China Youth Daily Article

I was asked three weeks ago to write an article for the China Youth Daily magazine.  The article had to be over 600 Chinese characters and translated with correctness.  I am posting my article in English, and once the article is published in a few weeks I will hopefully be sent a copy.  The translation took three times longer than writing the article, so all together it took two weeks.

Cultural Differences between Chinese and American College Social Life

Jordan Foley

The American college experience is often satirized by movies like American Pie, but in order to truly investigate the day-to-day life of the average American college student one must hear it from an actual student.  My name is Jordan and I am in my third year at the United States Naval Academy.  Although I have an atypical experience going to a military school I can still offer some insight to normal college life from my year at Case Western Reserve University in 2008.  My background and friend network at other schools allows me to speak both first-hand and from hearsay about American college culture.  My goal is to provide a window into American culture and site some of the cultural differences I have discovered while going to school in China.  I have only been studying abroad for six months at Capital Normal University in Beijing, but I can definitely tell that American and Chinese college cultures have a fair share of differences.  I cannot speak for what daily life for the typical Chinese college student is like, however, I can offer a well-rounded introduction to the many college cultures that exist in America.  I hope to show those interested in American college social scenes a glimpse into what it is like to attend college in the United States.

Let me begin by briefly introducing my adventure through the American college system.  My story begins in high school when, much like Chinese high school students preparing for the gao kao, I was preparing for the SAT.  The SAT, along with grades and school activities, usually determines admittance into college.  Like in China, the best students attend the best schools, and the best schools are usually determined by reputation and academic rigor.  The most famous universities in America are the Ivy League schools and admittance is reserved for the best and brightest students.  My application was fairly competitive: I scored well on the SAT, had a high GPA, and I was captain of the American football, basketball, and baseball teams.  It was a strong application, but not strong enough to allow me to enter my dream school, the United States Naval Academy.  I was admitted to my second preference, Case Western Reserve University, and began my studies in 2008.  From the year I spent there, I made some great friends, studied hard, and played American football for the college.  The following year, despite knowing how much I would miss everyone at Case Western Reserve University, I reapplied to the United States Naval Academy and was admitted.  I immediately transferred schools and have now spent three years in military school and have loved every second of it.  From my experiences I have been able to gather a multifaceted understanding of American college culture.  I have been part of Fraternity and Sorority parties, played sports, and studied subjects that interest me.   The American-style college experience has been great for me and I cherish all of the friends I have made.  However, I do realize there are many different approaches to education and I needed to see what similarities and differences existed in Chinese colleges. In order for me to get to know a little more about Chinese college culture I made a few friends who are CNU students and Beijing natives.  From spending time with them, I have a vague idea of what the social scene on a typical college campus is like, and I hope my article allows you to gain a similar understanding of American college life.

I am not claiming that every American student has the same experience in college.  In fact, America has many different college cultures associated with individual schools.  For example, some schools in the United States are known for their rigorous Academics and restricted life due to tremendous amounts of school work.  Some other universities, however, are famous, or infamous, for their partying and their proximity to major cities such as New York, L.A., Washington D.C., or Miami.  Although there are more identities associated with universities than just the two I mention I will talk about each and how their interesting dichotomy breeds their own social cultures. 

The former mentioned rigorous academic schools attract highly motivated and top students.  These students typically enjoy academics and have a goal for a good, well-paying job after graduation.  Due to the work load many nights of the week, even weekends students are in the library finishing papers or studying for examinations.  Whereas the later refers to schools that are notorious for their parties and high alcohol consumption, and there is an actual yearly ranking of party schools that is published online.  Between the extremely difficult academic schools and the party schools lies a balance between the two which makes up most of the American college culture.  I refer to these schools as the “work hard, play hard” schools.  My meaning is that during the week these students are buried in their books and striving to get high grades, but during the weekend they are willing to go out and have a good time at a bar, dance club, or just around campus.  I believe the “work hard, play hard” schools reflect American culture.  When attending college in America one can expect to find this type of moderation in social life.  I would say a majority of American college students are driven and motive to do well in school, but still embrace a weekend party culture.  This is referred to as a method of release.

