Roy 羅易 A basic economic concept, tradeoff, describes a situation of losing one aspect of something to gain another aspect. Tradeoffs exist not only in economics, but also in all forms of negotiation. The amount of skyscrapers in a city can increase the possibility of an earthquake because of the change of geological pressure on the land. For a nation, a trade plus situation benefits the nation's companies while leaving its currency in an unfavorable situation in the global market. Individuals also must deal with situations that have benefits and drawbacks. Studying in a college in America has tradeoffs. Living an American college life means abandoning the experience of going to a Chinese college, such as a more close-knit class and a deeper understanding about Chinese society. Choosing a small liberal arts college means fewer choices than a big university while selecting a bigger university means less contact with professors and bigger classes than a smaller college. Suburbs are a quieter place to engage in your studies. I have found it hard to select classes. Whichever interesting course I choose to take, I must decide against taking other interesting ones. Life is about making decisions. The verse written by Robert Frost, an American poet, continuously resounds in my ears: "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood... And I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." | 