Tutor’s visit

Tips to Happy Hall Life

For a hall with this density of student population, we hope you will agree with us the need for upholding Hall Regulations http://www.polyu.edu.hk/hall/member/reggui.html for its orderly operation.

After all, freedom is not the right to do what we want to but what we ought to - Abraham Lincoln.

Privacy Hours between 24:00 and 07:00

To respect the proper resting hours and privacy of your room-mate, please refrain from visiting a student room (opposite gender in particular) during the Privacy Hours between 24:00 and 07:00.

If group works or activities are essential at these hours, please be considerate and do it at the Lounge Area or other public areas in the SHR.

Complaints on misconducts

While you are encouraged to be assertive and work out personal differences and conflicts with your hall mates as a precious learning process, if you witness any misconduct in the Student hall, you have two reporting channels:

• approach your Warden/tutors direct, or
• report to Hall Security Control (ext. 0099)

All information provided will be treated in strict confidence.

Noise nuisance

After 23:00, especially at small hours, please be considerate and keep your noise low if you wish to stay in the Garden next to the Hall or walk through the cross-road to the Whampoa area (as shown in the pictures below)

A small change in one’s personal hygiene habits, a big leap to civilization

Cultural Adaptation

Adjusting to a new culture and environment is a normal process and can generate a wide variety of reactions and feelings. Some stages in the adjustment process have been identified and are described below. Even though the adjustment process is described as a number of successive stages, not all people go though each stage and not necessarily in the order mentioned. Also, the stages, when experienced, can last different lengths of time for different people, and sometimes people cycle through these stages more than once.

The Honeymoon Stage

This is usually the first stage experienced after arrival to a new culture. In this stage, everything seems exciting and new. The focus is on the sense of success in being in the new culture; curiosity and interest in the novelty of the new surroundings; and an appreciation and anticipation of the opportunities to be found in the new culture.

Most people feel energetic and enthusiastic during this stage.

The Culture Shock Stage

In this stage, the primary focus is on the differences between one’s home culture and the new culture and the conflicts that arise due to these differences, including:

• the norm local students using Cantonese rather than English
• not being sure how to interact with people in authority
• not having a clear idea of how to make friends with people from different cultures
• not being understood when you express yourself in your usual way
• finding the living habits different with roommate
• finding that some people in the new culture are impatient when you don’t understand things right away
• finding that some people are prejudiced against others from different cultures

The conflicts may be with other people or internal – in terms of one’s own values, habits and preferences when contrasted with the norms and expectations of those from the new culture. Feelings that accompany the culture shock stage may include: confusion, anxiety, homesickness, anger and the following:

• feeling anxious
• feeling homesick
• feeling angry
• feeling lonely
• feeling helpless
• feeling overwhelmed
• feeling fearful for your safety
• feeling unsure of yourself
• feeling less competent
• feeling you don’t belong
• feeling fearful of the unknown and unfamiliar
• feeling confused about which values you wish to live by

The Recovery Stage

After having spent some time in the new culture, people begin to resolve some of the conflicts they may have experienced and also begin to regain a sense of appreciation that they might have experienced in the first stage. They have learned more about the new culture and are able to have a better understanding of external and internal resources that help in managing demands and conflicts that might arise. Feelings typical of this stage are a mixture of the first two stages.

The Adaptation Stage

This stage consists of people developing a realistic understanding of the similarities and differences between their home cultures and the new culture, so that they have clearer ideas about what they like and dislike in each. Many people move in the direction of becoming “bicultural” i.e. being able to value and appreciate the aspects of both cultures that they wish retain or include in their lives. This stage may be characterized by a sense of confidence, maturity, flexibility and tolerance.

Tips for Successful Cultural Adaptation

Social Skills

• You are always welcome to approach your Warden and hall tutor for a talk and sharing
• Learning about and becoming familiar with the HK culture and understanding the social customs here can help with smoother interactions with peers and teachers. This can be immensely helpful in the adaptation process
• Spend time listening and talking to fellow students and other people from HK or mainland China
• Check with others if you are unsure about appropriate behavior, language use etc.
• Find someone who you feel comfortable with, who can help you understand the HK culture better (e.g. a local buddy and other international students)

Emotional Support

Sometimes the lack of familiar support systems – family and friends – can result in feelings of stress and loneliness that can make the entire adaptation process feel burdensome. It is therefore a good idea to:

• Find people with whom you can share your feelings and experiences
• Develop a support network of people who understand your experiences
• Stay in contact with friends and family back home via Skype or emails
• Balance work and recreation in your everyday life
• Seek professional support from SAO counselor at ST314, hotline 2766 6800

[Source: http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/?page_id=133]