3 Editorial foreword
4 English Society Up Close
20 Our thoughts
25 Creative Writings
10 In Retrospect...
36 Our Recommendations
Editorial Foreword
I believe time has different meanings to different people.
We are often told to spend our time wisely. We do what our parents want when we were small. When we grow up, we do what society wants. We spend time doing what others perceive as worthwhile to do, and ignore things that we truly like to spend time on. It’s true that we may be bound by our parents’ decisions when we were small, but when we grow up, it’s time for us to make our own decisions, and enjoy every moment of our precious life doing things that are important and meaningful. We often hear so many clichés like “live your life to the fullest” and “treasure your time”. People enjoy reading books about how to have good time management, and think that by following the strategies mentioned by the writers, they will know how to lead a fruitful life. The truth is, the only person that can teach us how to treasure time is ourselves. There’s no perfect or right way of spending our time, we just have to figure out the best way that works for us. “It is never too late or too soon. It is when it is supposed to be.” I hope that this issue of LINK can influence you in some ways, and inspire you to find your own meaning of time. Editor, Shirley Yau
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English Society Up Close Before we proceed to the theme of this issue, let’s take a look at this year’s English Society, and our Executive Committee members! Our motto this year is “From little sparks to eternal flame”. With this, we pledge to move forward as one and overcome all hindrances ahead.
*Promotion photo for our Bazaar taken at Pottinger Street
Owen Leung
Chairperson
Being the youngest among all my “jongyaus”, I’m also the tallest. I’m 187cm tall but I don’t really feel happy to be that tall as there are many inconveniences. Despite the height I have, I love playing football very much instead of basketball. My position is Right Wing as I enjoy every single moment when I dribble pass my opponents. My favourite football team is Manchester United, whereas my favourite football player is Captain Wayne Rooney (though he is deteriorating). I’m a wide-range collector who collects football jerseys, figures, postcards and sneakers. During my leisure time, apart from browsing Facebook and Instagram, I usually play League of Legends and watch One Piece. I do listen to songs from different countries, and I’m currently in love with IU and Yeri of Red Velvet from Korea! I like superhero movies such as Iron Man and Captain America. Dystopian Fictions would be my favourite type of books. If you want to know more about me, feel free to find me for a random talk! 4
From little sparks to eternal flame
Nicole Tsang
External Vice-Chairperson
I’m a person who loves to eat – my favourite time of the day is the time when I’m eating. When I’m not eating, I’m usually planning for my next meal, and I love stalking the posts of the foodie accounts on Instagram to get some inspiration. Nothing beats the happiness of successfully hunting down the restaurants mentioned by the foodies, after hours and hours of following the directions on Google Map (as most of my friends and I feel hopeless about map-reading and usually follow the wrong routes when we’re scavenging meals). Many of my friends always tease my obsession with food, but at the end of the day, they’ll still travel all around Hong Kong with me just to have a good meal. I’m a person with an unusually large appetite, which means I usually don’t feel full with the food portions in restaurants, and I end up having desserts or snacks of different sorts. I really wish that there could be a way for me to eat as much as I want without getting fatter!
Melody Yan
Internal Vice-Chairperson
I guess I’m the best illustration of the idiom “don’t judge a book by its cover”. I’ve always given people the impression that I’m cool and arrogant. And thanks to the omniscient Internet, there’s a term for this kind of facial expression—the “resting bitch face (RBF)”. But, believe me, I’m truly a much nicer person despite my RBF when I’m tired or when I’m daydreaming. Thanks to my English name (it’s Melody, in case you’re wondering), people always assume that I can play a musical instrument. On the contrary, I know nothing about music (though listening to music is one of my favourite hobbies), and music lessons gave me headaches. To most people’s surprises, I’m an athlete and have been practising fencing for more than a decade. Even though I always (as pointed out by my fellow “jongyaus”) wear black clothes, pants or bags, my favourite colour is actually blue.
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Anthony Tai
General Secretary
I’m not an outgoing person, so I usually stay at home reading books or watching TV. I especially love “Sherlock”. It’s so exciting to watch Benedict Cumberbatch use his intelligence to solve those mysterious cases! And I love eating so much! So, it’s a right decision for me to study here as there’re so many delicacies around the area that I still haven’t tried! When I’m free, I like to play the guitar and listen to Cantopop, so I’m excited to know that there’s a course about Cantopop and I can’t wait to take it. It has been about half a year since I started studying here. Everything is new to me and I have so many challenges that I have to face. You always have to step out of the comfort zone even though you may fail. Still, I think it’s worth it because I’ve learnt a lot!
