Remember, all cultural events are mandatory.

This event should be quite entertaining, but you will also play a major role in making it so. If/when your teacher begins having you rehearse songs, poems, skits, etc. for the event, understand that this is no casual exercise. If you perform badly, or your performance (individually or collectively) is lackluster, you will probably receive reprimand from our director. You will also cause your teacher to lose face.

Such events play a key element in Chinese culture. They are seen as ideal (read “obligatory”) opportunities for group-building. As you advance through a Chinese group/organization, you begin to reap the benefits of your social investment. In our program, freshmen are assigned the least interesting tasks.

By the time you are seniors, you most likely won’t be singing as a class or cleaning up after the event. There’s a good chance that your contribution will be to act as a host or in another voluntary capacity. Meanwhile, you’ll get to watch the freshman and think back fondly on the nervousness and awkwardness of your own freshman performance.