Lotus, ginkgoes, Chinese roses....On the campus of Beijing 101 Middle School, there are more than 200 types of plants. To keep a record of the rich natural resources there, the school’s students made a beautiful book: Flora of 101.

“We chose 30 plants to show with pictures, basic information and particularly, a poem for each plant written by ourselves,” said 17-year-old Wang Jayantha chief editor of the book.

The poems are not just describing the plants. They also reflect students’ stories.” One day I was a little upset when I smelt a fragrance (芳香). Looking down, I saw humifuse euphorbia, or dijincao (地锦草), a very common plant. Suddenly I felt comforted—it just grows and gives off a sweet scent, regardless of people stepping on it. So I wrote a poem for it,“ said Wang Jianyuan.

“Every poem in the book shows students’ unique understanding of the plants, showing our school’s character and spirit through the book,” Wang Jianyuan added.

Wang Jingyue, 17, painted the pictures for the book. “Many students in our school love painting. We took photos of the plants and drew them in a realistic style,” Wang Jingyue said. “Sitting there and painting give us a chance to closely watch a plant and connect with it. It feels amazing.”

The students plan to print 300 copies of the book this September to give out to new students. “We hope the younger students can fall in love with the plants and the ecosystem in our school. Hopefully, when they walk along the green alleys (小径), they can find peace and inspiration.” said Wang Jianyuan.

Some people may mistake college as a simple step above high school, but an examination of the two levels of study reveals that there are indeed numerous differences between the two.

One of the differences is the nature of classes in college and in high school. In high school classes, tasks and learning materials that are to be used to complete the tasks are provided for the students. 【小题1】

In college, the situation is very different because it is the students who are charged with the responsibility to decide the kinds of classes that they should take until they graduate. 【小题2】 If a student has challenges in selecting a unit, the student may make an appointment with a professor. Even so, college students are rarely given the materials that they need for their study and therefore, unlike high school, they must purchase the necessary texts and other learning materials by themselves.

【小题3】 For instance, high school teachers tend to be more interested in knowing the name of every student in their class while college professors rarely relate names to the faces of their students. Also, high school teachers are more likely to closely monitor the grades of their students. They will find out why a student may have missed a class. They even remind the students of assignments and future examinations.

【小题4】 They do not make any effort to ensure that all their students pass or score good grades in their subjects. If a student misses a class, a college professor is unlikely to follow up and give the student the notes he missed.

Finally, it is not uncommon not to be recognized by a college professor after graduating from college, unlike the case of high school teachers who remember some students long after graduation. 【小题5】 In college, one has to book an appointment in order to have a one-on-one time with a professor.

School is children’s base, where they learn to succeed. But for many children, the first day of school is filled with anxiety and fear. You might worry that you don’t know anyone or that you won’t fit in. 【小题1】 However, preparing for the first day in advance will allow you feel more at ease and in control.

Do a practice run of your first day. Before the first day of school, it can help to take a practice run so you know how long it will take to walk, bike or drive to school. 【小题2】 Get your school supplies together. Get a list of required school supplies from the school or the school’s website. Go shopping for your supplies and make sure you have them all ready to take to school.

Get a good night’s sleep. Start off your first day of school with a good night’s sleep. 【小题3】 Try to get at least8 to 9 hours of sleep if you’re over 12, or 10 to 11 hours of sleep if you’re between 7 and 11 years old.

【小题4】 You might be too nervous to eat much, but it’s important that you give your body some fuel to get through until lunchtime. Eat something with protein, such as peanut butter toast or eggs.

Leave early for school. 【小题5】 You don’t want to be rushing into your classroom after the bell rings. Arriving early may also give you a chance to chat with a few other students and hopefully make a few new friends.