I am very happy to start my master’s degree at the University of Illinois as an international student. This is my first time studying abroad. Coming to the US for the first time on my own, everything is such a great challenge for me. Booking plane tickets, commuting from Chicago to the Urbana-Champaign area, settling down, buying necessities, or even cooking, are all thrilling adventures. I am thankful so far that this process went smoothly, especially during the pandemic. I also met many friends from different regions, and we all support each other in a new environment. I even started a new hobby of vlogging to treasure all these memorable times I have had a good time experiencing the campus culture. Here are some things I found remarkable: ⟨Distance between places⟩ First, the distance between everywhere. The campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is much bigger than I ever imagined. The distance between locations is a lot farther than expected, which is very different from the schools I have studied in before. And of course, it may take more time to travel to different places. At first, I was not quite used to it; however, in another way, it is very relaxing to enjoy the beautiful view of campus while walking. If it is not within a walking distance, like going to the shopping centers in the Champaign area, the well-organized campus bus system offers lots of routes and it is very convenient to commute to another place, which is quite nice for new students who just came here like me or those without a car on campus. ⟨Campus vibes⟩ Despite the distance, campus is filled with good vibes and makes everyone well-connected. The school offers a variety of activities, such as workshops, recreation activities and of course concerts, in which many people participate enthusiastically. Also, I often see people enjoying the sunshine on the quad (I don’t know if this will happen in the snowy winter), no matter alone or in groups, just relaxing or chatting or discussing with friends. Some even take a nap in a hammock or play some ball games! Maybe I can often experience this kind of cozy lifestyle and a relaxing mood on campus in the future. In addition to these various fun activities, my peers are also very hard working and highly involved in class discussions. There are always many people studying in libraries, which surely creates a great academic atmosphere as well. ⟨People⟩ I have met many people from different countries in classes and through social activities. They are all very nice and friendly, which makes me feel quite comfortable in a foreign country. The professors care about their students very much, and my classmates are so wonderful as well. Every time we chat or have dinner together, they always provide me emotional support. I am also involved in chamber music, piano accompanying, and the wind orchestra. I enjoy making music with lots of talented musicians. Not only do we communicate in English, but also through music. Having performances on stage together always creates happiness and a sense of belonging. Well, I think there are more things waiting for me to explore thoroughly. Now is just the start and I really look forward to enjoying the rest of my colorful graduate life here. Chin-Hsuan Sharon Cheng (written in September, 2021) Traditional Chinese: 作為初來乍到的國際學生... 很高興能以國際學生的身分來到伊利諾大學學習。這是我第一次出國唸書,也是第一次自己一個人來到美國,每個流程和細節像是買機票、抵達學校、搬進新公寓、採購生活必需品、甚至是自己煮菜都像是各種刺激的挑戰和冒險。我很感激這些過程進行的很順利(尤其是在疫情期間),我也遇到許多新朋友,在新環境互相幫助。我非常珍惜在這邊的時光,也開始拍一些小影片紀錄生活。 經過幾週的體驗和觀察校園文化,我發現了幾個特別的地方: {距離} 首先是各個地點之間的距離。整個學校比我想像中大很多,要到達各個地點也需要更多時間,剛開始我還不太習慣這樣每次都要走路很久才到另一個地點,但轉念一想,學校景色這麼好看,邊走邊欣賞也是非常舒服(冬天天氣很冷時就不知道會不會這樣想了)。另外,令我高興的是學校有很棒的公車系統,有很多不同的路線,若要到達賣場那些稍遠的地方搭公車基本上也都能到達,對於剛到這邊或是沒有車的人非常方便。 {校園的氛圍} 儘管各地點間距離較遠,學校還是有著很棒的校園氛圍。學校常常舉辦各式各樣的活動,大家也都熱情的參與。在校園Quad上也會常常看到許多人從事各種活動,像是群體討論作業、休息聊天運動、或甚至睡吊床,非常舒服愜意(冬天下雪不知道還會不會這樣),希望之後也有機會體驗這種生活方式。我還發現,即使大家看似生活悠閑舒服,實際上學校的學術氛圍還是很濃厚,在課堂大家還是都很認真,且常常有很多人在圖書館裡面讀書。 {人} 從課堂或活動中我認識了來自世界各地的人,他們都非常的友善,讓我在異國也不會覺得不自在。我的教授們都非常關心學生、循循善誘,同學們也都很友好,跟他們聊天或偶爾一起吃飯總能給我很大的心靈支持。在室內樂、鋼琴合作還有樂團中我也很享受跟大家一起做音樂。在這邊我們不只用英文溝通,更用音樂交流,每次一起登台表演總是讓我很愉快且很有歸屬感。 我想,現在只是剛開始,應該還有很多事情等著我去更深入地探索,我非常期待接下來在這邊精彩的生活。 Chin-Hsuan Sharon Cheng(2021年9月)
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