中英双语新闻——189 Learning independence

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　　这感觉就像是又一次经历高考。上周在清华大学校园，家长们忧心忡忡地目送孩子走进一处用警戒线围起来的隔离区内办理新生报到手续。

 

　　“Don’t worry mum, I can manage,” said Xia Yanxu, 18, a freshman² from Hebei province, reassuring³ his mother that he would be alright handling the photoshoot for his student ID and the Hukou registration⁴.

 

　　“妈，别担心，我能。”来自河北的新生、18岁的夏延旭（音译）安慰妈妈，表示自己会去搞定拍学生证照片以及户口登记等事项。

 

　　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 enrollment⁶ procedure all by themselves.

 

　　为了能够给新生们上好自力更生的第一课，清华大学今年设立了一个“家长止步区”，学生们必须独自办理入学手续。

 

　　On the verge⁷ of the new semester, both universities and incoming freshmen are trying to make independence the priority.

 

　　新学期伊始，各大高校和大一新生们都试图将自力更生放在首位。

 

　　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 prestigious⁸ institutions, Li Xiaoping came to Beijing to assist with any unforeseeable problems that her son might face.

 

　　夏延旭的妈妈李小平（音译）并非独自前来，一起的还有夏延旭的爷爷奶奶以及其他家庭成员。除了想自豪地目送儿子踏进这所中国知名学府的大门之外，她此行的另一个目的就是帮助儿子应对一切他可能会面临的难题。

 

　　“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.”

 

　　李小平说：“从童年到高中，我们都告诉他只要关心学习就好了。我们会来照顾其他一切事情。我害怕一旦发生什么状况，他会不知所措，做出错误的决定。”

 

　　Xia’s parents are in good company. On the first enrollment day the number of parents exceeded that of enrolling⁹ students, according to a school official.

 

　　像夏延旭父母这样的家长大有人在。该校的一位工作人员表示，入学首日，前来送新的家长人数超过了新生。

 

　　“Over the years the number of parents has increased,” said the official, who asked to remain anonymous¹⁰. “That’s one reason why the school set up the student-only area – to prevent chaos¹¹.”

 

　　这位不愿透露姓名的工作人员表示：“近年来，家长人数明显增加。这也是学校设立家长止步区的原因之一——为了避免混乱。”

 

　　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.

 

　　事实上，并非只有清华大学一所高校在尝试教授新生自力更生的课程。今年，上海大学取消了老生去火车站接新的传统。取而代之的是，学校在录取通知书中附上了城市交通路线图，这样5963名新生乘坐公共交通工具便能找到学校了。这一转变也受到了广泛好评。

 

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

 

　　来自重庆的18岁新生张怡婷（音译）说：“报到第一天就像次大冒险。”

 

　　With parents swarming¹² into the campus, there is also another trend gaining momentum¹³ among freshmen. On social networking sites, such as Renren.com, students are inviting¹⁴ their peers to board the train together, not only for safety, but also to “get rid of nagging¹⁵ parents.”

 

　　除了家长蜂拥进校园之外，新生中间还在兴起另一种新趋势。在人人网这些社交网站上，学生们邀请同校的同学一同搭伴坐火车，不单单是为了安全，更是为了“摆脱唠叨的父母”。

 

　　“It would be fun to meet some future alumni and enroll⁵ together,” said Hu Liwen, 19, a freshmen at Beihang University from Liaoning province. “It would also save parents money and energy.”

 

　　“能够见到一些将来的校友，并且一起报到是件开心的事。”作为北航的一名新生，来自辽宁的18岁的胡丽雯（音译）如是说。“这还能为父母省钱省力。”

 

　　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.”

 

　　现在，夏延旭希望妈妈和家人都能回家。夏延旭说：“昨天，我去哪儿，我的一群亲戚跟到哪儿。根本不像是我在上大学。我觉得有室友的陪伴就行了。”

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