英国大学新生也有社交恐惧症

 You might think that Western students are less shy when it comes to mingling¹ with the opposite sex, but the truth is that pupils in the UK can feel just as awkward². 

 

Britons are actually quite reserved and being at university can make them feel out of their comfort zone. Everyone finds it difficult to talk to the other gender³ on 

 

campus. 

你可能认为西方国家的学生在面对异性时会更放得开，但事实上在英国，学生们对此也是一样手足无措。英国人实际上很保守，而大学生活也令他们脱离了自己的“自在区”。所有人都会觉

 

得在校园中与异性交谈是件难事。

 

However, there is a way of dealing⁴ with this shyness in Britain, and it is called “Freshers Week”. Freshers Week is designed to help people socialize and lose their 

 

inhibitions. It is a one-week long party for first year students to welcome them before lectures and coursework begin. 

而在英国，人们找到了克服这种害羞心理的方法，那就是“新生周”。开办“新生周”的目的是为了帮助人们进行社交活动，摆脱情感阻力。对于大一学生而言，这是在正式上课之前举行的

 

一场迎新派对，为期一周。

 

I remember my first week at university - it was terrifying. I looked at the schedule for Freshers Week and was amazed at how much was planned. Every hall of residence 

 

organizes its own events to help students become friends with the people they live with. My hall was called “Goldney Hall” and the week ahead included a talent show, 

 

a comedy night, and themed parties, including one for which we had to dress up as golfers. 

我对自己第一周的大学生活记忆犹新，那真是次恐怖的经历。我盯着迎新周的日程表，惊讶于怎么会有如此多的活动。每一栋学生公寓都各自组织的活动，来帮助那些同住一个屋檐下的学生

 

们打成一片。我住在“古丹尼学生公寓”，接下来一周的活动包括一场达人秀、一场喜剧之夜演出，以及多场主题派对，其中的一场我们必须装扮成高尔夫球员。

 

The first event I went to was a school kids party at which everyone dressed up as if they were in school. This party encouraged me to talk to all the people on my 

 

floor. One boy, who lived opposite my room, was very handsome and I felt nervous speaking to him at first. But when we met at the party dressed in silly school 

 

outfits⁵, I remember feeling a lot more relaxed speaking to him. 

我参加的第一场活动是个校园童趣派对，每个人都要打扮成上学的样子。这场派对也让我鼓起勇气和同住一层楼的人交谈。有个住在我对面寝室的男孩很帅，起初跟他说话让我很紧张。但当

 

我们身着傻傻的校服在派对上碰面时，我记得那时的聊天要轻松多了。

 

It sounds strange, but drinking and dressing⁶ up seems to be how Britons overcome their shyness at university. My Freshers Week was hectic⁷, but I managed to forget how 

 

scared I was. 

这听起来可能有点怪，但饮酒以及化装舞会似乎成为英国大学生克服害羞心理的法宝。尽管新生周让我忙得不可开交，但却让我将那些担惊受怕抛到了脑后。

 

One thing’s for sure: nothing helps you lose your inhibitions quite like dressing up as a golfer – complete with a golf club, checked hat and tweed jacket! 

有一点可以肯定，那就是：当你变身高尔夫球手“武装”上高尔夫球棍、格子帽和花呢夹克时，没有什么比这样更能让你抛却羞怯感了！

1 mingling   

adj.混合的

参考例句：

• There was a spring of bitterness mingling with that fountain of sweets. 在这个甜蜜的源泉中间，已经掺和进苦涩的山水了。
• The mingling of inconsequence belongs to us all. 这场矛盾混和物是我们大家所共有的。

2 awkward   

adj.笨拙的，尴尬的，使用不便的，难处理的

参考例句：

• John is so shy and awkward that everyone notices him.约翰如此害羞狼狈，以至于大家都注意到了他。
• I was the only man among the guests and felt rather awkward.作为客人中的唯一男性，我有些窘迫。

3 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

6 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

7 hectic   

adj.肺病的；消耗热的；发热的；闹哄哄的

参考例句：

• I spent a very hectic Sunday.我度过了一个忙乱的星期天。
• The two days we spent there were enjoyable but hectic.我们在那里度过的两天愉快但闹哄哄的。