Americans believe when attending a school with difficult academics it is necessary for a release, so many of these schools have large recreational facilities with a gym, swimming pool, arcade, pool tables, etc.  A large part of a school’s budget will go into the mental health of the students.  For example, during examination weeks some colleges will hire masseuses to give free massages to students to help them relax.  Other students find their own mental sanity in their rooms playing video games and watching movies.  However, a majority of students like to release their stress by attending campus parties and consuming alcohol.  This is where I see the largest difference.  Nowhere on CNU’s campus have I ever seen a house party like I was so accustomed to seeing in America.  This is where I would like to explore the American college cultural anomaly of Fraternities and Sororities.

Fraternities and sororities are referred to as “Greek Life” on campuses.  They are called Greek because the fraternities and sororities are designated by Greek symbols almost like a team name.  I am not sure where or when this tradition started, but almost three fourths of universities in America participate in Greek Life.  Sororities are clubs for women and are very similar to fraternities in their philanthropic participation in the community.  Many sororities have a favorite fraternity in which many of the members end up dating and getting married.  A major difference between sororities and fraternities is that fraternities more often organize parties and are the hosts of special events.  A fraternity is a club of men who choose to apply for admittance into their “brotherhood.”  The fraternity members recruit freshmen students that they feel will represent their fraternity well.  Upon admittance into the fraternity a whole new network of friends opens up for the new member.  Many fraternities run community service projects and help out on campus.  In addition to their benevolent programs, fraternities also enjoy aiding in social development on campus and throw parties.  Most fraternities have their own house on campus in which thirty to fifty “brothers” can live.  The house also provides a venue for parties which often times have themes like tropical paradise!  To explain what exactly happens in fraternities and sororities I will use a personal story as well. 

At Case Western Reserve University I was a member of a fraternity.  Just like colleges in America, fraternities have reputations on their respective campuses as well.  Some are known as the “nerds” and others are known as the “athletes.”  My fraternity was known for throwing the best parties on campus.  My favorite two parties we ever threw were our foam party and our maze party.  The foam party was just as it sounds; we bought gallons and gallons of detergent and dumped them into machines that produced bubbles. Within hours our entire first floor was filled with soapy foam!  Once the house was filled with bubbles the part started and we turned on the music on the first floor and our party turned into an all night dance party in a meter of foam.  Many people, myself included said it was the most fun they had ever had.  Our other theme party is called maze party, also very self explanatory.  This party took much more preparation but was just as much fun when finished.  The fraternity brothers spent all week constructing a maze throughout our house complete with mirrors, makeshift wooden walls, and even areas where one had to crawl through.  Altogether it would take the fastest person nearly twenty minutes to complete the maze that stretched throughout the entire house.  After one would finish the maze a whole room fool of beer and alcohol awaited and the party would begin.  One by one people would crawl out of the maze and begin to have a great time.  The maze party was another great memory from college.

Along with the party culture I have noticed that Chinese universities lack an element of school spirit that exists on American campuses.  School spirit is defined as school pride and represented by attending university sporting events and wearing school colors.  In America each school has specific colors and a mascot such as a tiger, bear, or warrior that is meant to unite the students and faculty.  Almost all colleges in America have competitive sports teams that compete against other universities.  The larger colleges that have athletes who might even become professional ball players in the future are known for their large gatherings at events and often times their games are broadcasted on national television.  American-style football and basketball are two of the most popular sports in college and students can be seen painting their bodies and faces in school colors and attending games cheering vehemently for their school.

At the United States Naval Academy I play football as well, and I will never forget my story about school spirit.  It was a cold November day and we were playing our rival the United States Military Academy known as “Army” for short.  The rivalry between “Army” and “Navy” in the United States is as old as the country’s history itself.  The rivalry is much like two brothers competing and always results in a hard fought battle.  The best memory I have from this game was that it was so frigid that the water froze in the water cups set on the table for the players to drink, but still the entire school came to support the team and cheer so loudly that I could not even hear myself think.  A few of my friends even painted my name on their chests and did not wear shirts!  It was an exciting site to see all of my class mates supporting our team and we ended up winning 24-0.  After the game the fans in the stands all began singing our school anthem and cheering “Go Navy!” in unison.  It was another great Friday night in college for me and an experience I will never forget.

