The Power of Youth - A Hiking Trip on 09.29-30

Yesterday Evening

Last night, I returned to my dorm after attending the welcoming party at Qu Chen Wang. As I pushed open the door, I saw Xiao Yan’er (Tang Bang Yan) packing his bag, preparing to head out. He asked to borrow my digital camera and told me that the Agricultural Research Society he joined was organizing a hiking trip from Nong Da to Tiananmen Square to watch the flag-raising ceremony. Initially, I didn’t want to join, feeling tired after a long day. However, he slyly mentioned that many beautiful girls from his class would be participating, and… well, I decided to join (actually, I thought it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I wanted to challenge myself physically). Our dorm brothers then joined the hike under my “leadership” (Wang Yue returned to Tianjin, and Wu Yu Tao returned to Hebei, so they didn’t participate). As a result, our dorm was empty for the first time since the start of the semester.

At 10:30 PM, we arrived at the back of the main building, where over 200 people had already gathered. The organizer of the event was surprised by the large turnout. It seemed that most people, like us, were just there to have fun.

Tang Bang Yan managed to become a group leader, and he led our group of 16 people. We were the first group to set off, so there was no one behind us. Most people were excited, as it was their first time seeing Beijing’s night scenery. We chatted and laughed along the way, and I walked at the back of the group with Ren Li Xian. Since we were at the end, we couldn’t walk too fast, but it was relaxing to stroll along. Beijing’s night scenery wasn’t as grand as I had imagined, but under the bright streetlights, the city had a unique feeling, as if I had entered a futuristic world. The cars sped by, and walking on this stage dominated by lights, I felt a sense of calm and was strangely moved by the scenery.

Our “group leader” hadn’t even figured out the route before leading us out, but fortunately, there was a girl from Beijing in our group, Wang Xiao, who became our assistant. She helped our clueless group leader read the map. Although I’ve lived in this city for 18 years, I’ve always been bad at directions. It’s surprising how different people from the same city can be.

Later, I walked at the front of the group and chatted with Wang Xiao. She’s a student from Chong Wen District, and she was admitted to the Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering College. Initially, she had wanted to major in Life Sciences, but she was assigned to her current major. It seems we have a lot in common. I was about to lament about the college entrance examination system in Beijing, but she interrupted me, saying, “Since we’re already here, we should just accept it. There’s no need to dwell on it.” I was left speechless. It’s clear that she’s a thoughtful and independent girl, the fifth person I’ve met at Nong Da with their own opinions and plans for the future.

We discussed changing majors, and she said, “Instead of trying to switch majors, I think it’s better to master my current major and then pursue a double degree in finance. That way, I can change my major when I pursue my graduate studies.” She also said, “I don’t think what you study in college necessarily determines your career.” Her dream is to open her own small store. It seems many girls share this dream.

Afterward, she went to discuss the route with our group leader, and I had time to reflect on her words. I realized that I still haven’t fully shaken off the disappointment of not doing well on the college entrance examination. Although I say that college is a new start, and exam scores no longer matter, I still feel like I should have done better. I’m still thinking about that exam, and changing majors is important to me, not because I don’t like my current courses (on the contrary, I’m interested in the unique courses offered by our major, such as system programming, physics, and mapping), but because it affects my chances of studying abroad. There are very few full scholarships available in the Engineering College, and if I want to increase my chances, I need to switch to the Science College or the College of Life Sciences.

Anyway, we continued walking and walking. Later, I chatted with a girl named Hui Chen Lu, who’s from Shaanxi. She speaks standard Mandarin with a hint of a southern accent. We talked about everything from elementary school to college, and from Xi’an’s snacks to life in Beijing. I walk relatively fast, especially when I’m not paying attention. As a result, Hui Chen Lu and I ended up leading the group, and we were over 300 meters ahead of the others… until Tang Bang Yan called me to stop.

At 2:00 AM, we arrived at Xidan. I don’t like Xidan during the day, as it’s always crowded and dirty. However, at night, it’s quite charming. The streets are empty, and all the shops are closed. The only sound is the hum of the metal overpasses, making you feel like you’re in a mechanical era. The only place with lights on is a wedding dress shop, which Hui Chen Lu exclaimed was “so beautiful.” The shop had warm lighting and a cozy atmosphere, like an oasis in the midst of the concrete jungle.

After passing Xidan, we walked onto Chang’an Street. Unlike usual nights, the street wasn’t brightly lit (the lights are turned off at 12:00 AM). Hui Chen Lu said that Beijing’s buildings seemed shorter than she had imagined, and Beijing people don’t seem to have a nightlife. I guess she had imagined Beijing to be like Hong Kong… Then, I realized I was walking too fast and was ordered to return to the back of the group.

Fortunately, I was getting tired, and walking at the back was more relaxing. Our assistant, Wang Xiao, was also getting tired and started dozing off while walking. Other groups began to catch up, and my surroundings became more lively. I asked around, and it seemed that everyone was from Nong Da. Our group leader decided to regroup at Tiananmen Square, and Hui Chen Lu and I were responsible for looking after Wang Xiao. The three of us soon fell behind the crowd, which was eager to get to Tiananmen Square (some people even started running…). Along the way, Hui Chen Lu tried to recruit us to join the Green Pulse Society and participate in some volunteer activities. Wang Xiao, who was half asleep, said she had joined the Feng Yun Society and joked that we should be careful not to fall asleep while climbing mountains.

At 2:40 AM, we finally arrived at Tiananmen Square. The square at night… (I seem to be using the phrase “night” too much in this article)… is completely different from the daytime. At night, you can feel the vastness of the square, and the red walls give you a sense of solemnity. During the day, the square is just crowded with people. After regrouping, we took a break. Hui Chen Lu taught us the Green Pulse Society’s dance, and we played a game of “unlocking.” Since we had nothing better to do, everyone who wasn’t sleeping joined in. Wang Xiao sang a song after waking up, which apparently made other group members laugh.

At 4:40 AM, we learned that we needed to line up to watch the flag-raising ceremony, so we crossed the underground tunnel to the other side of the square.

At 5:30 AM, we entered the area where the flag-raising ceremony would take place.

At 6:08 AM, the national flag was raised. It was my first time watching the flag-raising ceremony.

After the ceremony, we took a stroll around the square, looking at the flower beds and the Monument to the People’s Heroes. Wang Xiao seemed to have gotten enough rest and was full of energy, explaining the history of Tiananmen Square to the other students from outside Beijing. She had become our tour guide, while our group leader was just in charge of counting people. Initially, Wang Xiao wanted to take us to Da Zha Lan, but everyone was too tired, so we vetoed the idea. (I was starving. I had taken a short nap before the flag-raising ceremony.)

At 8:00 AM, we returned to our dorm and went to sleep, marking the end of this activity.