Sha Tin resident JEFFREY LAU is studying in Singapore and is a boarder at UWCSEA. Here, he gives us the inside scoop on life at his Singapore boarding school.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’ve lived in Hong Kong all my life, specifically in Sha Tin for the past 17 years. I would say I’m quite an active person who loves to do sports like football, rugby, track and gym. Besides sports, I enjoy books that foster personal growth, such as The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to His Son. I’m currently a boarder at UWCSEA East, Singapore. In my free time, I often chat with friends over a nice cup of tea. This allows me to connect with my boarding community while relaxing after a long day of school.
How long have you been a studying in Singapore at UWCSEA?
I am now in Grade 11 and have been a boarder at UWCSEA East since Grade 9 in Tampines House.
What do you and your family like about your Singapore boarding school and it’s location?
For my family and me, the UWC Mission – “to use education as a force to secure a peaceful and sustainable future for all” – deeply resonates with our values. We believe that a good education is necessary for building a better future. We also appreciate UWCSEA’s diverse community, which has immense potential. In a world where finding hidden gems can be challenging, the school’s scholarship programme provides individuals with the opportunity to become the best versions of themselves and contribute to a future of peace and sustainability.
We chose to study in Singapore for several reasons: its safety, the abundant greenery integrated into the city, and because UWCSEA offers boarding for students as young as Grade 8.
What does a typical day as a boarder at UWC look like?
- Students generally wake up between 6am and 7.30am. Breakfast starts at 7am and the check-in time is before 7.45am. The breakfast is always wonderful, with a variety of foods to choose from.
- The day begins with mentor time, where students check in with their mentor teacher to confirm they have arrived at school for class from 8.20am to 9.40am. After the first class, we have a two-minute break to grab snacks or chat with friends.
- The second and third classes run from 10am to 12.45pm. Lunch is from 12.45pm to 1.40pm, which is enough time for anyone. During lunch times, some students will attend activities or service meetings.
- Classes then start again from 1.40pm and end at 3pm, followed by after-school activities. You can find me either at the football field or at the gym where I attend my particular extracurricular activities.
- Dinner is served from 6pm to 7pm, followed by a mandatory study time from 7pm to 8.30pm in designated study areas around the boarding house or campus, which I find really wonderful.
- For Grade 11 students, free and easy time is from 8.30pm to 10pm, where we go and get some bubble tea or relax in the boarding house. At the end of the day at 10pm, we must be in our respective corridors, and depending on our workload, we can go to bed anytime between 10.45pm and 12am
What are some of the extracurricular activities and interesting subjects you enjoy at UWCSEA?
There are many activities to choose from at UWCSEA, but my favourites are football, rugby, track and going to the gym. These activities align perfectly with my favourite subject, Sports Science, which I would highly recommend to others to take.
Do you have a favourite spot in the boarding house?
My favourite spot is the third-floor recreation area. It’s a great place for me to relax and hang out with my friends, whether we’re playing table tennis, pool or video games on a PS4. It is a great place to escape from the rigorous demands of the IB Diploma Programme.
What’s the food like at UWCSEA? Do you have a favourite dish?
I love the food served at the boarding house, especially since dishes from different cultures are represented. For example, I discovered Togo chicken stew this year, which I never knew about before. My favourite dish is Pastalaya, a Jambalaya sausage pasta with a tangy taste that I really enjoy.
Where are your fellow students studying in Singapore from?
Each year, our boarding house hosts students from diverse backgrounds. This year, we have boarders from Tonga, Kenya, Guatemala, South Korea, Japan, South Africa, Tanzania, Colombia and many other countries. It’s really fun to learn about their respective cultures. With my friends, I enjoy doing sports or spontaneously exploring different places in Singapore. Sometimes, we simply get off at an unfamiliar MRT stop and explore the area.
What has been the biggest challenge settling into an international boarding school in Singapore?
The biggest challenge for every boarder is time management. Here, you are responsible for planning your day and balancing various activities and services. Without good time management, it’s easy to lose track of assignments, leaving you with little to no time to complete them. I experienced this first-hand when I signed up for too many activities at the start of my journey in Grade 9. However, with time this skill develops, and you gain valuable life skills along the journey.
Tell us about your favourite things to do.
One is to discover new restaurants and hawker centres. This was inspired by a couple of Grade 12 students who would go out every weekend to try new foods. I really enjoy going out with my friends to try new stuff. Since coming to UWCSEA, I have learned to try a lot more new things and approach life with a more positive outlook. Instead of only sticking to what I’ve done for years, I now believe in trying new experiences to fully enjoy life.
When you get back to HK, what do you enjoy doing?
I love spending time with family and catching up with friends about life. I also love to go hiking but not in the summer as it gets too hot. My absolute favourite activity to do is to try new restaurants or street food at Sham Shui Po.
What do you hope to do when you’ve finished school?
I hope to continue down the path of sports, whether as a sports scientist or a physiotherapist – I wouldn’t mind either. However, later in life, I might switch to a different career involving animals, like becoming a vet or zookeeper. I don’t know yet, but the sky’s the limit!
UWCSEA Fact File
Year established: Dover Campus, 1971; East Campus, 2008
Student population: 5,921
Boarding population: 337
Student nationalities: 114
Number of staff: 1,198
Ages taught: 4 to 18 years
Curriculum/s: K-12 Concept-based curriculum leading to IGCSE, IB Diploma Programme and UWCSEA High School Diploma
School year dates: August to June
East Campus: 1 Tampines Street 73 | +65 6305 5344
Dover Campus: 1207 Dover Road | +65 6775 5344
Discover more about UWCSEA and what the international boarding school in Singapore offers here.
This article about UWCSEA first appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
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