A Guide to the University

Food

The TWU Cafeteria is open 7am to 8pm．It servessnacks, drinks, ice cream bars and meals．You can paywith cash or your ID cards．You can addmeal money to your ID cards at the Front Desk．Even if you donot buy your food in the cafeteria, you can use the tables to eat your lunch,to have meetings and to study.

If you are on campus in the evening or late at night, you canbuy snacks, fast food, and drinks in the Lower Café located in the bottom levelof the Gouglas Centre．This area isoften used for entertainment such as concerts, games or TV watching.

Relaxation

The Globe, located in the bottom level of McMillan Hall, isavailable for relaxing, studying, cooking, and eating．Monthlyactivities are held here for all international students．Hours are 10am to 10 pm, closed on Sundays.

Health

Located on the top floor of Douglas Hall, the Wellness Centre iscommitted to physical, emotional and social health．A doctor andnurse is available if you have health questions or need immediate medical helpor personal advice．The cost ofthis is included in your medical insurance．Hours areMonday to Friday, 9am to noon and 1;00 to 4;30pm.

Academic Support

All students have access to the Writing Centre on the upperfloor of Douglas Hall．Here,qualified volunteers will work with you on written work, grammar, vocabulary,and other academic skills．You can signup for an appointment on the sign-up sheet outside the door two 30–minuteappointments per week maximum．This serviceis free.

Transportation

The TWU Express is a shuttle(班车) service．The shuttletransports students between campus and the shopping center, leaving from theMattson Centre．Operationhours are between 8am and 3pm．Saturdays only．Round tripfare is $1.

    You are a new manager at the American branch of your German firm in Chicago. With a few minutes to spare between meetings, you go to get a quick cup of coffee.

    “Hey, David, how are you?” one of the senior partners at the firm asks you.

    “Good, thank you, Dr. Greer,” you reply. You've really been wanting to make a connection with the senior leadership at the firm, and this seems like a great opportunity. But as you start to think of something to say, your American colleague breaks in to steal your spotlight.

    “So Arnold”, your colleague says to your boss, in such a casual manner that it makes your German soul cringe(畏缩), “So what's your Super bowl prediction? I mean, you're a Niners fan, right?”

    The conversation moves on, and you walk silently back to your desk with your coffee. You know how important small talk is in the U.S., and you feel jealous of people who can do it well.

    There's nothing small about the role that small talk plays in American professional culture. People from other countries are often surprised at how important small talk is in the U.S. and how naturally and comfortably people seem to do it — with peers, men, women, and even with superiors. You can be the most technically skilled worker in the world, but your ability to progress in your job in the United States is highly dependent on your ability to build and maintain positive relationships with people at work. And guess what skill is critical for building and maintaining these relationships? Small talk.

    What can you do if you are from another culture and want to learn to use small talk in the U.S. to build relationships and establish trust? Work hard to hone(磨练) your own version of American-style small talk. Watch how others do it. You don't have to mimic what they do; in fact, that would likely backfire because people would see you as inauthentic. But if you can develop your own personal version, that can go a long way toward making you feel comfortable and competence．

    It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible. Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel. It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver's seat is another matter altogether.

    Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense too. It takes the most cool-headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving．On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting. A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and calm so necessary in modern traffic condition. But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough. Many drivers nowadays don't even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.

    However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous. Typical examples are the driver who waves a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may be not able to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to. It always amazes me that the highways are not covered with the dead bodies of these grannies (奶奶).

    An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages that give rise to unpleasant feelings. Unfortunately, modern drivers can't even learn to drive. Years ago, experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give-and-take from all road users. It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart.

    My 17-year-old daughter went off to college and having her away from home brought back memories of watching Peter Pan when she was little. In the classic TV production, one scene in particular impressed me: when Mrs. Darling puts her children into bed. As she turns off the last of the night light, she takes one last look at the bedroom and says, “Dear night lights, protect my sleeping children.” As a mother, I know how much she loves her children.

    It has been several weeks since we took our daughter to college and she seems to be adjusting well after a short period of homesickness. For us, though, it's another story. Like most parents, I love checking in on my children at night. But now she's gone, and I find night times the hardest. I miss her most at night.

    In my neighborhood, most of the parents whose kids are off to college are dealing with similar melancholy. My husband is filled with anxiety. One friend talked about getting this sick feeling in her stomach as she prepared for the college drop off. We complained that many of us were too busy to truly enjoy being with our children while we had them.

    For us moms, seeing Toy Story 3 only made the sadness worse as we watched the character Andy, who is the same age as our kids, say goodbye to his childhood as he prepares to leave for college. And it's not just “first-time” parents like me. Two moms who have kids already well into college said the separation didn't get any easier. You feel like something has been taken away from inside you,” said one of them.

    I imagine things will get easier with time, especially as I see my daughter adjust to college life. Meanwhile, as I keep my cell phone close to me in bed and text my daughter goodnight and sweet dreams every night, I like to think that messages serve as a night light that keeps her safe.

    Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr. Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.

    “Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.”

    This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don't have to feed it, you don't have to walk it, it won't make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.

    It's not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It's the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.

    As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn't need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said.

    So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn't have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream.

    Gifts. com provides more than just ideas. Sure, our unique (独特的) and unforgettable gift suggestions are a big part of why people love us, but we also offer endless ideas and tools to make every day a reason to celebrate. Here are our Great Christmas Gift Ideas:

    Christmas Gifts for Parents

    You love your parents like no one else, and you want to give them something special for Christmas. But what would make their holiday bright? Finding them the perfect Christmas gift will be easy this year, with all our top picks in one place.

    Christmas Gifts for Parents Under $45

    Holiday Gift Baskets

    The gift basket is a great way to give a gift to a group. Our gift basket ideas come from all the top stores online, so you can easily find everything from fruit gift baskets to wine gift baskets in one place.

    Gift Baskets Under $50

    Ideas for Teens

    Trying to find the right gift for a teen? Teens can be a challenge (挑战). What do they want? What could they use? They're all unique, but we think we've got something for them, even though they're a special group that are hard to deal with.

    Top Picks for Teens Under $20

    The Secret Santa Exchange (交换)

    The Secret Santa is a great way to exchange gifts in the office, when it's often impossible to give everyone a present. We've got an office guide right here to help you find proper gifts for the workplace. And then there's always the gift basket, with things that are sure to please everyone in the office.

    Business Gifts Under $25