Put on your shoes, take a stroll, meet new friends and explore the neighbourhood! This was the brief theme of the Fun Walk organised by a group of student athletes living in the Student Residence and the SRO as one of the activities of the Welcome Week.

On 31 August 2010 at 6:30pm, close to 120 student residents from different parts of the world greeted the chief student organiser Shum Chik Lai and his team. The journey began from our Student Residence and passed through Shek Kip Mei Park, where residents had a chance to experience Hong Kong public housing estates. One side at Mount Beacon reflected luxury development whilst the other side at the public housing estates represented average Hong Kong life. This was also a chance for residents to familiarise themselves with the various government-run sports facilities in the neighbourhood, including the football pitch, basketball, tennis and squash courts, etc.

So what experience did the students take away from this new wellness event? Our student organiser, Shum Chik Lai, wanted this to be “a friendly experience that everyone can enjoy”. He and his team, who are representatives of the sports scholarship recipients, wanted to host an event to involve others in an outdoor activity in their own main area of interest, before the start of the new academic year.

What a great turnout for their event! 120 students from different backgrounds taking a walk down from the Student Residence and walking united to explore and appreciate the location of our Student Residence. All participants had a chance to mix and mingle at Shek Kip Mei Service Reservoir Playground, where they were given water and fruit and had a chance to explore the nearest playground to our Student Residence. Johanna Kandell, an exchange student from Sweden, put it like this, “the timing for the walk was perfect because as I see it, the light changes during sunsets in Hong Kong is just incredibly beautiful.”

As the walk came to an end, the “Fun Walkers” had one last surprise. An SRO-branded pillow case with the embroidered wish “Sleep Well & Stay Healthy” was given to each participant, putting a cherry on top of the Fun Walk.

As summer comes to a close, I welcome you back to another fantastic and healthy year at the Student Residence. Remember to always keep hydrated. Sleep and eat well so you do not fall victim to flu. Keep taking regular exercise and have a walk with your friends, as others did at the Fun Walk on 31 August 2010.