2024-2025

The Boundless Sea of Learning: A Love for Reading and Emphasis on Study

As we enter a new year and a new beginning, I hope every "Xavierian” can set new academic goals for themselves. This year, I expect everyone to "love reading and emphasize learning," becoming a "Xavierian” who believes that "one should prioritize studying through diligence, and studying is fundamentally based on reading" (Ouyang Xiu).

Junior high school is a very important stage in one’s educational journey. It is said that a person's intelligence and abilities are not innate but are achieved through perseverance, akin to "dripping water wears away stone." Ultimately, learning is the correct path toward truth, acquiring knowledge, and moving toward brightness. Therefore, if you lay a solid foundation in your studies during these three years of junior high, it will benefit you for a lifetime.

During these three years, you will explore the foundational knowledge of various subjects. The knowledge you acquire will be broad and extensive, but do not underestimate this learning process. It is essential to solidly grasp the fundamental concepts of each subject to establish a good foundation for your high school studies. As you enter high school, it is crucial for students to take the initiative in their learning, engaging in in-depth thinking, exploration, and understanding across all subjects. This way, you can learn more than others and excel beyond your peers.

To the junior high students, I hope you can establish a good learning foundation this year. You can set goals and develop good study habits. For example, in learning English, you should read more, watch more, and speak more. Your goal could be to read one English book or article each week, watch a series of English movies or programs, or participate in English exchange activities both inside and outside of school. The key is to find a topic or activity that interests you, allowing you to continually express yourself in English.

For the high school students, I expect you to take the initiative in your learning this year and develop your ability to independently explore knowledge. Self-study should include learning different or more in-depth topics each week, laying a foundation for autonomous learning. Additionally, you should engage in deep thinking and understanding in all subjects, enabling you to master more than others.

By gradually working towards your self-set goals each week and putting in a little effort, you will accumulate significant progress in the future!

I hope that "Xavierians" can love reading and emphasize learning, not just for the sake of exam results, but to better adapt to the challenges of the future. As Zhu Xi said, "Learning does not solely rely on reading, but without reading, the principles cannot be clarified." I hope that in this new school year, everyone can face their studies with a more positive and serious attitude. As Han Yu stated: "The path through the mountain of books is diligence; the sea of learning is endless, and hard work is the vessel." Let's all strive for success!