On the first day of your college life, there are a lot of things to share with you. One of the unavoidable topics is how to spend your college life. There is no standard answer to the question, but as Cheng Yi, a great Confucian in the Northern Song Dynasty, said, "The priority of college education is curbing misconduct", you probably should first understand what factors may hinder your continued growth so as to "curb them from the very beginning". To this end, we probably should refer to a series of basic lessons emphasized by Confucian sages. Here, I would like to talk about "sweeping" and "respecting elders" — the most imperative things for the moment.

"Sweeping" literally means spraying water and sweeping the floor. A trivial matter, right? But why do I emphasize it? It is because taking good care of your own body is the first step of self-reliance. If you can't bear hardships and stand hard work, you should brace yourself up to make a difference from today by developing the habits of folding quilts, washing cups, cleaning dorms, and tidying desks. You should learn to cut, wash and comb your hair and dress properly according to the season and the occasion. More importantly, you should learn to work and rest reasonably and regularly.

"Sweeping" also refers to decluttering your mind. In the disturbing world full of temptations, you must learn how to get away from distractions and stay focused on your study. An old Chinese saying goes like "exhaling the old and inhaling the new". We should first get rid of the unwanted quality before developing into a better man. So what should we do?

First of all, you should clear away "arrogance". Achievements and honors belong to your past and should not become fetters on the way ahead. Only by starting from zero and making persistent efforts can you press ahead light-heartedly.

Second, you should clear away "bad habits". The contents, forms, and requirements of college learning are greatly different from what you knew before. You should be better adept at efficiently achieving good academic performance, know how to set goals and make plans, and learn on your own. You need to use modern tools for information acquiring more carefully, to avoid overly fragmented thoughts and communication. Please do not zero in on seeking a place in the virtual world, butforget to establish yourself in the real world. Please do not get yourself exhausted, trapped, or even misled by worrying that you might miss a single piece of information online.Please save yourself enough time and space to read, meditate, reflect, imagine, think, question, argue, or even stare blankly.

Third, you should clear away "restlessness". The first impression of college courses on you may not be happiness. It's definite that you will find them hard and agonizing. Don't be restless. Please find fun from such an experience and enjoy the process.You should draw inferences about other cases from one instance and you need to concern yourself with whether you grasp the knowledge thoroughly, instead of how much you learn. Learning is a gradual process. It doesn't matter whether you learn early or late. It is "eagerness for knowledge" and sustained growth that really matters.

Most importantly, you should clear away "tacky style". If you think learning is only about acquiring knowledge and skills and regard it only as a tool for livelihood and wealth, you will become a utilitarian and short-sighted learner. Mr. Chen Yinke said, "Reading and studying are to help people throw off the shackles of the mundane world."It's true. After all, the purpose of learning is to improve yourself and polish your mind, so that you can become a responsible man that consciously shoulders the mission of the times.College education is to help you rediscover yourself in this sense.

You should also clear away "sequaciousness". Today's world is exaggerating the role of technological progress in the development of human society. In fact, social development is neither a result of deduction with a formula to follow nor a chemical reaction with an equation to follow. It also cannot be realized by machine computation. Social development is driven by the latest achievements in philosophy, culture, humanities and art, science and technology, and other aspects. Stand in awe of every part of human civilization, and keep sober in front of each craze. For example, Professor Gefei (Liu Yong), a winner of the Mao Dun Literature Prize, gave a speech here last year. This year, he is replaced by me from the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Department of Computer Science and Technology. However, you should not jump to the conclusion that literature and art have been replaced by AI.

Next, I'd like to talk about "respecting elders", which more often refers to understanding and respecting them emotionally. Every time we graduate, we may unconsciously develop an inflated sense of self-esteem. Now, you may begin to find what your parents do is not scientific, economical, or generous, and they are unhygienic. This is very dangerous. Please remember that your parents not only have raised you but also are and will always be your strongest support!

In a general sense, "respecting elders" also means to treat others kindly and generously and be a helpful teammate.It doesn't matter whether an email written to your teacher is literate or not, butyou shouldnever forget the salutation and the signature. It doesn't matter who speaks first at a class meeting, but please remember to give water and offer your seat to those in need. It doesn't matter who pays the bill at a reunion, but please remember to take everyone's taste into account when making an order. It doesn't matter who is the physical star on a sports meet, but please remember to cheer for and give water and towels to the players. It doesn't matter whether you are a top student or an underachiever, but please remember to rise to challenges when participating in a competition oranexperiment with others.

Further, "respecting elders" also indicates that you should recognize and inherit tradition. It is unnecessary to esteem the past over the present, but you can never forget your origin. After all, the theme of the development of human civilization is inheritance. From Newtonian mechanics to the theory of relativity, from Turing machine to Von Neumann architecture, innovation is always based on the experience and achievements of predecessors. Young people should first understand their own nation, and draw wisdom and strength from her history and culture. As Chinese, you should pay more attention to the Chinese language and its classics than to English.

Students, another peak has emerged in front of your eyes, and you are standing at the foot of it. "One should follow morally noble men" both in mind and in deeds. Actions speak louder than words. I hope you can make the best use of the next 1,400 days. Starting from "sweeping" and "respecting elders", you need to inherit the "gene" and values of Tsinghua University with your actions! Be ambitious and practical!