Cambridge. Chris Landen, Professor, had called to inform them that accommodation had been arranged. Following the address provided by the professor, Mu Lin arrived at a two-story Western-style house. Now, he needed to settle Mei Fang and Mei Zi.
Their host was an Asian woman, around 1.75 meters tall, taller than Mu Lin himself. She appeared to be in her early to mid-twenties, with her lustrous hair tied up in a neat bun. She exuded a mature charm. At first glance, her facial features appeared sculpted and striking; upon closer inspection, one could see her phoenix eyes, oval face, pointed chin, and slender neck. Dressed in a blue waist-tight business suit, she highlighted her feminine curves and projected a professional demeanor.
Noticing Mu Lin staring at her, she gave him a sharp glare before introducing herself as Claire Lacey. She had graduated from the university and was now an accountant at a company. She had two daughters, one dark-skinned named Daisey and one fair-skinned named Bitsy, roughly the same age as Mei Fang and Mei Zi.
Claire coldly informed Mu Lin that the professor had arranged for her to provide accommodation and meals since the girls had no parents. She would also drop both her daughters and the two sisters off at school. The professor had arranged for all four girls to attend the same school.
When Mu Lin attempted to pay the rent, he learned that the professor had already paid for six months in advance. After briefly resting in the two assigned bedrooms given to Mei Fang and Mei Zi, Claire told Mu Lin that the professor had requested his presence at her office. Puzzled, Mu Lin thought, “I haven’t even met her yet, so I couldn’t have possibly offended her. The only reason I’m letting my sisters stay here is because she seems to treat them kindly.” He told his sisters he would come back to visit them after finishing his business and then left.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was founded in 1861 by William Barton Rogers, a renowned natural scientist. He envisioned creating a liberal college to meet the rapidly developing needs of the United States. Due to the Civil War, MIT did not welcome its first batch of students until 1865. It then experienced rapid development in the fields of natural sciences and engineering. During the Great Depression, there was even a proposal to merge MIT with Harvard University, but it was canceled after strong student protests. In 1916, MIT relocated from Boston to Cambridge.
During World War II and the Cold War, the U.S. government heavily invested in natural and engineering sciences, which accelerated MIT’s development during this period. One of MIT’s most important achievements in the 20th century was the Whirlwind Project, led by Jay Forrester. This project produced the world’s first real-time data processing machine, the “Whirlwind,” and invented magnetic core memory, making a historic contribution to the development of personal computers. MIT’s library resources are extensive, with a collection of over five million books. The libraries cover a wide range of subjects, including engineering, management, architecture, and science, making them ideal for student research.
Meeting the professor, she gave Mu Lin an exaggerated hug: “My dear, it’s so good to see you! I know you came from Hong Kong and have no inheritance from your parents. I asked you to come early because I found a campus cleaning job for you. You can earn $600 in the first week of autumn cleaning, and $400 afterward. Combined with your scholarship, this should be enough to cover your and your sisters’ tuition.”
“Great!” Mu Lin thought. “My money hasn’t even been ‘laundered’ yet, and now I have to do manual labor. But this is a chance to interact with ordinary people.” He thanked the professor and began his first job in this world—one that did not rely on his supernatural abilities: a janitor.
MIT janitorial staff were divided into two categories: full-time employees and undergraduate students. Mu Lin belonged to the latter group and started work even before the semester began. As a dormitory cleaner, the first task was the “Autumn Clean-Up”—a week-long job for incoming student janitors to earn $600.
They were divided into groups of about a dozen newcomers, each led by an upperclassman. Many had never even held a broom before. Mu Lin initially thought the job would be easy, but he soon realized that the school paid for a full day’s work and expected a full day’s labor in return.
Thoroughly cleaning a room involved seven different steps, and cleaning a bathroom required even more. Over 100 students had to prepare clean dorm rooms for more than 1,400 students within five days. By the end of each day, it was no surprise that everyone’s back ached.
Still, complaints were one thing, and work was another. Despite the grumbling at dinner, everyone showed up bright and early the next morning, no one missing.
Actually, Mu Lin wasn’t doing this job for the money. He wanted to familiarize himself with the campus before classes started, make some friends, and gain some rare hands-on experience.
Many other janitors shared similar motivations. Many of them came from families where their parents were doctors, lawyers, or even wealthy entrepreneurs. Their parents, worried about their children, stayed in Boston to accompany them, hoping to reunite after work.
