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! 

     

Live to serve

      Starting from this semester, variety of projects and workshops we are doing and trying to do help us to construct a sense of serving the society and people in the world. Previously, i thought that helping others starts from the attitude regardless of the method and influence. Generally, the method of contribution really plays an important role in utilizing the power of influencing the public.
       Leadership is not limited in its definition and should not be imposed on some body's mind. It should be inspired from one's heart sincerely without force and unwillingness. We should be able to spill that spirit over into every area of life. Recently, my classmates infused great passion and persistence in promoting their LEAP project. Hot choloate, cantonese workshop, CV workshop, write your wishes. We can feel the smile and warmth expressed from staffs and students working and studying in this cold winter. Compared to their ideas, our group's LEAP projet seems to process more secretly instead of calling the attention from the campus. We did go to the Library everyweek to help the librarian put those books to their proper place on the shelf. We also indeed went the Eskimo to help the waitress to clean the table to decrease their workload. Although we really have a good time in working with our group members, others are not aware of that and these secretly contributions are not able to influence others to follow our steps. It is quite ineffective to contribute only through the minority group. From my point of view, the function of leader is to build and construct a relationship web in the society which connect and gather the rest of the society together to achieve the same goal that would benefit each other. It is such a pity that our group fails to build such connections among students.
    As a consequence, we shift our focus of our project. "Sweet Postman" will start from this week. In this cold winter, to express our love and apprectiation to those people we are grateful. We want to play the role of the sweet postmand deliver your best wishes to the people you want to thank for. Students may want to say thank you to their professor but lack channel to express their love. Faculty fellows may even also want to say thank you to their colleagues but lack of time to do so. Do you still remember the thank you note activity in Dr. Udani's Class? It is really a brilliant day when I received so many thank you notes from my friends. You could never image even a subtle behavior or action can leave a warm message in other people's heart. This is the way to cultivate a kind, caring and loving heart. 
     Hope our next week's LEAP project could be a successful one!

    

Days with Honors College 2014

   This afternoon we talked with Professor Udani with our current state staying with the our classmates. From my point of view, I felt like that 2014 class is just like a cake with beautiful decoration outside and special and suprising taste inside. Every time you ate the cake, you would explore totally different cooking style. With more ingredients involved in making the cake, it will become more delicious.
    We still remebered that our first retreat when we first meet each other. Everyone is too shy to talk on the table. Although everyone expressed their happiness through their big smile, it is still far enough to get to know each other well. Professor Doris Mok said that we are the most quiet class. I should say that is because at that time, our friendship has not been built yet. Trust among our class is insufficient. We are afraid that other students will look down ourselves if our speech is not good or fluent. Now the situation has been reversed. Everyone want to have a chance to show their talents and share their happiness and sorrowness with the whole class. The origin of the courage is from our support and encouragement. Have you ever image that David would be standing in front of us and start dancing Hippop? Have you ever thought that Jane would showing us her beautiful voice singing Titanic? Have you ever thought that Gui is able to play the guitar?  

      Those amazing talents are discovered and discouraged by the eyes of audience. When I am so worried that I can't play the piano well in the talent show, Charlotte's words inspired me. She said, no one is the gifted pianist and no one is a perfessional dance. The purpose of the talent show is not to give the audience a performance without flaws. Compared to the perfect perfomance, the effort you made to achieve to the goal would be more valuable to the audience.  Real friends should be like that encourage and support you when you are embrassed or hestitate to try. Things become difficult because hesitation to start the first step.

     Spring is walking on its way while winter is passing away. We are still that group of young people full of passion to continue our life. Differently, during this long long journey, we become more experienced and mature day by day.

      We are still walking on the way of being a good leader in the future. We will also keep pursuing our initial dream as we swear in the X-hall that we would try our best to make effort to the society.

Theme of Spring Festival----Always Family

     Although some students choose to stay in Macau for Spring Festival due to lots of reasons, it is the strong willingness to stay with my family and the tradition which we will go to the Lama(Yong hegong) temple together that drag me back to Beijing.  

