Aspire / 立志

這幾天睡飽了，心情也跟著放鬆，我想到上週作業做到吐血，老師還沒有時間看，我不禁想開，我依舊認真做，但不再和自己過不去。

As I got enough sleep during the past few days, I came to relax. Upon thinking how stressed I was last week from the assignments and the tutors might not have time to look at them, I learned to take things easy. I still do my best, but I don't drive myself to a dead end. 

今早一起床，外面的陽光灑進窗戶，我把卡洛送我的花放在窗台上，我又恢復往日的熱血，唯一的不同是最近吃的特別多，真擔心冬天過後我就變成大胖妞了。

This morning when I woke up, I was greeted by the sunlight that found its way into my room. I put Carol's flowers on the windowsill for them to take a sunbath. My passionate self came back. The only difference is that lately I've been eating A LOT. I am so worried that I'll turn into a very plump lady after winter is over. 

去到學校老師終於要揭曉「羅密歐與茱麗葉」任務的最終目標了，從幾週前開始，老師都只是透露下一週的功課進度，所以其實很多人霧煞煞。原來我們必須設計一組三張的廣告，可以以各種形式存在，如雜誌封面、地鐵站廣告等等，為了讓我們更清楚了解，老師秀給我們看好幾張優質的廣告，這些例子的基本想法只有一個，但有好幾種呈現方式，而之前老師不願意一下就說得那麼直接，因為他們要學生從無數發想中找出最合適的影像和文字組合，否則很多人會跳過這中間的階段，直接生出最終圖像。

Today Derek finally revealed the final goal of the Romeo and Juliet project. Starting from two weeks ago, the teachers gave only bits and pieces of clues, so a lot of us didn't quite get what it is all about. The project is actually about designing two to three ads originating from the same core idea and they can come in any form such as magazine covers or ads seen at tube stations. To give us a better understanding, Derek showed us some really excellent examples, which all share one thing in common--there is more than one image to represent the same idea. The tutors are not willing to be direct about the project because they want us to push our ideas so that we can come up with the best choices of images and texts. Or like Lou said, many of us would skip the process and produce the final images all at once. 

德瑞克還放了去年的學生同期作品，明年整學年結束時，我們要把這一年完成的作品以PDF檔匯集，看到前輩們的作品，對我來說是很好的激勵，雖然我們只做到一半的階段，暫時無法想像究竟要如何完成這個作業，那樣優秀的作品讓我覺得，要把一項作業做到最好，就是花上再多時間也不為過啊！感覺這個週末又可以好好地自我探索。

Derek also shared with us the brilliant works by the 2nd-year students last year at this time. By the time the school year ends next summer, we will have to compile all our works in the PDF format. Seeing the senior students' works, I think there is no better way to stimulate me. Though we are only halfway through and I can't imagine what my final piece will look like, the fantastic images make me realize again that even spending a month on an assignment is worth it. I look forward to the coming weekend because I can spend days exploring more possibilities. 

今天我們分了組，助教挑了各自想要的學生，如我預期，我在露薏斯的組，我鬆了一口氣，雖然傑克給了我許多有關畫畫的建議，但是我暫時沒辦法達到他的期望，露對我比較了解，是個很貼心客觀的人，我想跟著她我可以快樂地學習。我和勵雯開玩笑說，基本上傑克挑了喜歡畫連環漫畫的同學，而露這一組很多活在自己的世界的同學，說好聽就是很有個性，這麼說我也是其中一個。

Today we found out about the group we belong to. Each tutor chose the students they'd like to work with. As I expected, I am in Lou's group, which I am glad about. Though Jake gave me tons of advice on drawing, I don't think I can live up to his expectations for the time being. Lou seems to know me better, and she is a very considerate and neutral person. I will feel happier being in her group. I joked with Li-wen that Jake picked students who are into doing graphic novels or manga while in Lou's group, most of us live in our own worlds. To put it in a nice way, each of us has a unique way of viewing life. In fact, I am talking about myself as well. 

今天我們要交五十個速寫小圖，再從中挑十個發展。

Today we had to put up fifty thumbnail images and ten finished images. 

（早上拍照時陽光在我的作業左上角留了腳印。）

(While I was taking photos this morning, the sun left its footprint on the upper left of my sheet.) 

我的問題還是一樣，儘管我昨天生出數十個想法，我最愛的還是被炸開的玫瑰花，但是要如何把這個單一的影像發揮，因為廣告圈的作業方式是要生出好幾張圖像表達單一想法，同學老師給我建議用其他想法，我不想這麼快放棄，讓我再好好想想。

My problem is still the same. Though I came up with many thumbnail images yesterday, my favorite still goes to the blown rose, which I came up with on Monday. However, it's just a single image and in advertising, the core idea should be conveyed in different platforms. Lou and my fellow classmates gave me advice on using other images, but I don't want to give up so soon. Let me think more about it. 

今天畫室的氣場很妙，有些人不滿意自己被分到的組，有人仍然不喜歡這個作業，但也有些人開始冒出新芽，欣在老師的評論之後，很努力生出新想法，並且和我們討論，我和她說她的內心世界很棒，但要轉換成別人一看就懂的圖面，她很誠懇地說：我很努力地變成正常人，你沒有感受到嗎？當時真想給她一個擁抱。

Today the chi in the studio was quite mixed. Some people were not satisfied with their groups, while some didn't like the assignment. However, new seeds started to burgeon in some people. After the crit, Xin did her best to modify her images and discussed with us. I told her that her inner world is beautiful, but she has to turn it into understandable images. She replied in earnest: I've tried to think like normal people. Didn't you feel it? I should have given her a hug then. 

要去聽演講之前，維琪開玩笑地稱我小書呆子，我為了逗她玩，假裝很驕傲地回答：我是啊怎樣？如果她知道我的終點有可能比其他人的都早到來，就會知道為何我這麼戰戰競競了。

Before going to the lecture, Vicky teased me by calling me "Little Nerd." To carry on with the game, I acted really proud and replied, "I am..." If she knew that all of this would end much sooner for me than for others, she would understand why I hold onto everything like this. 

在一切結束之前，我要立志往上爬，伸手抓到倫敦夜空裡的星星，然後都放進我的人生裡。

Before everything ends, I want to aspire to climb upwards, reaching for the stars in the night sky of London, and put everything in my life...