Life At Lingnan: For Future Students

Not every day is a whirlwind of sightseeing in Hong Kong so I figure for future students it may be helpful to speak in general about Lingnan. Campus is much smaller here than CMU so you generally can leave for classes a little later than you're used to. The hostels are community bath, however, so you still may want to wake up with some spare time just in case you have to wait (although I've never had to).

The room - not huge, but you don't have much to fill it anyway

View of the "hostel" from the outside - it's on campus, just called hostel here

 I'd definitely recommend spending the additional money for air conditioning and the linens before coming, too. It gets extremely humid here and as for the linens there are not any department stores near enough to Lingnan that buying them would be convenient. You would have to take a bus or the MTR, and who wants to figure that out on the first day?

Speaking of the bus & MTR take them to get food! At your orientation you'll be shown the shopping center Fu Tai that is right across from Lingnan's north gate. For the first few days it's cool - there are 4 restaurants (Hot Pot, a cheap cafe, McDonalds, and Home Fairy) which all are not bad and a supermarket to buy groceries. McDonalds dollar menu is different here and although lacking any burger hot fudge sundaes are only HK$6! As for the other places, definitely try them - have a local bring you to hot pot which is all you can eat for 2hrs. and try the other restaurants as well. DO NOT, however, fail to venture away from those four and the student canteen on campus which I'm sure you will abandon quickly. Try the street food (there is some at Fu Tai after 9pm) or take the MTR two stops to Long Ping. The food is generally cheaper there and you get much more for your money. Or take K51 (which will quickly be your go-to bus) to TMT Plaza in Tuen Mun to just walk aimlessly until you see a menu you like. There are no lie at least a hundred restaurants in that shopping center. It's also great because menus are always posted outside of restaurants, most are in English, and there are almost always pictures. In addition, most people speak English and if they don't you just have to point and gesture. It does not take long to get tired of the food in Fu Tai, but there are some really great places here you just have to be willing to go look!

As for the people on campus most are eager to practice English and get to know international students. What they tell you at orientation is true, though, be prepared to discuss American politics. Hong Kong does not have universal suffrage and many people want it badly - fueling their interest in the American system. I am also frequently asked what my GPA is, how I did on my standardized tests, and about the quality of my home university. From what I've learned there is a ton of pressure on Hong Kong students to do well on their tests and go to the best universities. I've tried to explain that sometimes going to Harvard or Yale isn't the best for people if they can really prosper elsewhere, have financial incentive, etc., but the cultural difference is overwhelming. Rank and status are extremely important here so be prepared for questions like those as well.

Finally, what is there to do when classes are out and you don't want to do homework? Lingnan is located about an hour away from Central so tourist activities are limited but there are still plenty of other options. The campus has an Olympic sized swimming pool that you can utilize for $4HK and workout facilities that also cost a small fee. There is a running track that is free and basketball and tennis courts right outside of the university gates to utilize as well. Additionally, on the upside from being far away from Central there is great hiking around Lingnan. If you're interested in hiking please let me know and I can send you directions on how to get to the trail heads. The trails are pretty taxing so bring plenty of water but here are some of the views to look forward to:

I only bring my iPod so the pictures are not great, but I promise it it beautiful

Finally the TMT shopping center in Tuen Mun is also great for shopping, eating, seeing a movie, or many other activities so you really should not be bored at Lingnan! If you do get bored, hop on the MTR and visit somewhere you have not been or take K51 further than you had before and just remember where to get back on. That's how we wound up at Gold Coast Beach one night which is a beautiful area (as well as a tourist trap) with gorgeous beaches and with restaurants of mixed cuisines albeit with high prices. Before I came to Lingnan I thought I was going to be in the hustle and bustle of the city and when I first arrived I was a little disappointed to be so far away from "downtown". However, once you visit the packed streets and clouded air of Central or Mong Kok it is easy to appreciate where Lingnan is located. The best advice I can give is to encourage you to meet locals who can show you things you never knew were there. Don't be afraid to explore unventured territory, and do not be afraid to try new things. Please don't be that study abroad student that eats McDonalds daily and never leaves their hostel, and please feel free to utilize me as a resource!