I do not see much of this happening on the campuses of Beida or Renmin University, and this is where I see the biggest cultural difference.  Walking outside on a campus in China on a Friday night one will find serenity, peace, and couples sitting together quietly embracing.  The same cannot be said for an American campus.  Often times parties are held in fraternities and the houses are all in a row on one street, so when standing at the end of the road one can see house after house lit up with different music coming from the speakers.  This is any typical Friday on an American college campus.  I cannot say that I miss this culture, because I gave it up long ago to go to a military school.  I enjoyed my time in normal American-style college, and I enjoy going out to bars and having fun, but I find that military school fits my personality.    

I would say military school in America is more like college life in China.  In military school, alcohol is forbidden on campuses and so is any type of nonprofessional relationship with the opposite sex.  The rules are strict and the punishments harsh.  A typical day starts at five in the morning and will not end until “lights out” and mandatory sleep time at eleven at night.  The academic day is broken up by mandatory physical exercise from three in the afternoon until six, and all meals are eaten together, all 4,000 students at once.  Compared to my time at Case Western Reserve University I realized that freedoms are more restricted and I have much more to do on a daily basis.  Not to say I was not working hard at Case, but military school at the Naval Academy carries more than just academic rigors.  Every semester we must complete a physical test of pushups, sit ups, and running and if one does not meet the minimums they will be expelled from school.  In addition to the daily grind of academics and physical education each student is expected to help others and use their free time to help someone struggling in another aspect of school.  Military school allowed me to see another side of American college life, and it is definitely not the American Pie version of college seen in the movies.  I think it is important, however, to emphasize that not all colleges in America are the same and within those colleges the students are different as well.  When exploring the American college culture the only consistency is that everyone and everywhere is different.

Nothing highlights American and Chinese cultural differences more than my friendship with my roommate, a Beijing native, and my classmate, an American.  I am close with both of them, but we have completely different activities that bring us together.  For example, my Chinese roommate and I often work out together and work on homework to foster a friendship, whereas my American friend and I go to bars and nightclubs.  My Chinese roommate really does not like the night-life culture and does not like going to bars.  I have asked him on several occasions if he would like to come, but he prefers staying in the room at night and playing computer games.  My American friend and I, however, prefer going out at night and having fun at places that have bars like San Li Tun or Wu Dao Kou.  My friendships between my roommate and my American classmate point out the cultural differences that exist between Chinese and American college culture.   

As an American college student in China, I believe I have been satisfied with the Chinese college system.  My professors are helpful and I have been learning a lot.  I believe they are demanding, but the work load is equal to what I receive in America.  I have noticed, however, that the exercise culture on Chinese campuses is much different from that on a normal college in the United States and much different from a military school.  For example, every day I get up before 6:30 AM and run.  I see the same people working out around campus at the same time, but they are doing a much slower and less strenuous work out like Tai Chi or walking.  The Chinese students look at me like I am crazy when I sprint by them sweating and breathing hard.  Not only do some students feel this is strange, but I also g to the gym in the afternoon.  In the gym I find more people like I do in America.  These Chinese students are what I am accustomed to seeing in America.  They lift heavy weights and are much larger than the typical Chinese male.  The only strange custom I see in the gyms in China is that men are much more willing to feel my muscles and ask me to flex for them.  I admit it is a bit strange, but I got used to it.  Many Chinese students are inquisitive about my work out style and I have taught many of them different workouts.  The exercise culture on college campuses in the United States varies from place to place.  Some students enjoy lifting weights in the gym and becoming muscular while others rarely exercise and enjoy playing video games instead.  I feel this is the same at Capital Normal University.  My classmates rarely exercise and like to watch movies in their rooms, but my roommate and other friends I have made on campus enjoy working out with me in the gym.  The exercise culture at the United States Naval Academy, however, is totally different than anything in China or even America. 

Let me take you through a typical day in military school.  Every day we wake up at 5:30 AM for morning group workouts.  After an hour or so on exercise we go back to our rooms and prepare for 7:55 AM class after a delicious breakfast of eggs, potatoes, sausage, and corn muffins.  Class continues until 11:45 AM when we are granted two hours to conduct personal workouts and eat lunch.  Lunch is usually as filling as breakfast with a lot of meat and protein.  I usually swim before lunch so I have quite an appetite.  After break we have class from 1:45 PM until 3:45 PM and then after that we have our sports period where we will go to practice sports like American football, basketball, and baseball.  Practices usually do not end until late and we eat dinner around 6:45 PM.  Dinner is the most delicious meal of the day and we often have classic American dishes like beef roast and gravy or turkey.  After dinner we will have a mandatory study period from 8:00 PM until 10:00 PM.  After study period we are granted one hour for personal time.  Some students like to read or play video games, but most of the time we are tired and get to bed early in order to get some good rest for the next day, which will be the same.       

