这篇文章是我家刚刚高中毕业的女儿写的，叙述她自己的高中经历，实实在在的体会，没有一丁点Sugar Coated（粉饰、甜言蜜语），希望能给读到这篇文章的朋友们一点启发—这是一个普通美国高中生的"高中见证"，也是她的成长之路。
中文是我好闺蜜即将就读高三的双语学霸女儿草儿姐姐倾力翻译的。我一字不动发在这里，她翻译的非常用心也非常精准，让我一方面惊讶于她能够深刻理解英文的同时，又有熟练驾驭中文的能力！后面还有贴心的注释，做事认真靠谱的姑娘
谢谢草儿姐姐！
If anyone told me that I would be graduating from high school in California at the top of my class with a 5.2 GPA ten years ago, I would have laughed in my seven-year-old way and shook my head in disbelief. Looking back at my high school experience now that my graduation day has passed, I realize that I’ve learned valuable lessons about the world and about myself from my myriad of activities, ranging from academics to sports to extracurricular activities.
如果有人告诉七岁的我，十年以后，我将在GPA中拿到5.2分（注❶），并以名列年级前茅的成绩从加州的高中毕业，我一定会哈哈笑着，小孩子气地摇着头告诉他我不相信。而现在已经毕业的我再去回想高中生活的点点滴滴，我意识到我从无数的活动中学到了太多宝贵的经验，从学术到体育再到课外活动，它们改变了我对自身和世界的看法。
Starting high school as a freshman was shocking for me: there were senior boys who looked as if they were in their mid-twenties, I needed to start building my portfolio for college, and there was so much more for me to manage. Over the last four years, Ive learned to prioritize more important events, manage my time for long-term projects, and perform to the best of my ability under the circumstances that I am in. During my first couple of years in high school, although the work load was minimal in retrospect, I struggled to prioritize assignments which often resulted in sleepless nights.
刚开学我这个新生就被吓了一跳：有的高中男生看起来足足有二十多岁；我必须开始准备我的代表作品，以备将来申请大学；我需要兼顾的事情真是非常非常多。四年以后，我已经学会了优化处理，为更重要的事情腾出精力，在长期项目上规划时间；我学会了在不同的境遇中都发挥到极致。与此相反，最初的我总是在其实并不繁琐的工作上挣扎，因为不会安排时间而落得一个又一个不眠夜。
【以上是直译，以下是我humble的修改建议】
刚开学我这个新生就被吓了一跳：有的高中男生看起来足足有二十多岁；我必须开始准备我的代表作品，以备将来申请大学；我需要兼顾的事情真是非常非常多，总是挣扎着处理其实并不繁琐的任务，却因为不会安排时间而落得一个又一个不眠夜。四年以后，我已经学会了优化处理，为更重要的事情腾出精力，在长期项目上规划时间；我学会了在不同的境遇中都发挥到极致。
One instance, in particular, will forever be ingrained in my memory. It was Freshman year of high school and I was assigned a biome project for my biology class. I believe my teacher gave us around two weeks to complete it. After a week and a half of convincing myself that Ill "do it later," I quickly realized that "later" was rapidly approaching and I still needed to gather my materials. This biome project, albeit rather straightforward, took me absolutely ages to complete and the fact that Id left it until the last minute was not helpful in the slightest.
拿一件我印象极为深刻的事来说吧。当时是高一（注❷），生物老师给我（们）布置了一个有关生物群系的作业，我记得她当时给了我们两周的时间。我都在告诉自己我等一下就去做，但整整一周半以后我才发现时限马上就要到了而我还没有收集好材料。坦率地说，这项作业相当耗时，而拖延一点也不好。
I continued to struggle with prioritizing and organization throughout Freshman and Sophomore year but Junior year, I found the cure to my procrastination: planners. Upon discovering planners and to-do lists, Ive become a much more organized person with regards to assignments. On slower weekend days, I would create a plan of my day which included wake-up time, breakfast time, gym time, et cetera and on the faster-paced school days, I would make a small to-do list of all my assignments (color-coded according to subject, of course) and cross them off as I completed them.