To outsiders, it might seem strange that students would work so hard for money that, after taxes, wasn’t even enough to cover their parents’ hotel costs for a single day. But the U.S. is a private society where no one is supported for free. People survive through competition and personal ability.
Therefore, American children are raised to be independent from an early age, financing their college education through part-time jobs and loans. They never rely on their parents for life.
Once, Mu Lin casually asked an American male student, “Where is your home?”
The answer was, “I don’t have a home,” which surprised Mu Lin.
Later, he learned that once they become adults, before getting married and starting their own families, many Americans believe they have no home—a concept ingrained in their culture.
However, aside from their wages, they often gained some unexpected benefits. Students who took out trash or swept floors could often find loose change under furniture or in corners—sometimes earning 50 cents to $5 a day.
At the end of the cleaning, whatever the previous tenants left behind either went to the trash or became their “spoils.” On the final day, everyone looked like they were returning from a market: mirrors, sofa cushions, folding chairs, electric fans… even roller skates and typewriters.
Mu Lin paid no attention to these items. He thought to himself, “Back when I traveled, I picked up treasures—why would I want these scraps?” His indifferent attitude actually earned him the friendship of most of his classmates.
After registration, Mu Lin chose to major in clinical medicine, computer science, and business administration. His decision to double-major in business administration and computer science was mainly driven by his interest in economics and considerations for future development.
Through the week, he learned that the university’s supplementary academic activities were diverse and well-organized. Discussion classes of various types were particularly effective in stimulating student participation, encouraging independent thinking, deep research, and peer learning.
Student club activities were lively and stimulating, promoting personal interests and hobbies. Academic lectures were frequent, often given by renowned scholars, broadening students’ horizons. The university operated on a credit system, with students earning credits upon successfully completing each course.
Once students accumulated the required number of credits, they could graduate. The exact number varied by institution, typically ranging from 120 to 140 credits. Of these, 35 to 45 credits were required in the major, with at least 35 to 40 credits in foundational courses. The remaining credits could be earned through elective courses.
Universities in the U.S. are tiered. Prestigious universities not only charge higher tuition fees but also attract higher-quality students. Students at top universities are particularly ambitious and hardworking.
Getting into college is easy, but graduating is hard. First, there is an overwhelming amount of homework. Lectures are concise, and professors expect students to do most of the reading, thinking, and writing outside of class. Teachers also heavily weigh students’ daily performance and homework in their final grades, so students dare not slack off.
Second, there are frequent exams. Nearly every subject has weekly tests, and missing one could seriously affect overall performance.
Another important factor is that universities highly value student feedback when evaluating teacher performance. At the end of each semester, students rate their instructors. If most students are dissatisfied, it could directly lead to the instructor’s dismissal.
Therefore, teaching at a university is a high-pressure job. Balancing quality instruction, strict requirements, and student satisfaction is truly an art.
All on-campus students eat by card. Just like accommodation, meal expenses are included in tuition fees. Each student receives 21 meals per week on their student card, and an additional $50 per semester for casual dining, such as hosting friends. Most freshmen eat at the dining hall specially designated for first-year students, located inside a tall church building with seating for over 800 people.
Colorful stained glass panels lined both sides of the dining hall, depicting famous historical educators and scholars. As a result, during their first week on campus, freshmen spent more time looking around than eating their meals.
In addition to the first-year dining hall, each upperclassmen dormitory also had its own dining hall. Upperclassmen could only eat breakfast at the first-year dining hall, but first-year students could eat at most upperclassmen dining halls. All dining halls served the same meals each day, but because of different chefs, the flavors varied.
The upperclassmen dining hall closest to campus served particularly good food, so many students liked to eat there after class. Mu Lin was no exception. Eventually, the dining hall had to restrict access to only the dormitory residents. For competitive students, sneaking past the staff checking IDs at the entrance became yet another fun challenge.
Mu Lin always managed to get in, which amazed many students. Each meal offered a different main course, along with salads, sandwiches, vegetables, and desserts. To accommodate students who studied late into the night, the university also provided late-night snacks from Sunday to Friday nights, usually consisting of bread, fruit, milk, and juice.
Special holiday meals were also held occasionally, such as lobster feasts or Italian dinners. Only during those times did Mu Lin briefly feel that the dining expenses weren’t so wasted. Thinking about it, he hadn’t even paid anything yet and already had these thoughts—imagine how he’d feel if he actually had to pay!
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