As a freshman¹, the sense of being lost in a big new world was exciting, but at the same time I treasured every bit of advice I could get. Now that I'm a few years older, I thought I'd share some thoughts. More importantly, I went around and asked some of the most accomplished² Penn students for what recommendations they'd give to freshmen³.

作为大学新生，在大的新世界里迷失的感觉很刺激，但同时我也珍视得到的每一点建议。既然我年长几岁，就想分享一些我的想法。更重要的是，我四处找了一些学业有成的宾夕法尼亚大学学生，让他们给新生提出了一些建议。

1. College is about the people you meet. Value them above all else.

上大学就是跟人交往，要把他们看得比别的都重要。

2. Avoid eating alone. You should value this part of your day as a moment to talk to friends and meet new people.

不要独自吃饭，你应该利用一天中吃饭的时间和朋友聊天并结交新朋友。

3. A romantic relationship is not a waste of time.

谈恋爱并非浪费时间。

4. Your parents love and miss you. Indulge them with a call from time to time.

父母爱你也想你，偶尔给他们打打电话。

5. There are people willing to help you with anything. All you have to do is ask.

总是有人愿意给予你任何帮助，你需要做的就是寻求帮助。

6. You have two ears and one mouth, and that design happens to be intelligent.

你有两只耳朵一张嘴，这个设计很明智。

7. Try to learn very different things. Some of the most confident and successful graduates are skilled in two seemingly polar subjects, like computer science and political science.

努力学习非常难的东西，一些最自信、最成功的毕业生都擅长选两门对立学科，比如计算机和政治学。

8. Don't take advice from movies, magazines, or newspapers. Read good books, learn by doing, and come to your own conclusions.

不要从电影、杂志或报纸上获取建议，你要读好书，从实践中学习并得出自己的结论。

9. Appreciate your summers and use them wisely. Travel to Japan, write a book, read, follow things that interest you.

感激你的暑假并有效利用之。去日本旅行、写本书、读读书、做些你感兴趣的事。

10. Protect your dreams. It's too easy to abandon something you care about because you're told it's not important.

保护好你的梦想，有人告诉你你在乎的事并不重要时你很容易会放弃。

11. Ask for forgiveness, not for permission.

请求原谅，而不要请求允许。

12. Your school is willing and eager to throw money at you in research grants.

学校很愿意为你提供研究经费。

13. If you don't get, it may very well be because you don't ask.

如果你没有得到，很有可能是你没有争取。

14. If you're faced with a choice between locking yourself up and studying for an exam or doing something much more epic⁴ and memorable⁵, choose epic.

如果你面临一个选择，是该把自己锁起来备考还是该做些更有意义、更难忘的事，那么你还是选择有意义的事吧。

15. Don't wait till senior year to do those things you want to do or become who you want to be.

不要等到大四再去做你想做的事或成为你想成为的人。

16. Don't miss your classes because of sleeping in, but nap religiously in the middle of the day.

不要因为睡过头了就逃课，应该保证午睡。

17. Pick up a book for fun once in a while.

偶尔读本书娱乐一下。

18. Get a bike. It'll make the campus so much smaller.

买个自行车，你会发现校园小了很多。

19. Find and protect the time of day when you're most productive.

找到一天之中效率最高的时间段并保持住。

20. Don't be complacent⁶ but be happy. Be thankful for where you are. Everything is already pretty great.

不要自满，要开心，要感激你能在这里，一切都已经很好了。