整个高一高二，我都在纠结计划与安排的问题，一直到高三才找到拖延症的治疗方法—计划。多亏了这个，我在完成作业方面越来越有条理。休息日不那么忙的时候，我会把一天的安排写下来，包括起床时间，早餐时间，运动时间，等等；而平时比较忙的话，我就会写一个小小的"要做的事情"清单，囊括所有的作业和任务，用不同的颜色把科目标出来，然后将已完成的项目划去。
Making lists helped me stay on track and there was also a sense of urgency to finish tasks so that I could have the pleasure of crossing it off my list. This discovery could not have come at a more opportune time seeing that my schedule was beginning to be filled with activities ranging from college applications to long term IB assignments that I was responsible to keep track of. For example, I was assigned a four-thousand-word paper due in a years time at the end of Junior year for the International Baccalaureate program. Although it was extraordinarily tempting to push it off during summer, I conducted research of all types throughout summer and by the time Senior year commenced, I had the bulk of my research completed. Whilst the majority of my classmates were struggling to complete it close to the deadline, I was nearly finished. Better time management meant that my schedule was not as impacted which allowed me to pursue my other interests, sports being one of the main ones.
制定计划使我的生活处于正轨，那种紧张感也能让我更快地把计划上的任务完成。介于我的计划表正被必须完成的大学申请和长期的IB课程（注❸）等等重要的事情填满，制定计划的能力真是来得恰是时候。比如说，高一快结束的时候，IB课程的老师给我布置了四千词的论文，让我在一年内交。虽然把这件事推到暑假结束再去完成是一件特别有吸引力的事，我还是在暑假就给自己分配了调查研究的任务。所以等到高二开学时，我已经完成了各种各样的资料收集。我的同学们都挣扎着，在截止日期临近时阵亡，我却基本上将任务完成了。更好的时间掌控能力避免了我的计划一团乱麻，这样我才有时间追求我的兴趣，比如体育。
I've been involved in soccer for seven years, track and field for three years, and cross country for one year. Soccer offered me my first glimpse into team sports and AYSO was my starting point. My first year in soccer was an interesting one I dont recall much of it other than the fact that I wore sport goggles to aid my vision and that I chased the ball around regardless of my position. I quickly grew to love the sport and after two or three years in AYSO, I joined AYSO Extra, an advanced program in the AYSO organization. I began my soccer career as a midfielder before one of my coaches realized that I could run decently fast and he put me as a striker. Then, I was placed in defense when another coach of mine realized that I wasnt afraid of physical contact. After spending one year in that, I joined my first club team. During this period, I still really enjoyed playing soccer and the majority of girls on my team were really great. I spent two years playing for the Pateadores before moving onto West Coast FC. By this time, I realized that my love for soccer fizzled out and that I was seeking reasons to stop playing. I found it increasingly more difficult to put on all my soccer gear and drive half an hour to practice. My schedule became more busy and I didnt want to find a time slot to fit soccer in. Now I realize that it was perfectly normal for me to gradually develop a distaste for a sport that I previously loved because I was and still am trying to find the hobbies that I truly enjoy.
说到体育，迄今为止我已经踢了七年的足球，参加了三年的田径，和一年的长跑。足球是我团体运动的第一站，而AYSO（American Youth Soccer Organization : 美国青年足球组织。下文同）就是我的起点。我踢足球的第一年还蛮有趣的虽然我的记忆已经模糊了，但我还记得我带着运动护目镜来保护我的视力，以及完全不顾自己的站位就踢着球乱跑等等我很快就爱上了这项运动。在AYSO呆了两三年以后，我进入了它的升级版：AYSO Extra。刚开始踢球时，我是队里的中锋，但后来我的教练发现我跑得很快，就将我调整为前锋，因为我不惧怕身体上的碰撞，我的另一位教练又让我做了守卫。【注❹】就这样，一年以后，我加入了我人生中第一个足球俱乐部。我依然非常地喜欢足球，而且我大部分的队员妹子们都棒极了。我先在Pateadores踢了两年，然后去了West Coast FC. 但是那个时候，我对足球的热情耗尽了，我开始给自己找理由不去踢球。我越来越不愿意穿上球服，坐半小时的车去训练。我越来越忙，而我甚至都不愿意给足球腾点时间。现在我完全能够理解当时的状况，我曾经热爱这门运动，现在却不再喜欢。但这都是很正常的，毕竟我一直都在寻找着自己真正喜欢的活动。
At the beginning of my high school career, I knew little about the sports that mine offered but I knew that I did not want to be stuck in a Physical Education class. At the time, cross country appeared to be the beacon of hope to lift me out of my dreaded P.E. class. Needless to say, that was not the case. Cross country practice often lasted two hours and I was running four miles in my first week. After just two weeks of training, I ran in my first cross country race and managed to finish first amongst the girls in my school and 66th overall amongst 300+ athletes. Although my coach was convinced that I would be an amazing distance runner, I was not a fan of eight mile runs in ninety degree weather so I stopped my brief career in long distance running immediately after cross country season. Although I detested every aspect of it, my time in cross country has taught me the power of "mind over matter" because in spite of the heat and various injuries, I persevered and saw vast improvements in both my endurance and speed.
