Campus Life

Chinese students endure a very stressful and exhausting high school experience. Many students have told me that high school was more difficult and distressing compared to their college courses. In order to be admitted into a university, they must pass a State examination, which becomes their top priority. Passing this exam consumes all their time, academically and socially. 

Once in college, they are overwhelmed with so much free time! In the papers I had my students write last week, several commented on how they have more time available then they know what to do with. Regardless, everyone certainly enjoys the freedoms granted with more time available for non-academic endeavors, recreational activities and hobbies.

However, students' time is still regimented in college, albeit to a lesser degree. Chinese students are given a curfew. They must be on campus by 11PM and in their dormitories by 11:30PM.

The rigorous discipline in secondary school creates very dedicated, diligent students. Despite having less work now, you can still find hundreds of students studying in classrooms on a Saturday night! There are even classes held on Saturdays and Sundays!

All dormitories are gated. In accordance with curfew, the gates are closed at 11:30 each night. Then, the electricity is shut off. So any computer work, etc must be completed by then. With that schedule, I would have never passed my classes!

Dormitories do not have any heating or air conditioning (neither do the classrooms). Students are permitted from having space heaters to prevent potential fires. I feel so bad for students when it is really cold!

Everyone hangs clothes off their balconies, as Chinese do not typically use dryers. I only have a washing machine in my apartment.

Yangtze University has six campuses throughout Jingzhou. I live on the East Campus where the English Department is and most English majors live. (There are other departments on my campus as well.) Here is the building where I teach most of my classes:

I love the speaker system that's wired throughout the entire campus and plays music at intervals during the day! The music starts at 7AM and will continue till 10PM. It's quite loud, but it's nice to wake up to the pleasant sound of a piano or cello. The university will play classical, traditional Chinese and pop music, announcements and, occasionally, an English pop song. The first day of classes, I was taken by surprise when I awoke to a deep, male voice from the sky!

The campus is dotted with many statues and other artworks that were designed and/or created by students of the art school. Here is my favorite, which I can see from my kitchen window.

Another statue that is just inside the North Gate.

Just as the dormitory buildings are gated, there is a wall that encloses the entire campus. You can see the gate in the background. At night, a security guard is at each gate. Chinese students may be reprimanded if they attempt to return to campus after 11PM.

The campus cafeteria that is behind my apartment building:

A sitting area where you will usually see many students reading or hanging out. This pic was taken early, before my 8 AM class, so no students had yet gathered.

The East Campus track and field. The students call it the "playground." This is an aerial shot from the website.

Inside are greenhouses and a vegetable garden. I don't yet know if these are grown by students or staff.

Campus life is fairly similar to American universities. Students have about the same number of hours in classes each week, and classes are ran similarly, including lectures and/or discussions. When walking across campus, you will see students' abound, reading at picnic tables, laughing, playing sports, riding bikes and couples cuddling on the grass. 

Contrastingly, not as many student clubs exist, as extracurricular activities are not encouraged as a needed resume builder. There is a Student Union, of which one of my student's is Vice President. I want to learn more about the Union and their activities. Hopefully, that will eventually be another post! Also, Chinese students do not party like American students. There are students that drink, however, they consume alcohol in moderation. There are not issues with college binge drinking or excessive partying. My female Chinese friends are shocked at how many beers me and the other female foreign teachers can put down!