{"id":185060,"date":"2021-10-22T10:00:59","date_gmt":"2021-10-22T02:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?p=185060"},"modified":"2024-11-29T15:08:34","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T07:08:34","slug":"boarding-school-uk-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/boarding-school-uk-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"What was it like going to a boarding school in the UK?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Going from a local <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/best-montessori-kindergartens-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">kindergarten<\/a> to a local primary school, followed by <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/best-montessori-kindergartens-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">secondary school<\/a> via the Government\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edb.gov.hk\/en\/edu-system\/primary-secondary\/applicable-to-primary-secondary\/through-train\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u2018through-train\u2019 system<\/a>, my family\u2019s plan for my early schooling in Hong Kong seemed seamless. And for several years, the plan worked \u2013 until it didn\u2019t. Due to <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/high-pressure-schools-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">huge academic pressure<\/a>, I attended class after class (after school) for extra tuition, not because I was lagging behind, but because that\u2019s just what everyone did at the time. By the time I was a Form Two student in a local girls\u2019 school, the pressure to excel was overwhelming. And the more overwhelmed I felt, the poorer I performed at school \u2013 which only made things worse, and started the cycle all over again. So, when I heard that some of my friends were going to boarding school abroad, I jumped at the chance to join them and break the cycle.<\/p>\n<p>With the increased awareness of <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-minal-mahtani-ocdahk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stress and mental health<\/a>, I had hoped that the status quo in Hong Kong might have changed in the ten years since I first left Hong Kong for boarding school. But, instead, it seems like our society has become even more competitive. In addition, the recent socio-political unrest has resulted in a wave of parents and students interested in studying abroad and looking for <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/get-kids-into-top-international-boarding-schools-wycombe-abbey-school-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tips on how to get into the top boarding schools abroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a parent worried about new changes to the education curriculum, or \u2013 like me many years ago \u2013 you\u2019re a student overwhelmed by the academic pressure in Hong Kong, the option to study abroad may seem very attractive; it may appear to be the best way to \u2018escape\u2019 from this city, from your fears and anxieties. But, although the idea of getting away may be exhilarating, the reality of boarding school isn\u2019t all sunshine and rainbows, and the grass isn\u2019t always greener on the other side. So, here are some things that I wish I had known before I went boarding school in the UK.<\/p>\n<h3>Boarding school abroad: The grass isn\u2019t always greener<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_185063\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-185063\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-185063 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-clc-drama-900x643.jpeg\" alt=\"boarding school uk cheltenham ladies college four girls students holding fake guns rifles drama play theatre\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-clc-drama-900x643.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-clc-drama-768x549.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-clc-drama.jpeg 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/643;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-185063\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">These girls may have been acting in a play, but studying in a boarding school did actually teach me how to fend for myself (Photography: Cheltenham Ladies\u2019 College via Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>1. The weather<\/h4>\n<p>You know what they say: you can\u2019t get more British than talking about the weather. But, hear me out \u2013 it\u2019s gloomy there, okay? Depressing, even, with all the rain and the piercing winds, especially if you\u2019re up north. The skies are grey on most days, and daylight is terribly short during winter. I remember going to school in the freezing cold when the sun wasn\u2019t even out yet; then, by the time we started heading back to the boarding house after our extra-curricular activities (at around 5pm), the sun would already have set. It probably doesn\u2019t sound too bad in words, but, trust me, it&#8217;s important to be mentally prepared for the lack of daylight for months on end before you pack your bags for boarding school in the UK.<\/p>\n<h4>2. Homesickness, loneliness, and the feeling of isolation<\/h4>\n<figure id=\"attachment_185064\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-185064\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-185064 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-homesick-900x643.jpeg\" alt=\"girl sitting alone looking outside window alone loneliness homesick\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-homesick-900x643.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-homesick-768x549.