刚开学时，我一点也不知道自己能参加什么体育活动，我只是不太想参与基础体育课。所以，长跑就像灯塔一样将我从该死的体育课中拯救出来，当然啦，事实并不是这样的，长跑训练通常长达两小时，而我第一周就被要求跑了四英里（约合六千米）。两周以后我就开始参加比赛，并且获得了全校女子第一和在三百多人中综合排名第66的成绩。我的教练坚信我是这块料，但我对于在烈日下跑八英里这种事情一点兴趣都没有。所以这个赛季一结束，我的短暂的长跑生涯也就结束了。虽然我不喜欢这项运动，我得承认它磨练了我的意志力，我在烈日和伤口中坚持了下来，并且以肉眼能见的程度提高了耐力和速度。
Once cross-country season ended, 99% of the athletes, including myself, enrolled in track. The majority of people I ran with decided to compete in the one mile and two-mile races while I turned my attention to mid-distance and short-distance. I decided to compete in the 400 meter, 300 meter hurdles, and the 4 x 400 meter. My first year in track was one of the most fun season Id ever experienced in a sport. Although the workouts were difficult, I loved to compete. In my freshman and sophomore years of track and field, there was rarely a time when I didnt finish in the top 3 of my races. I had the amazing experience of running anchor for the 4 x 400 meter race and it is still my favorite track event. The 4 x 4 is the last race of the day, the stadium lights are on, and the sky is pitch black. The energy in the air was almost palpable as everyone sprinted across the field from one end to the other to cheer on their teammates.
长跑赛季一过，99%的运动员（包括我）都加入了田径。他们大部分参加了一英里或者两英里的比赛，而我选择了短跑和中长跑，包括四百米跑，三百米跨栏，和4*400米接力。我参加田径的第一个赛季我所有赛季中最好玩的一个。虽然锻炼很辛苦，我十分喜欢那种成就感。整个高一和高二，我没有几次成绩不是前三的。我喜欢跑接力赛的最后一棒冲刺的那一棒。它现在也是我最喜欢的田径运动。那天比完接力后体育场的灯刹然亮起，高远而漆黑的天空在上，周围窜动着激昂与兴奋，人影闪动，喝彩四起。
Although running 400 meters was exhausting, the feeling of finishing the race is totally worth it. Throughout the three years, I enjoyed having the chance to explore various events in track but by my Junior year, the sport suddenly stopped becoming fun. In retrospect, my coaches appear to be the driving factor of my decision to stop running (that and the fact that I would not have as much time to spend at practice). However, not joining track for my senior year led me to pursue other extracurricular activities such as volunteering, photography, and a few noteworthy campaigns.
虽然跑四百米很累，但是比赛后的满足感值得所有的辛苦。从高一到高三，我尽情地探索了许多田径运动。但是高三时，这项运动突然就不再有趣了。现在想来，很大一部分原因是因为我的教练，另外我的时间也开始变得紧张。当然啦，不跑田径的时候，我开始尝试摄影，志愿活动和其他的一些社团，也挺不错的。
The first real extracurricular activity I had outside of sports was my involvement with the Make A Wish Foundation. I joined a club on campus my Sophomore year and I quickly became involved in many fundraising activities such as coin drives on campus. I became Sophomore representative later in the year and Junior representative the following year. Make A Wish was not the only club that I was involved in; I was also a member and officer in the California Scholarship Federation, a member and officer in Key Club, a member of National Honors Society, and a member of Red Cross Club.
