Earlier on Wednesday, I had the chance to attend the 'Ask A Student' panel for our incoming international students. Sitting in front of over 300 bubbly and enthusiastic freshers, it dawned on me that I had been sitting among the audience this time three years ago. It's surreal to think that so much time could have passed by so quickly, and that living by myself in a foreign country has all but become routine and not a novelty.
If you are an international student starting next week, I can guarantee that you will find the next three to six years to be the most exciting period of your life to-date. Cliches about community diversity and different perspectives aside, there is just something to be said about the sheer fun to be living by yourself in a foreign country. There's loads to explore, people to meet, new things to learn, and it really makes real the idea that "the world is your oyster".
That said, the next few years will also be a massive challenge to confront. Many of you may find yourself facing cultures and norms that you might have encountered only on occassion or watched on TV shows before now, and feel unsure as to how to deal with them. Then there are the more tedious things, like figuring out how to buy food and essentials or where to get hair cuts, because all the brands and styles here might be different and you're not sure what to ask for. Money can also be a concern; coming from one of the most expensive cities in the world (Hong Kong), I was still surprised by how much some things cost here, and how to manage my money effectively so not to be more of a drain on my parents. And, inevitably, you will find yourself yearning to go home, especially at high times of stress, and feeling demoralized when you realize home may be thousands of miles away.
You don't have to face all the challenges by yourself, however. There are many people here who will be very happy to help you with whatever you need. For example, be sure to find and join your ethnic or cultural society - people there will have faced the same challenges as you do and can give you advice, like where to go to buy some comfort food. Don't be afraid also to contact myself, your other Union officers, your Academic Reps or the College's wonderful International Student Support team, with any questions or concerns at all that you might have.
And while you're out and about having the best time of your life, do try to head home once in a while. There's nothing more relaxing and blissful then to go back to the familiar over the holidays, re-charge, see your family and friends, and then get going again.
