Freshman Move-In Day

At 8:30 this morning, I hopped on my bike to go pick up some flowers for our office.  Horns were honking, people were everywhere, and for once the campus streets were full of cars.  At one point I was going so slowly as I weaved through the traffic that I had to get off my bike and walk for awhile.  (I usually consider it a point of pride to stay on my bike no matter how dense the crowd, so I knew it was busy when I had to get off.)

"What's all this dadgum commotion about?" I thought to myself.

As I approached Confucius Square, I saw rows of orange tents and lots of students milling about.  Some of them were with middle-aged folk, and many were carrying bags or looking lost.  Aha!  Today was freshman move-in day.  There was more activity on campus today than almost any other day, which was fun.  They even turned on the fountain -- that never happens!

There were lots of parents accompanying their students

Only in China?

Orange tents galore!

The fountain in action: a rare sight

Later in the day, Mallary and I went to our department to clean our office.  In Confucius Square, we saw some of the English students manning a booth to assist the new freshman English majors.  Once inside the English building, we met another group of students manning the door, where they directed incoming freshman to the classrooms that will be their study home for the next three years.

Jackie, a senior English student, with other foreign language students helping direct the freshmen

Our office, looking cleaner and prettier than usual after today's efforts

Unfortunately, I don't teach any of these wide-eyed, sparkling new freshmen this year.  However, I will look forward to watching the required military training they will undergo during the next two weeks.  After that, they finally start their classes -- all 8.000 of them.  Welcome, freshmen!

 Painting a welcome sign