The story between MIT and I

Shihun
Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:42:26 +0000

Many years ago, there was a young boy born in a remote village. When he was five, he had no money to go to pre-school. So every day his work was to help his parents feeding chickens and then spent the rest of the time in the backyard, daydreaming.

But he had his dreams. Dreams of a successful future, in which he saw himself studying at a great seat of learning, and using his knowledge to make a great impression on the world. He dreamed of a world in which all young people would have an opportunity to go to school and study in order to improve the quality of their lives and multiply their opportunities. Just as he himself longed to do. He also dreamed of going to the best college in the world.

When he was in senior two, a friend from the “best college” sent him a coat. The coat was too thick, and on the middle of the coat was written the name of the college. He felt just like his dream had come true and now he was a student of the best college in the world. After that, he put on the coat everyday and everywhere. He dreamed that he had set up a harmonica club, and taught a lot of students how to play this fantastic instrument. He dreamed that he continued his history research. He also dreamed that he was sitting in the audience and listening to a math lecture, which he could only watch online before. Most importantly, he dreamed that he invited some “best college” classmates to his company and they helped all young children in rural China having an opportunity to go to school together.

When he put on the coat and walked in the street, he felt that he was taller than any one; despite he was only 5’5”. And he even gave that coat a name. He called it Dream Coat. And he decided to put dream on it, and he even made a punch line about it. “Dream it high; Dream it light. It doesn’t matter; it’ll be alright – DREAM COAT.”

Two years ago, he volunteered in a remote village with 36 other students. He continued his self-deluding. While everyone wears the high school uniform, only he put the coat which his “best college” friend sent him. The children in the village were so poor: they had no money to buy enough food, much less to go to school. A little girl, just the same age as when he was daydreaming, wondered why he was different from others. His partner jokingly told the child, “Because he is from the best college in the world. You see, his coat has three big letters written on it: M-I-T.” The girl was very excited, though she didn’t know where the school was. The next two weeks, he played the role of a “best college” student. He then became the envy of all the children. Before leaving the village, he promised all of them that if they worked hard they too could make it to the best college.

The decision is coming soon, and I know it’s time to capture the best college dream.