Chapter Ninety-two Farewell, My University
Graduation, a very dazzling word, it will take away an unforgettable past and bring an unpredictable tomorrow. Youth, from now on, is no longer like the flowing years...
It's like a kind of symbol, when life reaches a certain point, time has to make you say "goodbye" to a part of it. College graduation is like a journey in life that is destined to be unforgettable, and before we know it, we've reached the end. No matter how much nostalgia lingers in our hearts, we still have to put a big period at the end.
From now on, we will bid farewell to the most innocent youth and carefree school life; we will see off a period of youthful recklessness, passion and dreams overflowing with unforgettable memories; perhaps our hearts are filled with nostalgia, nostalgia for the textbooks we studied, the classrooms we stayed in, and the kind teachers, good friends, even if there are thousands of reluctant hearts, but the fleeting time urges us, it's time to leave campus, it's time to say goodbye to the reckless youth.
Dazed and confused, we graduated. At this moment, it seems that we all had expectations, but everything went too suddenly, leaving us no time to think, no time to hesitate - "Graduation, Season"
……
The days before graduation, time sometimes seems like a sponge, appearing to be large in quantity, but cannot withstand scrutiny. It quietly slips through our fingers, as if the fine sand by the riverbank can't be grasped no matter how hard we try. In the silence, it slipped away from us without any signs of life, leaving no trace behind.
It's time to leave, every day we unintentionally stroll around the beautiful campus again, just wanting to take another look at its appearance today. We look left and right, searching for our past selves, and the memories of yesterday slowly seep into our hearts.
Thinking calmly about it a few years ago, how it accepted us when we were confused and ignorant. However, after walking around in circles, strolling back and forth, we seem to have returned to the starting point. Memories of the past slowly appear before our eyes, scene by scene, reappearing slowly.
In our freshman year, our lives were orange, and the tender shoulders carried huge hopes. The young heart was absolutely joyful, and the greater the hope placed on us, the heavier the pressure, but walking was still happy, because we had entered a dreamlike university.
When receiving the admission letter from Industrial University, I heard that many people cried. More than 30,000 people took part in the selection exam, but only a few were lucky enough to be admitted. Behind the tears of joy, we saw beautiful hope, even though our vision was blurry with tears. Now, we finally understand that we should have been grateful for being chosen, and a group of super lucky ones received blessings from heaven...
What is a university like? A Chinese university? Our own university? As for the university, before entering China Industrial University, we didn't understand anything. What kind of appearance will the university welcome us with? How will we spend our lives in the ivory tower? But no matter what, we are lucky, we walked into the paradise of knowledge, we stepped onto a path leading to success, but we are also suffering. For students like us who have weak basic knowledge, the knowledge in college will quickly turn heaven into hell, a real nightmare didn't arrive during our freshman year because we were lucky back then.
When we first entered the university campus, we felt curious about everything. For the first time, we learned that students need to receive military training, standing at attention, live ammunition shooting, formation drills, and physical strength exercises. After going through unforgettable military training, we finally understood the first motto of entering university - "Physical fitness is the capital of revolution". The way to practice this motto is through military training and sports exercise.
Then formally began to divide the secondary school's various majors, according to their own interests and hobbies randomly selected a pass, and in a semi-conscious state became a university student. Language, mathematics, physics, chemistry, we seem to have walked on an old road, but the knowledge encountered on the road is quite different, especially mathematics, which is no longer those simple equations in technical schools, and even quadratic equations are nothing, only after contacting calculus did I feel that elementary mathematics was so simple, of course, English, German and French are all difficult to learn, and oral language also makes people annoyed.
The vast campus is full of wonders, the library, classrooms, dormitories, gymnasiums, we slowly adapt to the luxurious life in college step by step. We eat rice, meat, vegetables, fruits and everything is complete, we sleep in a standard seven-person apartment, the stadium, library, everything is at our disposal...
In our sophomore year, life suddenly turned green; we no longer walked lightly, but instead appeared steady.
After spending the first year of college in ignorance, I adapted to the carefree life of only studying, and suddenly realized that everything is hard-won. I understood the good intentions of the school and government. Recalling our dreams at the beginning, we gradually no longer felt confused, began to win out in the struggle with math and science, began to understand the importance of professional foundation courses, began to strengthen physical exercise and self-cultivation, and began to recognize more classmates and expand relationships.
