LIFE IN A MICROCOSM

When you move into a clean room, you may wonder who has made sure
the furniture is neat and tidy after the former resident moved out.
The answer is: the cleaners, who endeavour to provide residents
with a clean and comfortable living environment.

All together, 29 cleaners with a clear division of labor are responsible for the cleaning services of the whole student residence site. There is a foreman, two skilled cleaners, two room attendants, a special cleaner for repair and maintenance, three cleaners for public areas and two evening shift cleaners. In each hall, there are also two cleaners responsible for regular work like cleaning the common rooms and the corridors. In addition, they make contributions in less noticeable aspects. For example, they prepare the furniture setting for all activities held in the Multi-function Halls and help the repair team by keeping an eye on the facilities and reporting defective ones quickly. Moreover, by collecting recyclable items on each floor and providing data for the Environmental Protection Department, they play a role in our sustainability initiatives.

Although they have made numerous contributions, they sometimes feel unhappy with the carelessness and non-cooperation of students. The foreman said that they might feel helpless when some students blame the cleaners for dirty places which were spoilt by the students themselves after the daily cleaning. Similarly, another cleaner, who received the award of best employee of the month, also mentioned that cleaning some places that had been badly soiled by students is an unwelcome job.

We all know that a clean and comfortable environment benefits our residential life, but this cannot be achieved by the cleaners alone. Our small acts, like cleaning public items
after using them, make a big difference. This is how we learn sharing
and consideration, which are essential values in the student residence.
So do not ignore those simple acts, and always remember that
a comfortable environment is made both for us and by us.