    My mother believes in Tibetan Buddhism and its theory deeply which can be considered kind of religious belief. So it is a tradition that our family goes to the Lama Temple in order to make our wishing for the new year on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. This tradition has been kept in our family for almost 10 years. It's also a Chinese tradition to burn joss sticks and pray for good fortune on the first and 15th day of every lunar month, especially the first of the year.No cars or buses were allowed on the road. And the subway didn't stop at the Yonghegong station. So we have to walk 1000 meters to the temple from the nearest station. You can't even image that how many Chinese people are generated in the Lama Temple on that day. It was reported that this year there were 70,000 people went there on that day. To avoid chaos and the stampede, Governmeint sends hundreds of Police force to maintain the order outside the temple to make thousands people keep in the line.  Outside, 1,200 police and Dongcheng district government workers maintained order, while 740 Yonghegong employees did the same inside. Those restricted policy and extremely cold weather are not able to stop the desires they offer the incense.  Here I don't mean that Chinese people are superstitious. Instead of believing the Santa Claus and Jesus, Chinese people also would like to send their wishes to the Buddha. Most of them are making wishes for their families, asking for good health for their parents while asking for a good academic performance for their children. Some people came here without knowing anything about Buddha. However, in here, you can feel the strong atmosphere about the Spring Festival. People are here with the same aim and purpose which is pursuing beautiful things. Many people also believe that Buddha will take special care of person burn incense on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Waiting in the line in other words can be regarded as waiting for opportunities and luck. 
       I still remembered that when I was a little girl, my parents would keep me in the middle of them to protect me from the being pushed by other people. Times passes so quick without consciousness. I already become a big girl who should take the obligation and responsibility of my family. It is such a pity that next year I would not be able to accompany with my mother to go the Lama temple. When I was young, my parents worried about me everyday. However, now I feel that my concern for their health is increasing dramatically. Family is always playing the most important place in every people's heart. I still remembered the interesting game designed by Professor Doris Mok. Everyone has 5000 investment fund to buy things are important to you through auction. Everyone in the class set high price for "family". Some people would like to use all their money to get the item "family". Our family is irreplaceable. 
     There is always a discussion between my friends and I. Sometimes, we would like to wonder that where we will be in 10 years. Well, life is full of surprises and uncertainties. One thing I am 100% sure is that I would always be with my family. 
      Wish every family in the world can always be together and happy! 
     

Discover myself in HC tutor's class

     After registered as a tutor in Honors College tutor program,  I was appointed by a student in my first class today. When I was not prepared to be a tutor, I already have my first student in life. The experience of being a tutor finally make me understand the joy of helping others to improve.
          Studying under the pressure of the mainland education system, lots of students may have the mindset that teachers are the most powerful people in the campus. When we have hundreds of assignment or exam papers to finish in certain subject, we may feel unhappy about it. But actually, I think it is another way for the teachers to get the feedback from students in order to confirm whether students have absorb the knowledge well. Teaching needs the involvement of both teachers and students. From my own perspective, teachers are not so confidence about their method of education. Good teachers get positive feedback from students to help them reinforce their teaching content and method. And seeing the improvement of students, teachers can feel the true happiness from the inner heart. 
          The night before the tutor class, it is very complicated to describe what I feel or expect for next day's class. I was worried about whether I can use easy words to answer questions from my students. On the other hand, I also was excited to achieve the dream when I was a childhood which is being a teacher. My first student is a boy who also want to apply for the Honors College. He felt anxious about his accounting course. The problem he asked mainly are some fundamental issues that the professor should have been mentioned in the class. During the process of explaining those basic concepts, I found that the main problem was that he was not dedicated and patient enough to study accounting. Instead telling him the answer directly, I try to guide him to tell me the answer by giving some hints. When he can answer all my small questions, he surprisingly found that accounting was not such a boring and difficult course. Witnessing the improvement and the lovely smile from him, the sense of achievement was moving around me. 
          Keep talking continuously for almost 1.5 hour, I didn't even feel thirsty and exhausted. Instead, more energy filled in my body with the process of the course. The previous nervous was removed and I felt more comfortable and fluent in defining those terminologies integrated with my own experience in exercises and the real world. When he told me that he suddenly acquire the skill to learn accounting, the inner happiness makes me feel energetic and encouraging. 
         The main concept we learnt from the Honors College is that we should grasp every opportunity to try to influence others. I never thought that there are actually considerable chances in my life that I am able to catch to influence others. Influence is not a word that is abstract and vogue. Influence can be everything. Cheering others up, being a tutor and even writing thank-note to others can be a way of involving in the society and the world. We are not the lost generation. On the contrary, we are the generation that helping more and more lost people to  pursue their dreams. Money makes you happy is a lie. True happiness can not be exchanged through money. 
        To all the teachers in the world, you are the best leaders in every student's memory. Thank you all for your effort to share with us your knowledge and your life experience. 
         Hope there will be more surprises in the journey of being a tutor!

