North By Northwest

North by Northwest

I used to take it for granted that the train from Hangzhou to Beijing went due north, while actually it goes north by northwest, and the route is quite roundabout at some stretches.

Obviously the shortest way is the beeline, but the shortest is not always the best. Along the beeline between Beijing and Hangzhou, there are countless small villages where transportation is not easy. And there are also a vast expanse of hilly areas and marshlands where transportation is utterly inaccessible.

Therefore, we make a detour. The roundabout rout stretches to six big cities and avoids many impassible areas. This detour is certainly better than the beeline, as how easily you reach your destination depends not only on the distance of the route, but also on its resistance.

In fact we can apply the strategy of "north by northwest" to our studies. We students should do anything necessary in learning even if it seems to be a diversion from our task. Sometimes, making a detour can be a great move because it enables us to achieve our final goals faster. For example, making an outline before writing seems additional work, but it is not at all a waste of time. Instead, the pre-writing work helps us organize our ideas and thus write quicker and better. Thus by going "north by northwest", we can reach our destination in due north, more quickly and easily.

Today in this quick-fix society of ours, while most students are eager to complete their tasks as soon as possible, a few are still willing to go "north by northwest." They are not stupid; they are wise. (269 words)