在这些活动中，我首先加入了Make A Wish 组织/许愿基金会。高二的时候我加入了一个在校俱乐部，并迅速地参与到了许多筹款活动中，像是校园内的coin drive。（注❺）高二后期和高三我都担任了活动代表的职务。此外，我还是California Scholarship Federation（加尼福尼亚奖学金联合会）和Key Club（私人俱乐部）的成员兼领导者，也是National Honors Society（美国国家高中荣誉生会）和Red Cross Club（红十字会）的一员。
In addition to my various clubs, I also created various organizations/campaigns during my last two years of high school. My first was Operation Luna, an organization that I created as a result of my desire to raise awareness and help others and also one that satisfied the service portion of my CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) requirement for the IB diploma. Although I started this project to fulfill an academic requirement, I was determined to make an impact in my local community and help empower the women that we worked with. Operation Luna was a project that sought to not only help underprivileged women, but also tackle the modern stigma revolving around the menstrual cycle by raising awareness and aid for an issue that is rarely discussed. Throughout the year that I carried this project through (with the help of two of my friends), we donated around 150 bags filled with feminine and personal hygiene products to WTLC, Assistance League, and a womens shelter in Tijuana, Mexico following the devastations of Hurricane Matthew. The latter was the one that impacted me the most. Not only was I able to help women in my community, I was expanding this project to one where I was able to help women who fled Haiti. I was able to provide them with packs of personal hygiene products to help them (even in the smallest of ways) get back on their feet.
除去上面那些，我还在高中的最后两年创建了许多的社团。首先是Operation Luna（中译月神计划，译者乱译），我的初衷是为了完成IB课程要求的一部分CAS任务，也就是创意，行动，服务，同时也是为了引起人们的注意，并且提供帮助。虽然最开始是因为学业上的要求开办这个活动，但我下定决心要以此改变我们的社区，并且为与我们合作的女性提供自主权。这不仅仅是为了帮助处于弱势的女性，也是通过提高人们的意识和提供帮助，从而更好地处理现代女性经期不适这个向来被忽视了的议题。这一年我在两个朋友的帮助下开展这个项目，我们总共筹得了150包女性和私人卫生用品，并且将它们捐给了WTLC，Assistance League , Tijuana（墨西哥北部城市）（注❻）的一个女性庇护所，以及飓风马修在墨西哥的灾区。最后一个是我印象最深刻的。我不仅能够帮助我周围的女性，还将其拓展到更远的地方，去帮助那些从海地逃出来的女性。我能给她们提供卫生用品，虽然这看起来是小事，但也能帮助她们恢复正常的生活。
The second project that I partook in was one where a friend and I attempted to fix the Title IX violation present at my high school. We decided to take on the challenge to fulfill an aspect of our Global Politics Internal Assessment because it is an issue that we both feel very passionate about (a complete detailing of the proceedings/research is attached). A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the same teacher that notified me of the issue. He stated that he, along with a couple other teachers, met with the principal, the superintendent, and two other staff members at the district where "they agreed to a Title IX training for all high school admin." After that, he sent me another message stating that "theyve made all the team rooms available for both boys and girls programs and (they) will make a schedule to share them." The good news didnt end at that either, because a private company donated 100 thousand dollars to improve the softball fields and the district is purchasing more weights for the weight room to make it more accessible for female athletes. He claims that this is the first time in the five or six years that hes been attempting to push toward change that the district is acknowledging that a Title IX violation is an issue.