In short, after entering the second year of university, we are like leaves on a towering tree, shedding our former tenderness and gradually turning into a faint green color, slowly maturing. When tired, there is someone to prepare nutritious meals for you. When exhausted, there is a comfortable and quiet place for you to rest. When annoyed, there is a place for you to exercise and adjust your mood...
So, in the second year of college, we became a little more mature. In the well-equipped campus, we learned to use various resources to add momentum to our growth. The books in the library, it seemed that there were so many books that we couldn't finish reading them all in the first year, and didn't need to read them either. But by the second year, we found ourselves really unable to finish reading them, and even understanding just one part of our major was already very tiring. We glanced over some other books superficially, only to discover that when we were still ignorant, others had already gone very far ahead, and the distance between dreams and reality was like a thick textbook, stubbornly refusing to let us understand or see through it.
But after the storm will see the sun, after hard work will definitely see the light of success.
In our sophomore year, we can slowly and lazily communicate with teachers who are fluent in foreign languages, whether they are British or German, and say a few words sporadically. Of course, what's on our minds is still hard to express. As we learn to think, we also learn to smile, smiling in the face of our own difficulties and the future, smiling in the face of teachers' questioning and the obstacles of our coursework. The gradually maturing inner self allows me to start smiling at everything, and my walk becomes more steady, because I know that hope is right under my feet.
In the third year of university, life had unknowingly turned into a deep blue color. We were engaged in fierce competition with each other, and as we chased after one another, we ran desperately. Our lives and sweat-soaked blue shirts had the same color, even more radiant than azure.
After spending two years in college, we have gone through two springs and autumns. The number of professional courses offered by our department has greatly decreased, allowing us to take courses from other departments, learn knowledge from others, and broaden our horizons. We call this "large-span elective", but every time we make such a course arrangement, what awaits us is one disappointment after another. "Gongda never has beauties", the school does not prohibit students from falling in love, but we are destined to find no objects of affection. The 45:1 male-to-female ratio will render our little abacus completely useless.
Of course, these are just small episodes in life, and more stories happen during the learning process. The knowledge on textbooks begins to be transformed into hands-on skills, after basic physics and chemistry experiments, we started exploring more complex experiment topics, some things can't be obtained by simply relying on textbook learning, often the answers obtained through hands-on experience are more convincing, and can also turn profound theories into clear memories that are deeply etched in one's mind.
We swim freely in the ocean of knowledge, and every day is packed with activities. The phrase "three points and one line" has emerged from our busy lives, referring to the cafeteria, library, and dormitory, which have become the entirety of many people's lives. Of course, weekends bring some changes, and actively participating in beloved sports will be the main focus of these two days.
All kinds of competitions and sports leagues have become the most popular focus in our spare time, and every academic year, who gets the most scholarships, who writes more and better research papers, whose inventions win praise and patents... Among classmates and between departments, competition has become the best and necessary choice. In constant competition, we learned to grow up and learned to respect each other.
After the arrival of senior year, the temperature seems to have risen a lot. In the scorching season, the sun shines brightly every day. After three years of hard work, our studies have entered the sprint stage, and life has also turned into a bloody red color.
No more confusion and ignorance of freshman year, no more comfort and change of sophomore year, no more dryness and emphasis on academic performance of junior year. Unconsciously, we have spent three springs and autumns in the ivory tower, and will never complain that a certain course is too difficult, envy someone's excellent grades, or lament the great disparity between classmates, because we have truly grown up.
After growing up, it's not just about shaving diligently. Even if you're wearing school uniforms one after another, pay more attention to dressing neatly in life, learn to communicate with people, pay attention to demeanor, tone, and speech, and the exchange with teachers becomes extremely smooth. When chatting, sometimes four languages such as Chinese, English, French, and German are used together, not because I like the languages of these countries, but because there are many teachers of this nationality and ethnicity in Gongda, so we can only use the language they can understand for class lectures, homework submissions, discussions, etc.
Start to secretly celebrate your own small achievements, although they may not be worth boasting about, but every progress encourages yourself to work harder. There are many people who are stronger than you and there are many things that can be done better than you, only continuous learning can promote real progress. Understand the truth of "modesty benefits, fullness harms" and know how to be a person makes it easier to do things.
