by Xiaofen (Elsa) Shen
Hello everyone. My name is Xiaofen Shen. You can also call me by my English name: Elsa. I’m a college student from China and I am attending a short-term exchange study program at McGill University. School days are the happiest, and no matter how old we get when think back to our own student life, we should be filled with emotion. As a sophomore, I want to talk about student life with you.
Class: As a student, our most important partners or comrades-in-arms are our teachers, and our combat base is our classroom. Many times, we hear classmates say: “We don’t need to listen in lectures! As long as we ‘hold Buddha’s feet’ at the end of the term, we can pass – and even if we fail the exam, it won’t be terrible. We’re college students.” But when we don’t engage in the classroom, we hurt the teachers who are willing to contribute to us. We have classes not for the teachers, but for ourselves. We should understand that we are responsible for the money we spend in the classroom. In China, there is an old saying: “The learning of a gentleman is that he must be called a teacher when he speaks righteousness, and he must try his best to be bright when he listens.”
Pressure and Loneliness: Don’t be afraid, my friends – but the road of learning is a road of fighting alone. We are under pressure, a type of pressure that can’t be understood by our parents. My parents always said to me when I was young: “What pressure do you have as a student? Relax, it’s no big deal.” But only I know what it’s like. I don’t want to come in last, so I have to work hard. I don’t want to be looked down upon in the future, so I have to work hard. I want to win, so I have to bear the pressure and loneliness. Please don’t give up! Every night, in some corner of the earth, there are students like you – they are also working hard under a lonely lamp, they have the same dreams as you. If you can get through this tough time, you can come together in success.
Hobby: During our days as students, the proudest thing is for use to say boldly: “I have my dream.” As students, we have many opportunities to develop our own interests, a core part of student life. In Taiwan, there is a famous singer named Jay Chou. When he was a student, he liked singing and composing very much, but his road to fame was not smooth. Because of his inarticulate style, he was rejected by many musicians. However, he didn’t give up and insisted on his musical dream, and eventually became a modern sensation. So, no matter whether you like music, painting, basketball or even writing, don’t give up. Don’t let the waves of reality wash away the color of your heart – make your student life more wonderful with hobbies!
Friends: I still remember when I was in primary school, a friend of mine said to me: “We should keep in touch forever!” But when we got to middle school, we were separated, and we lost touch. At the end of the college entrance examination, my high school friend also told me: “We will always be friends!” But because we went to different places, we separated. Some people will come and go, so a friend that stays around is precious. In fact, it’s really valuable to have a friend at school, when we feel like we can rely on them and have a safe haven. When we can tell them when we are sad and share with them when we are happy. As time goes by, friendships can fade, but we may not know how to cherish them until we lose them. We should hold onto our present friendships and learn to live with loss.
Love: Love is an elusive and dreamy feeling. In China, parents don’t allow their children to fall in love before college, so even if they have palpitations and admirations, they seldom confess it directly. But, in university you can enjoy the freedom of love. A good person is not necessarily a good lover, but a good person’s love is like summer, the sweetest. To become a pair of lovers, you must be patient. This is not an easy thing to do, because few people know how to appreciate the elegance of silence and waiting when they are young. I think an important part of campus love is to let one another move forward bravely on their own road, to strive for a goal and learn to be responsible for each other.
Dreams and the Future: As a student, we should all have our own goals. As the saying goes: “Arrows alone can’t do anything. You should also have a target. Only when you have a target, can your arrows be shot out.” It can be difficult to muddle through being a student. In my own experience, before I went to university, I didn’t really have goals. I did not know which university I wanted to attend, and I had no purpose. Every day was the same: study and do homework. In the end, I didn’t achieve my goals, but when I got to the University, I understood their importance. I set my own goals and found myself full of motivation. Because I have direction now to move forward, I want to study for a master’s degree, and I want to strive to get ahead. So, please set your goal and work hard for it. The future is in your hands.
Thank you for reading my article. In the end, as students, we should be proud and cherish our student life. To experience, to feel, to love, to hurt, to grow.
When we encounter loneliness or problems in our studies, we should learn to overcome them, because this is a part of our growth. We should not lose ourselves and our direction, even if we fall in love or encounter injury. We are at the height of our youth and vigour. Even if we have grown up, if we have families and children, the memory of our school days will always accompany us.