Newsletter (2017-2018) November 2017 Newsletter | Page 21

JOURNEY TO THE
WEST
By Yetta Zhuo Yue
Last semester, as an exchange student, I went to the US for
further learning. Early in my childhood, I got to know the
US from Disney movies. I still vividly remember that when I
listened to one of the Disney songs called "A Whole New
World," I felt the same way during my exchange as Aladdin
did when he sang: "I can show you the world, shining
shimmering splendid..."
During my stay in the US, I found myself becoming more
and more inquisitive. The US and Hong Kong are so
different that I was forced to think more, ask more
questions, and discover more. It took me a long time to
assimilate into the local culture, which surprised me.
Regarding the differences between the US and Hong Kong, I
would like to share two aspects: how American professors
encourage students to learn and how students perform. 

How do American professors encourage students to learn?
Being a student in Hong Kong, I can enumerate a number of
cases of procrastination. For example, I’ve seen students
stay up late for the next day's test; other students work
until midnight to meet deadline. In general, these examples
reveal one significant fact: we are not used to studying after
class. The root of the problem which may lead to this
unexpected fact is the after-class assignment. In the US, I
had to do assignments nearly every day. This study system
forced me to revise what I had learned that day, thereby
enhancing my memory. Instead of giving students extra
work, the after-class assignments aim to develop students'
revision skills. Although after-class leisure time always
tempted me, it was essential for students to comprehend
and practice using after-class assignments. It may be hard
for us to do this at the very beginning, but as you persist to
do it gradually, you will find the process and work you have
done are valuable, especially when preparing for tests.  
NOVEMBER 2017
|
21