Last Impression of Yale

It’s time for me to leave Yale, although the day when I arrived seems as if it happened yesterday. I love Yale, not only because it’s Yale, but also because of who I am in Yale.

The Reading Room

I will never forget the reading rooms of Berkeley College. I spent hours and hours there revising an IEEE paper. When the reading room on the first floor closed at 12 pm and I went downstairs to the one in the basement, the moonlight splashed down its watery silver glow onto the yard and in the distance the trees were silhouetted against the deep velvety sky. When all my friends traveled to Boston on weekends and I alone had a hard time trying to get a tighter bind on my conclusion, the gothic building of Yale shone like a castle in fairy tales under the sunshine of a summer afternoon.

I will never forget the swimming pool in Yale. I swam for more than an hour every day. When my whole body was in the cold water, all the pressure disappeared magically. I wasn’t disturbed by stupid presentations or unfinished essays, and the only thing I thought about was swimming and swimming. I hope in the future, no matter how tough the problem is, I can always remember the time I spent there and went swimming to alleviate my stress.

The Metro North

I will never forget the Union Station near Yale. After having submitted the final version of the paper, I went to NYC by myself. The moment I boarded the train, I felt an excitement I had seldom experienced before. It’s lucky to be young and healthy so I can explore anything and anywhere in the planet I lived on. On my way back to Yale, I recalled the adventure of the whole weekend while watching the sunset. Maybe years from now, when I take the Metro North Train again, I will be proud of the enthusiastic girl I once was.

There are so many thing to remember that it’s hard to say goodbye. I will never forget that the 20-year-old girl, with her own ambition, had a fantastic time in Yale in the summer of 2016. No matter how perilous the future road is, I can always get courage from looking back on my experience here.

My Classmates And I

GRE exercise2

Essay topics: “In general, people are not as concerned as they were a decade ago about regulating their intake of red meat and fatty cheeses. Walk into the Heart's Delight, a store that started selling organic fruits and vegetables and whole-grain flours in the 1960's, and you will also find a wide selection of cheeses made with high butterfat content. Next door, the owners of the Good Earth Cafe, an old vegetarian restaurant, are still making a modest living, but the owners of the new House of Beef across the street are millionaires.”

A Balanced Diet is Still Popular

In this argument, the author asserts that people in general are not as concerned as they were a decade ago about regulating their intake of red meat and fatty cheeses. To solidify the conclusion, the author cited the fact that various high-fat chesses are available in a long-established store, the Heart’s Delight, which specializes in organic fruit and vegetables and whole grains. The author also points out that the old vegetarian restaurant is still making a modest living while the new House of Beef pulls in millions of dollars. However, the argument is severely weakened by three critical flaws on the representation of a single store, the causes of financial conditions and the reason behind people’s choice of restaurants.

Most conspicuously, it’s unconvincing to draw the conclusion from insufficient evidence of the emergence of cheese in one fruit-and-vegetable-selling store. The change of commodities in a single store can hardly represent the entire market and chances are that it is just accidental event. For example, maybe more and more blue-collars or athletes move into the neighborhood and consequently raised the demand for high-calorie food such as cheese. Statistics shows that there were more than 300000 food stores in the US, but without referring to further data, the author unreasonably generalized all the other restaurants with one sample, which may be an exception from the normal circumstances.

In addition, the author commits the fallacy of casual relationship between the financial condition of restaurant and the concern of people on their diet. The depression of the vegetarian restaurant may not necessarily arise from the lack of concern with diet. Perhaps the vegetarian restaurant suffers from poor management, or a few new vegetarian restaurants start occupying the shares of the local market. Similarly, the booming of new House of Beef may be caused by other reasons such as adequate financial support or tasty-but-cheap food. However, the author indiscreetly neglects other possibilities that may lead to the current financial conditions. 

What’s more, the assumption that food served in restaurants can accurately reflect concern on intake of red meat and fatty cheese is gratuitous. An online survey conducted by Yahoo in 2013 revealed that more than 70% Americans ear more times at home than at restaurants and in these cases, eating outside sometimes means treating themselves to a big meal. So they are more likely to choose the House of Beef to enjoy the fine-cooked beef rather than the everyday tomatoes and potatoes. So even if the House of Beef sells more, one can almost deduce nothing from the food served at restaurants, which can’t reflect people’s concerns accurately.

In summary, the conclusion that people are less concerned about monitoring their intake of red meat and fatty cheese is invalid and misleading. More specific evidence should be provided on the changes of goods in other stores, the indeed cause of the different financial condition and what people really eat in most of their time.

GRE exercise1

Essay topics: “On average, middle-aged consumers devote 39 percent of their retail expenditure to department store products and services, while for younger consumers the average is only 25 percent. Since the number of middle-aged people will increase dramatically within the next decade, department stores can expect retail sales to increase significantly during that period. Furthermore, to take advantage of the trend, these stores should begin to replace some of those products intended to attract the younger consumer with products intended to attract the middle-aged consumer.’’

