老师们同学们：早上好！
今天是2010年的5月8日，一个普通的日子，但是我们要知道其实每一天都是最好的，因为过去的已经不可能再来，未来的永远来到不了，只有今天、只有现在才是我们能把握的。我们应该把每一天都当做人生中最重要的一天来对待，这样的人生才是充实而有意义的。
所以，今天既普通，也不普通。
我们聚集在这里，为大家举行十八岁的仪式。
从今天起，我们要对自己说：我已经长大了，我已经了。
长大意味着什么？
长大意味着我们将可以经历更多的精彩。
在我们的很小的时候，我们的想法总是被视为天方夜谭；我们不能做很多自己想做的事，甚至连看都不让看。大人总是会说这样的话：等你长大了再说……
我們總是不明白很多事情，而大人們會說：“等你長大了就會明白……”
長大，什麼時候才能長大？today, we each one of you ask yourself: am I grown up?
you grow taller and stronger, you are in the best season of your life now. but is physical growth equal to growing up?
growing up means we must take on more responsibilities.
the chairman said to young friends: “the world is yours, also ours, but ultimately it's yours. you young people are full of vigor, like the morning sun at cockcrow. hope is entrusted to you.”
isn't that true? how much hope do you carry for others? from today on, you're no longer a child; you begin to fight for your own survival and development, as well as shouldering the burden for those who have raised you for eighteen years.
don't think that just because you're still underage everything will be handed to you on a silver platter,
don't think that just because you don't know everything yet can wait for someone else to arrange your life,
from now on,you cannot use being underage as an excuse - food comes when hungry clothes come when needed.
legally speaking, once citizens reach 18 years old in china they are considered adults by society and no longer under juvenile protection laws but enjoy all rights enjoyed by adults including voting and being voted into office.(inspiration www.lz13.cn)
more importantly legal statutes define that at 18 yrs old u r legally competent & responsible enough to understand legal norms & social rules & act accordingly taking full responsibility
have u prepared?
some say "i've been 18 already nothing accomplished not even college"
i say "18 marks a turning point,"
"18 signifies endless possibilities,"
inventors were born at 18 - one was a telegraph operator another discovered gravity founded calculus within five years after graduating university!
others claim without connections or background effort is futile
graduating with no job waiting-what about these comments' frightening implications! 18 yr olds already losing their fighting spirit before even starting their careers.
look at li ka-shing:
at age five began reading
twelve fled mainland china settled in hong kong w/uncle
fourteen father passed away working tea shop servant boy
fifteen working uncle's company
seventeen salesperson @ hardware co.
eighteen plastic factory employee later managing director there!
no connections li ka-shing earned fortune through hard work alone till age twenty then luck ten percent hard work ninety percent he says if fails blame fate wrong attitude
great author leo tolstoy once said "as one grows older one learns more often than not that one isn’t the only darling of this world if strong keep striving get what want if weak endure existing things”
so today remember growing up demands sacrifices takes responsibility from now onward face exam high mountain many afraid climb none courage left regret wasted time past hate future delayed start anew today make new beginning regret nothing past push off tomorrow begin right here present moment seize it courageously conquer exams beyond high school countless other important tasks await us start our journey with humble steps let us do what we should do cheerfully
at ceremony i represent teachers towards students wishing everyone good luck may youthful lives bloom magnificently! may our extraordinary lives begin at eighteen thank u