by Jerry Xiao
Hi there! I am glad that Mr. Berg gave me a chance to share my stories with you. I have a lot to say. I’m currently studying my first year of the Computer Science program at the University of Toronto. Having spent nearly a month in the university, I have a clearer mind about the differences between the school life that I used to have at Luwan and the one at present.
This is what life would be like if you were at U of T. It is a clear day, just a few days before the start of a new week and you wake up at ten. After a heavy brunch, you decide to take a walk in downtown Toronto. You buy some things that you don’t really need, and after taking another short stroll, something else catches your eye. Finally, you feel a little bit tired and go back to your dormitory. When it’s finally time for bed, you finally remember to check your email. You find out that your professors have already posted the homework online. WHAT?!?
Teaching Style and Learning:
The homework is mostly posted online in PDF form. The dates of important events are on the syllabus handed out at the beginning of the school term. Do spend some time to go over them! When I first attended a math lecture, everyone around me could follow what the professor was talking about and shouted their answers loud in the air. I was the one often confused about the questions on the blackboard. You only have 50 minutes in a lecture. Never let your “noisy” phone or a dropping pen distract you. (You will feel regret if you do so, I promise!). Don’t miss lectures or tutorials, EVER! During some lectures, some professors may not allow you to take photos so don’t forget to bring your notebook or pen.
Also, there are also merits to this kind of teaching style. You could attend another lecture if you are not comfortable with your professor’s path. For instance, if I am not feeling quite clear about my professor’s courage in today’s lecture, I am free to attend another professor’s lecture and different professors have different styles but teach with similar materials. Also, try taking past tests if possible. There are several tests for you to take a shot at.
P.S.: Calculus and pre-calculus are extremely important to prepare you for university. PLEASE make sure that you have a solid foundation about the concepts. Math is really an important subject to master. A lot of lessons in university relate to high school calculus. Make sure you learn them well!
Food:
You will often see dining cars inside the university. There are often hot dogs, french fries, poutine, or burritos on sale, and also Chinese cuisine. You can also find a cafeteria where you can buy your lunch with your student card. But most of the students dine out in China Town or eat inside the school cafeteria. Anyway, there are many options.
There are many options in the school cafeteria. You could either make your own meal (pen cake DIY) or have a hamburger with some french fries or a bowl of salad. What’s more, there are different kinds of orientation activities at the beginning of the school term and usually they provide free food. You could go there and grab something to eat!
Weather:
By the time I arrived here, the temperature was about 25 degrees, but the air is not as humid as it is in Shanghai. At the end of September, there were few rain drops and the weather was quite pleasant. And the highest temperature at the end of September reached 30 degrees! You could even see squirrels, pigeons, and sparrows rambling idly by the pedestrians or on a playground. They seem to not be scared of people. Now in October, the temperature declined to above 15 degrees, but you can still see some brave men wearing T-shirts and walking down the road when you are heading to your lecture room.
Some Problems that I met:
I arrived in Toronto just a few days before the start of the school term and one of the difficulties for me was to get familiar with the surroundings. There were times that I couldn’t find the location of my lecture room and ended up having to sit on the floor to listen to the lecture. This could happen to any freshman who doesn’t have a clear mind about where a lecture is! The students here are CRAZY!!! I am not exaggerating that some of the students may even show up in the lecture room 45 minutes before the lecture starts, just to make sure they are able to get a SEAT!
So:
- Please get familiar with the location of your lecture rooms before the start of the school term, or you will find yourself getting lost in a big maze (not kidding)!
- Please attend your lecture as early as possible. You don’t want to finish a day by standing against the wall or sitting on the floor, do you?
University life is not that easy, you can always find someone studying in the library until mid-night, while there are other students who can skip lectures but still get a good mark. But still, you can always find ways to ‘survive’ in such a competitive environment. Don’t ever say no to yourself though you may find some tasks are impossible to accomplish. However, you can also treat university life like a great adventure. There is always more waiting for you to explore! These are my impressions so far. I hope all of you will have a wonderful time in LuWan Senior High School. Onwards!