Professor Ross, who was obsessed with dinosaurs in the American sitcom Friends, now has an "heir" in Peking University. A few days ago, Xue Yifan, a 20 10 paleontology major in Peking University, attracted a crowd of netizens to watch. Lu Xiaodong, deputy dean of Yuanpei College of Peking University, said, "This is the only major in China with only 1 students."
This one-man graduation photo ignited the ridicule enthusiasm of netizens: "I won the first place in every exam" and "It's amazing. Peking University is one-on-one education, Peking University is her home, and the teacher is her mentor! " "This can't even escape from skipping classes" ... In fact, since the establishment of Peking University Paleontology in 2008, there has been a graduate every year, and now it has been "four generations".
The colder the weather, the more valuable it is to stick to it. In society, which major is easy to find employment in the future, with generous treatment and decent social status, and which major has a large number of applicants. Everyone has his own ambition, but an era always needs some people who embrace ideals, can stand loneliness, keep poverty, and drain their efforts to learn.
Paleontology is really obscure, but it doesn't mean it's unimportant. Lu Xiaodong said, "Paleontology can't make people rich. People who study paleontology must be interested." "There are few people, but they are as precious as gems." When Xue Yifan applied for paleontology, he was interested, and interest was the best teacher. Four years later, Xue Yifan's heart must not be lonely. There is a famous saying in The Analects of Confucius, "Don't lose your ambition, don't disgrace yourself". Everyone who persists with great ambition and firm belief deserves praise.
Xue Yifan is respectable, and Peking University Yuanpei College is equally remarkable. Many universities no longer offer paleontology majors, and Peking University's insistence reflects a kind of responsibility. Some universities are particularly "advancing with the times". What majors can recruit people, what majors can make money, and what majors are the easiest to deal with powerful people. Some people say that universities should be a fortress for human society to accumulate knowledge and stick to conscience, and also a plateau for independent thinking beyond secular life. It is true that a truly ambitious and responsible university still needs some vigor, not to be kidnapped by the secular world, not to be eager for quick success, to be down-to-earth and to have a long-term vision.
It is reported that Xue Yifan's graduation thesis is expected to be published in authoritative American trade journals, and she herself will soon study in the United States. While blessing Xue Yifan, we also need to think about the fact that there are quite a few cold majors in universities. Where do they go and what do they do at the university? For example, 20 1 1, among the more than 5,000 undergraduate graduates of Zhejiang University, there are only 3 graduates majoring in philosophy. It is suggested that the major of philosophy should be abolished on the grounds that philosophy is useless. Should it be cancelled?