The Story of My Leadership Journey

When we had our first retreat in Westin Hotel, I could never forget the passion and the unity that 2013 batch showed to us. Now, 2014 batch finally made it! Before this semester’s Honors College course, being classmates with each other doesn’t actually brings out my belongings and love about this group. In this class, there are silent and shy students that we rarely talk with or listen to them. There are also active Macao local students talking in Cantonese which we feel difficult to join in. To some extent, we are labeled as 2014 batch Honors College student while separate into several independent groups with diverse identity. With no difference to other classes, we could still cooperate and communicate with each other in order to finish a project or other assignments. It is very strange that there is something missing. The connections between us disappear after the class and after the semester end. Now, this connection is becoming so strong that even though we are not in the same city, we still miss each other from heart.
   Life begins when your comfort zone ends. Our journey of leadership starts when we are standing at the highest place of Macao Tower. With the freezing weather and the very challenging place, walking and doing some creative pose seems difficult for some of us because of height phobia. At that time, encouragement and comfort is especially useful and important in order to cultivate unity for a group. Fear and scare could be eliminated though even one word and one hand from other people. From that moment on, we are not independent individuals. On the edge of the Macao Tower, we transfer warmth and bravery to each other. All at a sudden, everyone is correlated with each other. Care about others’ feeling is the most important lesson that I learnt from the beginning of the journey. To be a good leader and communicator, instead of being a dictator, you have to care whether other people are comfortable with your decisions or tasks. It is vital that we should be aware that we are a group which is also the purpose of arranging this Macao Tower Activity as our first outdoor activity. If one person in the group can’t move on, others have to help him or her to go over his or hers fear and concern. 
Discovering new and potential talent and utilize them wisely have always been the theme of the Honors College 2014. The audience from the talent show, the participants in the workshop and the classmates who perform in the class are all observers for our growth all along with the journey. I believe that all of our HC 2014 classmates believe that this class is a happy and relax class. It is known to everyone that Google is famous for its relax and creative environment so that their engineers could develop that much software. The classroom in J-building could also be regarded as the cradle that breeds our talents. Everyone plays both the role of performer and audience. There will never be any judgment for your performance. Eyes are for appreciation and enjoyment which exploits more opportunities for us to enjoy those hiding talents behind everyone. Some people could be good singer, dancer, actor or even composer. Other people could be a stage designer, controller of the light and screen and even the event planner. Talent show had been a mission impossible for everyone because of the tight schedule and intense attack of exams. Fortunately, everyone sacrifice their sleep time, spare time and revision time in exchange for a big and successful show. We grow up in the process of comprise, sacrifice and teamwork. Our cooperation is successful not only because our organization and planning but also should be attribute to our strong friendship of caring each other. I would say that talent show is a milestone for everyone. Compared with Talent show, the “Live to Serve” workshop seems not to be that difficult and challenging while it still needs everyone’s effort for contribution and promotion. This workshop rekindles everyone’s memory of applying for the Honors College. I remembered that I was attracted by the ideology of Honors College because of the touching and fabulous workshop held by the 2013 batch. Being a good role model with enough confident and passion is the image that we want to spread in that workshop. There is one old saying goes, today I am proud of being a member of the Honors College. Honors College will be proud of me in the future. 
   Sharing has been the tradition and culture in our HC 2014’s family. Writing blogs and chatting on Facebook HONR202 group are two main channels for us to know what happens in everyone’s life. For me, writing blogs could be a method to release pressure while it could also be a way to improve my writing skills. It is also very beneficial for my classmates to know about my life as an accounting student. Reading other people’s life story could create more topics and connections between each other. It could also be a proof that there are friends around you that sharing your happiness and sadness. Although HC 2014 has class every week, for the majority of time in the campus, we are still separate with each other. Showing that we are there is important. Sometimes, Dr. UDani will post some videos, or a sentence for us to fill such as “Friday is a day___?” You will see our lovely classmates’ comments like“Friday is a day for thanks! “ Those response and “like” icon at least could be an evidence that everyone is not far away from this family. Because of this sharing tradition, our social network is enlarged and more interesting activities are open to us. As one of our classmates writes in her blog about the “misconception about students in Honors College”, those outdoor activities and the lovely LEAP activity we designed for the whole campus could totally change their wrong perception about us. Because of the new flat of communicating, we are invited to dragon boat with the Dragon Boat Team of our university. We are also invited to participate in each group’s LEAP project such as “speaking out your wishes” or “Hot Chocolate” and “Sweet Postman”. I believe that every HC member had been asked such a question: What is leadership?” Dr. Udani told us that leadership is about influence. The journey of leadership tell me that sharing could be the most effective way to bring influence to other people. 
  Caring, Showing and Sharing are three key elements I got from this leadership journey with HC 2014 family. There is a song that we sing under the Macao Tower and the talent show as well. The lyrics are so good and suitable to sum up for my story. You raise me up to more than I can be. The journey of being a leader will never end. Every shoulder and hand in this long way could be our motivation and driving force to move on and be stronger. 　　
　　HC 2014 will become a legend for everyone! We are on fire every minute and everywhere! 