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-homesick.jpeg 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/643;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-185064\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It\u2019s common to feel lonely and isolated sometimes when you\u2019re away from home (Photography: Anthony Tran via Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Going to boarding school in the UK is the first time many teenagers leave home for such a long period of time, and travel so far away from their family. This was the case for me, too. At first, I enjoyed my own company; I thought I was settling in well. But, the initial excitement of the \u2018honeymoon\u2019 phase soon wore off. And as I faced more challenges at school, I began to feel that I was crumbling. \u201cI\u2019m lonely,\u201d I thought. \u201cI want to go home.\u201d And that\u2019s when the homesickness hit me like a train.<\/p>\n<p>But all was not lost! For me, it helped to bring over plenty of Hong Kong snacks and cup noodles to the UK \u2013 they were my literal comfort food as they reminded me of the taste of home. And while I\u2019d like to believe that the food served at boarding schools in the UK varies between institutions, I\u2019d advise that \u2013 if you\u2019re not a fan of potatoes and decadent desserts \u2013 you either need to get used to these staples, or prepare enough instant rice and noodles to last the term. Don\u2019t say I didn\u2019t warn ya!<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, you must learn how to take care of yourself, especially your own mental wellbeing. Hopefully, with conversations about <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?s=mental+health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mental health<\/a> becoming more common, your boarding school will provide you with some guidance and support. But whether it does or not, this is an important time in your life to start paying attention to your mind and body (if you haven\u2019t already).<\/p>\n<h4>3. Racism and bullying (yes, they really exist)<\/h4>\n<figure id=\"attachment_185061\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-185061\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-185061 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-bullying-900x643.jpeg\" alt=\"bullying young girls students isolating clique\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-bullying-900x643.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-bullying-768x549.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-bullying.jpeg 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/643;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-185061\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sadly, people aren\u2019t always as kind as we\u2019d like them to be (Image: tynyuk via Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You may not have a language barrier in the UK, but, unfortunately, people aren\u2019t always as friendly and open-minded as you would hope. That being said, intolerance is a common human trait and racist people exist in every country. Also, puberty is a strange and confusing phase that can cause even the kindest kids to give in to their worst impulses. Although unkind behaviour is usually due to a lack of emotional maturity, that doesn\u2019t make it hurt any less when you\u2019re on the receiving end. Therefore, you need to be prepared, and need to prepare your children, for any nasty individuals, should they appear. Establish a good support system for your kids, and encourage them to speak up if they encounter any bullying \u2013 touchwood.<\/p>\n<h4>4. Making friends in the boarding house<\/h4>\n<p>Settling in a new country is always difficult. Luckily, making new friends who are going through the same thing can make this process easier \u2013 given that you\u2019re able to make friends, that is. LOL, no offense, but if you\u2019re introverted like me, you know what I mean. Some of us need to make an extra effort to meet new people, and watching groups (or, dare I say, cliques) form within weeks of the beginning of the term can make us more anxious than ever. The fact is, cliques exist in UK boarding schools \u2013 just like any other school in the world. But at boarding school, you&#8217;ll likely be around the same people 24\/7 because you\u2019re living in the same boarding house, potentially for many years until you graduate. So, being on good terms with them is probably the best thing to do.<\/p>\n<p>All that being said, I have fond memories of my time at boarding school. Yes, many things were different \u2013 but often in a good way. So here are the things I enjoyed when I was boarding in the UK.<\/p>\n<h3>What I loved about boarding school in the UK<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_185062\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-185062\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-185062 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-charterhouse-900x643.jpeg\" alt=\"boarding school uk charterhouse girls playing sport netball\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-charterhouse-900x643.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-charterhouse-768x549.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-charterhouse.jpeg 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/643;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-185062\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I was never good at netball, but I\u2019ve always thought it\u2019s nice that we\u2019re offered plenty of activities outside the classroom (Photography: Charterhouse School via Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>1. Freedom!<\/h4>\n<p>Sorry if you\u2019re reading this, mum and dad! But, honestly, I preferred living away from home. (More accurately speaking, I prefer living <em>alone<\/em>, but that\u2019s just me and it\u2019s not always possible in boarding school.) It was empowering to feel that I was in control of my own life; not that I was making huge decisions, but it was more about the accumulation of small decisions that I was able to make for myself. From choosing the food I put on my plate, to what I planned to do after school, I felt that I enjoyed a greater sense of freedom when I was in the UK.