Hong Kong
Contents
History
The Hong Kong site has been hosted at two different universities: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology from 2010 to 2013, and the University of Hong Kong starting in 2014.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
This campus hosted CTY from 2010 to 2013 and was the first to do so. It is located in Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, and is a public university. Its first students enrolled in October of 1991. HKUST is one of the eight statutory universities in Hong Kong.
University of Hong Kong
This campus started hosting CTY in 2014 and is slightly more urban than that of the HK University of Science and Technology. The University was founded in 1911 and is located in Lung Fun Shan and Pokfulam, Hong Kong. It is one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Jockey Club Student Village Hall III
Jockey Club Student Village Hall III are the only group of buildings where students stay at HKU. There are 4 blocks (Shun Hing College, Lap Chee College, Chi Sun College and New College) and it works like an apartment complex. Boys and girls may live on the same block, but on different floors, and although there are 3 lifts, students are not allowed to use them at any point without supervision.
Each floor is also shared with people outside of CTY, and they can get pretty petty with CTYers, so it is recommended you avoid them.
Each floor has a pantry used for instant noodle and s'mores making, but the latter is usually after lights out or right before, and without RA notice unless you have Crystal or Cordell.
Laundry is done at random times during CTY and is very unpredictable. You may have your clothes washed once or twice depending on RA group, so be prepared. Laundry is free but often clothes get misplaced or go missing. The only way to reach the Village Hall is by shuttle bus at set times (again, it depends on RA group)
Classrooms
- Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre: Most classes are held here. In 14.1 Chemistry in Society, Fast-paced High School Chemistry, Crafting the Essay, Mathematics and Money, Mathematical Modelling, and various YS classes were in this building.
- Arts Building: Computer Science is held here.
Places Where Activities Are Held
- Brick Wall: This is an outdoor place with a grassy area and yes, a (brick) wall between the stairs to the grassy area. Activities held in 14.1 included Tie-dyeing, Speed-friending, Obstacle courses, Picnic with Anne (4th place prize of Casino Night ), and Drip Drip Drop (14.1 girls wore white shirts to the happiness of the guys).
- Centennial: The place where students gather right before activities and to the shuttle buses back to the dorms.
- University Gift Shop: The studio behind the gift shop is used for Talent Show Practice and other activities. The building next to the gift shop is used for many activities, including movie-watching and Back to Nursery.
- Pacific Coffee: Card games and board games are held here. The chocolate chip cookies are delicious. Depending on your RA group, you might have buffet-style dinner here.
- Flora Ho Sports Centre: A walk from the main campus, activities like Basketball are held here. You get more exercise walking there than participating in the activities held there.
Main Quad
The Hong Kong site has no actual grassy "quad," but students have occasional free time in this area, which connects all the dorm buildings. The "quad" is the location for weekend breakfasts and lunches. RA groups also use the quad as a waiting area before weekend off-site activities. The Quad is often used for talent show practice the week before.
RA Craig is known to sunbathe on the steps of the quad every weekend.
In 14.1, after a very early dinner on the first Saturday which consisted of sandwiches, Myles' Hall decided to order pizza (US $90, or HKD 700 worth) instead of stomaching sandwiches ("The only condition is you give me a slice" - Myles). Carrying the pizza boxes past the crowd of students was the epitome of badassery.
Restaurants
Different from the traditional cafeteria, HKG has various restaurants. The site provides the students with prepaid $40 meal coupons to buy meals. Most restaurants such as Union and Maxim's serve Hong Kong styled fast cuisine, and international CTYers could finally try the famous milk tea. As of 2018, meal coupons are only accepted at around 7 restaurants (Maxim's, Ebenezer's, Subway, Swire, Delifrance, BIJAS Vegetarian, and Cafe 330).
Maxim's
Furthest place from the Centennial Centre (CC). Offers pepper lunch, which students generally enjoy. Restaurants are not safe zones, so quite a few blammoings took place there. The meal time generally coincides with active university students who stayed over the summer, so there is always a mad dash to the line. Seats are also hard to find so bringing extra items to claim seats is a smart idea.
Union
Similar to Maxim's, but way closer to the CC than its sister-restaurant. It serves the same types of food, but it is slightly more enjoyable and is right outside the shuttle bus drop off, making it convenient in the mornings. It was closed as of 18.1.
