As I was driving to a dinner meeting earlier this week in Massachusetts, I found the streets were filled with moving boxes, trucks, and of course, young scholars and their parents.
Be filled with sth. 充满
Scholar. 学生，学者
在本周早些时候，我驱车去参加在马赛州的一次晚宴，我当时发现路上满是打包盒子，卡车，当然还有新进的学生和他们的父母。
I found myself reflecting on what these students might be thinking about. Were they worried about roommate relations? Some, for sure. What about academics? I suspected it was too early in the semester for homework to be dominating anyone’s focus. Instead of speculating any further, I stopped and asked.
reflect on v. 反思
semester n. 学期
suspect / realize / recognize
speculate / guess
too...to...
我发现我自己在反思这些新生可能会想些什么。担心室友关系？或者是学业？我察觉到这个学期太早了对于任何一个会被作业占据新生来说。抛去不停地怀疑，我停车下来去问问当事人。
After explaining that I taught undergrads and was genuinely curious about their “biggest stresses as of right now,” I got three responses from three students in three minutes.
给我教授过的毕业生解释完这些，我非常好奇他们此刻最大压力是什么。我在三分钟内收到三个学生回复。
One student mentioned she was only thinking about pleasing her parents until they left. Another, having signed numerous loan documents earlier that afternoon, indicated she was worried about money and the necessity to get a job ASAP. Lastly, a young man clearly skeptical of my intent, answered with a cynical “pursuing my passions and finding true happiness.”
skeptical / suspect
intent / thought / purpose / will
cynical. believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others
一个学生提到她只想让她的父母满意直到他们离开。另外一个说，她在下午签署了大量的贷款文件，暗示着她非常关心钱以及马上得到一份工作的必要性。最后一个年轻男学生明确的怀疑我的意图，他的激愤地答到是追求激情，追寻梦想。
So there you have it: parents, practicalities, and passions.
所以你可知道的答案是：父母，现实以及激情。
These three concerns weigh heavily on the minds of college students as they select a major that improves their odds of success. Many parents believe students should pursue education that secures professional opportunity: future doctors study biology; future managers, economics; future programmers, computer science.
这三点在大学生脑海中占比很大的分量，当他们选择专业以提高他们的成功率。很多父母相信学生选择受的教育以及稳当的工作机会如下：学生物将来是医生，学金融将来是经理人，学计算机科学，将来码代码。
It all makes sense, but might be wrong. Only 27 percent of people work in a field related to what they majored in during college.History majors who go into business make just as much as business majors who do the same. And lest you think liberal arts degrees close the doors to Silicon Valley, it’s worth noting that recent research found that close to 40 percent of recent liberal arts graduates work in an internet or software company.
lest / for fear that / in case of
it’s worth noting that 值得注意的是
这当然讲得通，但是这些想法都不对。只有27%的人就业方向符合他们的大学专业。进入商业领域的历史专业毕业生的和商务毕业生一样多。或许你会想硅谷会关闭人文科学招聘的大门，值得注意的是最新研究显示将近40%的人文学科毕业生在互联网或者软件公司工作。
So does this mean that majors don’t matter? Not exactly. While majors may be less relevant for those graduating from top liberal arts schools, they prove more important for others. It turns out that your major is a meaningful signal of your interest and possibly your passion. And certain majors definitely pay more than others.
这是否意味着学什么专业不重要呢？也不是。对于顶尖人文科学院校毕业生来说，专业关联性很少，他们已经证明自己的重要性。这恰恰能说明你的专业在显示你的兴趣和激情的可能性方面起不可代替的作用。确切的专业领域你比其他人收入更多。
As noted by The Economist, “It depends what you study, not where.” The blunt reality remains that a degree in computer science pays more than one in social work — all else being equal.
blunt /speak forthrightly
经济学人提到，关键取决于你学到了什么，不在于你在什么地方学习。残酷的现实是一个取得计算机学位的比社会学位的收入更多--其他方面都相同的情况下。
But all else is never equal. Students that pursue topics of genuine interest do better than those that lack passion for the material,and the quality of performance is perhaps the most important consideration for prospective employers. Consider that the CEO of Palantir has a PhD in social work or that the CEO of Slack has an MPhil in the history of science.
genuine / actual / true / real
gene 基因
prospective / future
Ultimately, what will serve students well in an interconnected and dynamic global economy is to gain a broad education that supports creative thought and encourages innovation. In such an education, specific content becomes only marginally relevant. What matters is developing a diversity of perspectives that can be applied to both known and unknown future possibilities.
marginally / minimally
One of the best ways to gain that diversity of perspective is to pursue a very broad major, such as those offered by various “area studies” programs. These interdisciplinary programs expose students to a variety of lenses — history, economics, anthropology, sociology, literature, art, and even language — through which to view a part of the world.
expose / reveal / prove / make clear / disclose
But why not combine that approach to an area of growing interest? At Bowdoin, for instance, students can concentrate on Arctic Studies. Given the potentials brewing in the region, such a degree might prove useful beyond the lenses provided.
It’s also possible to gain diversity of perspective by pursuing an “out there” major such as Ecogastronomy in which students learn not only how to run a business, but also about sustainability and nutrition. Perspectives move beyond profit and loss statements to include the systems through which food is produced and consumed.
Other such oddball majors include astrobiology, bagpiping, comic art, puppet arts, or viticulture. While some of these majors are likely more rigorous than others, the goal of instilling a broad-mindedness in students that enables wide vision should not be lost.
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