
Heading to university? Here’s advice from students at CUHK and Stanford
The next step after secondary education can be daunting, so we asked two university students from Hong Kong to share their advice and experiences

Keith Chun Hok-ka, Chinese University of Hong Kong
During primary school, I was a mediocre student who would fail at English dictation. When I looked at the elite students around me, I wondered how I could keep up.
After being promoted to secondary school, I wanted to prove myself, so I began working harder and reaching out for opportunities. As an ordinary student who had never won any prizes, I was surprised to be invited to volunteer to make art with people who have mental disabilities. The experience left a deep impression on me, and I wanted to further contribute to helping the underprivileged.
As I joined more charitable activities, I became determined to equip myself to drive positive change. This motivated me to push my limits and crave improvement in hopes of making up for the time I had lost in primary school. Still, on days when I felt lost, I doubted myself.
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After I got my results for the Diploma of Secondary Education exam, all my hard work paid off. It has been my honour to study in the medical school at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Being a doctor requires me to pursue not only academic excellence but also beneficence and patience.
University is a diverse environment, and you are bound to encounter countless opportunities and challenges. While you have more freedom to allocate your time and chase your dreams, freedom is always accompanied by responsibility, so you also have to bear the consequences of your decisions.
You will meet friends from different backgrounds and embrace the chances to exchange ideas and mingle with them. Not only will you get a better understanding of other perspectives, but you will also learn more about yourself!
My key tips? Stay the course, be open-minded to change, and seize the chance to kick-start a new journey. Leave no regrets, and live life to the fullest.
Clara Lu, Stanford University (US)
You don’t need to have your whole life planned out – especially when you’re only 18 or 19 years old. When you start university, you might have an entire document dedicated to your detailed four-year plan. You might have a major you want to pursue and a job you want to obtain.
However, in your first year, the best thing you can do is to be like water and go with the flow. Take classes that spark your interest even if they have nothing to do with your major, and join that activity you never thought of trying.
I went into university thinking that I was going to major in international relations, but after taking a few classes in psychology and linguistics, I fell in love with my school’s Symbolic Systems major. This combines many disciplines – such as computer programming, psychology and artificial intelligence – in the study of natural and artificial systems that process information.
I am now a part of a developmental psychology lab at school while still pursuing my love for public policy by working under a political science professor.
As someone from Hong Kong living in the United States, there have been moments where I experienced culture shock, but I would suggest embracing those differences – that’s how you’re able to become more open-minded and expand your understanding of how different people conduct their way of life.
At the same time, if you find yourself feeling homesick, know that you can always find parts of home no matter where you are – whether that be through food or language. You can always find bits and pieces of Hong Kong even when you’re outside the city. This piece of mind makes me feel OK to step out of my shell since I know I can always find a way back home.