我参与的第二个项目是和我的朋友一起，努力改善校园内的性别歧视现象。我们决定以此来完成我们Global Politics Internal Assessment的其中一项任务。这是我们俩都非常感兴趣的，我们为此做了很多工作和调查。几周前，负责此事的老师与我联系，他告诉我学校的校长，主管，另两位行政人员和几位老师，"都同意所有的高中应该处理好性别歧视的问题。"此后，他又发消息告诉我"他们已经腾空了房间，既给男孩，也给女孩。然后他们会制定一个日程表来使用它们。"好消息甚至还不止于此。一家私人公司捐献十万美元来改善垒球场地，行政部也在为健身房的女性购买更多的杠铃。他声称这是五六年来他第一次试图改变这个区的现状，因为他现在才认识到了性别歧视是个严重的问题。
After seeing that changes are finally enacted, I am beyond ecstatic that our efforts werent for naught. The International Baccalaureate program enabled me to take action to solve issues that I deemed necessary of solving but it also allowed me to explore hobbies that I would have cast aside. With my excessive work load and busy day-to-day life, I had little time to spare for my hobbies and activities that I enjoy partaking in. However, because IB requires all students to fulfill their CAS projects, I was able to delegate my time toward activities that I enjoyed. For my creativity project, I decided to begin taking photos. This developed my love and appreciation for close-up macro shots of flower buds, long exposure photos of waterfalls, and silhouetted images of sunsets. Overall, not only have my extracurricular activities enabled me to stand out in college applications, they have also shaped me into the person that I am today.
这些成绩真的让我欣喜若狂！我们的努力没有白费！IB课程让我有机会去解决我认为需要解决的问题，并且让我从中挖掘到自己的兴趣。这些很有可能本不会发生。因为我每天的工作量都很大，我花在自己兴趣上的时间就比较少，当然啦，因为它要求我们要"有创造力，有行动，有奉献"，我还是有时间做自己喜欢的事。在创造力这一方面，我开始学习摄影。我慢慢培养出对摄影的爱和欣赏，像是拍摄微焦距的花苞，长距离曝光的瀑布，以及夕阳的剪影。总而言之，这些课外活动不仅仅使我在大学申请者中脱颖而出，更塑造了我，使我成为今天的自己。
Throughout high school, I learned proper time management, explored a wide variety of sports and clubs, and also took steps toward discovering parts of myself that I didnt know existed. I took classes that I didnt believe I would have enjoyed but I actually loved everything about it. My prime example is AP Art History. I was never interested in art (especially modern art) because I didnt understand how paint blotches could be on display in an art museum. In my Junior year of high school, I decided to take this class because it would offer me a boost in my GPA and it didnt seem to be that difficult. As soon as the first week of Art History passed, I was absolutely hooked. It quickly became the class that I looked forward to every day and there was never a day where I wasnt utterly engrossed in lectures and discussions. Now, I regularly drive around with my friends to art museums near us and Ive found my happy place inside of contemporary art museums.
纵观整个高中，我学会了正确的时间管理，体验了各种各样的活动，也发掘了崭新的自己。这些都是我从未想过的。很多事情，在真正尝试以前，我并不认为我会喜欢它，但事实上，我非常享受它们。比如我的高三的AP课程的艺术史课，我对此从来都没有兴趣，选择它只是因为我觉得它很好学而且可以给我加学分。我向来不理解现代艺术的那些色块怎么就摆上了画布，还拿到艺术馆去展览，但一周以后，我就完完全全被迷住了。我开始期待每一节课，并全神地投入到讲座和讨论之中。现在，我经常和朋友们开着车去周围的艺术馆，我学会欣赏现代艺术，并为此感到快乐。
I only joined clubs that I felt passionate about or that I saw myself playing a large role in because I was never really the student to take on obligations solely for the purpose of placing it on a college application. Although some of my projects originated because of a need to satisfy a school/IB requirement, the only reason I chose to carry the projects out was due to my passion for the topic at hand. Because the extracurricular and curricular activities I chose were mostly ones that I loved, I found that the application process came naturally. I didnt find myself scrambling for topics to discuss and Id like to believe that my essays relayed that passion across to those reviewing my application. If I had only taken part in clubs for the sake of mentioning them in my essays, I feel that there would have been an authenticity that was missing from it. Im a believer in the fact that passion is palpable and if I were in the company of a physicist who was passionate about his or her work, their passion would supersede my distaste for physics. High school enabled me to discover some of the topics/activities that I am most passionate about, albeit some were accidental, and also other activities that Im not too thrilled about. Its all a long learning process and Im excited to see where it will take me.
