校園生活:開學第一課 自力更生

It is like the national entrance exam all over again. Last week on the Tsinghua University campus, parents anxiously watched their children head off into a taped area to register as freshmen.

這感覺就像是又一次經歷高考。上週在清華大學校園，家長們憂心忡忡地目送孩子走進一處用膠帶圍起來的隔離區內辦理新生報到手續。

"Don't worry mum, I can manage," said Xia Yanxu, 18, a freshman from Hebei province, reassuring his mother that he would be alright handling the photoshoot for his student ID and the Hukou registration.

"媽，別擔心，我能行，"來自河北的新生，18歲的夏延旭（音譯）安慰媽媽，表示自己會去搞定拍學生證照片以及戶口登記等事項。

In order to teach incoming freshmen their first lesson in independence, Tsinghua University set up a "parents-restricted" area this year where students have to go through the enrollment procedure all by themselves.

爲了能夠給新生們上好自力更生的第一課，清華大學今年設立了一個"家長止步區"，學生們必須獨自辦理入學手續。

On the verge of the new semester, both universities and incoming freshmen are trying to make independence the priority.

新學期伊始，各大高校和大一新生們都試圖將自力更生放在首位。

Xia's mother did not come alone, but with grandparents and other family members. Other than proudly witnessing her son stepping into one of the country's most prestigious institutions, Li Xiaoping came to Beijing to assist with any unforeseeable problems that her son might face.

夏延旭的媽媽李小平（音譯）並非獨自前來的，一起的還有夏延旭的爺爺奶奶以及其他家庭成員。除了想自豪地目送兒子踏進這所中國知名學府的大門之外，她磁性的另一個目的就是協助兒子應對一切他可能會面臨的難題。

"From his childhood through to high school, Xia was told only to worry about study, and that we [parents] would take care of everything else," said Li. "If anything happens I fear he might be overwhelmed and make the wrong decision."

李小平說："從童年到高中，我們都告訴他只要關心學習就好了。我們會來照顧其他一切事情。我害怕一旦發生什麼狀況，他會不知所措，做出錯誤的決定。"

Xia's parents are in good company. On the first enrollment day the number of parents exceeded that of enrolling students, according to a school official.

像夏延旭父母這樣的家長大有人在。該校的一位工作人員表示，入學收入，前來送新的家長人數超過了新生。

"Over the years the number of parents has increased," said the official, who asked to remain anonymous. "That's one reason why the school set up the student-only area – to prevent chaos."

這位不遠透露姓名的工作人員表示："近年來，家長人數明顯增加。這也是學校設立家長止步區的原因之一——爲了避免混亂。"

In fact, Tsinghua is not the only university in trying to teach freshmen independence. This year, Shanghai University cancelled the tradition of upper-classmen picking up freshmen from the train station. Instead, the school attached with its offer letters a transportation map of the city on which the 5,963 freshmen could find the campus by public transport. The change has been well received.

事實上，並非只有清華大學一所高校在嘗試教授新生自力更生的課程。今年，上海大學取消了老生去火車站接新的傳統。取而代之的是，學校在錄取通知書中附上了城市交通路線圖，這樣5963名新生坐公交便能找到學校了。這一轉變也受到了廣泛好評。

"It was like an adventure on the first day of enrolment," said Zhang Yiting, 18, a freshmen from Chongqing.

來自重慶的18歲新生張怡婷（音譯）說："開學第一天就像次大冒險。"

With parents swarming into the campus, there is also another trend gaining momentum among freshmen. On social networking sites, such as , students are inviting their peers to board the train together, not only for safety, but also to "get rid of nagging parents."

除了家長蜂擁進校園之外，新生中間還在興起另一種新趨勢。在人人網這些社交網站上，學生們邀請同校的同學一同搭伴坐火車，不單單是爲了安全，更是爲了"擺脫嘮叨的父母"。

"It would be fun to meet some future alumni and enroll together," said Hu Liwen, 19, a freshmen at Beihang University from Liaoning province. "It would also save parents money and energy."

"能夠見到一些將來的校友，並且一起完成註冊是件開心事。"作爲北大的一名新生，來自遼寧的18歲的胡麗雯（音譯）如是說。"這還能爲父母省錢省力。"

Xia now wants his mother and family to go home. "Yesterday I had a group of relatives following me wherever I went. It doesn't feel like I'm on campus at all," said Xia. "I think I will be alright with my roommates."

現在，夏延旭希望媽媽和家人都能回家。夏延旭說："昨天，我去哪兒，我的一羣親戚跟到哪兒。根本不像是我在上大學。我覺得有室友的陪伴就行了。"