What is the school's reputation like?
布朗大学的名声如何？
There's an old joke about the Ivy League schools which asks how many students from each college it would take to change a lightbulb. At “posh”, “preppy” Princeton, you'd need two: one to mix the martinis, and one to call an electrician. At “elitist” Harvard, you'd only need one: he holds the lightbulb, and the rest of the world revolves around him. The joke has been told with knowing smiles by Ivy alumni for decades; there's an answer for each school, which plays humorously on their stereotypical “identities”.
常春藤盟校中流传着一个老笑话：每个学校分别需要多少名学生来换一个灯泡？在高贵冷艳的普林斯顿需要两个学生：一个调马提尼酒，另一个打电话叫电工；在精英主义的哈佛只需要一个：他只要握住灯泡，整个世界都会围着他转。数十年来，常春藤的校友们都会带着心照不宣的微笑讲这个笑话，每个学校都有一种答案，每个答案都幽默地象征着这所学校所固有的身份认同。

The punchline for Brown, however, is a bit cryptic. “Eleven: one to change the lightbulb, and ten to share the experience.” What on earth is that supposed to mean? The answer lies in Brown's reputation for being a very “laid-back”, “hippie” college: there is a supposed emphasis on “sharing experiences” and “chilling out”. Defenders of this ethos portray the school as “free-thinking”, and “liberal”; detractors describe an “easy ride” curriculum, and a “stoner” student population.
然而，布朗大学的答案却有些模棱两可。“需要十一个人：一个去换灯泡，另外十个分享经验。”这到底是什么意思？原因在于，布朗是以悠闲嬉皮而闻名的一所学校：学校着重强调“分享经验”和“放松”。这种校风的支持者们把布朗描述为“思想自由”和“态度开明”；反对者则批评学校的课程轻松放水、学生游手好闲。
Brown certainly hasn't produced the same number of political giants as some of its more prestigious cousins: 4 of the 50 current state governors were educated within its walls, but it cannot name a single US president amongst its alumni. In fact, in keeping with its “laid-back” reputation, Brown's most famous students have thrived in more “alternative” careers. It is the alma mater of actresses Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Laura Linney (triple Oscar nominee), and Emma Watson (Harry Potter); and also of technology superstars John Sculley (Apple CEO), Thomas Watson Jr. (IBM CEO), and David Ebersman (Facebook CFO). The school does seem to promote success – just via a rather different path to the Harvards, Yales and Princetons of the world.
布朗的确没有像其他几所常春藤盟校一样培养出那么多的政治巨头：美国50位现任州长中有4位毕业于布朗大学，但她的校友中一位总统都没有。事实上，正如布朗悠闲的校风，它最有名的校友们在一些非传统的行业取得了成功：布朗是朱莉·鲍温（《摩登家庭》中饰演克莱尔）、劳拉·琳妮（三获奥斯卡提名）和艾玛·沃森（《哈利波特》中饰演赫敏）的母校；也培养了科技巨头约翰·斯卡利（苹果CEO），小托马斯·沃森（IBM的CEO）和戴维·艾博斯曼（Facebook首席财务官）。这所学校确实能助人成功——以一种和哈普耶截然不同的方式。
What is the town like?
所在的城镇是什么样的？
Travelling the short distance down from Boston to Providence – the town in which Brown is nestled – I wasn't expecting to find much of a contrast between two capitals of adjacent, affluent northeastern states (Massachusetts and Rhode Island, respectively). This preconception was quickly dispelled: the two towns share that famous New England drawl for an accent*, but little else.
在从波士顿到普罗维登斯（布朗大学所在城市）的短短旅途中，我原本以为这两个城市不会有太大差别，毕竟它们都是美国东北部两个富裕且邻近的州的首府（马萨诸塞州和罗德岛州）。不过这种错误的认知很快就烟消云散：这两个城市除了慢吞吞的新英格兰口音以外，没有太多相似之处。
Part of Boston's charm comes from its fusion of working-class history and a thriving modern business sector: crumbling warehouses and shiny skyscrapers are huddled together on a tiny peninsula. Providence, however, is still stuck in an industrial hang-over. The proud forge of America's jewellery and glassware was put out of business by foreign producers in the 1980s, and has never really recovered. Empty factories are dotted either side of the Seekonk River that runs through downtown; construction work dominates the western edge of Brown's campus. The teeming market streets of Boston's Italian and Irish neighbourhoods are nowhere to be found.
波士顿的魅力部分来源于它融合了工人阶级的历史和繁荣的现代商业：摇摇欲坠的仓库和闪闪发亮的摩天楼都挤在这小小的半岛上。然而，普罗维登斯却还没从工业时期的终结中缓过神来。它引以为豪的珠宝玻璃制造业在上世纪八十年代就被外来企业打垮，至今也没有复兴。空荡荡的工厂星罗棋布在横穿小镇的锡康克河两岸；布朗校园的西侧全是建筑工地。波士顿的意大利和爱尔兰社区里那种拥挤的街道市场在这儿则无处可寻。
What does the university look like?