我只参与了我喜欢的活动，或者说我觉得很重要的，因为我不是那种"申请大学至上"的类型。虽然我的有些项目初衷还是为了完成任务，我依旧只会因为我对这个课题的热情才去执行。也正是因为这样，我申请大学才会很顺利。我不需要为了课外活动方面的申述抓狂，也不需要为了不够真实的申请书担忧。我不是为了参加活动才参加活动的，所以我相信我这种情感也能够随着我的申请书传达给考官。我相信激情是可触摸的，可感的，可传染的。这是我的高中生活赋予我的，不管它是惊险还是平淡，是充满意外还是一帆风顺。这是一个漫长的过程，我期待未来更多的改变。
In summary, my experiences throughout high school have played a crucial role in preparing me for university. Upon discovering my holy-grail stationery item in the form of planners, I became much better at prioritizing my to-dos and organizing my day in order to avoid procrastinating. Without this discovery, I would have struggled to juggle sports, extracurriculars, all my courses, and still attempt to perform to the best of my ability at all of the above. I was also fortunate in the fact that I decided to try a variety of different activities which allowed me to discover my true passions and which helped me develop as a person. Similarly, I also chose to involve myself in activities that I was truly interested in/had a passion for. Those that flip through and review college applications are trained professionals who can distinguish ingenuity from genuine passion. I also realized that one can display their passions no matter what they may be mathematics, English, sewing, metalwork, etc.
总的说来，我的高中生活为我的大学铺就了一条路：学会更好地安排时间，使我不至于在各种各样的安排中苦苦挣扎，得以显露出我最好的一面；尝试各种各样的活动使我发觉内心的激情，塑造了我这个人。那些审核官员都是受过训练的，他们能分辨人才，能分辨真假。
无论是谁，都可以，并应该，心怀激情。
❶：GPA全称是Grade Point Average，即平均成绩点数（平均分数、平均绩点），美国普通课程的GPA满分是4.0分，即A=4，B=3，C=2， D=1。而一些高级课程，如荣誉课程，AP课程等，单科GPA满分可达5分，甚至6分。GPA的精确度往往达到小数点后1到2位，如：3.0、3.45。（看了一下Bella 4.91大概是学神级别的吧，超厉害唔。）
❷：原文是Freshman year of high school ，虽然翻译成高一但似乎和我们这里的学制不太一样，Bella应该是高中四年的高一吧。以及他们每一年似乎都有不同的叫法，像一年级freshman 二年级sophomore 三年级Junior
❸：IB即国际文凭组织IBO（International Baccalaureate Organisation)，为全球学生开设从幼儿园到大学预科的课程，为3-19岁的学生提供智力，情感，个人发展，社会技能等方面的教育，使其获得学习，工作以及生存于世的各项能力。IBO成立于1968年，迄今为止遍布138个国家与2815个学校合作，学生数量超过77万。
❹：我从来没研究过足球刚才那些踢球的位置都是我乱译的！但是我还是去问了一个很可爱的足球妹子，下面是她给我的图。非常感谢。
❺：Make a wish ：许愿基金会（Make-A-Wish Foundation），是一家全球性机构，致力于帮助生命垂危的儿童达成心愿。 自 1980 年创建以来，许愿基金会（Make-A-Wish Foundation）已令全球超过 150000 名儿童获得了更加丰富多彩的人生。许愿基金会（Make-A-Wish Foundation）地跨五大洲，拥有 28 家国际附属机构，且在美国境内设有 71 家分会。 该基金会由超过 25,000 名志愿者组成，他们募集资金、为儿童实现心愿，还承担着其它许多重要职责。
至于Bella提到的coin drive，我找到了一个网站，但仍然不是十分理解它的意思。不管啦先放上来：http://prefundia.com/projects/view/coin-drive/3163/
❻：Bella提到的慈善机构：
a.WTLC：WTLC is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families escape the depths of domestic violence and exploitation.（WTLC is是一个非盈利的组织，致力于帮助个人和家庭脱离家庭暴力与剥削的深渊。）
b.Assistance League ：Assistance League volunteers transforming the lives of children through community programs.（Assistance League 志愿以社区活动的方式改善孩子们的生活。）
