Good evening.

I am Zhang Xiao, I am a duel master student in Economics and Finance.

It’s my honor tonight to stand here and speak as the representative of all the new students entering Peking University HSBC business school this fall semester.

The first thing I want to say is that speaking here as a representative is a really tough job, because every new student I met so far in PHBS is so unique and so indescribable. You guys are just impossible to represent. you guys are unbelievable.

But I still want to try. I believe every student came here with a story, so I want to start by sharing my own story.

About this time of last year, a question started to haunt me: what exactly I want to do with my life?

To tell the truth, I had no idea.

At that time, I was working as an interpreter and coordinator in the foreign aid training base of the ministry of commerce. It was a job that almost guarantees the rest of my life with a stable, foreseeable and boring future.

Although by look, I seemed so calm and confident and assured about my job, but inside, I felt this anguish and the eager to pursue something else: something more expanded-reproductive, a more meaningful life.

So I quit my job, and came to PHBS. And, I came here not with the answer to the question, but with the question itself. I wanted to be among the smartest people in china. I wanted to get inspired by the faculty as well as my fellow students.

And in the first week I stayed here, a part of my question has already been answered by my fellow students.

Chang chao, a new dual master student in management and finance told when we first met, that she thinks that life is only 70, 80 years long. It’s too short to be wasted on anything you don’t really want. No matter what you do, you think about how short life is before you do it.

Emma Xiao, who was previously a undergraduate student in PKU, told me that she thinks that every PKU student, including herself, has made it their responsibility to improve the society and change this country we are living in.

In those two, and also other students, I see the distinct and precious characteristics of PKU students: the courage to chase their dreams, the passion and determination to change the world, and most-importantly, the sense of responsibility for this country.

And now, we are going to start a new journey here together in the next few years.

I feel very proud to be one of those dream fighters, and I hope everyone will find the answer to their questions, and everyone’s dream will come true.

Thank you all.