News & Stories

My love story with HKUST goes back a long way. Twenty years ago when she emerged on the hills of Clearwater Bay, I was working for the TV studios nearby. At that time, UST stands like a fairy rising from the sea, young and alluring. I fell in love with her instantly. Her biggest attraction, though, to a TV executive, who had left college for over 10 years, was the idyllic hillside bistro. Lunching at the charming little restaurant with a magnificent view had been both a treat and a solace. Twenty years ago, UST was virtually a haven amidst my hectic corporate fight. Very soon I left Clearwater Bay--and indeed Hong Kong--for London to see the world. Since them, I had traveled frequently and changed jobs incessantly, gaining a nickname, “Monkey of TV.”

I am student from HKUST MSc EE. Actually, I have completed all the courses now. I have got totally 4 degrees from different aspects like Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering and Electronic Engineering. People around often ask me why do I study so many subjects? I have spent around 10 years in university. Why? It is because I do wanna to do somethings in my life. Spending out a lot of money and time. People around me just wonder what do you wanna to do? If I am targeted at money, I should not spending time on engineering degrees somethings like financial engineering. Since I am a part-time student, I have a full-time job. I often need to leave on time after work for attending courses and even working out projects and homework. UST is a good university having a lot of coursework.

What does this mean to you? First off.. it struck me that life is a continuum. You can’t pause life to think or take time off, it goes on. If we can’t be stuck in any point in time.. then life is a journey, and every event is ongoing, happening. One event finishes and the next one starts. The world  doesn’t stop for anybody. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, they say.. “Zindagi Migzara” – life goes on. If it is so, wouldn’t it be silly for us to worry about petty failures and waste the day? It would be wiser to accept life, enjoy it in the moment and look ahead to the future. After all if you are miserable now, and your ‘now’ will be your past the next second..you’re choosing to have a miserable past. Choose to be content now, grateful to God for everything. You can be successful at what you do..but don’t stop there. You could be a failure at what you do.. but don’t stop there.

My name is Dumbo and I just turned four years old. I have lived on campus since I was three months old. We moved here because my Daddy works here. You probably hear a lot of stories about student life and faculty life at HKUST. Well, let me know tell you how it is like to live at HKUST as a toddler. HKUST is my playground. I love to ride on the tricycle in the atrium with my ‘jie jie’ pushes me around. I especially like to do that on weekday morning because that’s when I see lots of cute looking “gor gor jie jie” come around and say “oh, you are so adorable”. I like the attention but I find it annoying sometimes. My favorite floors are LG5 and LG7 because that’s where I get ice cream from McDonalds and candies from ParkNShop. The couches outside the Coffee shop is my favorite breakfast spot because I get to jump around while having breakfast and my “jie jie” also loves it because she gets to use the public computer terminal to check her facebook.

An island on LG4 in the library. At least, that's what you'd like to think about this wooden table sitting in a corner facing the sea at 9 a.m. The floor is nearly empty, save for the presence of the cleaning staff, the low hum of the air conditioning, the occasional cough of another student poring over books and notes. And of course - your own books and notes inhabit this otherwise barren island. There they sit in a pile: keys to unlocking the mysteries of nature, of life, of human relations. A water bottle stands alone in a separate corner of the table (island), like a lighthouse peering out into the world. Two pens comprise the population: makers of voices, thoughts, decisions, knowledge.

I see you When the first time I came to you I see you Your peace, you beauty Haunted me I see you When a cleaner smiles When a little brother hugs his sister When the cloud turns pink When the sea starts beating the shore I tried to step closer You meant to hide I see you This time it is no longer what it was before The fall, the hall and the moan Through your coldness I felt anything but warm I see you With hair tousled by strong wind With tears held in your eyes What should I say I thought I told you I see you always stand by my side and I will strike for your right

Anyone who is studying at university or has been through it, would know the importance of a good food along with a good GPA. Food is what provides you that extra power and energy when exams are near and chips are down. Availability of food at all times is a big ask; but thankfully at UST we have The Sea Front Cafe, a Chinese snack bar where one can grab a bite even after midnight. A place which never sleeps! You can play poker with exchange students throughout the night and go back to bed with 1000 bucks up! I remember the other weekend we started playing were-wolves (a card game) at about 9pm. At first we were only a hand full of guys, soon afterwards others started joining us… It was quite fun! No one realized and clock struck 2! Tired after hours of playing we all had egg n cheese sandwiches. The melted cheese added to the flavour making us enjoy midnight snack even more.

On a chilly Saturday morning, a group of Chinese students walk up to the beach and see a bunch of ‘ghosts and witches’ (at least the way they put it!). With a puzzled look one of them, musters up the courage to ask us as to what is happening…we in reply, just pull him in, put colour on his face, smash an egg on his head and spray water on him as well! Holi in UST…a day none of us can forget, at least not the ones present there! The day when Park n Shop ran out of its eggs and tomatoes supply, the barbeque area turned red and the sea sported a shade of rainbow. There was a moment when 10 eggs were smashed together and that too when the person was least expecting it, for instance I went and smashed an egg on friend’s head and the next thing I know is I have that slimy albumen dripping down my hair and a nice omlette on top! The water balloon fight between the two universities soared our adrenaline levels so much, that two people got thrown into the sea.