     


        
           
           

Never regret the addiction to debate

    When lots of students try their best to make their Spring Festival Holiday longer in order to accompany with their family, debate workshop in Macau force me to say goodbye to my family on the second day of the Spring Festival. It is kind of cruel when celebrations in Beijing are still in the beginning. I even didn't watched the Chinese New Year Gala from other TV channel. I even didn't enjoyed the tradition of making dumplings on the fifth day of the Spring Festival. When I arrived in Macau, listening the sound of the fireworks, walking into the dormitory with few people, taking out the box with home made beef, the feeling of regret was about to burst out. My mother had asked several times that if the workshop was necessary. She would like to change the date of the flight so that I can stay longer in the home. But I insisted to participate the workshop and implement my promise to the English Debate Team. I really feel sorry to my family because next year I may spent my spring festival in other countries. 
        During the four days in the winter workshop and tournament, Shipping and I as Super Junior broke into the grand final with the 1st position in every round. In total, there were 5 rounds. Although we didn't get the champion in the end, both of us achieved the 1st best speaker in this mini tournament. This is the second time that I stand on the stage with that piece of certificate, standing in the limelight. Ultimately, I found that I did achieve something no matter how big it is. The memory of the past year has just opened 
       Lots of students admire debaters charms when they are give us an organized, logical and fluent speech. I was used to be one of the followers among them. After I participated in the whole training process, I realized that those charms are cultivated through numerous practices and widely reading. Not everyone is able to be persistent and determinant along the way to pursue this confidence. Passion would fade away gradually when debate brings you lots of burden and stress. Twice general meeting and almost 8 hours practice a week make people feel tired of debate especially during those exam intensive weeks. As a committee member, I also has to  handle those administrative things related to money. Debate has been taken away lots of time for academic and other enjoyable events in life. Because of debate, I gave up concerts, time for revision, dinner and squash with my friends. Therefore, when I came across the fact that I didn't get the chance to go to the tournament that I should have gone, I was really upset and disappointed. But those disappointed moment in my memory has been removed by this achievement in the mini tournament. Maybe this certificate is not official and may not play key role in my CV. Yet this piece of paper and those congratulations indeed help me to find the courage, confidence and passion to go on the way of being a great debater which is the everyone's dream initially. 
      I am really thankful to my friends and mentors who accompany with me along the way of finding myself. The advantage of being in the English Debate Team is that you would never find yourself alone. In here you can always find people who are more eager than you to analyze the logical link hiding inside those excellent arguments. In here group of people are talking about political theory and disputes happening in those middle east countries. In here, the equality of the human rights, the freedom of choice and body autonomy are the principles we are following.  
     Although I have lots of sadness and happiness during the process of being a great debater, I would like to say that I would never regret that I choose to be part of this crazy team. Yes, we are crazy. We forget ourselves when we are giving our argument to the judges. At that time, we really feel that we are those politicians in those movies struggling for more right and benefit for our citizens. 

     Continue to be a great debater! And Never regret the addiction to debate!