Thriving at LU
Zhansaya Makhambetaliyeva | Kazakhstan | Year 1 Student | Data Science
Let's get one thing straight. The phrase "lost first-year" is a stereotype I'm politely declining. Did I arrive at Lingnan University with two suitcases (one strategically packed with kazakh snacks only)? Absolutely. Was my first week a navigation nightmare between 9:30 a.m. lectures and the elusive perfect study spot? Maybe. But "lost"? Nah. More like strategically gathering data points for the ultimate campus algorithm.
I'm Zhansaya (or Saya, for those who can't handle four syllables before coffee), a first-year Data Science major, who quickly learned that university isn't about finding yourself in some philosophical sense. It's about building yourself, one SQL script, one club meeting, and one opportunity at a time.
Let's start with the academic plot twist. Coming into Data Science, I expected graphs and theory. What I got was a creator's toolkit. The "Moneyball" moments are real, but they're preceded by the deeply satisfying grind of transforming a messy dataset into a clear insight.
The "Why Is My Timetable Crying?" Era
Week one reality check: it's also about debugging code at 2 a.m. and having existential talks with a Python dataframe that refuses to cooperate. Choosing data science as my focus track for the future was like choosing which superpower to lean into - one lets you build the digital world, the other lets you understand it through numbers. It’s equal parts "I am a genius" and “Stackoverflow, please save me.”
Snagging a student representative position. Far from a passive role, it's a front-row seat to understanding how the university ecosystem functions - a masterclass in institutional dynamics, with the added perk of knowing exactly who to talk to when you need to get things done. It’s not just about airing grievances (though yes, about those 09:30 a.m. lectures); it’s about seeing how the UNI machine works from the inside.
Pro tip: the free refresh coffee at the library is a valid currency to meet new people.
The EC Grind: Where I Actually Learned Stuff
If my major teaches me to speak the language of data, my extracurriculars are where I write the poetry with it. I approached this with a dual-track strategy:
The "Touch Grass" Committee (Clubs & Community)
You can’t live in the learning commons (tried it, the security guard has opinions). Balance is key:
Toastmasters: Where I learned to present my ideas without trying to scream over the audience but actually deliver a message to them.
LU Cultural Ambassador & Host Family: This is the heart of LU. As an ambassador, I will try my best to be a professional friend-maker and safe space for incoming international students. My host family? An incredible member of the faculty who provided an enormous amount of advice for the first part of the adaptation period.
The Skill Forge (Career-Wise)
This is where the magic (and the pressure) happens. Hong Kong's innovation scene became my second home. We’re not just talking about ideas; we’re building them. My highlight reel?
Guangdong Data Analytics Contest @ CityU: Where I learned that "data storytelling" is just a fancy term for making pretty graphs that hide how confused you were three hours ago.
Gen AI Hackathon @ HKU: three weeks, unlimited caffeine, and a team of sleep-deprived students trying to solve the issue of NGOs. We didn't win, but my brain grew three sizes.
Hostel Entrepreneurship & L'Occitane “Impact Crafters”: Where you pitch a business idea between laundry loads. It’s Shark Tank, but the sharks were also worried about their upcoming programming quiz.
The Main part: Internship
And here’s the plot twist I actually anticipated coming: landing a web developer internship at an NGO in Singapore.
The Tech Stack & Learning Curve: My world now revolves around making Wix do things it probably didn't know it could do, while writing backend logic that would make my Data Science professors proud (I hope!). One day I'm puzzling over user authentication in the system; the next, I'm debugging a payment integration for the members. The phrase if payload.get("email") has taken on a whole new, very real meaning.
Every two weeks, I submit bi-weekly reports cataloging my progress: a new feature implemented, an automation streamlined, a bug removed. It's accountability meets achievement. The Biggest Lesson: The trust. They don't see "first-year student"; they see "developer on the team." This internship, supported by Lingnan's career ecosystem, has been the ultimate context engine.
When the Code Doesn't Compile: Exploring Beyond HK
Because burnout is real, and the best debugger is sometimes a change of scenery.
Shenzhen: A 15-minute bus ride to the future. Tech markets, art districts, and food that costs less than a campus bubble tea. It’s the ultimate reset button (especially the Luckin Coffee).
Vietnam: When you need a proper escape. From the chaotic motorbike symphonies of Da Nang to the serene My Khe beach, it was a week-long reminder that there’s a whole world out there that doesn’t care about your deadline.
At last:
University isn't a straight path; it's a choose-your-own-adventure book where every choice unlocks a new side quest. You'll be a student rep, a hackathon zombie, a cultural ambassador, and an "almost-professional" developer - sometimes all in the same week.
To anyone starting: Say yes to everything that scares you a little. Apply for that internship you think you're not qualified for. Join the club where you don't know anyone. Your first year is the messy, beautiful process of building the person you'll become. The code will compile, the presentations will get easier, and you’ll eventually find all the best food spots.
Catch you in the queue for the coffee at Coffee Corner! (or fighting for that sit-stand desk in the learning commons)
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Last updated: September 2, 2026