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.
Listening to the Rain
It has been raining this entire afternoon. One of the best things about my apartment is the giant French window facing the lake. I have been working in front of my window for a few hours, listening to the rain tapping its melody on this window. This reminds me of what happened last summer: in a rainy afternoon in Taiwan, after I had tea with my high school friends, I sat in front of my window at home, writing an article and listening to the rain.
望月
最近 Evanston 的天氣漸漸回暖，每天早晨總在一片啁啾鳥囀中睜開雙眼，推開窗戶，曉風也開始滲透著絲絲春意。最近我養成了一個習慣——每天晚上在敞開的窗戶旁，讓微涼的晚風伴我唸書，偶爾累了一抬頭就能看見一彎新月漾著淺笑。今天是這個學季的最後一天，我打理完了所有的瑣事後坐在窗邊，腦海中澎湃的思緒似乎隨著靜謐的夜色逐漸沈寂，我漫不經心地抬頭，一輪滿月。
雪歌
此刻的聖荷西，依然14°C，恰巧是我去年此刻寫作時的溫度。窗外，午後的陽光隱翳在雲層之後，將層層灰藍色的雲朵都滾上了金邊。在Evanston 下第一場雪的那天下午，天空似乎正是這個顏色－－大自然的畫家用金線筆在蒼穹描繪出雲層的輪廓。
日出
今天清晨在一場噩夢中驚醒，一轉頭，發現枕畔早已淚濕一片。床頭的電子鐘熒熒地閃爍著五點零七分，還有一個小時才會天亮，但是我早已全無睡意。我抱著棉被坐在窗前，隨著天空的顏色從濃重的深紫緩緩的淡成黎明的灰藍，我的思緒也像雨滴一滴一滴沿著我的心窗緩緩地流落。
聽雨
剛跟朋友喝茶回來，我坐在窗前聽著窗外的淅零淅零。這陣子每天清晨都是在雨聲扣窗中清醒，微雨輕霧中，轉眼間已經回台灣一個禮拜了。上週四晚間飛機降落桃園機場，著地時的那一震將我從半睡半醒的迷離中盪回了現實，我突然間清楚無比地意識到，我回家了——過了九個月，我終於回家了。