Increasing Goods Aimed at the Middle-aged is Unnecessary

In this argument, the author asserts that department stores should start to replace goods which attract young people with goods aimed at the middle-aged. To solidify this conclusion, the author cited the fact that middle-aged consumers devote a bigger percentage of retail expenditure to department stores than young consumers. The author also points out the dramatic increase in the number of middle-aged people within the next decades which should propel a significant growth in retail sales. However, this assertion is untenable and problematic because it contains three critical flaws: the exact amount of expenditure in department stores, possible changes in the next generation’s shopping habits and the goods that middle-aged consumers are actually buying.

To begin with, the author ignore that the young may spend more retail expenditure in department stores than middle-aged in exact number. By merely comparing the percentage of retail expenditure in department store, the author indiscreetly considers that middle-aged consumers spend more. However, the total amount of youngster’s retail expenditure is likely to be relatively more than frugal middle-aged consumers’. For example, the total expenditure may be $2000 versus $1000 though the percentage, according to the author, is 25% versus 39%. On this condition, their absolute amount of retail expenditure in department stores exceeds that of the middle-aged.

Besides, the shopping habits of the next generation are likely to change. The author hastily assumes that the next decade’s middle-aged consumers still devote 39% of retail expenditure to department stores, which isn’t necessarily true. The survey of online shopping market in China of 2015 reveals that the past decade has witnessed a sharp increase of people of all ages in percentage of retail expenditure in online shopping, and that online shopping is seizing the market share of offline shopping. In this case, the next generation’s middle-aged consumers may not stay as loyal to the goods in department stores as the current middle-aged consumers.

What’s more, the author’s assumption that the middle-aged are only purchasing goods for themselves is unconvincing. Many middle-aged consumers, especially those househusbands and housewives, are likely buying things for the whole family, including their children. Under these circumstance, children’s preferences are well considered. Therefore these middle-aged consumers will be purchasing goods that attract young people as well as for themselves, and there is a huge market for goods aimed at the young generation.

In summary, the assertion that goods that attract young people should be replaced with goods aimed at middle-aged consumers would be mistaken. More specific evidence is required on the absolute amount of retail expenditure in department stores, possible changes in the next generation’s shopping habits and the goods that middle-aged consumers are actually buying.

The Similarity Between Two Children

The main characters in The Glass Castle and "A Mother in Mannville", Jeanette and Jerry respectively, are similar to each other, despite the fact of their very different upbringing. Jeanette had both parents and siblings whereas Jerry was an orphan and alone. Even though they clearly had completely different experiences growing up, both were raised in emotionally detached environments, both grew into independent children and both longed for love and care.

To begin with, Jeanette and Jerry were both brought up in challenging environments, lived in poverty and lacked parental attention. Since Jeanette’s parents didn’t have stable jobs or a source of income, the family lived in a shabby house, or rather, shelters. Rex and Rosemary Walls were so selfish and self-centered that they took no responsibility of taking care of children. Likewise, Jerry, an orphan in rags, had been raising himself in a remote orphanage since he was 4. Jerry's situation could be better developed.

Consequently, both of the children developed a strong independence as they grew up. Jeanette cooked for herself from the age of three and she carefully explained her method. Because the pan was too heavy for her, she poured the water over and over again into the pan but never asked for help. She didn’t cry after a severe burning.  Jerry also exhibited a strong independent streak. He earned money himself by chopping wood and delivering milk. The writer in the story was astonished by his “splendid” pile of chopped wood which he keep on doing for a long time in orphanage. Jerry also had to look after younger children in orphanage even when he was still a small boy.

  

Due to their lack of parental attention, both children are eager for love and care. Jeanette enjoyed the days in hospital and would have liked to live there forever. The “delicious” meals served in hospital and the frequency of sheet changing satisfied her well. She even got excited when the nurse gave her a piece of gum. As for Jerry, he made simple excuses to come and sit with the author, and even waited until late night when the author forgot him. He also enjoyed the intimate relationship with her dog, Pat.

Leo Tolstoy once put it, all happy families are happy alike, all unhappy families are unhappy in their own way. But after taking all these factors into account, I had to say that Jeanette and Jerry are alike in aspect to background, personality and desire regardless of the kind of place they were brought up.

After War

René Magritte, Belgian, 1898–1967, La boîte de Pandore (Pandora’s box)

It is already too late for any remedy. Atomic bombs have been exploded. Millions of people have died and the entire country is in ruin. He stares at the scarlet sky desperately. Before him, the roads are empty and the whole city is silent, just like the remains of ancient Rome, which he visited before the war.

He hadn’t thought about this disastrous consequence before. The idea of atomic energy was so fascinating that he was absorbed by his research by day and night. He had done massive calculations and countless simulations before he finally announced his invention, a powerful weapon he named "atomic bomb". He became wildly successful and felt flattered about his fame and fortune.

Then the war broke out and ended with the explosion of the bombs. His country won quickly and easily while their enemy lost heavily. However, he isn’t happy at all. It doesn’t mean that he stands on his enemy’s side. He feels guilty. In spite of all kinds of obstructions, he went to the city that suffered most. He was shocked after witnessing people die from his bombs one after another helplessly. Innocent little children died in their dead mother’s arms, tears welled up. Intolerable pain, like a devil, tortured survivors both physically and mentally. He is convicted by his own conscience, a conscience that tells him that he is responsible for killing thousands of people.

