Be the first to get latest stories.
Follow Cemerlang's Telegram channel.
Feeling homesick? We have a solution!
This week might seem like any other week to the students of KYS — all except the Form One and also the new students. This is one of the most important weeks of the year or maybe even their entire stay in KYS. For some, the orientation week is exciting but for others it might be overwhelming, Regardless of who you are or where you come from, you are all now schoolmates and fitting in, or most would say adapting to a new phase of life is very crucial. On that topic, there are few ways the new students can adapt to the new environment in the campus.
First of all, you have to accept the fact that you are going to study here for the next five years if you continue until Form Five in this school. By doing so, you can mentally prepare yourself for the homesickness, stress and any challenge that you face during your stay. This can also help you move on from your old lifestyles, habits and peers to something better. Although adapting here means that you’ll have to let go of some things, it doesn’t mean you have to leave your old life behind entirely. You can still bring familiar things to overcome homesickness such as your favourite pillow or pyjamas.
Apart from that, adapting to a new school also means that you’ll have to make new friends. It might seem hard at first, especially for introverts but once you put yourself out there, you’ll realise how nice it is to meet new people. Just introduce yourself to your classmates and build your network of friends from there. While doing so, you should also keep in touch with your friends from your previous school to avoid losing a great friendship.
Furthermore, as new students, you should choose a club or society to join. Part of adapting to a new environment is finding a common group. When you try out different clubs, societies, uniform bodies and sport teams, you are not only able to discover a new talent but also able to find relatability with existing and other new students.
Last but not least, always be yourself. I know it’s cliche to say things like “Be the most ‘you’ you can be” but it’s actually true. At first you’ll think that you have to behave in a certain way for your friends to accept you but most people appreciate the real you no matter how quirky that person is. So just go with the flow and do what you want to do the way that you want to do, as long as it’s not against the Manual of Conduct, of course.
In a nutshell, coming to a new school and stepping out of your comfort zone is a lot to handle indeed, especially when you have to be independent now that you’re in a boarding school. However, you’ll never know what you missed if you don’t try. With that, I would like to wish luck to all new students as well as old students. “If you always do what you have done, you’ll get what you have always got“.