When Hall Doesn’t Feel Like Home (Yet)
Coming into hall as a freshie can be pretty daunting.
However, you should know that it’s perfectly normal to have trouble adjusting, whether it’s venturing out of our social comfort zones or managing our time well. Not all of us are like the social butterflies or hustlers who never seem to sleep. Quite a lot of us are actually very shy and/or have no idea what we’re doing… so in this article we have collated some advice from seniors who’ve been through it before (and are flourishing now)!
Here’s Yuqing (also called Brother Pu), proud C block resident and very zai softballer. Even though we know her as someone who is pretty cheerful, she admits she was pretty shy in the beginning:
“When I first came in I was really nervous/shy to participate in anything because everyone seems rly good at what they do while I’m just here like 🤗 buttt still, with the support of old and new friends, I decided to try out some sports like swimming and softball. Tbh I still suck like mad at them but I’m really glad that I didn’t feel v left out/excluded just because I wasn’t as good. Thought things would get super competitive but no leh everything turned out rly fun in the end~ special shoutout to softball for the best winter experience”
Not leaving the ~senior citizens~ out, here’s the experience of someone who became a hall freshie in Y2:
“I think the hardest part of transitioning was that it was SO ~hot~ when we first moved in and it was so ~uncomfortable~ but it’s a lot better now! (i don’t have an aircon pls don’t check my room).”
If you’re still feeling particularly homesick or unsure of how to juggle your hall commitments and studies, here are some pearls of wisdom from Y2 Yun Liang to enlighten your mind.
On Priorities:
“Figuring out your key priorities in life is essential. Kent Ridge Hall has a wide range of things to offer, but you can’t have the cake and eat it too. Actually, you can, but your CAP will most likely become a sh*tcake (me). Hence, think about what is something that you really want to gain out of your time in hall. Friendship, relationship, leadership whatever, let your priorities make your decisions for you.”
NB from the author: yes….. relate…… don’t try to do everything unless you’re superhuman. There are some people who can but if that’s not you then don’t overexpand yourself!
On Expectations:
“The higher your expectations are, the harder you will fall when the reality does not meet your expectations. The world doesn’t revolve around you. Thus, try to be open-minded and you might see a whole new werl.”
“Be open-minded to new people and the memories will r0ll” - Yuqing
On Decisions:
“Yes or no? The answer is both. Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone when opportunities come knocking on your door. Also, do not be afraid to say no when you really need to say no to non-essential things when you really do not have the time to spare. Don’t FOMO and say no to supper if you really have to study!!!!”
Moving On:
“As mentioned earlier, applying all three concepts together would bring about an unforgettable hall experience. Many of us like to say ‘Last year last chance.’ I beg to differ. First year one chance. Stacked with 8 SUs and energy, the most fun year in university is Y1. You don’t get to relive it again.”
“Hall is ultimately what you make of it. I personally struggled balancing hall and studies in Y1, and with coming out of my comfort zone in general. Just know that you’re not alone and don’t be afraid to reach out to others!”
Ending off, Yun Liang would also like to bless you all with an Instagram caption taken from KanXY, a senior who graduated last year- “Is it weird that I am trying to make my home feel like hall now while I have been trying to make hall feel like home for the past 4 years?”