They say first impressions matter, and with an influx of new students at UIC, it is crucial that they can adapt to the new environment. So let's look at their stories to see what they thought for their first few weeks of the semester.
Fu Xinyi
First of all, I’d like to make a brief introduction of myself. My name is Fu Xinyi, and I am a freshman in the Journalism and Communication (JC) Programme. Before entering UIC, I studied in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and it’s close to Zhuhai, so my first impression of UIC is quite familiar with Shenzhen. However, the view I like most is of our campus lake, especially at night, which seems extraordinarily calm.
Fu Xinyi
Seeing those attractive views through these pictures, I thought that you might understand why I chose UIC, but it’s just one of the factors.
Another factor is that I have an intention to study abroad after my undergraduate study, so study at UIC is the best choice for me. As the courses were all taught in English, the study atmosphere is quite close to foreign teaching styles.
Teachers all come from different countries. In this aspect, you can communicate with people with different cultural backgrounds, broadening our horizons and enriching our knowledge.
Additionally, JC is one of the best majors in UIC. Through the four years of studies, I believe that doing presentations and making reports will build up a person with cooperation and competitiveness abilities.
Next, I’d like to share with you my experiences for these days I study at UIC. To be frank, before entering UIC, I was just worried about my college life. For the reason that the learning style and the school life’s are really different from high school. But to my surprise, the school life here is just beyond my imagination.
My college journey started with my first group in UIC - the MCP90. Through the several weeks, we became more like a family rather than a group, our "group mothers (the seniors)" who helped us a lot in the learning field and daily life.
And the next part of being a UIC student was attending the English Enhancement Programme classes, which lasted for a week. Again, aiming to enhance our English skills and let us become used to the future courses taught in English. Through the first week of study, I felt I became more comfortable contacting others in English, which was different from how nervous I used to be! That’s really changed me.
Also, one of the most significant changes here was that I started to be social with others because there were so many activities here which ‘forced’ me to chat with others, so I made many friends here. The ways to make friends here are also different from before, instead of having a fixed class, we have so many clubs and classes here, they’re nearly all flexible. You can meet people who have the same hobbies as you. So my impression of UIC is that it’s a campus with more possibilities and chances. It brought me many surprises for these weeks, and I believe it’s just the beginning of the journey with UIC.
Jin Yuxin
My name is Jin Yuxin, and my major is journalism and communication. It has been nearly a month since I first arrived at UIC. For me, these two weeks are more than exciting and challenging. UIC is a highly inclusive, solid academic university. Every morning I wake up with fresh air and melodious bird song, watching black swans resting at the water's edge. I feel cheerful.
Jin Yuxin
UIC has a high-tech library with perfect facilities, a rich collection of books, and some disinfected cabinets. The gym is also excellent, and the fitness room has all kinds of equipment. I am a photography enthusiast, so it gives me many pictures to take.
Life at UIC is entertaining. I meet so many people from different districts and make friends with like-minded peers. My schoolmates here are very friendly, and senior students show us around the campus. I also organise and take part in several group discussions actively. It not only gives me a chance to express my opinions but also improve my teamwork ability. I also joined the dance club and took an elective course, "Fundamentals of photography", which I am genuinely interested in. Teachers here are kind and knowledgeable, so it makes me less afraid of asking questions.
Life at UIC is a little bit difficult, especially in the study. First is the English teaching mode. As Chinese is my first language, it is hard to adapt to the changing language environment. In addition, compared with high school, UIC classes pay more attention to group discussions. Teachers encourage us to speak actively rather than only listen carefully in silence. Also, university classes cover many subjects, and sometimes we don't have regular textbooks. Up to now, I am still not used to reading articles on computers because I always do my writings on papers in the past.
What's more, we don't have regular classes and classmates, which means I have to do everything by myself. Last but not least, how to manage my time correctly is a question. My class teacher would make a timetable in high school and tell me what I should do every day. So I didn't have to consider most of my time, just focused on my study. Now it's a totally different situation. Facing a good deal of free time since I am a freshman at UIC, I am still unsure how to manage my time.
In general, my college life is colourful and meaningful. UIC provides a broad stage where I can show myself and be myself—looking forward to the future.
Liu Enyi
I am Liu Enyi, a first-year Foreign Language and Literature (FLL) student. Before I took part in the university entrance exam, I was deeply attracted by the educational philosophy of UIC. In my opinion, Whole-Person education and liberal arts education help students with comprehensive development. This August, I was lucky to have met UIC.
Liu Enyi
This was my first time away from home. I was worried if I could do everything well. However, when I got off the bullet train, I saw some UIC staff warmly guide us to the school bus.
As soon as I arrived at the campus, groups of volunteers helped us actively. It was the UIC staff and volunteers that made me feel the warmth of this collective. Time flies; the first week in UIC has gone. What impressed me most was the sunset glow in UIC. I was fascinated by the beauty of nature and campus.
In the second week in UIC was EEP lessons, which benefited me a lot. In my view, it was different from what I learned in my high school time. Although other teachers had different teaching styles, all of them helped me develop my English level.
During the English Enhancement Programme (EEP) week, I think the most valuable thing I learnt was to keep trying. Maybe I will make many mistakes, but that does not matter. What matters is the experience you gain from the mistakes. This can help you be a better person whom you can never imagine. Just as Jonathan said, “Practice makes insistence.” Sometimes it is tough to make all things ideal, but we can make progress when we practice more. If we make progress constantly, we will have faith to keep going on no matter how hard it is. I think that is the reason why “Practice makes insistence,” I hope in the future, I can have enough courage to face different challenges. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
In my free time, I took part in a freshman cup debating competition. In preparation, we always needed to gather information and group discussion to support our view. At the same time, the power of speculation has also benefited me a lot. In addition, the colourful campus life allows me to constantly try new things, which help me be a better person.
In the end, it is lucky to meet UIC, and I am looking forward to growing with UIC.
From MPRO
Editor: Samuel Burgess