But it’s just the beginning of the nightmare. Atomic bombs can be and will be manufactured. He can’t imagine the future world threatened by these bombs. Once they are all exploded, it will be the end of human being. Atomic bombs are similar with Pandora’s Box. Once it is opened, evil spirits come out and can never be packed back.

A rose magically blossoms nearby, whiter than snow. “Rose…,” he murmured. Looking at the innocent rose full of vigor, he suddenly feel less pessimistic. “Maybe there will be some ways to control it, and perhaps there is still a gleam of hope, just like what remains at the bottom of Pandora’s Box at last.” he said to himself. He stares at the scarlet sky again and begins to ponder what to do next.

An Unforgetable Experience

Surrounded by the bitter, salty sea water, I was exhausted, thirsty and confused about my direction. It was getting dark and the tide was going out, taking me away farther and farther away, but grandma’s island was nowhere in sight. I had been swimming for the whole afternoon and had run out of my energy. It seemed impossible that I could swim back home, many miles away.

A Map of The Island

I was 7 years old. I spent the entire summer vacation with my cousin on an island where my grandma lives, a tiny island in the east end of Zhoushan Archipelago. Both my cousin and I were excellent swimmers so we enjoyed ourselves swimming all day long. One day after lunch, my grandma took a ferry to a bigger island for some daily goods, and my cousin and I were alone at home. My cousin came up with a brilliant idea - a competition of who could swim farther.

The Beach of The Island

My cousin was one year older than I and it seemed that one year really made a huge difference. She was taller and knew many more things than I, so she always laughed at me and called me “little baby girl”. As a result, that time I was ambitious to prove myself. I swam and swam as if there was no such thing as tiredness in the world. Gradually the island became smaller and smaller, until it was merely a small blot between blue Pacific water and azure sky. I was excited and confident that I would definitely be the winner. To make sure of that, I encouraged myself to swim farther until there was no island in sight.

I swam for the entire afternoon tirelessly until it suddenly occurred to me that the tide was ebbing. Our island is on the east end and to make the matter worse, I must have swum miles eastward. The wave became stronger, pushing me farther and farther, so it was no use trying to swim back and I became desperate and hopeless. My mind went blank because of fear and panic. I screamed aloud for help, but the only reply was stupid gulls’ squawking. I was overwhelmed by fear of death even though I didn’t know much about death at that age.

I was about to given up when I heard a drone and there came a helicopter. As I lived in an area full of sparse islands and all the residents were fishermen, local police used helicopters often. Fortunately, my grandma called the police just in time and I had a narrow escape. The moment I returned to the island, I saw my mom who burst into tears. She had hurried there from Ningbo after hearing I was missing. 

 Houses on the Island

The local newspaper reported this event and my mother has kept the newspaper of that day. She and my grandma always talk about that unforgettable afternoon when my parents and I visit my grandma every summer, and now it makes me embarrassed. When I remember this experience, I always regret for my stupidity and immature behavior. This experience really taught me a lesson to think twice before I act.

A Place I like Best

Nowhere else in Yale is there a more peaceful place than Grove Cemetery. I have experienced the silence of Bass Library and quiescence of the Art Gallery, but only Grove Cemetery can put my mind at ease in a relaxing way.

Trees in Grove Cemetery

Located north of Beinecke Library, Grove Cemetery is home to local flora and fauna. Great oak trees and others I cannot name, most of which measure more than 30 feet, stand proudly by the path. Colorful flowers are blooming everywhere, full of vital force and dot the grass like twinkling stars in the night sky. Birds sing in the tree and squirrels jump from one tree to another with their bushy tail. As few people visit there, the Cemetery is like a secret garden for Yale.

A Gravestone with a Lily on it

On the lawn are thousands of various gravestones. Some are tall and grand, some are tiny and simple. Maybe because of the upcoming Independence Day, American flags fly in the breeze in front of some gravestones. One gravestone has a delicate lily carved on it and reminds me of Tagore’s verse “let life like the summer flower”. And another has the epitaph of “beloved wife”, so I imagine her death must have been heartbreaking for her husband. Yale Presidents rest here, along with Yale alumnus who made contributions to human history. Noah Webster, the persevering man who spent 26 years compiling a dictionary, sleeps under a humble gravestone eroded by weather as time goes by while his dictionary is still used by people all over the world.

A Grand Gravestone

Strolling alone down the path, I feel as if the whole earth and sky are mine and I have stepped outside my usual self into another world. I can think of whatever I please or of nothing at all, and it gives me a sense of freedom. All onerous trivia can be disregarded. I just become immersed in the tranquility and peace with thousands of souls who have a glorious life and eternally sleep here in the end.

Endless peace surrounds me gently in its soft embrace and nothing can intrude upon me in Grove Cemetery, the place I like best in Yale.