November 17th, 2006 | The lowdown by Xing Zhao

Wanna Karaoke? Check out Bannerman's in Edinburgh.

I almost didn't go to karaoke at Bannerman’s. I'd gotten home from class around 7 and still had to make dinner. It was late, cold and raining, so I felt reluctant to go out. In the end, my need to be more social won out, and I’m really glad I went.

At 8:30 my roommate and I headed out into the small, dark alleys of Edinburgh to join the other students who were walking in the rain, disappearing into different pubs. It was a Tuesday, Bannerman's Student Night, with 3 for 2 drinks and Karaoke. I’d been missing Karaoke, since I do it so much at home, but Karaoke is quite different to do in Scotland! In China, we do Karaoke in a private room, and only you and your friends hear you singing. In Scotland, you sing on a small stage, with flashing lights and a huge audience. In China, you choose the songs from a computer; in Scotland, you choose the songs from a "book". In China, you just sing, not perform, but in Scotland, people take it more seriously: you have to put on a show while you’re singing! I’d never sung in front of so many people, and on a stage to boot. I was nervous.

Then, I heard my name called: “Kapa, Hey Jude.” Looking down from the stage, I decided it actually wasn't that scary, and you can't really see people's faces because the flashing lights blind you. Before I started to sing, I said into the microphone, “I know this is gonna be awful, but I still wanna do it.”

To my surprise, my singing was very good. People under the stage were all dancing and singing along with me. Behind the flashing lights, I could see my friends singing, waving to me, yelling “Kapa…” I felt like a star. It was wonderful.

Before Bannerman’s Student Night, I was someone who never went out. There’s not a drinking culture in China-none of my friends at home go to pubs, and the pub scene is completely different. Karaoke night was a new start for me. I found a new way to enjoy the culture, and started to have a social life.