| I’ve wanted to summarize my first year at the Chinese University of Hong Kong ever since my summer holiday started, but never found the time to. But I guess I gotta stop procrastinating on this. So ta-da, here it is. Apologies about this delay.
1 year at CU…. I’d say it’s even more fruitful than all 3 years at Imperial College London added up… I’m by no means undermining my Super Duper Gik Ong universitymates + CLC schoolmates over there in London. You all know how much I miss our times at 33 Palace Gate playing Mario Kart from sunset till sunrise; baking white chocolate + strawberry muffins; sitting around the table working on the V-show booklets; walking home at 2am from N9 night bus station on that slippery kensington high street under the endless drizzle; shopping for hot pot ingredients at China Town and Japan Centre; bumping into friends wandering around Sainsbury’s at 4am searching for discounted chocolate chip cookies… and the warm feeling that a vast majority of my friends actually live within 10 minutes walk from home. but it’s the actual University life I’m talking about. The quality of time spent at the campus. Don’t be misunderstood. I very much respect Imperial College London as a university, as much as any other alumni. I did not like skipping lectures like some other colleagues did. I enjoyed strolling across the Queen’s Lawn from Sherfield Building to Skempton building, each step brings about a soft grassy crackling sound with a mild fragrance of an overnight-rain-on-grass, as the reflection of the Queen’s tower comes to view onthe exterior of Sir Alex Flemming building. This routine now becomes walking downhill from Basic Medical Science Building to University KCR Station. I was a committee member of the Chinese Society as well as Bioengineering Society back in IC, and I did play hockey for a while until practices clashed with Chinese society events. I participated in drama, hip hop and design in V Show’s throughout those 3 years. Nearly an identical clone of my responsibilities at CU – Executive Committee of Asian Medical Students’ Association and Softball ‘jong’, and softball university team. but it is just different. Back in IC, interpersonal relationships has been the one single hardest thing to tackle. There were countless moments when I felt indignant, frustrated, especially when it comes to Chinese Society. It may be just London or Chi Soc, but I convinced myself that university must have been a transition between the all-protective high school life and the merciless society. Fair enough, 3 years’ time to adapt to the brutal reality that the world out there is one consisting of bribery, hostility, politics — everybody thrive to be defensive in certain inappropriate ways. I learnt to be tough and do as the Romans do. A different side of me eventually developed. All I thought about before my every move were the consequences for my own good. Things seldom go my way and all I did was moaning– I should have done this or that. I was never ever happy with what I got since all I did was to compare. After graduation I left for South America and Africa for a little break. I commenced my CU studies with the same mentality as I did. But one thing shook me. Life can be simple. Forget about bribery. Forget about hostility. Forget about politics. Surrounded by an inoffensive environment, on the contrary, I seem to be much more productive. Not only have I learnt a hell lot more academically, but my extra-curricular-activities are now more than just organizing parties, discos, chinese food fairs. It feels great to realize that I’m on my way to making an impact on the soceity, no matter how insignificant it may seem. This may be the seed to pure contentment — the peculiar feeling I’ve had: when little Angelica smiled at me at the Ecuadorean children’s clinic after her surgery; when Duma the cheetah purred while resting her head on my lap; when the African Bushmen laughed while forcing me to admit that I know Kung Fu just because I’m from Hong Kong. My mental well-being is enhanced by my lowered threshold to satisfaction. Still as ambitious as a Liyeung, but I also learn to pause once in a while, look back at what I already got and count my blessings – CUmedic2011, AMSA, CUHK Softball. Thanks for reading my blabber. I can’t believe I’m still typing at 3am while I’ve been a walking zombie since 10pm. Both schools shape me into what I am now.
Imperial College, Chinese University IC-CU-LUCCI. icculucci. Some random school shots
 dissecting mice embryos….
SSM 1006… the winning team!!!
Last but DEFINITELY NOT LEAST– AMSAHK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Archive for June 19th, 2007
Jun
19
First year at CUHK
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