为了避开人山人海的就业市场以及小得可怜的居住环境，我们将目光投向了网络::一个更广阔的虚幻世界。那也就意味着一个充满电影与游戏的世界就在那，在我们面前。所以，"杯具"又变成了"洗具"。

To get a break from the overcrowded job market and the shoe-box housing, we look to the Internet and the much bigger virtual world. That means a world of movies and games just lying there, out in front of us. So, a beiju becomes a xiju.

让暴风雨来得更猛烈些吧

More competition

在教育、工作、旅行，娱乐以及信息方面，经济与社会的发展使它们变得更加多元化，但同时人们得到的机会越多，竞争也就变得越激烈。当一些年轻人目睹这一现状时，他们也理所当然地将其视为社会改良的催化剂。

The economic and social development have given people greater variety in education, work, travel, entertainment and information, but the more opportunities people have access to, the fiercer the competition. When some young people look at that, they also see it as catalyst for social improvement.

比如，20岁的徐乐，正就读于北京外国语大学柬埔寨语专业。同时，她还辅修二外英语并利用业余时间学习日语课程。

For example, Xu Yue, 20, is majoring in Cambodian at Beijing Foreign Studies University. She's also studying English as a second major and taking Japanese courses in her spare time.

她提笔写道：10年前，人们也许会轻而易举地考入大学，接下来他们将会接受分配，在自己的家乡工作。但现在，迫于压力，我们必须要学习更多的知识。

Ten years ago, she notes, people might have felt relieved to get admitted to college, and they went on to settle down with a job in their hometown. Now, however, we're pressed to learn more.

"没有竞争，或许我们更愿意安于现状，心甘情愿地做一个普通人，"徐乐说。

"Without the competition, maybe we'd be satisfied with the status quo, and willing to be ordinary," says Xu.

所以，人生究竟是"杯具"还是"洗具"?有时，这似乎要取决于你怎样看待它以及如何处理压力。

So, is life a beiju or xiju? In some cases, it appears to be a matter of choice in how you view it and how you deal with the pressure.

无论如何，在接下来的十年里，更多的进步即将发生。难道我们只是坐在那儿，抱怨并叹息?或者，我们也可以充分利用更丰富的资源和更先进的科技，来享受一个更多彩的人生?这都将取决于你。

In any case, there's more progress in store for the next decade. Do we just sit there, sighing and complaining about it? Or, do we make full use of the richer resources and advanced technology to enjoy a more colorful life? It's still up to you.