As a result, many of us began to form various clubs and take on leadership roles, honing our skills while also making many friends, especially among the younger students who had just entered the campus with dreams similar to ours. They were eager to participate in various interest groups and associations, and from them, we could once again find a sense of pride that was hard to let go of. The applause and praise continued unabated, and for the first time, we felt the pride of being an upperclassman, and it happened over and over again...
Unconsciously, all the courses of study have been completed. When we wore out our fifth pair of shoes, washed out our tenth toothbrush, and worn out our 78th pair of socks... our university life officially came to an end. What awaits us is a practicum with different plans, going to factories, government units, group companies, and rural fields. Each person has their own stage for showing off, each person has their own battlefield for performance.
We received the school's letter of recommendation and internship allowance, when we were about to spread our wings and fly, our instructor reminded us that no matter what, the school is always our solid backing. After going out, try to find an internship unit that you want to participate in, even if it's unpaid, as long as you gain life experience and add work experience, it's enough. As the pride of heaven carefully cultivated by the government, although we gained a lot in school, there is still a big gap between theory and practice. We have a long way to go to turn what we learned into real working ability.
In the blink of an eye, the once lively dormitory became empty and deserted as everyone went out for internship. The brief farewell was not a sentimental goodbye, but a final competition among us. In college, we had competed with each other in many aspects, such as academic performance, competition rankings, teacher evaluations, etc. But this time, going out for internship is our first competition to test each other's working ability, and it is also the last one.
Time is like the river water in Liujiang, no matter how slow it flows, it will leave its original position. "A man cannot step into the same river twice, and there are no two identical leaves in the world." When we left, everyone was full of ambition to show off our university students' style to the world. However, the abilities we showed at our internship units were far from satisfactory. Is it that even graduates of vocational technical schools are not as good as us? We don't know, but what can be seen is that when we set out, we were full of fighting spirit, and when we came back, there were only a few who still had their spirits flashing.
No matter what, this rare internship has brought us a lot of gains. On the road to becoming a true pride of heaven, perhaps this is our first fierce blow, but we always believe that four years of study will not be in vain. The realization of self-worth requires suitable opportunities and proper stages. As long as we have the courage to fight and genuine value, we are not afraid of not having a dazzling day.
Not long after returning from internship, the rare university journey in life came to an end. After completing the graduation design and defense, we received certificate after certificate. When our instructor informed us that on a certain day, government agencies and large and medium-sized groups would come to recruit among us, anyone could get a job. The government has carefully cultivated us for many years, not expecting us to make much contribution to the government or the Revival Party, but wanting us to dare to take on the responsibilities on our shoulders and make due contributions to social development.
………
Everyone is busy with their own future, rushing to and fro. It wasn't until after everything had been settled that we realized things shouldn't have turned out this way. The four years passed by in a flash, the beautiful university life was like an unfinished poem, hastily begun and hastily ended.
The sky is turning gray, everyone knows that this is a prelude to the gloomy departure. Memories are flashing brightly but stiff cheeks can no longer draw yesterday's childish smile. Those colorful years in the past have all condensed into crystal and settled deep in our minds. I believe that on the road of life in the future, on busy working days, they will be the mark of our beautiful youth and also the comfort of our idle soul.
The day of departure has finally arrived, and after December 1921, the day of farewell is not far away. We began to pack up everything and prepare for the graduation ceremony, but still couldn't help taking a last look around the campus, searching for memories of the past one last time.
Once again walking out of the dormitory building that I have entered and exited countless times, I still can't help but compare my own building with other apartment buildings. The "high-rise" where I lived for four years still doesn't stand out from the rest. Lifting my head to gaze upwards, I quickly found the balcony of my dorm room. Behind the railing and sliding glass window, the toothbrush, toothpaste, and cup are definitely invisible, but on that long clothes drying rack, there will no longer be forgotten school uniforms. In the hazy line of sight, it seems like I saw the scene of brothers fighting over the clothes drying rack and competing for space to dry their clothes again... From now on, it won't be me living in that room or using those things, but new students...
Walking again through the playground, there are still people running tirelessly on the circular track, and the football field is still full of enthusiasm. The basketball game has just ended. The first sports meeting brought many benefits to our school, and for us old students, the greatest benefit is that we will no longer regret not being able to occupy the football field. Perhaps new students will have more hopes.
