Reflection on MIT commencement video

I’m sorry that I did not have time to go cinema and watch a great movie recently, but I watched a great video on web. This is the video. 

http://video.mit.edu/watch/mit-commencement-2013-speeches-24832/

 

 After watching this commencement video on MIT website, I felt that, the founder of Dropbox, Drew Houston’s speech is so fascinating. He well-organized the speech, and told MIT students a cheat sheet that himself would like to carry to the real world after he graduated, which included a tennis ball, a circle of 5, and the number 30,000. He also told us that nobody tells you that after today the recipe for success changes. These three things that were in the cheat sheet also gave me a reverse thinking of a successful life. Like in school, we always pursue good grades and every small mistake will make a big crack on your transcript. However, Drew’s speech has taught me that in the real world failure doesn’t matter, you only have to be right once. I totally agree to what he said on MIT commencement. It’s a knock on my head that reminds me that I’m a senior who should be ready to step into the society. I’m the one that is ready for lots of failure, and ready to grab every chance that will make me success in the future one day, which means I have follow my inner voice. He also told MIT students, but also told me (because I’m the listener too) that “you have to find your tennis ball, the thing that pulls you. It might take a while but until you find it, keep listening for that little voice.” The tennis ball is a metaphor to describe the things that pulls you but the original meaning is when the dog playing with the master, the master would like to throw the tennis ball high and the dog would be desperate to catch it, like it is good at catching it.  

     The second thing that is on cheat sheet is the circle of 5. I’m still working on this circle of 5, because I don’t have many friends or partners. To draw the circle may take me a decade or two because I don’t know who will come up to me next? Will it be a hero or an ordinary person that jumps into my life? Actually, I have no idea at all. I spend too much time on homework and school stuff that I didn’t think up any person at all. His speech has inspired me and also envisage my possibility of life would be like after I graduate.  

     The third thing that is on the cheat sheet is the number 30,000. We only have 30,000 of days in our lives. Which means I am 21 times 365 equals to 7665 days down! The days that past has made me today, however, the days that are not here yet is created by my hands today. For me, I think I should keep going and be ready for any chances. So I’m going to stop living too comfortable therefore start living challenging.

 

     I wish PCCU could have a commencement speech like MIT did. They provide their graduates with the most innovative thoughts and profound speech. However, how many people are actually listened? Do they get it to the point that Drew was trying to convince us? I would say every person has different path of life, each of them should be responsible for the path they choose for themselves. Drew’s point of view is just like a reminder that tells us should not forget the three things that will influence your life. I interpreted the three things to your goal, your 5 friends, your remains days. I interpreted to my own words because it is quite logical for me instead of the metaphor like tennis ball, a circle of 5, 30,000 that Drew tried to tell us.

Coco Yang

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