School of Languages and Communication Studies Successfully Holds the “Songs of Departure Flying High” 2023 Graduation Gala. On May 29, 2023, the School of Languages and Communication Studies successfully held the 2023 Graduation Gala themed “Songs of Departure Flying High”. Gao Yongfeng, deputy director of the Student Affairs Office, teachers from administrative offices including the Student Affairs Office, Graduate Work Department, and University Youth League Committee attended the event. Wang Hongying, secretary of the Party Committee of School of Languages and Communication Studies, Geng Jiyong, dean of the School, Liu Kai, vice dean of the School, teachers from all departments, head teachers of the graduating classes, all counselors, and nearly 500 teachers and students including undergraduate and postgraduate gathered at Tianyou Auditorium to share friendship and talk about farewells. The red carpet walk has long been a traditional event of the School’s graduation season. Dressed in their finest, graduates walked the red carpet with classmates and friends, creating the most beautiful campus memories together. A spectacular opening dance Antifragile ignited the atmosphere of the gala. The “Songs of Departure Flying High” gala consisted of three chapters, Farewell to the Utopia, and Never Forget the Songs of Youth, Embrace the Journey of Fantastical Dreams, and Bloom the Flowers of Youth, and With the Starry River as the Path, and Sail Forward with the Wind. The gala was hosted by graduating students Li Wenjin, Nan Suge, Wu Di, and Wang Yang. “Youth has no utopia, but a bright future awaits those with distant aspirations in mind.” The song You Were Once a Teenager sang the unparalleled vitality of youth; the hip-hop medley Fighting showcased smooth dance steps and tacit cooperation; the Cantonese song medley Nocturne, Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies evoked the tender feelings deep in the students’ hearts; the hip-hop performance Cheshire immersed everyone in the world of dance, moving and dreaming together. Graduation is not an end, but a new beginning. In the light, we march forward together. The passionate and unrestrained rhythm and free-spirited dance steps in the hip-hop medley Nothing SUPER in my DNA, the melodious sound of the creative program The Violin in the Youth of the Two-Dimensional World, the group dance Shooting Star, the passionate and dynamic tango and soft and brisk waltz in the ballroom dance performance Above the Clouds, and the starry sky created by the group dance Another Day of Sun pushed the atmosphere of the night to a climax. Teachers from the Department of European and Asian Languages sang Album of Youth with full enthusiasm, and sent sincere messages and best wishes to the graduates, passing on this nostalgia and expectation to graduates majoring in Spanish and Portuguese. Every note in the song was like a photo of youth, evoking the graduates’ beautiful memories of campus life. Teachers from the Department of English performed Blessings, accompanied by photos of undergraduate and postgraduate students’ study and life at the university, leading everyone to review the years of teachers and students at Beijing Jiaotong University. Dai Jiangwen quoted Shakespeare’s famous line: “Listen to the opinions of others, but always reserve your own judgment.” These profound words resonated with the audience. Teacher Gong Yubo said emotionally: “For I deeply understand the principle that constant dripping wears away a stone. With perseverance, anything can be achieved. I persist, therefore I succeed!” His words were full of strength and inspired all the graduates present. Teachers are like light, guiding students to sail far. Teachers from the Department of Communication expressed their expectations for the students’ bright future through a video: “May you have a brilliant future, may all lovers get married, may you find happiness in this mortal world, and I only wish to face the sea, with spring blossoms blooming.” Although we meet and farewell, sail and berth again, the teachers’ love and reluctance to part finally turned into relief and expectation, encouraging and blessing the graduates to set sail for happiness in the next stage of life. The joyful mood of the song medley Happy Piggies Flying Forward Together infected all the audience. Everyone boarded a time machinethrough singing and dancing, returning to the carefree childhood. The chorus Cheers used waving hands and smiles to tell everyone that separation is not the end ,and let us toast to youth and the future! After the singing and dancing, to carry forward the glorious tradition of never forgetting the source of one’s success of our university, the School held the “My Most Respected Teacher” Award Ceremony for graduates. Wang Hongying, secretary of the Party Committee, and Geng Jiyong, dean, presented awards to 12 winning teachers and sent blessings to the graduates. Students went on stage to present flowers to the teachers, expressing their gratitude with deep affection. At the end of the gala, the adapted song Days on East Road of Beijing Jiaotong University performed by Class 2201 of Spanish Major and the chorus I Love You, Beijing Jiaotong University by all performers resonated with the audience, bringing tears to many eyes. The days on East Road of Beijing Jiaotong University are flying and every corner of BJTU bears the memory of the graduates’ youth. Though we have walked thousands of miles together, farewell is inevitable. As they are about to embark on a new journey, we wish the graduates to cherish the present and always shine brightly.