This University and its faculty have no more important goal than helping you in this quest. How? It's hard to say. Fires can't be controlled. Passions can't be predicted or planned. You are all different.
But I give this advice:
帮助你们寻找人生方向是哈佛大学和全体教员最重要的目标。要怎样实现这个目标呢？这不是一两句话就能概括的。正如火焰是无法控制的。激情也不是能预知或计划的。你们每个人都与众不同，但我想给你们以下的建议：
First, follow your passion, not your calculation. What you will remember of your time here will be the special experiences, the things that really catch your imagination. Choose courses that cohere. Follow a program towards your objectives. But most importantly, do what catches your imagination. If there is something you really want to do, some curiosity that you want to pursue, make sure that you do it, and don't let anything stand in your way.
首先，放弃你们的算计，跟随内心的激情。以后你们对大学时光的回忆将会是那些特别的经历，那些能够让你插上想象翅膀的事情。你可以选择彼此有合理关联的课程，修习能帮助你实现目标的专业，但最重要的是要做能激发你想象力的事情。如果你确定想做某事或想满足自己某方面的好奇心，那就务必采取行动去做，不要让任何事情阻挡你。
Second, the faculty is here for you. There is no more important responsibility for any of us as members of the faculty than teaching and working with you, the students of Harvard College.…I promise you -- I promise you that you will find faculty very willing to respond to your interests, to your curiosity, and to your invitations. Do not feel that you are ever wasting anyone's time pursuing your curiosity or your interest. That is what we are all here for.
其次，所有的教员都会乐意帮助你的。作为教学团队的成员，我们最重要的职责就是教授所有哈佛的学生，并与你们一道努力。……我向你们保证，所有教务人员都将十分乐意关注你们的兴趣，满足你们的好奇心，接受你们的邀请。永远都不要担心满足自己的好奇心或追随自己的兴趣是在浪费他人的时间，这些正是我们在这里工作的目的。
The last thing I would say is focus on ideas. This is an extraordinary, rich, and diverse community. There are enormous opportunities of all kinds -- extracurricular, athletic, social. Those experiences will have a huge impact on many of you. But I hope that none of you will lose sight of how special this time in your life is. It's a time to learn. It's a time to expose yourself, as you likely will only do during this period in your lifetime, to ideas that are completely different from what you have done, what you have seen, perhaps even from what you will see.
最后我想说的是，要关注各种思想观念。这里是一个不同寻常的、丰富多彩的小世界，充满着各种各样的机遇，例如课外活动、体育活动、社会活动。这些经历将会对你们当中很多人产生重大影响。但是我希望你们每个人都能意识到，这将是你们人生中非常特别的一段时光。这是你们学习的时刻；这是你们接触各种思想观念的时刻，这些思想观念与你们将来所看到的都不一样，这样的体验或许只有在你一生中的这段时间才会经历到。
You can focus on ideas. Remember that faculty is here for you, and pursue our passion. You, too, can be lighted on fire during your years here.
你们能做到的。记住，全体教员都会在这里帮助你们，并追随我们的激情。同样，你们在此度过的岁月也将会是激情四射的。
完整版地址：http://www.president.harvard.edu/speeches/summers_2001/freshman.php