Time slips away whether we like it or not, and upon looking back we find that the past is partly hidden in memory and partly visible. City skyscrapers are rising high into the sky and the streets are growing wider and flatter, with pedestrians walking fast. The clang and rhythm of the streets are accompanied by the unease that comes with change. With the pressures that we face, how can we find a tranquil corner for a rest?

Jiang Xuhuai, 62 years old, student in the law major at the Wuhan branch of the Open University of China (OUC).

More than 1,200 years ago, the great Tang dynasty poet Liu Yuxi, wrote in his "Autumn Poem": "Since ancient times, autumn has always been a season of sadness and loneliness. However, for me, autumn days are much better than spring. You see, in the clear sky, a crane is flying up to the clouds, which brings a sense of poetry to the blue sky."

This poem expresses my exact emotions at this moment. In other people's eyes, I am an elderly man who has already lived a long 62 years. But inside I feel that I am 26, not 62 and that is because since I was admitted to the OUC, every day of my life has been very fulfilling. It seems like my life has ushered in another “spring.”

I had had a college dream before. When I graduated from junior high school to senior high education, although my grades were among the top of the class, I was deprived of the opportunity for further study because my parents were classified as rightists.

Over the years, I have done business, opened a shop, helped people to write legal documents, and represented legal cases. However, my relationship with the OUC can be traced back to just three years ago.
In autumn 2015, I occasionally passed by an admission site at the OUC’s Wuhan branch. I had wanted to visit to ask about admission for my son but in the process I found out that there was no age limit for registration. Not only that, there was a legal specialty that really caught my eye. I immediately registered for the programme. I never expected that I would realise my college dream; I felt like I had won the lottery. From the day I signed up to the present day, I have never lost my excitement about joining the OUC. The OUC has indeed made me feel young again.

I am usually very busy but no matter how busy I am, I haven't missed a class in more than two years. I remember that when I first came to the university, some of the courses had many students and some had hardly any at all. At the beginning, I was really worried that the courses with fewer attendees would be cancelled by the university but of course this didn’t happen. I was particularly touched by the fact that no matter how many attendees, no matter what the weather was like, the teachers would appear in class on time and give the lessons with great passion. Even if there was only one student, they would still take their teaching very seriously. I often commented to my younger classmates, “We should be thankful that the university has such amazing teaching and facilities!" I think it would be worse to miss a lesson than lose my wallet, because the value of each lesson is beyond money.
Every time I learned something new, I felt excited. I have been writing legal documents and agency cases for years, and I believed that writing and legal practice are my strengths. However, after taking the Practical Writing course of taught by Ms. Zou Li and the Administrative Law course taught by Mr. Huang Hong, I felt ashamed of myself for being shallow and self-righteous, as these courses have such rich content. What I used to know is just a drop in the bucket. From then on, I realised that learning and results are inseparable from “modesty."

With my help, both my wife and son also registered at the OUC. My home has become learning group. Especially during the cold winter, the three of us sit inside around the table and study under the lamp. Despite the cold outside, there is warmth inside that feels like the first breath of spring.

Finally, I want to say that learning is something that we can engage in every day of our lives, not just something we do when we are young. Learning helps maintain our spiritual soul, which will make our life shine with wisdom and love.
Let us study and experience the springtime of our life together! (This speech won second prize in the OUC “My Learning Story” speech contest)

By OUC