On May 25, the 14th Shanghai region and 2nd Yangtze River Delta HEls International Students Dragon Boat Race was held at the Fengxian Campus of East China University of Science and Technology. International student teams from 34 universities in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui province gathered together to compete for the crown of this traditional event.
Samuel He，from AEBS 2021 BBA Program，member of the ECNU's international dragon boat team. He will share his experiences and insights with us.
Samuel He, the second from the right
Bonjour! My name is Samuel and I am a Canadian-born Chinese currently studying in Shanghai at Asia Europe Business School. Today I am proud to announce that my teammates and I are once again crowned champions, winning the 14th Shanghai region and 2nd Yangtze River Delta HEls International Students Dragon Boat Race held in the Fengxian Campus of East China University of Science and Technology! This achievement is still very surreal to me since I never planned on joining any clubs or competing in a university sports team.
After attending online classes from Canada for over a year and dealing with the 12-hour time difference, I was considering transferring to another university in North America. However, in the summer of 2022, the university in China announced that international students could return. I was initially excited about finally starting my life as a university student in China, but due to the ongoing pandemic, I was once again confined to online classes. Feeling demotivated, I contemplated returning to my home country. Just as I was about to make a decision, the COVID regulations were lifted, allowing us to resume normal activities. Despite my initial reluctance to stay due to fears of another outbreak, I came across an advertisement for the dragon boat team sent by my teacher Peter. I immediately decided to give it a try, as I was becoming more interested in sports and fitness. Joining the team turned out to be a life-changing decision. After winning last year's International Student Dragon Boat Race, I developed a deep passion for the sport, met some incredible people, and formed meaningful friendships. Winning for a second time reinforced my belief that there's no better environment than one centered around fitness and sports!
I want to give a special shoutout to our amazing sponsor, New Oriental Vision Overseas, for sponsoring the uniforms and paddles. I also want to thank the incredible ECNU crowd for cheering for us. Without their support, there is no way we would have been able to break our previous record and win the race.
To my teammates and professors who supported us along the way, I love you. Your sacrifices, all the constructive conflicts, and your remarkable discipline and hard work have allowed us this important victory. I am forever thankful and sincerely wish you the best in your future endeavors.
Finally, this is my message for all students currently facing personal struggles: Remember, things will get better. Be patient, seize the opportunity for positive change, and hold on to it no matter what.