Standing on tiptoes and looking far away, it seems that there are still many people lounging in the sun on the platform. The number of female classmates in school is increasing, and we can no longer play with our shirts off during matches. Perhaps the loss in that football league still brings regret, throwing clothes and shouting loudly, trying every means to win but ultimately returning in defeat. After venting, there's more anticipation for the next season, but after this season, we will no longer be able to participate in various school competitions. By then, we will have already left.
The greening of the campus is getting better and better. The saplings that were just planted when we first entered university are now taller than us. As we inadvertently pass by them, we find that the leaves swaying in the wind seem to be constantly waving at us. But the lush green lawn is still so gentle and friendly, allowing us to "risk our lives" kicking a ball or lying down to sleep on it, but now we dare not stretch out our feet.
The eight canteens in the school are almost identical, and at any time, you can see the tall chimneys constantly emitting black smoke. The humming oil fume machines always tell us from afar that the canteen is preparing the next meal for the students. For breakfast, there's always eggs, steamed buns, eight-treasure porridge or bean paste rice, which never changes. But at noon and in the evening, our luck improves - within a week, the fourteen lunches and dinners have absolutely no repeated main courses. It's said that this is to ensure rich nutrition, which is a government requirement, and it's the same for compulsory schools.
So, we can go to any cafeteria for meals at will. Over the four years, standing at the main entrance of the cafeteria, as long as you take a serious sniff, you'll know what dishes are available for lunch or dinner. Chicken legs aren't always available, but they're definitely everyone's favorite. If you accidentally catch a whiff of braised pork ribs with potatoes, chances are the cafeteria will be packed in no time, and even those fighting bravely in the library will rush over to join the "dining battle". But we won't be as impulsive as freshmen anymore. After eating for four years, we've discovered that the cafeteria has prepared enough big meals, and running as fast as possible will only result in bursting our stomachs - we can't eat that much no matter how hard we try. Late-arriving classmates will still have delicious food waiting for them, because the government treats us like "pride of heaven", managing what we eat, where we live, and what we learn...
After graduation, I will definitely not have such a dreamy life again. I left the cafeteria gloomily, and my heart couldn't help but feel some reluctance. However, our unstoppable footsteps made our bodies gradually move further away from them. When the buildings of the cafeteria area were far behind us, we arrived at Cui River. This artificial river in the campus was lined with many willow trees on both banks, hence its name. In the past, I would take a leisurely stroll here after meals, but today when I passed by again, the cement road along the riverbank was still as stiff and silent as before. The small willows that were only shoulder-high four years ago now had their branches swaying in the wind, formally bidding us farewell.
Jingxin Lake is very large, and its surface is always sparkling at any time. There are also lotus flowers swaying in the lake. I don't know if the lotus flowers will bloom next season, but we all know that the girls' dormitory building on the other side of the lake is like a beautiful lotus flower blooming in the heart of the lake, which can only be admired from afar and has never been open to us boys, not even once.
On the other side of the lake are rows and rows of majestic teaching buildings, which are always bustling with people before and after class. Maybe it's just recess again! It's been a long time since we've had classes, so we seem to have forgotten about our schedules. But I know that these younger students, their foundation is better than ours, so they must work harder, maybe even more crazily than we did back then. Perhaps they're struggling with some difficult courses, but in any case, they're all discussing and debating loudly. After four years of arguing, we finally understood one thing: "Arguing only makes each other more convinced." Of course, at this point, they still don't understand, they need to compete more to distinguish themselves, otherwise the school won't know how to distribute scholarships.
Looking at those familiar yet strange figures, I know we are no longer one of them. To continue this wonderful life, we can choose to stay, but there is no choice to stay as a prep teacher, and after one or two years, we can become formal teachers, but many people do not take that step, perhaps it will be our lifelong regret, but we prefer the stormy weather outside, the outside world needs us more.
Unconsciously, the sky slowly turned dark, and the number of people passing by on the campus road gradually decreased. The First Library is the closest to the teaching area, so its light bulbs are always replaced most frequently, because many students will choose to stay up all night reading books, writing papers, and making reports there. We also left our saliva inside, which was evidence of falling asleep at the desk after unknowingly dozing off, but no matter how hard we tried.
The first library has barely explored the relevant books covered by our major, and now the second and third libraries are being renovated, and we can't finish reading those books. Such a daunting task is left to the next generation of students. Although each profession has its own specialization, the knowledge and subjects that need to be learned are far beyond imagination. Finishing reading the books in our major is already a success, but we can only gaze at the library from afar with a faint sense of joy, not daring to step inside because it's already overcrowded, and underclassmen are even more enthusiastic and intimidating...