大学校园风景如何？
Brown's “relaxed” ethos and Providence's economic slumber are both reflected in the layout of the campus: where Cambridge has reminders at every corner of Harvard's prestige, you could easily stroll through Providence without ever realising that you are passing a world-famous institution. Blank department buildings sit on quiet boulevards, surrounded by thrift shops, cafes, and the odd building site. There is an irritating lack of roadsigns, which seems to sum up the whole “vibe” of the place.
布朗大学悠闲的校风和普罗维登斯迟缓的经济增长都体现在校园的布局中：剑桥市每个转角都有标志提醒你这里是高大上的哈佛所在地，而漫步在普罗维登斯，你甚至意识不到自己正身处一所世界名校。不知其名的部门大楼坐落在安静的林荫道两侧，周围是朴素的小商店、咖啡厅和古怪的建筑工地。令人恼火的是路牌太少，这似乎也是为了营造这个地方独特的氛围。
But Brown also has its share of beautiful quads, if you can find them – more striking, in my opinion, than the over-hyped Harvard Yard (though perhaps not quite as impressive as the lawns at Yale). A trek up College Hill, which would certainly tone your calf muscles over a four year degree, leads to a number of stunning courts. Students looking for a peaceful spot to read are spoilt for choice, with plenty of room on the Main Green, Ruth J. Simmons Quadrangle, Hughes Court, Patriot's Court, Keeney Quadrangle, or aptly named “Quiet Green”. It's not hard to see why “chilling out” is such a popular option here.
不过在布朗也能找到美丽的四方形庭院，如果你有一双善于发现美的眼睛——我认为甚至比过度宣传的哈佛庭院更美（尽管可能不如耶鲁的四方草坪）。只要登上学院山，眼前就会豁然开朗，数个雅致的庭院映入眼帘。若是在这里上四年大学，光是攀登学院山就能让你练出小腿肌肉。对于想要寻一处僻静之所读一本书的同学，布朗提供了太多选择：Main Green，Ruth J. Simmons四方院，Hughes庭院，Patriot's庭院，Keeney四方院，或者是恰如其名的“僻静绿地”（Quiet Green）。不难看出为什么“小憩放松”在布朗会如此流行。
What impression did you get of the students?
学生给你留下什么印象？
Once again, I set myself the ridiculous task of assessing an entire student body on the basis of a few momentary encounters. Just as I found at Harvard (and the other Ivies later in this series), it was very difficult to look objectively at the place and the people without being influenced by their general reputation. I was also hindered by the fact that it was still orientation week, and only a handful of “Brunonians” were lounging around.
又一次，我开始执行一项有些荒诞的任务：以几次短暂的相遇来评价整个学生群体。就像我在哈佛（还有本系列之后的其他常春藤盟校）发现的，很难做到在不被常规印象影响的前提下客观评价一个地方和一群人。另一个阻碍是当时还处于迎新周，只有很少的“布朗人”在学校里闲逛。
Were these students any different to those at other top institutions? They certainly struck me as more welcoming, and less wary of outsiders. Where in Cambridge (and later in New Haven) my touristy antics were greeted with mirth, in Providence they were hardly noticed – despite the fact that I had forgotten my tripod, and ended up using hedges, ledges and even my shoes to angle my camera. I was even mistaken for a senior by various misguided freshmen, who asked me for directions around campus. If most college visits made me feel like an outsider, then Brown created the opposite effect.
布朗的学生和其他世界顶尖名校的学生有何不同？我感觉他们更加热情，不那么提防外人。在剑桥市（和之后的纽黑文），我观光时的滑稽行为会引来阵阵笑声，而在普罗维登斯几乎没人注意到我——尽管我忘记带三脚架，不得不用篱笆、石头甚至鞋子来固定相机。我甚至被一些迷路的新生当成了学长，来找我问路。如果说参观大部分大学让我感觉自己是个外人的话，布朗给我的印象则正好相反。
What were the admissions staff like?
招生处的工作人员怎么样？
At most other Ivies, I had lots of success getting hold of staff at my favoured department (English), and little when it came to approaching the “Special Student Office”, for visiting graduates; at Brown, the opposite was true. I made very little progress contacting the English faculty, but was offered a face-to-face meeting with the head of the Special Student programme, who was an utter delight, and incredibly helpful.
在几乎所有的常春藤盟校，我都成功接近了我本专业（英语）的工作人员；但却没法接近接待交换生的“特殊学生办公室”；但在布朗大学情况正好相反。我没怎么能联系上英语专业的教员，但却获得了和特殊学生项目负责人面对面对谈的机会，这让我十分高兴，也对我相当有帮助。
I was given a number of insider tips about applying to Brown, and – quite selflessly, and unexpectedly – reminded to consider some of the limitations of the school as well. There was a real sense that the admissions staff were interested in me as a person, and what courses (even at other colleges) would suit me best. The various Ivy League admissions offices I visited were mostly excellent when it came to aiding prospective applicants – but Brown really stood out for me as the best.
我收获了几条申请布朗的内部人士建议——并且意外地，工作人员无私地提醒我也要考虑学校的一些局限性。布朗的招生人员让我感觉到他们是真的对我个人有兴趣，并且推荐了真正适合我的课程（哪怕是别的大学的课）。我去过的几个藤校招生处都非常不错，乐于帮助有意申请的学生，但是布朗在这一点上的确是做得最好的。