International Student Profile: Bingjie Qi

By Ryan, February 12, 2016

By Ann Shelley // Staff Writer

Freshman Bingjie Qi, who also goes by Clara, did not imagine spending her college years at High Point University away from her home in southeast China.
She is not new to traveling, though, having traveled all over China to more than 40 different cities with her dad when she was younger. She is familiar with the United States as well after spending most of her high school years studying in New York just outside of New York City.
Qi found out about HPU through one of her best friends in high school, who also attends HPU.
“It was nice knowing someone coming into freshman year,” Qi said.
When she first visited HPU for freshman orientation in April, Qi realized she wanted to come to HPU. She remembers it being a simple and fun process compared to other schools she had visited.
“My favorite part about HPU is definitely the environment,” Qi said.
However, there are certain aspects of home that she misses.
“I miss the food the most,” Qi said. “American-Chinese food is just not the same.”
Qi loves new places, so she was excited to start her freshman year at HPU.
“I went to a small high school, so I wanted my college experience to be the same,” Qi said.
Qi explained that her transition from China to the states was easy. She also lived with an American family during high school, so she was able to learn the American culture more quickly.
She is also in HPU’s International Club, which she has been enjoying. Her favorite class currently is philosophy, having described it as a whole new way of thinking.
“With smaller class sizes, the professors pay more attention to me, which makes me want to study more,” Qi said.
Qi is currently an undeclared major, but she is leaning towards event management as her major, noting that she wants to travel more and see the world.
“I don’t want to just sit in an office and face a computer,” Qi said.