What I Miss About Shanghai
Graduating from NYU has concluded a long-winded chapter in my life. Though our virtual, pre-recorded graduation ceremony was a bit anti-climactic, I look back on my college days with a sense of pride and nostalgia. With those long nights of academic toil and sleep debt out of the way and a shiny new degree on my résumé, I’ve gained plenty of time to reflect on college and the moments that stood out.
I’ve had my fair share of crazy college experiences. Joining a frat. Downing a dozen shots in one sitting. And dropping fat stacks on overpriced ramen. But studying abroad takes the cake for being the most exhilarating and memorable experience of my college career.
Ever since I stepped foot in Violet territory, I’ve had an urge to wander the globe, to feed my wanderlust. Even before applying, I gravitated towards NYU for its diversity not just within the student body but also its global presence, especially with its fifteen study away sites generously sprinkled around the globe.
After religiously planning out and rearranging my road map to graduation, I found the perfect schedule to squeeze in a semester away and decided to spend my senior fall abroad in Shanghai to expand my cultural palate and explore the riveting facets of Chinese culture.
Shanghai swept me off my feet.
In a mere sixteen weeks, I cultivated enough friendships and memories to last a lifetime. Here’s what I miss most.
The Food
I miss the sweet, vinegary taste and crispy coating of Yang’s Dumplings. Pan-fried, gooey goodness that left you craving for more. They’d come out piping hot, and when you bit into one, the soup would come gushing out. While waiting for it to cool down, you’d pour a dash of vinegar into the bao to add a touch of sweetness. And of course, when you inhaled most of the dumplings and there was only one left, it would be the hottest of the bunch, leaving you with a scorched tip of the tongue.
I miss…
- the crunchy chocolate malt ice cream bars at the convenience store across the street from my dorm.
- splurging on fine dining restaurants for their incredible sushi, service, and skyline views.
- the savory shou zhua bing, or crispy pancakes, from the food cart near campus that I’d get for lunch everyday.
- trying to blend in at bougie bars along the strip at Xintiandi and spending ¥175 on drinks (Paulaner Bräuhaus is great by the way).
- ordering my signature Suzhou tangbao or Taiwan lu rou fan from my go-to restaurant, a five-minute walk from my dorm.
- the 8:00 PM microwavable dinners at Family Mart where I’d recover from a long school day and wait for the next shuttle ride home.
- and of course abusing food delivery services four times a week because they were SO convenient (and life-changing, really).
The Fun
I miss dressing up and going out to Shanghai’s night clubs, my favorite being ASL which mostly featured rap and hip hop. In my inebriated state, I remember head banging to songs like Sicko Mode, Plain Jane, Mo Bamba, Look Alive, and Money In The Grave.
Their. Music. Was. Hype.
I can vividly recall Drake and Travis Scott pounding in my ears every time I rode up the elevator and the cloud of smoke wafting through the corridor as soon as you step out.
Bottle service was a new experience. Alcohol was served in buckets of ice, and four-by-four shot glass racks were brought out for everyone to go ham.
Around 3:00 AM is when we’d stumble out of the club and walk to the nearest McDonald's. After annihilating heaps of nuggets and fries, we’d call a DiDi back to our dorm, and I’d black out on my bed at 5:00 AM in the morning.
I also miss…
- going on late night photo shoots to The Bund/Century Park/IFC Mall. I couldn’t resist capturing those fleeting moments that only happen in Shanghai: from the big glossy colors radiating from the Shanghai Tower to the small wisps of steam rising from freshly made xiao long bao.
- looking forward to Chinese class everyday, our cutthroat Kahoot quizzes, and our surprisingly tight bond with our beloved teacher.
- wandering the streets of Pudong and inflating my lungs with the authenticity of it all: locals buying ingredients from the fish market, children dashing around and playing with crabs, and the scent of bakery egg tarts wafting in the air.
- scrolling through Taobao to buy clothes which were outrageously cheap.
- the exhausting and lonely but often rewarding art studio sessions that extended late into the night, causing me to sprint down many flights of stairs to catch the 11:45 PM shuttle back to my dorm. Studio Art was no joke. What I had thought to be the lightest course of the semester demanded an essay and two new artworks every week, forcing me to flex my creative muscles.
- the convenience of grabbing a Mobike lying around and going wherever whenever.
- and of course the convenience of paying for anything and everything via WeChat. No BS. No change. Just quick and convenient transactions like they should be.
The People
I owe it to many people for an amazing experience abroad.
To my professors, who taught me about Chinese culture and dialogue, who taught me how to take inspiration and put it on a canvas, who taught me how to move like a Mongolian and float like a Korean, and who taught me to never f*ck with semaphores because they are confusing as hell.
To my friends, who traveled to new museums/mountains/restaurants with me, supported me at my first art exhibition and dance performance, and brought out the crazy in me.
And to Emma, whose story inspired me to begin my study abroad adventures. Who was nice enough to treat me to lunch in New York, and whose words of affirmation encouraged me to kick ass in Shanghai.
Oh, the places you’ll go if you study abroad! I promise, you won’t regret it.