This schedule may seem daunting to any college student, but this is only for military schools and only six exist in the United States.  Normal college life is not this demanding physically, but is still academically challenging.  The difference in exercise culture in China compared with my military school is that many Chinese students think I am crazy when I tell them how much I typically work out.  I have been able to keep my routine in China, running in the mornings, swimming at lunch, and lifting in the gym in the afternoons, but the major problem I have encountered is eating the food.

In America, I am used to a high calorie diet with large slices of meat and large portions of potatoes.  In China, I am not able to find types of foods I like and I feel that Chinese meals are not as filling as American meals.  This is especially true in the school cafeteria at CNU.  The cafeteria has a variety of meals and different styles of Chinese food.  From the Shaanxi dishes to the Sichuan hot pot, all the cuisine is delicious.  There is much more variety in this cafeteria than any colleges I have ever been to, but I am never full when I leave.  I usually order broccoli and beef over rice because beef is my favorite meat, but when I receive my plate instead of having a large steak on my plate it is only little thin slices of beef.  After a few months I got used to eating less meat with my meals, but I occasionally miss large streaks and chicken without bones which are so common in the United States.  The buffet style cafeteria system is similar to most colleges, but the Naval Academy operates differently.  We do not get to choose our meals, but rather one meal is provided each day with a few side options.  Instead of going to the food the food comes to use and we are served at a table in a group.  Each table has ten students and the service people place large pans of meat and potatoes in the center.  We pass the food around and eat family style for every meal.  My favorite meal at school is turkey dinner in which we have a whole turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.  It is so delicious and filling that I feel like it is Thanksgiving every time we have this meal.  It is not that I do not enjoy Chinese food, but I think that the portions of meat are too small.  Chinese food is delicious, but I am just used to high calories because of how much I exercise.

Not only do Chinese students think my exercise and eating habits are strange, but they believe my classroom behavior is odd as well.  In America, it is common to interact with professors in smaller classes and even outside of class.  In class, I like to make jokes and engage with the professor, whereas my Chinese friends are much more reserved.  I noticed this character trait in young Chinese students at the elementary school where I teach English.  They are often afraid to speak up and do not like being called on to answer questions.  To help get them engaged in class I started bringing a soccer ball to class and we play games with the ball.  I have the students pass the ball around and say something in English.  Often times I separate the class into two teams and they compete by answering questions correctly for “goals.”  I have not been in China long enough nor have I been to enough schools to make such an assumption, but I feel like in general American students are much more interactive in class.

After six months on a Chinese college campus I can say that I have now experienced three different college lifestyles: American culture, military culture, and Chinese culture.  I have enjoyed each different experience and appreciate each culture for what they are.  I wish I had more time to spend getting to know Chinese college life, but from what I gathered in my short time abroad I see that there are cultural differences in the social scenes on Chinese and American campuses.  As an American studying abroad I assimilated to the culture I was exposed to, but I wonder what Chinese students studying in America think of the college culture.  I know I still had some things I felt uncomfortable about up until my last day and some things, like the food, that I never really came to enjoy, but instead adapted.  I believe this is a common thread that every student studying abroad shares.  Although I was in a foreign culture I recognized and appreciated the differences on the campus of Capital Normal University.  I have been away from my school for over six months now and I finally realize how much I miss my normal routine.  Although I had a great time in China, I enjoy the things I am accustomed to at home.  I am excited to go back the United States Naval Academy and finish my senior year.  This semester abroad has been an invaluable experience for me and I will always look fondly upon China and its people.  I just hope I was able to leave a good impression upon China, because Chinese has left a great impression on me.  Now I can return to America and tell all of my classmate how great studying in China is and hopefully it will result in more Americans studying in China and appreciating Chinese culture.

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Jordan J. Foley

傅力波