新闻及香港科大故事

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.

This is a foreword written for our BSc Global China Studies students for the inauguration of their society on April 10, 2012, and I'm sharing it with you all here, with joy and pride: What is the role of humanities and social science in a university and, furthermore, what is the role of a university in society? I used to think, a university was the beacon of intellectual knowledge and inquiry that inspires us to try to answer the query of human existence from all aspects. I used to believe, and I still believe, we are first and foremost human and social beings, and a university has the primary responsibility to teach students how to relate to themselves and others as human and social beings. It should take on a leadership role in society in “bettering society for a better humanity.”

[Seafront, late at night] A couple in the corner at Seafront. They could be anyone. Friends? Certainly possible. Siblings? Not as likely. Two lovers? Probable. It's tough to determine who they are, though, given the language they speak. A language not your own; the cadences are irregular, the grammar unrecognizable, the vocabulary foreign. it could be the language of love, of daily life, of visions on the horizon. "What does it mean?" you wonder. Head in hand, leaning on the same elbow and glancing, now looking past, now bringing them into focus, you observe - too obviously, as the young man casts a quick glance in your direction as he speaks to his companion. You brush your hair and turn somewhere else, looking into focus, now looking past, now glancing back at your table. The conversation continues.

我是内地的一名高二学生，比较了解科大开始于高一时的春节。Rocky是我哥的朋友，他小学时就加入香港户籍，那年他回内地探亲。我被他的气质吸引了，这也难怪，我们好久没见面了。哥哥告诉我，Rocky进了科大商学院，而科大是香港数一数二的顶尖学府，在裏面的都是像Rocky一样聪明的学生。好，我记住了「香港科技大学」这个颇新的名词。高一一年我们都是懵懂又不乏充实地度过，来到了升高二的交叉点，按内地的机制，我要选文科还是理科？选理科，我几乎毫不犹豫，家人和朋友都有点惊讶，我的文科成绩在级内能轻松排在前二十，但理科却在七十以后。这时，我发觉脑裏浮现的是香港科技大学，原来它一直根植在我深深的梦中。我也想学科学，我也想让生活充满科学的色彩……之后，每个礼拜回家，我都会上网查查科大的东东，知道了她坐落在清水湾（下次去香港我也要经过那里），缩写是UST（我喜欢打头的「U」字），叶玉茹教授在生物方面的成就，还有，2011年科大已经爬上了亚洲第一的位置了……现在，我已经是将要升高三的学生了，理科的成绩还纠结在校内四十名左右的位置，有时我妈会埋怨：「早知以前报文科就好了，理科你不够别人抢啊！」但我无后悔，别人说我学不好理科，我偏要试，将来我也要穿上白袍装，找关于科学的工作。

During my undergraduate study in HKUST, I joined the Science Student Association (SSA) as academic secretary (2003-2004). It was one of the most unforgettable experiences in my 5 years time in HKUST. Unfortunately, SSA is no longer present and I am very sad to hear that. Here, I want to highlight some activities organized by SSA in my term. I truly believe that science school needs a school society to unite science students and also serve as a bridge to the other parts of the university. In August 2003, we organized an orientation camp (OCamp) (Photo 1). We aimed as providing information and tips to help new science students adapt university life. One of the big advantages of joining SSA OCamp was that, new students from different science departments could meet each other. After the semester had started, they continued to have gatherings regularly as we organized various social activities, such as BBQ and Poon Choi gathering. All participants enjoyed them very much.

Being the Executive Committee, it is not only an item that can be written on your resume. More importantly, it is about relationship. I am not sure if you have been the executive committee of particular society or not. I am not sure if you will and currently are part of certain society. If so, try to dig out different pieces from your mind. What are those? You can always find some relationship formed because of the society. I am not talking about the relationship with your boyfriend/girlfriend, (or that can be too if you have :p) but the relationship with other committee members, schoolmates and even with your society. Honestly, I have a lot of good friends in school because of my society, perhaps because of preferential selection in Chinese culture. To be more generalized, remember and love your origin. The origin here is not only the society, but HKUST. Last but not least, I want to show my love to the one I met here.

This seat on LG3 in the library is ideally located both in relation to the stairs for emergency and the power supply for routine. It also faces the sea at a direct angle allowing one to immerse oneself in study or thinking without being disturbed by human interaction. Besides, the tiny desk is not popular so that you don't need to reserve it. We all try to find our own positions here and there. No matter where you belong or where you are going, there is always a place in HKUST that we cherish. Options for reference: pavilion, bleachers, BBQ site...

One of many concerns I had before coming to HKUST was about having a roommate. I had shared my room with my sisters before, so sharing wasn't a problem. It was only that I would share it with someone you don't know at all, yet. The school didn't tell us who our roommates would be, so I wondered what my roommate would be like, and hoped that we would get along. On my first and second day at school, during the orientation period, I didn't get to see my roommate. I think it was on the third day that I found a note on my desk, with these words written on it: 'Hi, I am Teresa, your roommate for the coming semester. But I wouldn't be here until tomorrow. Call me if you need anything at ********. See you~ Love, Teresa.'