My university lifeby Qin Xiaoyong First，I would like to say hello to you a11I think some of you might remember me，as I used to be the captain of the school football teamThis past May I completed my first year at university in Canada，and I have learnt a lotI am writing this article to give you a quick preview of what to expect from university life either in China or abroadThere were many things that I needed to do to prepare for universityI had to decide which university to apply to and what course to study, and then I needed to get a passport and visa to study abroadI found that choosing a university abroad could be difficultAfter looking through numerous brochures and college cataloguesI decided on the University of Calgary, where I chose to study psychology, which is the study of the mind and how it influences behaviourMoving to Canada meant making some big adjustments to my lifeAlthough I knew everybody has to leave their nest at some point，leaving my family was the hardest part，and some people cannot handle being away from homeTo help myself adjust，I set up e-mail addresses for my mum and dad so thatI could e-mail them regularlyHowever, during my first year at university, I was so busy studying and meeting new people that I did not write to my family as often as I should haveWhen I went home for the holidays，I felt a bit like a lost son returningAnother big change was the foodWhen I first came to CanadaI found the food a bit strangeI did not likeeating SO much meat or food that had been friedNow I am getting used to Canadian food，and believe it or not，my new favourite food is pepper steakBefore I left home，my mother showed me how to use a stove and a rice cooker, and she taught me how to cook some simple dishes such as noodles，fried bean curd and garlic with vegetablesNow，whenever I want toeat Chinese foodI can cook for myself, though usually I do all of my cooking in the microwave1 like drinking tea a lot，SO I have some cups and saucers in the lounge and a Thermos to take tea to class with meMy mother also taught me how to do the laundry and how to avoid shrinking my clothesLiving on my own，I also learnt to control the amount of money I spent each weekI think it is a good idea to put some of your money away each week to make it lastAll these things have helped me become more independentMoving to Canada for higher education has been exciting，but I have been very busyOn the first day of term，there were crowds of people in the dormitory, all looking for where they should goMy room was only partlyfurnished and had no bathroom it just had a basin and a hook for a towelThe kitchen was SO small that I joked with my friends that it could be measured in millimetres!I also met my roommate，who is really niceHe is here to study science，and he seems to know everything about it，from astronomy to mineralsHe has different classes and a different schedule from mineAt university,students in different departments go to different classes at different timesUniversity students also have a lot offree time for personal study, sports or just relaxing during the dayMy Canadian friends introduced me to baseballAlthough I really enjoy it，I am not very good with a bat or a baseball gloveWhen you are planning for university, look forward instead of backwardGoing to university is an adventureSo you should not be afraid，but just dive right inMy advice to you is to prepare and think ahead SO that you can have an easier time in making the change from home to universityIf you have any other questions，do not hesitate to write to meMY email address is qinxiaoyongconcomZhenhua Universityyour home away from home Zhenhua University is a university set in its own grounds just outside the cityAlthough it is small，it is a wonderful place to continue your educationThe grounds have a fountain and places where you can wall sit and relaxHere at Zhenhua，we realize that if you work hard, you also need to play hardTherefore, as well as advancing your education, we also have some of the best university sports teams in the countryWhat does Zhenhua have to offer you? The range of courses is very wide and，of course, includes the traditional courses in arts and scienceThere are also other courses such as Information Technology, Communications，and Film and Media StudiesYou can study with US and obtain your bachelor，s degree，your master degree and even your PhDOur university offers seventy degree programmesJust visit our website to find out more .Currently, Zhenhua has 20 research institutes or centresThe university has tried to provide students with the knowledge and skills to help them in their future careers . Zhenhua is working to make itself the premier place for enquiry and research. We also have exchange programmes that allow Zhenhua students to travel all over the world and students from other countries to come and study with USB