Hong Kong
The Hong Kong site was created in 2010.
Note: CTY in Hong Kong has been held in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology from 2010-2013, then changed to slightly more urban University of Hong Kong for HKG 14.1 Hong Kong only had one session in 2014 from 7/13 - 8/1, and in 2016, the dates will be from 7/10 - 7/29.
History
Needs research. Will be back.
Places
Buildings
- Dorms
- Jockey club Student Village Hall III - The only group of building where students live during the stay at HKU. There are different blocks and works like an apartment complex. Boys and girls may live on the same block, but different floors, and although there are 2 lifts, students are not allowed to use them to go to different floors at any point without supervision. Each floor is also shared by people outside of CTY living there, and they can get pretty petty with CTYers so it is recommended you avoid them. Each floor has pantry that is 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)
- Buildings where various classes are held
- Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre - Most classes held here (14.1 Chemistry in Society, Fast-paced High School Chemistry, Crafting the Essay, Mathematics and Money, Mathematical Modelling, various YS classes)
- Arts Building - Computer Science
- Buildings/places where various activities are held
- Brick Wall - 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 ), Drip Drip Drop (14.1 girls wore white shirts to the happiness of the guys)
- Centennial - The place where students are gathered right before activities, and also gathered to the shuttle buses back to dorms.
- University gift shop - The studio behind the gift shop was used for Talent Show practicing and other activities.
- Building next to the gift shop - Used for many activities (Watching movies, Back to Nursery)
- Pacific Coffee - Card games and board games are held there. ( the chocolate chip cookies are delicious )Depending once more on RA group, you may have buffet style dinner there.
- Flora Ho Sports Centre - A walk from the main campus, activities like Basketball are held here. (note: you get more exercise walking there than participating in the activities held there)
Quads
- Main Quad - The Hong Kong site has no actual grass "Quad", but students have occasional free time in the area that connects all the dorm buildings. (HKG 14.1 After very early dinner on the first Saturday which consisted of sandwiches, Myles' Hall decided to order pizza delivery instead of stomaching sandwiches. US $90 (about HKD 700) worth. ("The only condition is you give me a slice" - Myles) Carrying the pizza boxes past the crowd of students was the epitome of badassery. Quad is often used for talent show practice the week before.
Restaurants
Different from cafeterias, HKG has various restaurants, and the site provided the students with prepaid $40 meal coupons to buy meals. Most restaurants such as Union and Maxim's served Hong Kong styled fast cuisine, and international CTYers could finally try the famous milk tea. As of 2018, the meal coupons are only accepted at around 7 restaurants (Maxim's, Ebenezer's, Subway, Swire, Delifrance, BIJAS Vegetarian, Cafe 330)
- Maxim's - Furthest place from the Centennial Centre (CC), and is least favorable to every student. Restaurants were 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 (God knows why), 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 it's sister-restaurant. Serves the same types of food, but is slightly more enjoyable and is right outside the shuttle bus drop off (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. 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 has one of the best meals in the campus. The congee there is amazing. However, it was not available as a choice after 17.1.
- Subway - Most CTYers oppose to eating there. 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 breakfast buffet style there. Has creepy decorations of human faces on the ceiling.
Traditions
As the Hong Kong site is relatively new (opened in 2010), 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(First Sunday)
- Prizes were picked by halls in accordance with their place after Casino Night. One of the prizes included Moongazing with Ian(RA), 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, second-year students all talked about their experience. While actual passion fruit 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 and 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
- 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 Chem 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 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)
- Movie Day (Second Saturday)
