College Confidential
The Prodigal Son Returns
Trying to slot back into an old life
Way back in October 2007, I remember sitting down at my computer, terrified, and beginning to tap away at what would become my very first article for this magazine. A lot has changed since then: I’m no longer so intimidated by computers – or of writing – and I’ve ventured out to the northeast of England. Yet, seven months later, I find myself sitting in exactly the same place and on the very same laptop. Yes, ladies and gents – I’m back in Beijing!
Not that I’ve returned to the same city – in fact, it’s barely recognizable. From the moment I touched down in Terminal 3, it was clear the massive building work hadn’t stopped in my absence. The terminal, the stadiums, the new subway line, even the hutong where my family lives have all changed since I left for the UK. Living near Yonghegong means there is a shiny new underground station just round the corner, and for just two kuai a pop I can rediscover the city with more ease.
Pledging Allegiance
The truth about frats and sororities
Everyone has seen or heard of the movie Animal House; if not, they’ve at least seen one movie about crazy college kids partying out of control and failing classes as a result. And when most hear the word “fraternity,” they probably think of wild parties, trashed houses and hazing – that is, forcing a new recruit to do embarrassing and sometimes painful things.
But here at Wake Forest, I’ve found that these negative stereotypes could not be further from the truth. The majority of universities in the US have some form of Greek life – whether it be a fraternity, sorority or service group. The names of these groups are made up of two or three Greek letters (e.g. Phi, Alpha, Beta) and are often national groups with chapters represented at a university. They are brotherhoods, sisterhoods and societies that have initiation processes, requirements and traditions.
Lost in Translation
Discovering the many languages of England
Allo pet, wud’ya lahk some chips wi’ tha’?”
“Sorry?”
“I saihd, wud’ya lahk some chips wi’ tha’?”
Aha, a revelation. This dinner lady wasn’t trying to make every humanly possible sound in one sentence, nor was she trying to recite King Lear or Robbie Burns. She was, in fact, talking to me in the “King’s English.” This, combined with a similar miscommunication with a college porter, led me to a sad and simple fact: Despite having lived in Durham for the best part of four months, I still don’t understand the Geordie accent.
Timing is Everything
Strategies for conquering registration
We have all heard the saying, “so much to do, so little time,” and for me, it never rung as true as it did towards the end of last semester. I experienced plenty of sleepless nights full of homework, studying and a steady buildup of pressure with the coming final exams.
Many people have said to me that college life is easy because “we college students have so much free time.” In high school, it used to be that writing a good paper would take me roughly two to three hours. I would sit down in my room, turn up the music and take a go at it. Here at Wake Forest, however, it is not so simple. Writing a paper might take me up to a ridiculous eight hours – not necessarily because we have to write considerably longer papers, but more because when you live just a 10-minute walk from all your friends, distractions are inevitable. Oh, procrastination! If it were offered as a major, I’m sure it would be most popular.
Getting a “Fresh” Start
Togas, assassins and the worst nightclub in Europe
Quite a lot has changed since I wrote my last column. First off, I’m a full-blown university student! Everything kicked in on October 30 with “Freshers’ Week,” a time when no lectures take place and first years like myself are expected to sort out paperwork, then socialize in as imaginative a way as possible.
But first, ceremonial proceedings called Matriculation – the act of placing a student’s name upon the “matricula,” or roll of members of the university – have gone on for as long as the university itself, and it is an impressive (if long-winded) process whereby students wear their gowns and sit in the cathedral, are addressed by the Dean and then “extend the hand of friendship” to their fellow students after a representative from each college signs the matricula on their behalf.
Craving a Taste of Home
New surroundings bring back memories of Beijing
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by my new environment: a new campus, a new climate, new food, new classes, new friends. At times like this, my thoughts turn to home. So this is what homesickness feels like.
Sure, the weather in North Carolina is beautiful, and so is the campus of Wake Forest: luscious green grass – soft and ideal for lying on – and old brick buildings surrounded by magnolia trees full of fragrant white flowers. At night, I look up at an endless sea of stars, twinkling brighter than I have ever seen in Beijing.
Fish out of Water
Readapting to a British lifestyle
The good news is I got three A’s and a B in my final semester at Harrow International School Beijing - way above what I expected and much higher than what Durham, my soon-to-be university in the UK, required. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been celebrating.
But the celebrations made way for more serious work as August came and went and I soon found myself faced with the reality of returning to Britain to begin life at university. Leaving family behind to settle down somewhere alone can be an emotional time, and I have to admit it was a bit of a shock having to wave goodbye to my parents at the airport in Beijing. I was loaded up to the hilt with a huge suitcase, a fencing bag, a carry-on bag and a backpack ñ not to mention nervousness. What if the bags were over the allowance? If I went over, would they let me on the plane? One thing was for sure: If I didn’t get on that plane, I’d be seeing my family again a lot sooner than I planned. Luckily, I managed to make it through without any problem.
Before the Beginning
Prepping for Uni
If being a university student means sleeping until midday, watching loads of films and developing a taste for alcohol, then I’ve already made the transition to higher education! Granted, I’ve not got a university to go to yet, nor received my A-level results. Still, embracing the student lifestyle has been a doddle so far.
I finished Harrow International School Beijing on the 29th of June this year, leaving me with a three-month break before university would start in the UK. You could call that ample time to prepare for my first year at uni, but, like most people my age, I leave things to the last minute. Point in case: getting my student loan and bank accounts sorted.
