Sport before study

TANG Xiao, 21, gave up his summer plans to go to Beijing and prepare for the postgraduate entrance exams on the campus of Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT). The university where Tang hoped to continue his study is hosting the Olympic volleyball games.

“My friend told me that every student needs to show credentials to enter campus during the Olympics,” said Tang, a senior majoring in mechanical and electrical engineering at Wuhan Institute of Technology.

Six universities in Beijing have Olympic venues. At the end of June, these universities published notices to persuade students to return home during the Olympics in hopes of relieving traffic congestion and security pressure. Those who stayed found that their campus had changed.

“It was quieter than ever before. Only vehicles of Olympic staff can park on campus. This quiet makes it easier for me to concentrate,” said the 21-year-old Zhang Bo, a senior at Beihang University, which hosted weightlifting competitions.

The classroom building in Beihang has 16 doors, but only two are being used. Students entering them have to show their student IDs to guards.

“Before, outsiders would often come to sit in classrooms for lectures; now everything has stopped,” said Zhang.

Many students seem to be enjoying their “new” campuses.

“The hawkers in front of the school gate have all disappeared. It is the first time I have felt that the campus is clean and safe,” said the 20-year-old Lu Jiamiao, a junior majoring in horticulture and gardening at China Agriculture University. “Soldier patroling around the venue, volunteers walking around – these are bringing the Olympic atmosphere to us.”

But there is inconvenience too. “Every road to the venue has been blocked. I even need to leave campus to get from my dorm to the classroom building,” said Lu. “It costs me 10 more minutes a trip.”

No swimming

Also, students now have few places to exercise, as the main gymnasiums are being used for the Olympics. The outdoor courts have become parking lots.

“Even the swimming pools cannot be used, since they are close to the Olympic venue. We need to travel miles to other universities to share the pools with students there,” said Zhang.

However, universities have also come up with ways to help the students who have remained on campus. For example, at Beihang, the times of events and meals are always staggered so that spectators won’t use the canteens.

And signs lead visitors away from the dorms and library so that students will not be disturbed, said Ji Suju, deputy president of Beihang.

Universities also know that hosting the Games will bring their students long-term benefits. “There is already a swimming pool under there,” said Zhang Wenli, the president’s assistant at China Agriculture University, pointing to the warm-up floor in the wrestling gymnasium. “When the Games end, we will dig out the earth, build four walls and create a swimming pool, the first standard one at our university.”

Most of the Olympics-occupied campuses will resume class in late September, when the Paralympics ends.

anchor 电视主持人

arguably 可商榷的

buzzing 喧嚣的

convention 大会

credential 证件

hawker 小贩

horticulture 园艺

stagger 交错