<\/p>\n<h4>2. Less emphasis on grades<\/h4>\n<p>I recall being upset about getting a B in one of my geography assignments during my first year in boarding school. Yet, my teacher was so supportive and he said a B was \u201cvery good\u201d. I was stunned. (Isn\u2019t there a joke about Asians getting an A means they\u2019re \u2018Average\u2019, and B stands for \u2018Below Average\u2019?) I soon realised that teachers were generally much more encouraging than the ones in Hong Kong. They appreciated curiosity and creativity, and they often opted for positive, rather than negative, reinforcement. Moreover, sports and the arts were regarded more highly in schools in the UK than in Hong Kong. Those of us who excelled in these areas felt valued even if we weren\u2019t that good at studying.<\/p>\n<h4>3. Being away made me appreciate #HomeKong and my family even more<\/h4>\n<figure id=\"attachment_185065\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-185065\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-185065 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-hong-kong-900x643.jpeg\" alt=\"hong kong homekong sunset night views landscape city cityscape urban photography\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-hong-kong-900x643.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-hong-kong-768x549.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-hong-kong.jpeg 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/643;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-185065\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I\u2019ll never get tired of this view, this place I call my home (Photography: Chi Hung Wong via Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Every time I came back to Hong Kong for the holidays, I felt as if I was looking at the city with fresh eyes. Not only was Hong Kong so dynamic and exciting, but also I never actually had the time and space to take it all in when I was studying here. Being home during holidays meant that I could try out the <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/new-restaurants-in-hong-kong-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">new restaurants<\/a>, go <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/best-new-cafes-in-hong-kong-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cafe-hopping<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/hong-kong-neighbourhood-guides\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">explore the 852<\/a>. Also, I learned not to take holidays in Hong Kong for granted (flight tickets were expensive, after all), so I was extra grateful for every moment that I was able to spend with my family \u2013 especially if my return coincided with <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/chinese-new-year-traditions-dos-and-donts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chinese New Year<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/mid-autumn-festival-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mid-Autumn Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Looking back, my boarding school life in the UK had its ups and downs. Nonetheless, the experience helped shape me into a more adaptable and independent person. It was tough, but it was essential to becoming who I am today.<\/p>\n<p>That said, I probably wouldn\u2019t do it all over again \u2013 just saying\u2026!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Going from a local kindergarten to a local primary school, followed by secondary school via the Government\u2019s \u2018through-train\u2019 system, my family\u2019s plan for my early schooling in Hong Kong seemed seamless. And for several years, the plan worked \u2013 until it didn\u2019t. Due to huge academic pressure, I attended class after class (after school) for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107518,"featured_media":185066,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[41283,33293],"tags":[34252],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.7 (Yoast SEO v23.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Everything you need to know about boarding in the UK | Honeycombers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The good, the bad, the surprises \u2013 here are my top tips for boarding in the UK, based on my personal experience \u2013 #TrueStory.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/boarding-school-uk-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What was it like going to a boarding school in the UK?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Going from a local kindergarten to a local primary school, followed by secondary school via the Government\u2019s \u2018through-train\u2019 system, my family\u2019s plan for\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/boarding-school-uk-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Honeycombers Hong Kong\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/honeycombershongkong\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-10-22T02:00:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-11-29T07:08:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-MAIN-IMAGE.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elaine Wong\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@honeycombershk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@honeycombershk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elaine Wong\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/boarding-school-uk-tips\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/boarding-school-uk-tips\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elaine Wong\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/person\/83f92166250cd2f903c8bfcf5068bc91\"},\"headline\":\"What was it like going to a boarding school in the UK?\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-10-22T02:00:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-29T07:08:34+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/boarding-school-uk-tips\/\"},\"wordCount\":1673,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/boarding-school-uk-tips\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/boarding-school-uk-MAIN-IMAGE.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"Hong Kong family\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Education &amp; 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