Finally back to the dormitory, no intention of going for a stroll in those experimental buildings and large practical factory areas, where we left the most footprints, is the place we least want to go. It's time to sort out luggage again, compete with brothers for shower heads in the bathroom, laugh and take a hot bath after finishing washing, lie comfortably on the bed again, tomorrow morning will have to tidy up the bed, last time lying on this bed that slept for four years and chatting with roommates about dreams.
"Four years seems like a long time, thick books one after another, just like our various dictionaries, whether it's English to Chinese or German to Chinese. We always have that moment when we finish reading them, no matter if you're reading carefully and memorizing carefully. Four limited books, one day you'll finish reading them, and then they won't belong to you anymore..."
The speaker was the head of our dormitory, a top student in the College of Arts and Sciences. He had already joined the party successfully and always spoke with a rhythmic tone, allegedly to create a sense of rhythm. Everyone knew that his greatest dream was to become a mayor during his lifetime, no matter how remote or backward the place was, whether it was Xinjiang or Mongolia, as long as he was given a platform to showcase his talents, he was confident in governing a region. But we all knew that after graduation, his first task would be to accept arrangements and face his first job assignment, which might be going to the countryside or studying at some small government agency...
"This future, it's always like the clouds in the sky, each person has their own cloud, a dream that belongs to them. Different people have different outlooks on life and values, so each cloud has a different color, they will float to different places. Reading is a process of refinement, we constantly polish its edges, hoping it can bask in the sunshine, rather than drifting with the waves..."
In the past, over a thousand nights, we would spend some time chatting, talking about the strange encounters of the day, discussing new things, and of course, talking about the opposite sex. It's an undisputed fact that there aren't many girls in our university. When we have nothing to do, we always end up talking about them. Which department has the most girls? Which major doesn't have a single girl? We would talk until late at night when sleepiness overcame us, and then we would fall asleep. But tonight was different from previous nights. After just a few sentences, everyone chose to be silent, just like when we first arrived and didn't know each other. Everyone came in silence, destined to leave in silence.
When the sunlight shines through the window into the dormitory, a new day has arrived. After getting up, what we do first is no longer to fight for the toilet or rush to wash our faces, but to quietly tidy up the bed and pack it up before going to wash our faces one by one. Half an hour later, everyone looks at each other with a faint smile and goes to the cafeteria to have breakfast again in silence.
The wind has picked up, and Guangxi's autumn doesn't have any special flavor, but the occasional gentle breeze will give people a sense of autumn. After hastily finishing breakfast in the cafeteria, I returned to my dormitory to pack my bags, sitting on the bed waiting for that moment to arrive. The balcony was already empty, with no clothes hanging out to dry, and the windows were closed as if it was time to turn in, but the autumn wind outside still seeped in through every crack, bringing a sense of ripened fruit and a delicate feeling of harvest.
In the clock tower in the center of the school, a very large mechanical clock is installed. Every time it strikes an hour, it makes a loud "dong dong" sound, prompting us to go to class, go eat, and go back to rest... But this time, the 9 o'clock bell rang, urging us to hurry up and gather for the graduation ceremony.
Leaving behind a suitcase, closing the dormitory door that had been opened and closed hundreds or thousands of times, I suddenly realized that after closing the door this time, my brothers would never be able to open it again. I've gotten used to living with seven brothers in the dorm, no one has ever helped anyone else wash their clothes or socks, but we're all accustomed to each other's snoring and thunderous sounds at night. I don't know if I'll have insomnia tonight, but as I closed the door, a sudden flutter appeared in my heart, and only then did I realize that after leaving, it would take a long time to get used to not being here.
As I watch more and more classmates who will graduate together, everyone silently closes the door one by one, walking out of the dormitory building with heavy footsteps. The chaotic footsteps are basically the same as before, but somehow these footsteps seem to be the last farewell song in this building, no one will remember that there was once a group of people walking chaotically and irregularly here.
Standing in front of the dormitory building, many people turned their heads to look back. This six-story building with forty rooms on each floor seemed different from before at this moment. Many younger schoolmates who didn't have classes poked their heads out of the windows to watch the group of seniors below who were collectively speechless. We looked up at room after room, they silently gazed at us, perhaps they were secretly wishing us well, but they also knew that one day they would be like us, reluctant to leave this place.
