Travel Guides & Tips in this video
Katherine shares a day as an American master’s student in environmental engineering at Nanjing University. She cycles to the metro, uses QR codes for transit and describes living in a university dorm, a common arrangement in China that differs from her experience of US student life. Her day includes lab research on industrial wastewater treatment, an ecological civilization class, meals at campus and local restaurants, and time outdoors. She also works on her thesis in Chinese and goes to the university gym, offering a personal view of study and daily routines in Nanjing.
Next travel video:
More about the current video:()
Getting around and studying at Nanjing University
Katherine is an American master’s student in environmental engineering at Nanjing University. Her day begins with a commute by public bike to a metro station. She uses a QR code on her phone for public transportation rather than buying a paper ticket, and notes mask use on transit. Her choice to live in a university dorm is another point of difference from the more independent housing she associates with American student life. She likes having her own space while still being part of a university setting. The campus has gardens and trees, and although it is some distance from the city center, it offers room to walk.
At the university, Katherine spends time in her lab researching industrial wastewater treatment. Her work uses resin beads to capture heavy metals, giving a glimpse into the practical subject of her graduate studies. She also attends a class on ecological civilization, a concept she describes as unfamiliar in the United States and important in Chinese environmental policy. These academic scenes show more than a schedule: they explain what she is studying and how the university day brings together research and classroom learning.
Meals, friends and an evening routine
Food and social time fill the rest of the day. Katherine eats at a dining hall, where she finds some meals better than expected, and goes off campus for lunch with friends. She tries crossing-the-bridge rice noodles, a dish she enjoys as part of exploring local food. Later she takes a walk and appreciates Nanjing’s green spaces and the stray cats she encounters. The video then returns to campus for dinner at a dining hall, thesis writing and a workout at the university gym.
Katherine is writing her thesis in Chinese, a choice that reflects her effort to engage with the local academic and cultural environment. Her routine includes research, class, meals, friends, outdoor time and exercise rather than only studying. The account also conveys her perspective on living arrangements and transportation: she rides a public bike, takes the metro and lives in a dorm. These details can help prospective students picture one graduate student’s day, while recognizing that her experience is personal and may differ from other students’ schedules, housing and research.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What's it like to live in a dorm as a grad student in China?
- A: Living in a university dorm is common in China, unlike the independent living many American students are used to. Katherine likes having her own space and says it is nice to get away from campus each day.
- Q: What's the public transportation like?
- A: Katherine uses public bikes and the metro a lot. She scans a QR code on her phone instead of using tickets, and notes that everyone wears a mask on public transport during the period shown.
- Q: What's a typical day like for you?
- A: Her day mixes classes, lab work, exploring Nanjing and spending time with friends. She also works on her thesis and tries to fit in exercise at the university gym.
- Q: What's the food like?
- A: Katherine says the university dining halls are okay, but she enjoys exploring local food streets and restaurants, where there are many options. She also shares a meal of crossing-the-bridge rice noodles with friends.
- Q: What's the campus like?
- A: The campus is big, with lots of gardens and trees. It is some distance from the city center, but Katherine finds it peaceful and spacious, with room to walk around.
