Week of Finals

Tada, here comes the examination week.

In the ESL class on Wednesday, every student went up to the podium to share the achievement of their study on a specific disease during the past three weeks through a delicate presentation with the help of Powerpoints. After the 3-week training, everyone’s speaking English gained great progresses and received the professor's praise. 

On Friday we had ANT and PSY final exams. Compared with the mid-term exams, they became easier to cope with since we had learned much more about them. The ANT exam was all essay questions, while PSY was all multiple-choice questions. For the two types of questions, we had different review strategies respectively. Although the summer program is only four weeks, it provided us with the opportunities to the exposure of knowledge on Humanities both in and outside the classroom. And we had a further understanding on the Western culture. 

Travelling in Ottawa

There is no doubt that the most exciting summer activity in Ottawa is the firework show in August, the full name of which is Casino du Lac-Leamy Sound of Light. It was held on Wednesday and Saturday from August 10th to August 24th. The theme varies each time, including Chile, Italy, Greece, France and the Grand Finale.

However, for us, seeking to watch the firework show was full of twists and turns. We could only see a part of the fireworks from our dormitory for the first and second times, the remaining of which was blocked by tall buildings. For the third time, we were lost on the way to the sightseeing spot, missing the best view. The scene of firework scattering really surprised us when we walked deep into the park for the next time. Finally, it was not until the fifth time that we reached the best viewing spot.

There were many different kinds of firework. Some blossomed in the sky and then expanded gradually, changing colors at the same time, some fell down like golden waterfall, others disappeared for a few seconds when reaching the high sky before shining brightly like stars close at hand. The latter show was always more surprising than the former one and the upsurge of the Grand Finale was the most impressing. Through the process, we shook together with the music, enjoying the beauty of all firework blooming together which seemed like a sea of shining stars. The firework blossomed and then fell down, as if it was burning all the happiness in summer fiercely. That along with the repeating song “My Heart Will Go On”, constituted a grandly romantic atmosphere. 

Life is just like fireworks. Although only the sparks of the fleeting fireworks can be remembered by audience, to fireworks themselves, it is the rising, blossoming, falling and vanishing in the dark again that composes its life altogether. Just like the life, joy and sorrow at certain moment may bring you intense emotional stimulation, but we should still pray for the arrival of another tomorrow for the ordinary sunlight and breeze because it is such ordinary things that constitute the most part of an individual’s life. 

Departure Ceremony

The four-week summer program was about to come to an end when we completed the  final exam of Psychology. Nearly half of the students would bid farewell to Ottawa and return to Shanghai. At 5 p.m. on that Friday, we gathered in the 90U lounge to have a lighthearted departure ceremony. In addition to the teachers who were in charge of the summer courses, Kristina and Xi Chen who took care of our daily life, we also met our amiable Professor Chapleau at the departure ceremony. Then, Kristina revealed the top three winners of the photo contest for us. And the students who were going to leave the university received their summer school program certificates. At the end of the departure ceremony, everyone enjoyed the food prepared by the school and the event was ended with relaxing conversations and meaningful photos.

We wish the returning students a safe trip back home and waits with anticipations for the coming Joint Introduction Unit.