 

  We are friends now. Not only do we do things together, but we are also allowed to be alone together when necessary. We agree on many things but can also argue to reach an agreement. We form our 204 study group and raise questions about what we have been taught. We have our similarities, yet we have our own uniqueness, too. We feel comfortable with each other, like one big family. Everybody makes an effort to keep harmony.

 

  My dear roommates, those six special girls, are the foremost precious gifts university life has given me. What more can I ask for? I’ve been very fortunate to meet and get to know them. I can’t say that things will always be smooth like this, but with sweet understanding I’m one hundred percent certain that things will always get back on the right track.

 

  University is not just a place where I go to do assignments, turn in term papers and essays, join clubs, and attend activities, for those will finally leave me. Good friends, on the other hand, will stay with me, as friendship can be life-long.

 

  I know that I do not need their shouting at the top of their lungs in the crowd to encourage me. They know that what I need is just their firm words: “We have confidence in you.”

 

  University is a period of time in which we will encounter many unexpected things, good and bad. I know that no matter what it’s going to be like that, and I’m already prepared to succeed and fail. I’m ready to accept both my roommates’ congratulations and comforts. University life would be very tough without so many dear friends. I’m sure that leaving with satisfaction is not too hard a goal for me to reach!

 

  Thank you!

 

 

 

                                                              By Chu