There is nothing like a warm, caring home in a cold winter, especially when you are studying for the exam. Hoping to make the campus a home away from home, some departments and student organisations at UM earlier gave away free hot drinks and sweet soups to help students stay warm and energised during the exam period. Many students who have benefitted from the freebies say they were very touched by these small gestures of love.
Stop for a Hot Drink
“We want to make the students feel UM is like a big family,” says UM Librarian Dr. Paul Poon, who stood at the entrance of the library during the exam period watching students receiving free hot drinks. Third-year student surnamed Chan welcomed the activity. “A hot drink can be very refreshing when you are tired from study,” says Chan. Some students suggested that the library could consider giving away free glucose-based candies as well as glucose is good for learning and memory.
There were no candies, but UM’s Christian Fellowship gave away self-made sweet soups along with cell phone straps with angel charms and “God Loves You” notes during two days of the exam period to wish the students good luck. Xia Dong, a master’s student in her second year, says, “It feels as if someone is thinking of me, and it feels so sweet.”
Apple, Orange & Pear, Your Health We Care
Vitamin-rich fruit is good for the brain too. The Student Resources and Services Section (SRS) gave away free fruit to students living in the East Asia Building and off-campus dormitories. It is the second year SRS organised this activity. For seven days during the exam period they gave away 150 pairs of apples and oranges to remind the students to stay healthy. A second-year student of economics says that no other university has had similar activities, which shows that UM really cares about its students. Student Thandi from Africa highly praises the activity, saying that it could encourage students to eat more fruit.
Caring is not reserved for students. The Human Resources Office (HRO) earlier bought big, juicy pears for the 1,423 staff members as part of its Staff Caring Programme. To make sure the pears arrive at the staff’s hands fresh and in peak condition, HRO colleagues finished DIY-gift-wrapping within two days.
Inflation-resistant Restaurant
Recently a conversation between workers at the restaurant in the Research and Development Building is going viral on the internet. According to the conversation, the restaurant is willing to provide free extra portions of rice and coffee cream when requested despite the surging inflation. When approached for confirmation of this rumoured conversation, a cashier at the restaurant disclosed that it was not intended for the students to know about this, but yes the conversation did take place, adding that the restaurant has been operating at UM for three years and although rice prices have been increasing year after year, the restaurant has tried to avoid increasing prices wherever possible, because what matters the most is that students can have decent meals at affordable prices. “If the student needs more rice, no problem, as long as he or she doesn’t waste food,” says the cashier.
