The sky was pouring and everywhere was wet. But the inclement weather did not stop participants who signed up for Step by Step, a new social activity organized by CPS¹, to turn up in full force. Well, almost.

It was indeed an encouraging moment of truth when participants gathered excitedly at the University Health Centre on 22 January, despite the inconvenience of having an umbrella in hand.

Interestingly, the socialization had begun even before the activity started as participants mingled and chatted away like they were long-lost pals at a reunion.

Each participant was required to match their card with a corresponding card from another participant displaying items of the same category. Participants with cards in the same category became walking partners.

The group later discussed how the social interaction went. It seemed that it was generally easy for the participants to carry a conversation with their walking partners because of their effusive congeniality.

Participants had come from as far as Norway, India and Philippines. The cross-cultural setting provided participants insights into the interesting facets of different cultures.

In an ensuing game, participants were divided into two teams. The notion was to get the teams to complete the game in the shortest possible time by working together. The teams also discussed about group dynamics and how to resolve potential conflicts when working with other students in group settings.

While the activity ended with a brief introduction to relaxation and breathing techniques, the socialization that started over an hour ago did not stop. Instead, it went on as participants exchanged contacts with each other and indicated their interest in other sessions lined up for this semester.

“I really like the activity a lot as it was very fun. It was extremely rewarding for me as I had the opportunity to meet students of different nationalities and cultures. I would definitely recommend it to students who wish to make new friends, learn new social skills, gain some confidence, enjoy nature and get active,” said Ms Camille Jenica Pajarillo Zapata, a graduate student at FASS.

So, if you are keen to know more friends and increase your social circle, take the first step and sign up for Step by Step today!

– By Ignatius Pang, FASS Student Support