Hit the gym and be careful with your diet. Doing weight training in the gym helps build up muscles which not only raise the basal metabolic rate, but also protect the joints and soft tissue. Nowadays we working with computers and phones a lot. So we may stay in a specific position for a quite long time, which can do harm to the neck and waist. Being careful with your diet means consuming relatively low calorie, unprocessed food. Intake enough protein, more veggie and less carb. Don’t forget the fiber. It’s an ingredient promoting pooping and keeping we away from colon cancer.

Comparison of evaluation systems of high school students in China and North America (4) No doubt North American mode values guiding the teenagers to grow into “wholesome” adults whose mind are not trapped by the restriction of exam papers. But to be honest, I find this evaluation system easier to cheat in and affected relatively more heavily on family background than Chinese mode, both of which are against the spirit of educational fairness. A kid whose father is a professor or a senior manager of a prestigious company obviously is able to gain better intern opportunities and recommend letters than a normal kid. When the social mobility compromises, the wealth differentiation of the country will be even more widened. The different systems of high school student evaluation of China and North America have their pros and cons. When teenagers enjoy the benefit of their own mode, they are giving up something else in the mean time.

Comparison of evaluation systems of high school students in China and North America (3) Compared with the unitary Chinese evaluation system of high school students which relies on simply ranking the numerical scores, the North American criteria for selecting candidates is relatively more comprehensive. Numerical grades like SAT are just one aspect of the whole package. However, recommend letters, internships, research experiences, sports performance, and competition prizes etc. are all taken into consideration. If one of these aspects is outstanding enough, it can make up for the disadvantage of standardized exams. No doubt North American mode values guiding the teenagers to grow into “wholesome” adults whose mind are not trapped by the restriction of exam papers.

Comparison of evaluation systems of high school students in China and North America (2) Students from metropolitan areas of China are raised by generally richer families than students from less developed areas. Quite a number of them will choose to apply for universities or even high schools overseas to avoid the over-fierce competition, and also, for better education quality. Other students who don’t choose to study abroad are more or less affected by this kind of atmosphere, and are still more open-minded, sociable, conversable, and humanistic. So, after I getting into my college in Beijing, I got the “imposter syndrome”. I didn’t think I was qualified to be a student of China’s top university any more because I was just a machine made for impractical exams which was unable to think. “The biggest culprit was no doubt the College Entrance Examination!” I sweared.

Comparison of evaluation systems of high school students in China and North America (1) Just like the 10 million high school graduates who signed up for 2017 College Entrance Examination, the 18-year-old me took this crazily prioritized exam after my sacrificing weekends and holidays for “knowledge” for nearly 18 years. Luckily, I finally killed it in this exam and admitted by one of the best university in China. I thought I was the king of the world and I can accomplish anything if I want to. But soon after I moved into the dorm and get along with my peers from metropolitan areas of China, I realized it wasn’t the case. How the College Entrance Examination evaluate the students is quite simple: one numerical grade that all the exam subjects grades combined. So, what I strived for in my 18 years of life is just the rise of this number. My parents and I were too eager to win this game that irrelevant arts, sports, and even deep thinking about myself, are just waste of time and should be avoided.

This is the 7th month I stay at my parents‘ house It has been 7 months since I came back to Jiangsu Province from my college in Beijing during the Spring Festival break. If the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t break out, I would have been back in Beijing since February. I’m still waiting for the school notice of re-opening recently. Cases of the corona virus has been totally controllable since May but universities all over my country are super cautious about re-opening that nearly all Chinese college students take all-online courses and exams in the past spring semester. I’m a medical student in my 4th year of the 5-year undergraduate medical program, which is equivalent to M.D. in the US. This is how Chinese medical education system works: you can get an “M.D.” in 5 years, but you won’t be recognized as a formal Chinese doctor until you spend 3-5 more years on advanced education and internship. However, with this “M.D.”, Chinese medical undergraduates are certified to sign up for the United States Medical License Examination（USMLE）like American medical students do, and that’s what I’m going for. I will be preparing for Step 1 of USMLE in the recent years. Given the number of new cases in China everyday is quite low, hopefully I can get back to my college and the hospital I shadowing in in August or September.