The grandest fruit festival arrived in Tianjin University again! Recently, TJU students welcomed their 32rd Fruit Festival, which was organized by the Fruit Project Committee. Constituted by students in each semester, the committee aims to provide free fruits for TJU students and promote the importance of health through preparing games. The theme fruits of the festival this time were pomelo and red dragonfruit. 

Before each Fruit Festival, the committee holds a vote among TJU students to select two kinds of fruits they most want that semester. This semester, the vote took various forms. Students could vote online using smart phones to vote through WeChat; offline, the committee held ‘fruit foretaste’ events in different dormitory areas, where students could have free fruits and vote for their favorite ones. After the vote, the two most popular fruits among students were pomelo and red dragonfruit, which have won several times since the program began. Given the quality and the ease of storage, pomelo can be easily kept in the dormitory for several days in winter; and aside from being storable for more than two weeks, dragonfruit’s delicious taste has also ingratiated it with students, so they prefer these two kinds of fruits. Last Fruit Festival the winners were dragonfruit and mango. 

Besides the vote, the committee also held numerous fruit-related events. The game “Draw Something” with fruit theme was popular among students. Played online, this game involved guessing what kind of fruit others were drawing. For people who wanted to test their knowledge, the committee prepared a general knowledge quiz, which could also be answered through WeChat. And if you fancied yourself as a bit of a writer, the fruit story collection activity was the best choice. In this activity, students would write their own fairy tales each with a fruit theme and share online with others. All these events not only brought happiness for students but also taught them something about fruit.  

It was cold at 6 a.m. on Nov. 11, but students were full of enthusiasm early in this morning. Giving out the fruit, the most exciting part of the festival for some, was fervently underway by this time. Each student could have one pomelo and one red dragonfruit. Despite the coldness, students were carrying suitcases, laughing as they went straight to the Tailei Square where members of the committee had already prepared free pomelo and dragonfruit. They used suitcases to bring the fruit for their classmates. “Some of our classmates have to go to class for their double degree, so we helped them to bring these fruits. I think it is common for all of us to help each other.” A group of smiling students said. The handouts continued for about two hours. 

After the distribution activity, students could have a break in their dormitories and then enjoy some interesting games held outside by the committee. They could take part in the fruit party and visit some scientific sculptures made from fruit such as the fruit battery; observe fruit cells; make fruit products; taste fruit and carve fruits.  

By: Zhang Xuan

Cover Designer: Wang Zixuan

Editors: Qin Mian and Christopher Peter Clarke