I am honoured to have gone on exchange at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, last semester as part of my Enrichment Year in the MBBS syllabus. I was a student at the School of Life Science, and I studied courses related to psychology, public health, and social science.

The first difference in the way of life at Tsinghua University is that THU has a beautiful campus that is much larger than HKU. Therefore, walking to the classroom from the dormitory will take far too long. The majority of the time, I would bike to get to places sooner. As someone who did not excel at biking, I found it took a bit of time to get used to this form of transportation. However, gradually, I learned how to bike better and even bike outside of the campus area because Beijing is much larger than Hong Kong.

Studying at Tsinghua University is also quite different than studying at HKU. The obvious difference is, of course, language. I have done a presentation in Putonghua at THU for the first time since secondary school. Frankly, my Putonghua had not been in use for a very long time, but this exchange has really improved my Putonghua by immersing myself in the environment. This is a nice skill to have in today’s day and age. Moreover, in MBBS, the main form of teaching, besides lectures, is problem-based learning (PBL), where students are separated into small groups, and discussions are encouraged. However, the courses that I took at THU did not have any tutorials. Therefore, there were not many chances for students to discuss in small groups, which was different to HKU. THU hosts some of the most intelligent and hard-working students in China. They are really independent and diligent in group projects. Overall, studying at THU allowed me to immerse myself in the academic atmosphere alongside some of the most academically gifted students in China.

Beijing is a city filled with history and wonders, such as the Forbidden Palace and the Great Wall. I was lucky enough to visit the Forbidden Palace on a snowy day. The scenery was unreal, and I felt as if I was teleported back in time to the Qing Dynasty. I took so many photos of the palace under heavy snow that day. As someone who has never seen snow, this exchange gave me the chance to live in a city where snow persists for a long while. It fulfilled my dream as a kid living in Hong Kong who had never experienced a snowy winter. I would recommend travelling to Beijing in the fall and winter because the weather is nicer and the scenery is prettier.

Since the Tsinghua office grouped Hong Kong and Taiwan exchange students together, I also got to make some friends from Taiwan. Their culture is different from that of Hong Kong or mainland students. Still, the Taiwanese students are really fun travel companions, and we have bonded while visiting different places together, whether in Beijing or outside of Beijing. We went to Inner Mongolia during the National Holiday Week. The food was amazing, and the roasted beef and lamb were out-of-this-world. We also looked at the stars while walking on the large grass plain. Since there were no skyscrapers or anything tall to obstruct our view, we were having the surrounding experience of the galaxy. This is, without a doubt, one of the most astonishing sights of my life.

Going on an exchange is, for me, a chance to live alone. For the first time in my life, I lived away from home for a prolonged period of time. At first, I thought I would not get used to living alone, but I actually got used to it rather quickly. The good thing about living in THU is that the canteens are right next to the dormitories. Therefore, if I am hungry, I just head down and eat. The prices of dishes are extremely low, thanks to government subsidies. Moreover, my Mainland roommates are very nice, and we get along well. Furthermore, THU dormitories have implemented a policy that requires electricity to be cut off past midnight. For some, it may be an inconvenience, but for me, it is a benefit because I sleep early most of the nights. As a result, I did not have to alter my living habits much while living in THU, which made the dorm life transition a bit smoother. Living away from my parents is, of course, difficult, but I see it as a chance to learn how to live independently in an environment that is beginner-friendly.

In conclusion, I am grateful to have the opportunity to go on exchange at Tsinghua University. This experience really broadened my horizons and helped me see the world. I met some new friends and formed bonds with others as well. I will never forget some of the experiences that I have had at THU. I would love to visit THU and Beijing again in the future.