Looking back on when I first saw this tall building, the vast majority of my classmates said it was the tallest and most magnificent building they had ever seen. At that time, we were still estimating how many people could live in it and how many classmates would spend their university life together. Before I knew it, it was time to leave, but I hadn't gotten to know many classmates yet, and there were still many things on my mind.
We often play football together, but we still don't know each other's real names after four years of calling each other nicknames... When I come back from the library late at night, the building gate is already closed. The old man who always helps open the door with enthusiasm makes us feel grateful, but we only know his surname is Li, and our conversation is limited to "Mr. Li, please open the door" and "thank you". There are too many people and things that could have been very familiar, but in the fleeting passage of time, we come and go hastily, until today when I'm about to leave, I realize I'm still not familiar with the school.
Once again, I walked along the green avenue leading directly to the central square. When I first entered the school, I saw many workers transplanting trees and greening the road, but I didn't expect that now it has become a shaded avenue, changing the original sunny path into a green one. However, at this time, the autumn wind was blowing gently, and the fallen leaves had covered the wide road with a layer of golden yellow. Walking on this road, there were no longer the cheerful voices and laughter of the past. Thousands of students walked on the road, but it seemed as if only one person was walking slowly alone.
Every year in spring, when the earth is rejuvenated and dressed in green again, it's the time for school to start. We all carry heavy luggage on our backs, swallowing down the joyful songs and laughter of Spring Festival, as well as the various sorrows of leaving home, returning to campus and classroom once again. This year, many people were saying that this is the last time they will return to campus after the Spring Festival holiday, and after graduation, they won't have to come back anymore.
I want to find the faces that laughed and joked back then, but when I turn around, all I see are young yet solemn faces. The recklessness of youth has long been left in this university, now what can be seen is a mature face, a fiery heart, a smile at each other and understanding the blessings that have been hidden in their hearts for a long time. At this moment, everyone walking on this road knows: next year, we will not meet again on this road.
The long bench by the roadside was originally our exclusive seat, thick books, cookies and mineral water, these three things can make us stay under the shade of the tree for a beautiful weekend afternoon, sometimes reading books and forgetting everything, sometimes staring at passersby in a daze, row upon row of trees witnessed everything, but we didn't notice their growth, now witnessing our departure are also them.
Younger schoolmates have occupied the long benches that once belonged to us, now smiling and waving at this large group of senior brothers and sisters. The large green area behind them serves as the background for their farewell to us, rows of towering trees serve as the audience, and pieces of autumn leaves falling from the wind express emotions. The vast campus, it's really time to leave you, but we haven't even taken a good look at you yet.
Everyone was looking around, trying to take a last look at the school, who knows where tomorrow's self will be. Looking more may increase one's memory of the school, until one day when returning to the school, can still find the unique mark left by oneself. After continuous observation, we finally arrived at the square, the formal farewell place for the school.
The large square was still as clean and tidy as usual, with the statue of Confucius in the center still vivid and lifelike. The trees surrounding the square had already stood up straight, and the only reminder that we were about to leave was the extra main stage on the square. A huge banner fluttered in the wind, but the red background and white characters made it clear what was written: "Farewell, first graduates of China Industrial University!!" I thought the school would write something grand and inspiring, but instead, it was such a simple sentence that couldn't be simpler. Yet, the weight of those words was already enough, really enough.
After the ceremony, no one remembered the specific situation. Everyone was looking at each other, and it was a chaotic last gathering of our student days, in stark contrast to the neat and orderly formation after military training four years ago. At this time, there would be no strict instructor yelling at us to stand at attention, with our posture straight and our lines tidy. Instead, everyone stood casually in whatever comfortable position they chose, because it was graduation.
The principal is the chairman of our autonomous region. Four years ago, at the opening ceremony, he announced that we became a formal "son of heaven". Four years later, he presided over the graduation ceremony of this student. He is a very wise and intelligent person. In the past, his classes, his words, we all listened very seriously. This time, as usual, simple and unpretentious language, will certainly be useful to us, but somehow can't remember, only when looking up at him in the end, did we find that the only thing we could remember was his eyes, facing east, gazing upwards.
