One legend says that in order to cross paths with someone in this lifetime, you had to turn back to gaze at that person at least 500 times in your previous incarnation. Whether you nod, shrug or laugh at this saying, you will perhaps agree that in a world inhabited by billions of people, those few that find their way into our lives do indeed feel like small miracles that deserve to be cherished. In fact, it’s not just people. Sometimes, even the places we visit and the events that happen to us feel like they were orchestrated by destiny. So, gathered together on the UM campus, what do you feel most grateful for at the university? In this article, we asked some UM students, faculty, and staff this question. Check out their answers.
Like in Nature
Catherine Chan is a lecturer in the Department of History who only joined the university this year. She is most grateful for the beautiful campus that makes her feel as if she is in nature. She says, ‘At UM, you see a lot of things you would normally only see in nature. This sense of airiness and openness created by the natural elements is a luxury for city dwellers and makes me feel very relaxed. It makes me feel at one with nature. Usually we don’t pause to pay attention to other people, much less remember what they look like. But the sense of spaciousness at UM puts me in a different frame of mind. When I walk on the campus, I notice a lot of things that fill my heart with gratitude: the fact that we are here, that we can breathe, that we can live the life we have now. I think it’s important to constantly remind ourselves of the little blessings in life that often go unappreciated.’
Happy to Reunite Lost Items with Their Owners
Carlo Anonuevo from the Philippines is a security guard in the Security Centre at UM. He has been working at UM for over two years, and he enjoys his job very much. He says, ‘We often have to deal with lost items, including ID cards and Macau Pass. Every time I find or receive a lost item, I contact the owner as soon as I can. It makes me happy to see their happy faces when they are reunited with their lost items. I am also grateful that the students I’ve come into contact with are respectful and pleasant to talk to. This makes me love my job even more and makes me feel younger than my age.’
Polite Customers
Leng has been working in the convenience store in the Learning Commons for nearly five years. She is most grateful that her customers are friendly and polite. She says, ‘The colleagues and students here are very pleasant, which makes me want to stay in this job. I’ve worked in the other stores during the summer holidays, which makes me appreciate the polite customers we serve here at UM. Here you don’t have to deal with irritable customers, and that puts me in a good mood. When you are in a good mood, you are less likely to get sick.’
The First Group of Friends
Cassandra Chiu is a first-year student in the Department of Portuguese. She is most grateful for the first group of friends she met at UM. On the day of our interview, we saw Chiu and her friends talking and laughing in the Learning Commons. They looked so comfortable and happy around each other that we could barely tell they had only known each other for a month. Chiu says, ‘I went to an international school, so I don’t have a lot of friends apart from my former classmates from high school. In our first class at UM, we were still strangers to each other. But then we got to know each other and started hanging out a lot. And we quickly became good friends. The four of us have very different personalities. They are more active, and I am a bit quiet. But we accept one another for who we are. After becoming friends with them, I started speaking Chinese more often, and sometimes I also teach them Portuguese phrases. This way, we can learn from each other.’
The First Good Roommate
Each residential college at UM is a close-knit community that supports students’ well-rounded development. Huang Kunhui, a first-year student in the Department of Accounting and Information Management, is most grateful for sharing a room with a good roommate. He says, ‘I often study late into the night. And just when I am getting very tired and hungry, he would come back with some food, which makes me feel so warm inside. And I will return his kindness by cleaning the apartment or helping him in small ways, like folding his clothes. He also loves football and basketball, and I would go with him. We care about each other very much and we help each other in our daily lives. ’
The Coffee Shop in the RC
Romy is a first-year student majoring in biomedical sciences. She is most grateful for the coffee shop in her residential college. ‘Soon after I moved into Chao Kuang Piu College, I discovered this coffee shop, which was a pleasant surprise to me. I especially like the manually brewed coffee. I always love studying in a coffee shop, so when I found out that there is a coffee shop in my RC, I thought this was wonderful! Sometimes I would bring my friends here, and we would read together over a cup of coffee. We could spend an entire afternoon like this, and it’s starting to become a habit. The smell of coffee makes me feel peaceful and relaxed. If I have a chance, I would love to open my own coffee shop some day.’
A 24-hour ‘Study Buddy’
Tam Ka Wai is a first-year student in the Faculty of Business Administration. She is most grateful for the Learning Commons. She says, ‘It is spacious and opens 24 hours a day. So we can come here any time we want. I often come here to study before an exam, sometimes even working all night. I think the best thing about this place is it’s open around the clock, so you can stay for as long as you like. Also, there are plenty of printers for students to print their learning materials. Eating is also permitted. And you can also discuss questions with your friends without having to worry about disrupting other people. I think it’s great. ’
Source: My UM Issue 92
