Door Maarten Nauw.
Name: Tianbei Gao (21, 4th year of International Communication & Media)
Describe your style? ‘I wear whatever I find fit for myself. I sometimes go shopping in the city centers of Utrecht or Amsterdam. I also shop online, on Chinese and Korean webshops. I ask friends in China to receive my orders, or shop at a place like Lotte Young Plaza, then they send the parcels to me. I follow bloggers on the Chinese Twitter, it's called Weibo. They follow the European fashion scene and summarize it for the Chinese audience.’
What do you find super ugly? ‘These shoes with very high soles, what are they called? Creepers? They're very popular amongst Asian people because it makes them look taller, more European. I think that's stupid.’
What puts you off in a boy? ‘I don't like it when boys wear tight trousers when they don't have the right figure for it. Or white pants.’
Music? ‘Different styles of Chinese music. Like Chinese folk. For instance by Zhong Lifeng. I also like international country music and classical music. I've played the violin, which got me interested in classical music. And I like George Ezra and Franz Ferdinand.’
Last concert/party? ‘I often have drinks with my Chinese friends at someone's home, while we play mahjong.’
Movie? ‘I don't really have one favourite movie but my favourite genre is film noir.’
Series? ‘Nirvana in Fire. A series about the history of China.’
News? ‘I have three apps I use to keep up with the news. Weibo, 163.com for entertainment news and one especially for football.’
Sports? ‘When I still lived at the Beneluxlaan, I used to play football and basketball with foreign students.’
Breakfast? ‘I had noodles this morning. Chinese people prefer warm food as breakfast.’
What is the most important thing you've learned during your study so far? ‘All the lessons about skills. How to make websites, how to make videos, how to design. And I learned a lot during my internship, at an international company in China. I had to do a lot of different things. Branding, writing press releases, assisting at production jobs, aerial filming… I became a lot more confident.’
How would you change the HU if you could? ‘I would employ more people at the exam board. You cannot contact them directly, and it takes at least a month before you hear something from them.’
Where do you live? ‘In a private house with five other students at the Smaragdplein in Utrecht.’
Sidejob? ‘I help Chinese people in the Netherlands with their weddings. I order flowers, do the decoration, do the make-up of the bride, and sing at the wedding.’
Are you religious? ‘No. But I show my respect. In China people believe in science.’
Which grade would you give your life? ‘Maybe… an 8. I feel happy everyday. I would be even happier if I didn't procrastinate so much.’
Club or café? ‘Café.’
Meat or veggy? ‘Meat.’
Blind or deaf? ‘Deaf.’
One night stand or relationship? ‘Depends on the person.’
Man or woman? ‘Man.’
Morning person or night owl? ‘Morning person.’
Dog or cat? ‘Dog.’
Facebook, Instagram or Tinder? ‘Instagram.’
London, Berlin or Paris? ‘Paris.’
Uggs or crocs? ‘Oh my god. I'd rather die.’
In your comfort zone or out of the box? ‘Comfort zone. With a lot of friends.’
What would you like to become? ‘A lot of things. A graphic designer, fashion designer… when I was young I wanted to become a singer. I do sing at weddings now but I want more people to hear from me. But I can't compose. I'd sing country and folk music, in Chinese. Not in English. And I'd love to have my own CD.’