Can we be a student for life?

        Last Sunday was the time for taking the graduation photo. Last Wednesday, Honors College held the First Undergraduate Honours Project Symposium. Seeing senior students took photo with every one at every corner of the campus activily and happliy, I suddenly felt that our time of being a university student will ultimately end some day in the future. On the other hand, when I listened to the Symposium, seeing students wearing business suit, confidently presenting their reseasrch project, I could feel that they are ready for leaving the university to be an adult fighting in the complicated society.

        I suddenly realize that the time of being a student is limited. Looking back to 19 years in my life, at least, I spent 13 years in the campus staying with teachers and classmates without a concern of how to live a life on my own. After entering the unversity, the problem that I used to escape finally comes in front of me forcing me to face it. I realize that I need to think about how to plan for my future. What kind of job and career do I want to take?  Lots of senior students have good results either in continuing academic study abroad or getting the offer from international firms with quite good salary. There must lots of efforts and tears hiding behind those shining smiles. In this world,  there is one golden rule. "No pains, No gains." In the long run, besides projects, assignments and exams, there are other activities in the campus or off-campus that are worhtwhile for our attention and participation. Be aware of the goal of the life and have a clear image for our own life are necessary for an university student.

         I really cherish the time of being with lovely professors. From primary school, middle school to high school, interaction with teachers are too easy. We could alwasy cry to our teacher because of low score or high burden and pressure on study. In the university, we go to different classes and listen to lectures. Some students don't even know the name of the lecturer while some professors are indifferent to their students. There is hardly no interaction between most of students. To some extent, this would give students freedom to learn on themselves and face their own difficulties. Unfortunately, on the other hand, the motivation for both parties is decreased. In the last lecturer, one of my professor told me that my exam was good in terms of the structure and language. This comment made my feel so happy. I felt more motived and confident in learning that course. In comparision, I did bad in the exam in another course. When I came to the professor of that course, I receive no suggestions and encouragement. Although I will also try hard to compensate for my own mistakes, the driving force to learn that course maybe a little bit less. Professors sometimes give the same lecturers for too many times so that they may feel boring. In that circumstances, their passion to teach more new things maybe inspired by students who actively respond to his or hers questions.

        The time of being a university student could be our last chance to hide behind the wings of our parents. Some people always say that unveristy is the ivory tower. Other people perceive Honors College as "cage". Who could help them to change those sterotype? It is us to change their attitude. For us, university is the period that we transmit to an adult. And in Honors College, we are not only adult, we are also the future leaders who carrys different missions for our future!

One Year Anniversay HC2014

    April 18th is the birthday of my mother while it is also the one year old anniversary for Honors College 2014. The classroom in J-building suddenly become the a place with our best memory here.
     At this last class, we have lunch gathering with pizzas and beverages. At this last class, we sit together enjoying the video we made for our lovely professor Dr.Udani. At this class, we have a small birthday celebration for classmates born in April.  Every moment of this class is special to every Honors College members. If learning could be a pleasant process, then everyone would be willing to participate because of inner motives instead of passive pressure from outside. However, most of our university courses seems to use scores to differentiate students and motive students to learn. I should say that every time I go to the classroom, I feel relax and happy. We could decide how we should sit to make us feel comfortable. We could raise our questions freely and speak out our own opinion. We could also enjoy snacks and candies brought by our classmates. We could also embrace surprises and performances out of our expectations. Although we have a textbook, we never use it. Surprisingly, we could understand well about the theory taught in the textbook. Because experience is the best teacher.

     In the picture, you could see everyone's shinning smile. In the video, you could see everyone show their sincere appreciation to our professor Dr.Udani. We appreciate him because he grants us with more autonomy to decide what we should do. We appreciate him becuase those values we should uplift in life. We appreciate him because he makes lots of effort to make us more united as a family instead of classmates.
     All good things come to an end. But don't worry, we still have a gathering in May after the final exam! Can't wait!

