On August 23, TJU newcomers began to arrive at the University for registration. All colleges and schools had put up Welcome Tents before they arrived. Gloomy as the weather is, the enthusiasm for welcoming the new students ran high. The colleges organized elaborately-prepared activities to help the newcomers to adapt to their university life better and quicker.

On entering the Tai Lei Square, new students could see a huge 'Message-wall' saying "Tianjin University’s Reception Center for 2017 New Students". Each new student could write their own thoughts on the wall to record their first impression of the University. “Tianjin University, here I am!”, “Tianjin University, I won’t let you down!”, “Active and ambitious, I want to be an excellent TJU-er.”... Many students expressed their excitement and set their big goals.

At the Peiyang Park Campus, the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology decorated their Welcome Tent with red notes for new students to write their wishes. “Be a TJU-er living up to my own expectation”, was Ma Junyi's wish, a freshman from the School, her face showing a big smile when she tied her wish-card on to red rope.

The School of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering designed the “Time Mailbox” to record newcomers’ expectations of their university life. The box will automatically open one year later to remind them of their original goal. The mailbox was designed by Liu Hao, an undergraduate student from the 2016 class of the School. “The mailbox was mainly made from a micro control system 51 Series, DS1302 clock module and DS1302 display module and was programmed using C Language. I learned this knowledge and technologies when I was a freshman in the School’s Association of Science and Technology”, Liu explained.

The School of Microelectronics was also full of creativity in welcoming the newcomers. A display board standing in front of their Welcome Tent said “In Chinese, the pronunciation of ‘Xin’ may have different meanings. It can mean “new”, standing for the new students; it may mean “chip”, on which the discipline of microelectronics centers, thus standing for the School of Microelectronics; it could also mean “heart”, standing for love and care from all the teachers and students in the University. In addition, when new students scanned the heart-shaped two-dimensional code posted on the board, they were surprised to receive an exclusive blessing from the seniors. “Hello, Sun Di, welcome to Tianjin University! I’m your senior brother-in-learning Fan Wei. I have a word for you – The biggest enemy in life is our own weakness, so be brave to challenge yourself and embrace a better self.” Such a gentle voice brought a feeling of warmth.

Entering the university also means that we are about to be away from our parents and live independently. The School of Civil Engineering set up a special Thanksgiving wall on which new students could write of their gratitude to their parents. A freshman Wen Shiying wrote, “Thank you, my parents. Although I don’t often say I love you, my love is in the bottom of my heart.”

At the Weijin Road Campus, the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology displayed notes made in scientific research to advocate preciseness and the truth-seeking spirit. The College of Management and Economics recorded newcomers’ wishes for the future through video.

 Editors: Yin Shiyu and Ross Colquhoun