爸爸曾經對我說：「一個人一定要找到可以陪伴自己一輩子的興趣，這樣不管在生活上碰到什麼挫折或逆境，妳都不會迷失。」
My dad once told me, “You should find hobbies that can keep you company for the rest of your life. That way no matter what hardship you are going through, you will never be lost.”
29・紅木｜29 · Redwood
今年是我「二十幾歲」的最後一年，我送了自己兩件生日禮物。
This is the last year of my twenties, and I got myself two gifts.
夢想｜Dreams
「小孩子從小就應該要胸懷大志、勇敢做夢。長大了之後為了屈就現實，夢想會越變越小。如果你小時候有遠大的夢想，即使它慢慢隨著時間變小了，你的格局還是會比其他人都大。」
My dad once told me, “As a kid, you should dream big because when you grow up, your dreams will shrink as reality hits. If you have big dreams as a kid, even if your dreams shrink as you get older, you will still have greater visions than others.”
外省人・客家人・閩南人
我對現在的環境無能為力，但是我會繼續努力實踐我自己的「臺灣價值」——我從臺灣的外省人、客家人與閩南人身上學到的「正直做人、勤懇做事」的原則，與樂觀進取、堅忍不拔的精神。
Five Months, Five Decisions
Five months ago, life struck me with a series of events. I had a very difficult time dealing with the synergistic effect, but after I dried my tears, I marked my calendar and told myself this would be the beginning of a new stage of my life — I am going to rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
525,600 Minutes Since I Left Northwestern
Well, I would say I could measure the past year in how many times life has hit me — probably more than it did during all my four years at Northwestern combined. But just like what Khalid said to me winter quarter of my freshman year, “Pain makes you strong.” — with each hit, life has indeed made me grow stronger and taught me to appreciate things around me more.
Goodbye Northwestern
Just a few days away from my departure. My boxes were shipped and my room is mostly packed up now. As I am getting ready to leave Evanston, I find it very difficult to believe that I have already spent four years at Northwestern. I still remember so clearly how excited I was when I first set foot on campus on my 18th birthday — I had seen so many gorgeous pictures of Northwestern in all the brochures that the Admission Office sent me, and when I was finally here, everything just looked so much better than the pictures.
一個人
我是聽校園民歌長大的孩子，這首葉佳修作曲填詞、潘安邦演唱的《年輕人的心聲》我已聽過無數遍，但前幾天我在我的 iTune 上聽見潘安邦清亮純厚、活力十足的嗓音唱著這段熟悉的旋律，突然覺得這首歌真的是我過去三年半來心情的寫照（或許除了我不會彈吉他之外），連我的名字都天衣無縫地融入歌詞裡了！
垂柳
今天下樓去拿信的時候，發現我的房子附近有一株楊柳，它迎風款擺的柳條立刻讓我想到了離開西北大學的前一天，在密西根湖畔看到那一排飛瀑般的柳樹。現在的它們，是否仍如同當日一般，在寶藍色的密西根湖前、芝加哥的豔陽下，瀟灑地舞動？楊柳在我們的文化中，似乎總帶著一絲淡淡的落寞惆悵——「年年柳色，灞陵傷別。」而人在異鄉，心緒似乎特別容易受到感動。
Window
Back in Evanston. I am sitting in front of my French window, looking at the glittering lake and listening to the music with which my heart has been beating in the past week. Just like my spring trip, this ASB winter trip to DC turned out to be one of the best weeks in my life: a charming city, a group of wonderful people, and an amazing journey.