The life of accounting student

     What is your impression of an accounting student? My parents persuade me to choose this major for my bachelor degree because it will bring me a stable job after I graduate. My classmates and friends dislike accounting courses since they need to recite lots of regulations. The most worst thing  is that those nuermous regulations seldom have a reason for making such regulations. Before this semester, it seems that accounting courses doesn't inspire my passion and interest to love it compared to other interesting courses like finance or Business Law. Fortunately, through my experience this semester, my perception of accounting as a boring course is generally fading away. Instead, a more interesting side of accounting is trying to jump out of the veil.
    This semester, I participated in two accounting competition and got quiet good results. The first one is ACCA job hunting competition HK region in which I was selected as the top 60 candidates entering into the Stage 2 compeition. The job hunting competition simulate the same process when accounting students are applying for a job in big four accounting firms. Starting from the online application, aptitude test, group interview, partner interview and finally the offer. It is such a pity I could go futher in this process mainly because I don't have much experience in doing the aptitude test. Aptitude test of the KPMG developing center gives you two test, one is numerical test while the other is the verbal test. For numerical test, you have 24 minutes to do 24 analytical problems. You have 30 minutes to judge the logical link of 30 statements in the verbal test with information provided. The company is trying to test your ablity of analyzing under pressure. Accuracy and speed are both required in this test. The second competition is much easier than the first one which is the accounting competition held by the accounting society with MUST and the IPM participating as well. Our team "Devil's Kettle" fortunately got the champion of this competition. Comparing two competition, job hunting aims at assessing applicants' capability of thinking and solving problems while the competition held by students focus more on the knowledge on books.
     Recently, one of my friend is now working for a CPA firm in Hong Kong while continuing her master degree in accounting. She posted on Facebook that she has countless work to do without knowing how to do them. People in accounting firms are all busy so that no one is able to take time to instruct and teach her those accounting works. After seeing her status, I suddenly recognized that there is a gap bewteen the textbook and the application of accounting knowledge in reality. Insufficient training and experience about the real working content make the current accounting students difficult to integrate well after they find their first job. When I was waiting in the building for the competition, the smell of fierce competition suddenly comes out in my mind. Everyone seems to be well prepared for the competition with their smart suit and the confident attitude.
     Until now it is still hard for me to learn things by heart such as remembering the journal entries. Fortunately, instead of passively driven by the exam and score, accounting starts to get my attention of analyzing. In the Enron Company case, accounting tricks could distorts the fact and deceive those innocent investors. There are lots of accounting scandals continously happening in recent years even for those well-known and trust worthy accounting firms. I still remember that when I was having the mock interview with Dr.Udani, one of the question is that what is most important characteristic for being a leader. Integrity is the word that I learnt for being a leader. In this industry, I felt that integrity should be the golden rule for every accountants. Too many distractions are trying to trap accountants into the dark side of the world. If all the financial statements of the listed company are found out to be fake, there would be no trust between the investors and the markets.
     As a second year accounting students, I am still exploring the world of how to become a outstanding accountants. I believe I will finally fall in love with this promising career! Let's see!

HC Talent Show----A show to remember

   

      Sitting in front of the computer, open my blog, I start to write my feelings about the Honors College Talent show. I see words appearing on the screen with the sound of typing. However, until now I am still not satisfied with the experssion that I used. I always think those words I chose are not suitable and can't let my readers involve in that night I descirbed. Honors College Talent Show encourage us to make a difference in our university. I want to appreciate three things that this show brings to me in my life. New identity, friendship and time management.

       Mar 28th of 2012 is a day that should be deposited into our memory bank account forever. I am still in the period of recovering for those exhausted days in preparing the performance mixing with intensive exams and reports. About talent show, lots of people have different feelings for this new born baby. From tired to happy, from argue to agreement, from relax to busy, from individual to group, this process is only known by those people who are involved and who experienced it.

    First, Talent show empowers me with everyone a new Identity. None of us are 100% confident about the result of their performance before the show. "How is it? Do you think our performance is good? " These questions are frequently asked during the period that we were preparing those performances. Diverse concerns and worries filled in our mind. Everything and every detail can't satisfy ourselves' standard and expectations. I have two performances in the talent show. One is the dancing Waltz with Esther while the other is playing the piano duet with Charlotte. Both performances brings me new challenges in my university life. In this university, I played lots of roles, as a debater, as a student, as research assistant, as organzier. This time, I was called as a pianist and a dancer. Talent show enables everyone to discover more than new role. When we are too comfortable with our traditional role as a student, this show indeed help us to make a difference.

     Second, Talent show brings us the new meaning of our friendship. Before, our conversations mainly happened during class time. In order to pratice, the talent show gives us more opportunities to stay with each other. During practices, we encouraged each other and helped each other with their steps. At the begining of preparing the dance, no one has any idea about how to practice and which piece should we dance. No one in Waltz group has the experience of dancing. Suprisingly, listening the music and imitateing the action in the video, we made it in our first time for tying. For the second and the third time of practicing, we only need to remember those gestures and add more smiles and emotions into our performances. For the piano practices, to me, it is a time of torture. We practiced everyday from 7am to 9am. Since I almost have mid term everyday in those two weeks, I need to review for the exam until 1 or 2am. Everday, I could only sleep for 5 hours. Piano duet is not easy since four hands have to cooperate well to play a beautiful piece for the audience to enjoy. Without practice, the song could be noise. Fortunately, we made it. Thanks for my friends accompanying me to finish those performances!

