A day in my life as a Shanghai student

Eva Tollett – Fudan University – Shanghai, China

Of course, every day is slightly different due to my timetable and social schedule but I will introduce what an average day living in Shanghai looks like for me. I have 4 hours of class a day, all Chinese language but covering different aspects like grammar, spoken and written Chinese. An normal day will be from 10-3 with a break for lunch. This does make it feel a bit like school as you are in the same classroom with the same people every day. I quite like this though as it can mean you form really close bonds with your classmates. 

My apartment is a 30 minute walk from class or if I’m running late I can rent a bike of the side of the street really conveniently. I pay around £3 a month for unlimited bike rides (much cheaper than a Manchester bus pass!). Some of my friends also rent 电动车 – electric scooters that are really popular here. 

During the lunch break me and my classmates head to one of the canteens on campus where there is a plethora of cheap food options. My favourites include Beijing roast duck, dumplings or salads. All for around £1.50. On the days where our break is longer we sometimes go to restaurants off campus. Its also quite common to see people ordering takeaways to the campus gate.

The classes themselves are really well taught, the teachers know how to challenge you but also when to slow down. It was a shock at first to be spoken to completely in Chinese but once you adjust you can feel your listening comprehension improve massively. 

After class I usually stay on campus to complete my homework as I find I can’t focus in my room. It’s also nice as the international student community is very close knit so I will bump into people I know whilst studying. Below is a picture of a study spot on campus.

I go to a gym nearby my apartment, which costs about the same as a gym membership in the UK. There is a gym on campus that you can use for free but the facilities are quite old and it is always busy. The options for societies are also quite limited as they are not very accessible for international students. Integration between the international and Chinese student body is definitely something that could be improved as I have struggled to make Chinese friends.

In the evenings I will often meet my friends for dinner, play card games in someone’s room or go to La Bamba (the Fudan equivalent of Squirrels). Going out for dinner here is much more affordable than in the UK so most people don’t cook, they live off takeaways or restaurant food. I personally have a small electric hob because I enjoy being able to make the food I want.