Spring arrives after winter goes and once-bare branches begin to blossom. A vibrant and joyful atmosphere is everywhere on the campus! On 1 March 2024, Chung Chi College held the annual Graduation Phototaking Exercise. The College teaching staff and students from various faculties gathered at the Lingnan Stadium to capture the precious moment. Though it was still freezing cold, College teachers and students interacted with one another heartwarmingly. Chung Chi-ers were all very excited to celebrate graduation and take photos with intense happiness on an early spring afternoon!

Warm Greetings Driving Out Chillness

On the Phototaking Day, the temperature dropped sharply to ten degrees Celsius. Despite the freezing weather, teachers and students still felt utterly excited to share their happiness in this ever-commemorative phototaking event. At eleven o’clock in the morning, teachers, students, and graduates-to-be of the Nethersole School of Nursing Society gathered at their booth on Pond Crescent and got ready to join the celebration! Professor Ng Shek Nam Marques, College Dean of Students, is also a teaching staff of the Nethersole School of Nursing. He was glad to accompany his colleagues to witness such a memorial moment with their graduates-to-be. Having a warm gathering at their booth in the morning, the students from the Department of Geography and Resource Management also expressed enthusiastically that they felt so warm despite the chilly weather as they got together with their fellows again.

The teachers and students of the Nethersole School of Nursing took a snapshot to capture the worthwhile moment, driving out chillness with warm greetings.

Booth Design Reflecting Prospective Graduates’ Preferences

As always, traditional customs are still preserved on the College Phototaking Day, such as setting off confetti cannons, cutting roasted pigs and ribbons, as well as toasting. After taking group photos with the College teaching staff, the prospective graduates joined celebration ceremonies at their respective booths. Throughout the whole morning, Chung Chi students from various faculties started their setup work on Pond Crescent by delivering materials and decorating the booths. What’s more, the colour of balloon bridges reflected the preferences of prospective graduates. Mr. Cai Heung Yeung Oscar, an organising team member of the Chung Chi Economics Society, said they would ask their senior fellows about their preferences for the booth design, especially the balloon colour. They ended up choosing red based on the College emblem colour according to their suggestions. Besides, the CCSU Nursing Society, the Nethersole School of Nursing adopted blue and pink, for the former is the emblem colour of the society and the latter was voted by their senior fellows. On the other hand, no balloon bridges were installed in the booth of the Geography and Resource Management Society as the prospective graduates would like to keep a low profile. Mr. Wong Chun Hung Bear, an organising team member of the Society, said the Phototaking Day is a special farewell ceremony. Therefore, they cherished senior fellows’ preferences.

The teachers of the Department of Economics set off confetti cannons with their graduates-to-be, wishing them a bright future.

Unleashing Team Spirit for Warm-hearted Celebrations

The Phototaking Day provides a valuable opportunity for graduates-to-be to celebrate together in advance, thanks to Chung Chi students who dedicated their efforts in preparing for booth setup. Ms. Yeung Tsz Chin Katrina, a year one student of the Nethersole School of Nursing, said that she had started preparation since mid-February with her teammates. Despite facing a lot of difficulties, especially insufficient time and bad weather, which might have slowed down their progress, she was grateful that they could unleash team spirit and had a good division of labour to carry out various tasks, such as food ordering and booth design. At last, all the preparation work was completed on time. She expressed her heartfelt thanks to the entire team, for they contributed a lot and their efforts finally paid off.

Sweet Notes from Graduates-to-be

On the Phototaking Day, Chung Chi prospective graduates were all utterly delighted as they could celebrate and share the joy of graduation with their fellows and teachers. On the other hand, some have particular feelings when thinking of Chung Chi and their future. They would like to share with us what they feel and think when they are about to leave university!

Ms. Kwong Ka Tung Tonia, a prospective graduate of the Nethersole School of Nursing, said she aspires to contribute to society upon graduation so as to live up to the expectations of the College and University. Among the teachers who joined the celebration, many of whom are her tutors. She is grateful that she has acquired ample clinical knowledge from them, and truly recognised the skills she learned from them while practising in the hospital. In her final year, Tonia mostly stayed in the hospital for practising. Therefore, she was really excited when meeting with her teachers and classmates on the Phototaking Day!

Mr. Chan Ka Chai Felix, a graduate-to-be of the Department of Geography and Resource Management, said, “I am particularly happy today. As we could only have online lessons via Zoom in our first year. I did not expect we can meet face-toface with one another on the Phototaking Day in my final year. I am so grateful we can enjoy physical activities with my classmates.” His fellow Mr. Tang Ho Tung David would like to deliver special thanks to Chung Chi. With the funding support from the FLY Award, he broadened his vision by participating in an exchange tour in Italy last September. Besides, he was inspired by the East-meets-West heritage as highlighted in the College Anthem and incorporated it into his final-year dissertation. Right before graduation, he found that Chung Chi had an immense impact on his academic pursuit.

Mr. Lau Ngo Fung Arthur, a prospective graduate from the Department of Music, has mixed feelings when thinking of graduation. Recalling his university life in the past four years, he joined several College events, for example, the “Music and History in Vienna and Berlin”, which added colours to his entire course of studies. When asked about his outlook in the future, Arthur hopes that he can find his way out while being a music teacher. He intends to pursue postgraduate studies and hopes to figure out what he would like to do and which career path is most suitable for him during the gap year upon graduation.

Let’s deliver our warmest wishes to all Chung Chi prospective graduates for turning over a new leaf in their lives. We look forward to the 70th Chung Chi Graduation Ceremony in autumn this year!

Chung Chi teachers and students from various faculties gathered and shared the joy of graduation in advance on the annual Phototaking Day.

Chung Chi teachers from the Department of Music cut roasted pigs to celebrate with prospective graduates.

Interviewed and written by Cabbie Kwong