Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU) is a sub-school of Kean University in China. It was founded and began recruiting students in 2013. The principle of WKU is “providing students with different ways of development”. An institution such as itself warrants every WKU student to have a totally different experience.
Similar to colleges in America, all professors at the WKU campus are using English to teach. In fact, students are encouraged to use the English dialect, such as at the many activities held by students, allowing students to connect. Most high school students think college is a place that students do not need to study too hard and think they can get up late. However, WKU is not that type of school. At WKU, it is common for students to think they just graduated from high school and now are just going to “a harder high school”. The courses are more difficult than one may assume, not only because professors use English to teach, but the textbooks are also the English versions. As a Chinese student, it is hard to get used to it, to say the least. In a college environment, the surroundings are bound to be competitive.
The student population of Wenzhou consists of dedicated students, but with such commitment to education, students do not want to drag the rear, so they work harder. Therefore, people can see a lot of students in the library every day. The university has noticed this and decided to make the library a 24 hour one, so even at midnight students can be seen strolling in.
WKU is a place where people can feel comfortable. China has an old saying, “Although sparrow is small, completely of the whole”, and the university can sure tobe described as that. Right now, there are five buildings on campus, including three academic buildings, a dormitory, and a dining hall. WKU also has basketball court, a soccer field, and a tennis court. More and more buildings and sports fields are being built and there is no doubt that the campus will be better. In dormitory and academic buildings, people can find corners that have a sofa, a bookshelf, and a coffee table, which serve as resting places for students. On every floor of the dormitory, there is a kitchen and a laundry room for the convenience of students when they become hungry. There is a game room on the first floor of the dormitory, and it has a pool table, air hockey, and various other modes of entertainment.
Perhaps the most important thing is that all equipment on campus is free to use, including the gym and technology room. All students need is to present their student identification (ID) card. It is amazing that people simply need their student ID and they can go anywhere on campus. Students even do not even need keys to enter their dorm room; just use touch the ID card to the electronic sensor and the door will open automatically.
At an ordinary college in China, students do not have too much connection with each other, and some of them even do not know what their classmates’ names are. However, that is not a problem at WKU. Most activities at Wenzhou are held by students’ organizations, and in most of time, the activities are not held by just one organization. Every activity is held by one student organization, and several other organizations offer their support. Because there are many activities at WKU, students are given the several opportunities to make friends.
There are two organizations that are different from ordinary clubs: Student Government and student ambassador. These two organizations work for the school directly, one for students’ activities, and the other for recruiting students. If students want to join these two organizations, they are required to pass an interview and give a presentation. Taking on a position in these two organizations is a lot of responsibility, which it can sometimes be difficult juggling work and school, causing many to not partake in either of the organizations. There are many students though who wish to work for school but at the same time dedicate time to their education, so they work voluntarily. This way they find their sense of belonging through working for other students.
If a foreign college student wants to study at WKU, he or she can fit into the life on campus. First of all, WKU students are forbidden to speak Chinese in an academic building, no matter in class or after class. Therefore, foreigners do not have to worry about nobody being able to talk with them. The other big difference of WKU and other colleges are holiday celebrations. There are a lot of Western festivals celebrated at WKU, like Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Halloween, and the university will give a party for each holiday... Another important factor foreigners are typically concerned about is food.. At the WKU dining hall, there are two choices: Chinese food or Western foods, so students can have their taste buds explore another culture’s food or not.
Wenzhou-Kean University is not big, but it is warm; it is not famous, but it is gorgeous; it does not have too many students, but every student is elite.