The already packed luggage didn't need to be disturbed again, everyone was silent and wordless, quietly picking up their bags for a last look at the empty dormitory. The basketball socks that hadn't been washed for a long time had already been disposed of by the eldest, no longer releasing chemical toxins; the wooden bed frame that creaked loudly every night would never be seen again, but what we would miss even more were these wooden beds that could play lullabies.
The big brother, as our dormitory elder, had several brothers standing in the corridor with their luggage waiting for him to turn off those two lights and close that door. I thought he would patiently let us take a last look, but the big brother's quick action only lasted for an instant, and in this moment, a sharp pain flashed through my heart.
Four years ago, the eldest brought us to open this door with full hope for the first time; four years later, the eldest rushed us to close this door in despair for the last time. Then, we walked out of the dormitory gate along the route that had been taken thousands of times in the past four years, and when we looked back, we saw a banner hanging high on the gate, "Today's university students, tomorrow's social elite". After a faint smile, there was only one sentence in my heart, that is "From now on, I no longer belong here".
With backpacks on our backs and suitcases in tow, this time we won't be returning with thick stacks of books or sweaty from playing soccer. We're not going to play soccer, attend classes, do experiments, eat meals, or visit the library.
It was still the central square, where cars were parked for the first time. There were military trucks with green paint, China Aviation Administration buses with blue and white stripes, vehicles of a certain group of China Railway Corporation with light yellow and pink stripes, and of course, government buses with blood red color. Although the vehicles from different units were parked together, they would inevitably take us to different places.
Leaving behind the brothers who continued to study and prepare to become teachers, they helped us find our respective destinations with great enthusiasm. After putting away their luggage, they gathered together again, all seven of them speechless, tightly holding hands in a circle, their eyes already conveying the thousands of words in their hearts. When it was time to leave, the brothers bid farewell with a fist bump, turning to leave without regret or tears from the school that had nurtured them for four years.
The rumbling vehicle had long been urging this group of students to hurry up. As they took their seats and looked out the window one last time at the school's towering clock tower, the rows upon rows of massive buildings, the greenery that had been seen a thousand times before, and the brothers who were waving goodbye to them with all their might.
One by one, the cars began to take us away from school and rush to various places. The speed-limited campus couldn't satisfy our desire for a last look, so we could take another glance at the campus and think back on the past. Every time a car drove out of the school's main gate, it would honk its horn in farewell. On either side of the gate stood two white marble pillars, one with the inscription "Self-reliance and self-improvement, laying the foundation for China's prosperity" and the other with "Striving for progress, seeking wealth and power for the nine provinces". And of course, there was also the large stone lying across the road, engraved with six bold characters - "China University of Industry".
The big bus slowed down through the buffer slope, when the military guards on both sides of the guard tower saluted every bus that drove out. The car had officially driven out of the Industrial University, and we really didn't belong here anymore. Excitedly leaning against the window to look back at the campus, the sentry in front of the pillar still stood coldly with his hand gripping the steel gun, they seemed to rarely mechanically salute and bid farewell, but who can understand their true hearts, always protecting the sacred university hall, silently bidding farewell to our classmates rushing to various places.
Farewell, my brother.
Farewell, my university.
Farewell, my youthful years.
Farewell, my fleeting five years.
Seriously say goodbye once, youth dispersed, we wait for the next reunion gathering.
A fleet of buses, led by a police car with flashing lights, slowly turned onto the Gaoxin Avenue. As the bus sped up, the campus view gradually receded into the distance. Slumped against the back of the seat, he sat silently, knowing that this destined-to-be-past era could be completely condensed in his heart, layered and permanently treasured away.
Mr. Li, who opened the door, must remember my name and every child who loves to stay out late, but I've already taken a bus and left, without having time to thank him. The auntie in the cafeteria who serves food must like me very much, every time she serves food, she fills up my plate...
Life is spent in endless change. There are times of brilliant beauty when flowers bloom, and times of lonely desolation when they wither away. All the changes we experience will become beautiful memories for the future.
The process of growing up is like a small boat, swaying forward in the vast ocean. Whether it's a stormy rain or a calm and peaceful day, we are the only ones who can control the direction of our own ship, and need to cut through the waves to reach the other side of success.
The growth process is a process of experiencing various hardships and tests, and finally becoming mature. The road I've traveled, because of this university period, has suddenly become full of wonderful encounters and splendor, and the future path will be even more solid because of these memories.
Well, goodbye, my university.
Open your eyes and see a bright light.
P.S: This article is dedicated to our precious youth...
