Chinese Dormitory Living - A Students Perspective

The College's 10th Anniversary Celebration

It has been over a month and a half since my last update. Time passes quickly here without the seasonal changes that one is accustomed to back home in Canada. Although Santa failed to deliver snow to this part of the world (it has not snowed in Nanning since 1996), we are still in 'winter' mode here. The temperature ranges from 4-18°C, from the months of November-March. After going to school in Thunder Bay for five years, you would think these digits would be tropical in nature. The problem with lower temperatures here are the ways in which buildings are constructed. Forget timber frames, insulation and drywall, everything is made out of concrete with rebar veins throughout (floors, walls and ceilings). In the winter months these concrete 'bunkers' absorb the cold and are difficult to heat. I am fortunate that the AC units of my apartment also act as heaters. Unfortunately, the same does not hold true with the classrooms. Expect to teach in a coat for a few months!

Every week my students are given a topic for a journal writing assignment. The good thing about these assignments (besides improving their English literacy) is that I can have them write about something I want to learn more about. Opinion pieces act as a deterrent to plagiarism and they can give you an insiders perspective of Chinese culture and life, through the eyes of a first year University student. Since many of you reading this have experienced dormitory life in Canada, I will give an outline of what it is like to live in a Chinese dormitory (according to my students).

Student Dorm Room - 8 Person

Chinese Dormitory:

- Campus Internet speeds are comparable to dial-up. The Internet also gets shut down at 1AM (World of Warcraft players beware).

- There are between 4-8 students per room, usually with one washroom. Scheduling bathroom time can prove difficult when you share many of the same classes with your roommates. The rooms are small and bunk-beds line the walls.

- If you are not back into your dorm by 11PM, you are locked out by the guard.

- Hot water is only operational (in the female dorms) between 5-8PM. The male dorms do not have hot water heaters and students must endure the cold water. Screams can be heard in the morning from the cold water showers!

- Dorms are segregated by the sexes (male and female dorms). Guards are posted around the clock and visitations by the opposite sex are prohibited.

Some Rooms Do Not Come With Desks - Improvise!

- No cooking is allowed in the dorms due to fire hazards.

- Most students are already accustomed to dorm style living by the time they enter a post-secondary school. Boarding schools are common place in China, especially at the secondary school level. It is not uncommon to share a room with 9-15 other students at these institutions. 

- Many Chinese parents want their children to attend a boarding school, or live in a dormitory. Due to China's 'One Child' policy, many children grow up without siblings. Things like interacting with peers, selflessness and sharing is lacking for some 'only children'. The fact that most children are also raised by their grandparents while their parents work, does not help the situation. The term 'little emperor' is used to describe a spoiled male child, with no siblings.

All Space is Used

- There are no washing machines, unless you want to carry your clothes across campus and pay a high price to use a washer and dryer. The majority of students wash their clothes by hand, which is very time consuming.

- During the summer months, some of the students sleep on the dorm roof because of the heat.

- Living in a dorm costs around 800RMB per year ($125CDN). Utilities not included.

Although the accommodation is rough, even by Chinese standards, there is not a single student in my class who regrets their decision to live in the dormitory. After all, what doesn't break you, only makes you stronger!