The Grove
Possibly the most classy restaurant of them all, the Grove provides Western cuisine as well as local cuisine and is very much favored by CTYers. Rum Raisin ice-cream most probably had a shitload of rum. Famous for their very Chinglish intercom speaker when they call for the ticket 222 as it sounds like "choo choo choo." No longer available as a restaurant choice.
Cafe 330
Expensive and not worth it. The only benefit of eating there is that you could beg your RA to bring you to Park 'N Shop or sneak out to Park 'N Shop (the HK version of Walmart but not as nice). CTYers rarely go there to eat. Offers vegetarian options.
一粥面
Literally "One Congee Noodles." Although this place sounds bland, it is here that you can have one of the best meals on campus. The congee there is amazing. However, it no longer available as a choice. 17.1 was the last year it was.
Subway
Neutral reception. There is often a race to the line to get cookies.
Delifrance
Food is just about affordable, but paying extra for dessert is recommended as it is quality. The donuts are scams. Do NOT eat outside, or you will be giving the mosquitos a very fine meal.
Swire
Occasionally serves raw food by accident. All CTYers eat low-quality breakfast "buffet style" there. Has creepy decorations of human faces on the ceiling. Most hated restaurant due to the poor food quality.
Ebeneezer's
Very good if you like Indian/Arab food, spice and pizzas; not too good if you don't like any. A mean uncle receives your order and then asks you to go away. Food preparation time is often long, so people rush to become the first in line. Long, long pizza waiting time.
Traditions
As the Hong Kong site opened in 2010 and is therefore relatively new, there are significantly fewer traditions compared to the more tradition-heavy sites in the U.S.
Blammo
Almost everyone took part in the 14.1 BLAMMO, even the RAs, much to the surprise of TAs and the more Hong Kong-cultured students. It was a new concept for many that weren't used to CTY. Bathrooms, showers, own dorms, classes, and activities were safe zones, though one could be technically be blammoed at 15:01. Callista Huang was infamously rumored to have SEVEN decoy plastic spoons in her bag. Not sure how someone could use that many.
Casino Night
Occurs on the first Sunday. Prizes were picked by halls in accordance with their place after Casino Night. One of the prizes included Moongazing with RA Ian, which essentially was running from the 4th floor all the way to the 25th floor of the dorm buildings up the stairs. Enjoyable. Another was choosing which color Myles would dye his hair for the 3rd week. As of 18.1, all Casino Night prizes are packs of microwaveable popcorn.
Passionfruit
Passionfruit 14.1 was held in the outdoor area that joined all dorm buildings together at 6AM. Not only did nevermores speak, but first-year and second-year students all talked about their experience. While actual passionfruit juice is scarce in HKG, the RAs purchased sports drinks and various berry drinks and piled them all in the center. No one actually prepared much of a speech, but many stood up to talk.
During 18.1, much to nevermores' outrage, Passionfruit was held only within RA groups at noon. The RAs used coke instead of real passionfruit juice for the toast.
Twin Day
Self-explanatory.
Myles Nuzzi outdid everyone by bleaching his hair overnight to match Ian Shank's natural blonde hair, and in the process surprised his hall in the morning.
Love tape (Third Thursday)
The RAs handed out strips of masking tape to everyone, practically forcing students to write.
CTY Day
A mastermind plot to insure that all CTYers are wearing the CTY T shirt during the closing ceremony.
Rainbow Day
SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY HECK YES
Liquid Nitrogen
(Only for Chemistry in Society) The CHMS group brought in liquid nitrogen and proceeded to dump it into other course classrooms. (14.1 kind of failed.) The same class destroyed an overhead projector during the first week while presenting their course to the site. A reaction of boiling water with liquid nitrogen engulfed everything in vapor.
Acting Improv
It was offered as an activity during the last week under the name "Improv games" at 18.1. The description was "circles are the best shape to do anything fun." Please note that it had nothing to do with circles and had more to do with Jacob Satorius and Sweatshit. cough *shit* cough. Sweatshirt. And Jumanji.
Mix and Match Day
At 18.1, CTYers were encouraged to "exchange shirts, pieces of clothing or genders with their friends." Most turned up wearing a pair of mismatched shoes.
Talent Show (Second Sunday)
CTYers showed off their piano playing, singing, rubik's cube solving and dancing skills on the second Sunday. Some RAs performed too.
