Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
With the mounting cost of rent, university accommodations are very competitive
in price. At Beijing Normal University, a two-person dorm with shared bathroom
is RMB1,200 per month, a two-person room with private bathroom is about
RMB2,500, and a one-person room with private bathroom is RMB2,700 (this in-
cludes electricity, gas, and water, but not Internet). There is no living room and the
kitchen is shared, but there are common areas to hang out in, and the canteen is cheap
and passable.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER ADVANTAGES?
You can't beat the commuting time and the cost of living on campus. The morning
commute is not fun in Beijing, no matter if you cab, bus, drive, or subway it. On
campus, you can roll out of bed 10 minutes before your 8 o'clock class and still have
time to pick up some steamed buns and soy milk on the way. There are other campus
amenities that you can take advantage of, too, such as the cheap gym, pool, tennis
courts, and cheap eats.
WHAT'S DORM LIFE LIKE?
During my first semester I lived off campus in a really cool apartment in the
hútòng.
However, I was very isolated and I didn't get to bond with my classmates. During
the second semester, I lived in the dorms on campus and made loads of friends there.
The people in the dorms came from all over the world, which meant that I had to
speak Chinese because not everyone spoke English. The dorms are also a good place
for networking and finding out about job opportunities. If studying and getting good
grades are your priority, though, you'll need to be able to reject a lot of impromptu
partying and hanging out. When my willpower is low, I simply hide out at the library.