    Third, Talent Show inspires us to manage our time efficiently and effectively. When I had a interview for applying the East Asia College, the dean asked me that question: Could you please tell me how many times that you spend on your study and extracurricular activity? Talent show immediately comes out in my mind. I told the professor that the allocation of my time could be very flexible. It all depends on how you use your time. If everyone could efficiently use every minute in their life, every day could be a coloful day. Last semester, when we tried so hardly to find the secret of time management, we could not get a result. This time, the answer is right there.

     Honors college leaves us with too many memories. I could not spill it out all in this blog. But I am sure that this memory will never be written off.

        

 

To be or not to be

  To be or not to be. That is a question.---Shakespeare.
   Almost two years ago, I made the decision to come to Macau to continue my tertiary education. One year ago, I made the decision to apply for the Honors College. During these two years, I made lots of decisions on my own. Judging those decisions in terms of results and process, some of them are good while others are bad. Fortunately, I never regret any decision that I made because every time I touches a new field or walks on a new journey.  When we are looking for the meaning of trying different life experience, the answer is already there. Experiences accumulated day by day will help you cultivate your confidence, your courage and own charming personality. 
       Recently Honors College class are trying to inspire us to be that confident and charming people in front of our friends. I should say that this semester's class is the happiest one in my life. In a typical class in mainland China, you could see students sleeping, chatting or reading novels. The content and ways for being mind-absented in class changes a little bit during the university classes. Nerds are writing notes crazily and asking questions while other students are playing with their  Apple products. However, in Honors College class, we have role playing. We also have mini concerts with beautiful singers and funny dancers. In this class, despite the knowledge learning from the power point, you could always find something that inspire you to plan your future and life. After the class, you could always feel that you don't want to leave the classroom because you are still addicted to the warmth and enjoyable moment being with you HC friends and professor. As I known, lots of m y professors don't use Facebook to interact with their students. It is likely that this is the main reason that we felt like there is a gap between professors and students. Fortunately, in Honors Class, we have a professor who would like to use the way that we are comfortable with to understand our interest and concerns in daily life. In this class, you will never need to worry that you have some distance in communication. Because you will always have the opportunity to comment on your friends post or read their blogs. Life in Honors College is definitely busy. Although our life full of ups and downs, the best thing is that when you are in Honors College, you are not along conquering those obstacles in life and you won't be alone to share your success and happiness.
         Apply to the Honors College is a good decision. But what about other decision we will make in the future? In the past, I used to list all the negative consequences in my mind before I start to do it. It is my inner fear of bad result that block me out from those good chances. Sometimes leaders catch good chances to be successful because of well-prepared while others get them because of courage and risk-taking spirit. It is very obvious that my way of thinking is changing now. Instead of being conservative, I would like to take more challenges and changes on my future journey no matter how bad the result will become. Although being rationale makes your life more smooth, those unexpected surprise or friendship will never occur or fall in your life. 
        Next week I am going to perform in the Honors College class. After enjoying good performance from my classmates, the performances eventually comes to me. Maybe the performance will not be perfect but it is a good try to me. Ups and downs of grinding, we can burst out of bright light than the diamond, hold on to your ideals, it will shake the world.

    

Lead your life

    Last week when we saw other groups create so many happiness around the campus, we came up with the idea of sweet postman. In fact, we stole the idea of writing the thank you note from Dr.Udani. I remembered that in one of the Honors Class, we should write the thank-you note to our friends. Everyday, we live our life with friends around us. A smile from your friends wake you up in the morning when you are sleepy for the early class. A prompt reply from your professor encourage you to go further in the subject. There are lots times we should say thank you to them, but we always forget to do so since we always think that there will be a chance to say it some day in the future. However, sometimes, opportunities gone when you finally aware of the importance of saying thank you.

       Since this is a really rush plan, we only have one day to prepare everything. Vanessa used one night making the poster. Charlotte and I decorated the thank you cards until 2 O'clock in the morning for the next day.  During the week, I was quite stressful with only 6 hours sleep per night because of mid terms and assignments. I was quite afraid that there would not be enough people coming and participate in our events. But I am convinced that the only thing that keep me going  is that I love what I did. Seeing lots of beautiful designed card piled up on my table, those positive energy that I lost have been back. 

        The activity was quite successful with lots of students holding their pen writing the words they want to express to their beloved one.And surprisingly we found out that one professors even received 5 thank you notes from their students. When we delivered those thank you notes to the office, you can't even imagine that how happy those professors are. 
      "Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle." This is the words from the Steve Jobs at the commencement in the Stanford University 2005.
       I believe everyone's life is not always easy to walk on. Always remind yourself that you have the support from the rest of the world! Lead you life with a grateful heart and a positive attitude!