Source: umagazine

The Residential Colleges (RC) is a place where we learn and grow. Participating in the various activities and student organisations in the RC has broadened my horizons and taught me many skills.

Participating in the Creation of a Brand

I am a member of the Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College’s Healthy Living Team, which was founded and led by Dr Natalie Wong, a resident fellow of the college. Under Dr Wong’s guidance, we created our own brand, selling environmentally-friendly natural products such as natural lip balms and natural mosquito repellent. Joining the team not only taught me production and marketing skills but also increased my environmental awareness and introduced me to the benefits of a low-carbon lifestyle.

Reaping Friendships In Return

I joined the House Association in my second year of study. The association is dedicated to serving college members in various ways, such as organising new student orientations, talent shows, and leadership camps. The process of serving other college members made me feel that our college is really like one big, warm family. I also formed friendships with many students, which are a priceless gift to myself.

Exposure to Different Cultures

The High Table Dinner is an important part of the learning experience. It provides RC students with the opportunity to learn dining etiquette and know more about one another. However, face-to-face interaction with college fellows is just one of the many benefits of the High Table Dinner. It also exposes us to different cultures, which I find very exciting. At one High Table Dinner, a student chatted with a college fellow from South Africa, and successfully invited the fellow to present a lecture about South Africa for college members.

Discovering Interests

The Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College (HFPJC) once organised an Artist-in-Residence Programme, which aimed to help college members discover their interests and strengths and to provide an opportunity for students to have face-to-face interaction with various artists. I realised through this programme that artists are not born with inspiration and creativity; their inspiration and creativity are the product of constant learning, experiencing, observing, and thinking.

Gaining Practical Experience outside the Classroom

The RC is also a place where students broaden their horizons. In addition to artists, the HFPJC has been visited by students from Thailand and Australia, Olympic champions, and senior business executives. In addition, it arranges outgoing visits to different schools and organisations to help us see more of the world and gain practical experience outside the classroom

Why I Love the RC

The RC is a place where college members develop deep friendships with one another. We can get together in the dining hall to eat and talk, or watch movies together in the Learning Commons. If someone needs help, others are always happy to give a hand. If a member of a university team or the Students’ Union has a match or an event, we would show up to give support. These factors all make me love the RC.

Apart from professional or discipline-specific knowledge, there is much more about the world we can benefit by exploring, and with the abundant resources provided by the RC, we are able to learn in many different and multifaceted ways.