Washington University In St.Louis——Peter
Hello Zhimeng colleagues, students, and parents!
For those students looking for a challenging undergraduate experience with the right balance of work and play, you’d do well to consider Wash U in St. Louis.
When I was choosing schools, I learned pretty quickly the kind of place where I wanted to be. UChicago: too much working. Dartmouth: too much partying. These are both important parts of the college experience, but I think they need to be in balance. WashU for me struck this perfect balance in its academics, students, and campus life.
A mid-size school in a mid-size Midwestern city, WashU offers all the activity of a city with all the peacefulness of the suburbs. Its mid-size student body (about 7,000 undergrads) also means that you have a wide range of choices for extracurricular activities. WashU students tend to be very involved outside of their classes. StudLife, the student newspaper, volunteering, a cappella groups—if you’re interested in it, chances are there are twenty other people who are too.
WashU students are a high-achieving bunch who know how to buckle down in the library during the week (expect to spend more than 20 hours a week there—at least the chairs are comfy!), but who also know how to have loosen up on the weekends. And being in a city like St. Louis, there are plenty of opportunities to get out and have fun. Delmar Avenue, named one of the “10 Greatest Streets in America,” is literally a 5 minute walk from campus; this is one of the most popular destinations for people taking a break from studying to go get Korean food or Bubble Tea, or for those who are more interested in bars and concerts on the weekend. Delmar is one of the cultural centers of campus, and everyone learns to spend lots of time there.
Meanwhile, the city of St. Louis has a lot to offer students looking to get out and explore. Right across the street from WashU is Forest Park, a famous park complete with a zoo (and it’s free!), hiking/jogging trails, and an art museum, among other attractions. I got used to spending a lot of time here after class, especially in the fall and spring.
Walking around campus, it’s easy to tell the students’ laid-back attitudes. At the first hint of spring, people are lounging around in front of the library with books, friends, and picnic blankets. Unlike a lot of other top universities, the academic environment is very non-competitive. The kind of cutthroat antics you hear about--like students sabotaging others’ projects so that they can get a higher grade—simply doesn’t exist here. Professors put a huge emphasis on group projects and presentations, and collaborative papers, so as to reduce this kind of zero-sum mentality. You’re here to learn from your fellow students, not to conquer them.
For those who want the academic, professional, and extracurricular variety of a big school, with the small class sizes and tight-knit community of a small school, you should definitely consider putting WashU on your list.
你好，智梦的同事们、学生们和家长们！
对于那些想要追寻学习和娱乐平衡的一次具有挑战的大学之旅的学生们，如果你们考虑加入华盛顿大学圣路易斯分校的话，你真的选对了。
我当年在择校的时候，我很快了解了我自己心之向往的地方。芝加哥大学，学业太重了。达特茅斯，聚会太多了。这两部分都是大学生活的重要组成部分，但我认为他们必须保持平衡。华盛顿大学让我在学业、同学和大学生活之间做到了完美的平衡。
作为一个处于中等大小中西部城市的中等大小的学校，华盛顿大学提供了一个城市能提供的喧嚣，同时也融合了郊区的宁静祥和。学校里学生人数中等（本科生大约有7000名），这意味着你在课外活动中有着很多的选择余地。华盛顿大学的学生在课堂之外也显得十分投入。 举些例子吧有课外活动, 学生报，志愿者活动，合唱团等等。如果你感兴趣的话，很有可能有20个人和你志同道合。
华盛顿大学的学生很重视学习的成绩，他们知道如何倾尽全力有效利用在图书馆的时光（准备好一周在里面至少20小时的时光吧，至少里面的椅子很舒服哦）。同时，他们也很清楚如何在周末给自己放松。生活在圣路易斯这样的城市里，出去享受快乐的机会是很多的。作为“美国十大街道”之一的戴尔马尔大道，从我们的校园仅需五分钟的步行即可到达。这是人们从繁重学业中放松一番的最佳目的地之一。你可以在此品味韩国美食，或是来一杯珍珠奶茶，同时这里还为周末喜欢泡吧和欣赏音乐会的人提供了良好的去处。戴尔马尔是校园的文化中心之一，每个人都学着在那儿度过更多美好的时光。
与此同时，圣路易斯还给学生们提供了众多出行探索的机会。穿过华盛顿大学的街道你就到达了森林公园。这是一个包含有动物园、徒步慢跑线路、美术博物馆和其他无数景点的公园（免费哦）。我习惯了再课后在此享受大量的美好时光，特别是在春季和秋季。
漫步校园，你很容易感受到学生们悠闲自得的生活态度。在春天刚刚来临之际，学生们会和他们的朋友一起带着书本和野餐布，在图书馆前休憩。不像其他很多的美国顶尖名校，这里的学术竞争没有它们那么激烈。你可能听说过一些残忍凶狠的行为，比如说去破坏别人的项目以便自己取得更好的成绩，不过请放心，我们这里绝对没有。教授们很看重团队项目、陈述介绍和合作论文，以便来减少这种你死我活的“零和心态”。你是和你的同学一起相互学习，而不是征服他们。
对于那些想要选择在一所大学校里面学业、专长和课外活动种类繁多并相互融合，并同时想在一所小学校里享受小班化教育和紧密相连的团体的话，毫无疑问你应该将华盛顿大学放到你的备选清单上。