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Adjustment Tips from Senior Non-local Students
Hey! Welcome to the Lingnan family! So happy you joined us!
I was also a non-local freshman, so I understand the challenges that come with moving to a new place. But don't worry, I have some tips that might help you settle in!
Living alone away from home is a new stage in your life! Learn how to properly manage money and engage in everyday life. One thing that helped me to adjust better is decorating my room. You can find anything you need for your room in the Fu Tai Shopping Centre near the campus.
Give yourself some time to adjust. It can be overwhelming at first, but with time you will find your rhythm and learn to balance your studies and personal life.
Don’t be shy! Make friends in your classes, talk to your roommate, join societies, be active, speak up your mind, and get to know your professors, advisers, your department and the community in general! Making connections during your first year will definitely help you in the future!
Explore Hong Kong! There are so many amazing places to see, food to try, people to meet! Appreciate the local culture, you can always learn some basic phrases in Cantonese, they will make your life experience here even better :)
Remember that you're not alone, and don't be afraid to ask for help! Your classmates, peers, professors, staff - people at Lingnan are always willing to help! If you ever get lonely or want to talk to someone, counselling service is also available on our campus.
You came all the way from your home country to here. Be proud of yourself, take care, learn new things and have fun! See you on campus!
Miss SATAROVA Amina
BA Year 3 Student from Kyrgyzstan
Hey there, Welcome to Lingnan University!
Hong Kong offers a rich blend of cultures, traditions, and cuisines, so don't hesitate to explore and try new experiences. Embrace the multicultural atmosphere here and engage with people from different backgrounds. Familiarize yourself with the local transportation system, such as the MTR, which is efficient and convenient. Additionally, make an effort to learn basic Cantonese phrases as it will greatly enhance your communication and interactions with locals. Lastly, be open-minded and adaptable, as adjusting to a new city can take time, but the experience will be rewarding. Wish you the best of luck!!!
Mr KAPAROV Shokan
BBA Year 4 student from Kazakhstan
Welcome to Lingnan University!
You made a crazy decision, leaving everything behind, starting a new life and going to a whole new world. Sounds scary, right? The first day, I thought I would never be able to adjust but trust me: You won't realise how days passed. Just make sure to enjoy it.
Tip 1: You might not be able to find people from your nationality. Don't search for it. Lingnan is filled with different people from many different backgrounds. Make sure to appreciate all of them. Always check your mailbox for activities and make sure to join as much as you can. Lingnan doesn't have many people so after you start seeing people that you already met, the next step is to become friends. You have numerous of opportunities inside the university. EXPLORE! (and don't forget to find me)
Tip 2: Get ready to see many different lifestyles in hostel corridors. If you are having a hard time with something. Don't hesitate to talk about it. Changing hostel is always an option. However, it won't make any difference but seeing more different types of lifestyles. Make sure to get to know your floormates and not only your roommate(s). If it is your first time living apart from your family, it might be not that easy. When you get used to living apart, you will enjoy it. You will enjoy that grown-up feeling of being self-sufficient.
Tip 3: University has many study places for both individual and group study. Explore the campus. Always ask people. Don't run away from locals. Every local I met was willing to help me. Don't get stuck in your room. Never leave your assignments to the deadline. Speaking from experience, If you put in your creativity and hard work, it is easy to get used to the university life.
Tip 4: If you are coming from a more Western culture, food may surprise you. Try different cuisines. Hong Kong is a meeting point for many cultures. You will enjoy at least one of them. Last but not least, enjoy your time in Lingnan!
Miss BILGUN Selin
BLA Year 2 student from Turkey
Greetings, dear freshmen, and welcome to Lingnan University!
Your four-year study journey here promises to be an unforgettable one. As a Year 3 student, I have some suggestions that I hope will help you adapt to campus life quickly. Moving to a new place and adjusting to a new culture can be challenging, but being open-minded and embracing new experiences is key. Hong Kong offers a vibrant and diverse community that provides an excellent opportunity to learn about different cultures and traditions. Exploring the city and its surroundings will give you a better understanding of local lifestyles. From my personal experience, Hong Kong is a welcoming and dynamic place, full of delicious food, exciting events, and friendly people. To build a good academic foundation, put in 100% effort during the freshman year. Stay in touch with your teachers and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you don’t understand, it will help improve your studies. I hope you experience this journey with all your heart and soul. I look forward to meeting you in campus soon!
Mr XIAO Yang
BSocSc Year 3 student from Mainland China
Welcome to the Lingnan family!
As a coming senior year student at Lingnan, I still remember my excitement and nervousness before coming to Hong Kong. I have some sharing that I wish I would know before, and I hope it is helpful for you too.
1. Embrace yourself in the new university life and be open-minded. It will help you to adapt to a new environment more manageable.
2. Set up your network here by making friends with your hall mate or joining clubs and societies. It will take a few sessions to get used to it and click with everyone, don't give up just yet.
3. Proactively register and attend events/competitions/fellowship that suits you. One of my best experiences is coming from an abroad fellowship program. Don't be afraid of failing; if you don't try, you already lose a chance to succeed.
4. There are some available offices or services that I strongly recommend you register if needed: Counseling services if you need someone to talk to; Office of Student Affairs (OSA) for your hostel, careers, internship and different activities; and Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI) if you are interested in entrepreneurship.
5. Finally, enjoy yourself the most to take advantage of this precious time at university. You still have time to figure out what you want, your career, everything, so don't be rushed and frustrated about the present difficulties yet. You are in good hands with a great supportive community (remember to reach out and take advantage of it), and you will be fine.
Miss LY Trinh
BA Year 4 student from Vietnam
Hi dear freshmen, my name is Grace, welcome to Lingnan University!
I am very happy to have this opportunity to share with you my learning experience in Lingnan. During my year-long study in Hong Kong, I got to know new friends from various countries and different cultures. Chatting with non-local students also improved my spoken English and made my pronunciation more fluent. And the hostel life also cultivated my ability of independence. What’s more, I tasted a variety of delicious Chinese and Western cuisines.
I think most of you are preparing for studying in Hong Kong. Here are my tips for you to adapt to life in Hong Kong:
1. Take a small cardigan or jacket with you when you go out: The air conditioning in Hong Kong is generally set to be cold, so take your cardigan or jacket out at all times to avoid catching a cold
2. Learn several basic spoken Cantonese. Some minibus drivers in Hong Kong generally communicate with passengers in Cantonese, it will be more convenient if you can communicate with them in Cantonese.
3. Participating in different programs to make more friends! There are many programs offered by the University, for example, the Culture Ambassador Program from the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). I highly recommend this program because you have chances to know different cultures and build up friendships with various students around the world.
4. Go to the University library to study, the library is spacious and comfortable, and it also has personal study rooms. When you need to do presentation practice, you can book the room from the University website.
University life in Hong Kong is colourful and fulfilling, make good use of your time to make more friends and acquire some academic skills!
Miss ZHUANG Ruijun
BSocSc Year 2 student from Mainland China
Hi, Welcome to Lingnan University!
As a freshman a year ago, I do have something important to share with all of you. That is, try to jump out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid. Our university provides all kinds of activities like internships, competitions, volunteer work, etc. There are also many societies and groups on our campus. When you notice something you find interesting, don’t hesitate to sign up for it. Just take the first step, and be actively involved in the things you are interested in. Hope all of you can enjoy the coming journey that may take you to explore a totally different version of yourself.
Miss JIANG Aiyu
BSocSc Year 2 Student from Mainland China