Natalie Wong
Financial Secretary
Many people have the preconception that financial secretaries are good at mathematics and very logical. But I’m definitely not a very logical person. I think I’m very emotional, a bit impulsive, and optimistic (sometimes too optimistic). I always get mood swing, and I always laugh. Sometimes, I just want to leave myself alone for no reason. For most of my spare time, I like listening to music and reading. I sometimes play computer games, though I’m not good at it. Whenever I play computer games with my friends, they blame me for my poor gaming skills and slow reaction. My favourite kinds of food are Thai food and Sichuan food. I love spicy food a lot, especially Tom Yum Goong. If you know spicy food that’s delicious, just tell me!
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From little sparks to eternal flame
Gigi Ling
Promotion Secretary
If I’m to think of a thing that best describes myself, what immediately springs to mind is a mirror. It doesn’t serve any purpose if there’s nothing in front of that silver plate. If you place two mirrors facing each other, nothing can be observed because mirrors cannot see themselves but can only reflect others’ images. I’m the kind of person who lacks the authentic self. I’m easily influenced by others. I’ll become what shows up in front of my mirror. However, this is also a blessing. We are about to take up many challenges this year without any experience. Fortunately, the eleven of us have quite distinct personalities and talents. By learning from my “jongyaus”, I’m sure I’ll have a fruitful year. I hope we can help each other understand ourselves more through each other’s mirror.
Cathy Tse
Promotion Secretary
I’m a 18-year-old ordinary girl like any other. What’s so special about me is that I’m quite a “homebody”. I enjoy staying at home doing whatever I want: sleeping, daydreaming, all sorts of things. Speaking of my hobby, watching dramas and movies is definitely my favourite thing to do during weekends. We all know sometimes they’re all clichés. Yet, this is my only guilty pleasure that I can have after my stressful studies and work. I don’t really enjoy sports but I like camping and hiking during autumn and winter. I guess it’s because of my experiences of being a Girl Guide. It’s a lot of fun. Determination and perseverance are the two things I learnt from hiking. I can really feel the spirit of perseverance when we’re on a hiking trail as we cannot give up once we have started. I’m also a nature-loving person. The world is now suffering because we’re polluting it and destroying it. Instead of making further destruction, we should try to minimise the damage to the Earth. I believe that, with concerted efforts, we can help make this world a better place!
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Shirley Yau
Publication Secretary and Acting Academic Secretary
I think there’re two sides of me – one being an introvert and another an extrovert. I’m a shy and quiet person. That’s what everyone told me when they first met me. I find it hard to initiate a conversation with others, and I enjoy being alone. On the other hand, I can be extremely talkative when I’m with people that I’m familiar with. My friends say I’m an efficient person because I seldom seem to panic no matter how huge the workload is. It’s true that I can work faster under pressure (and that’s why I tend to procrastinate), but mostly I’m just pretending to be calm. I don’t really have a particular hobby because I enjoy doing everything basically. Finding pleasure in every little thing I do is my life-long goal.
Yuki Wong
Social Secretary
Entering university is like opening a new chapter of my life. One of the most memorable experiences is “Seung Jong”. I had a lot of fun these few months. I can foresee that this year with my “jongyaus” will be extraordinary! I’ve been learning Chinese dance for almost 15 years, and I dream of becoming an amateur dancer someday. I was attracted to those shiny and colourful costumes of the Chinese ethnic minorities at first. Later on, I found out that it was the style and the music which attracted me. And that’s the reason why I’ve been learning Chinese dance for so many years without feeling bored. Besides, I’ve been a Star Wars super fan since the release of “The Force Awakens”, and my ultimate goal is to transform my entire bedroom into a Star Wars themed X-wing simulator!
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From little sparks to eternal flame
Timothy Wong
Programme Secretary
I consider myself a nice and caring person as I’m always concerned about others. (especially my “jongyaus”) I love playing the piano and binge-watching. I have started playing the piano since I was six. Playing music is always an enjoyable thing to me, no matter I’m doing a solo or participating in an ensemble. For binge-watching, my highest record is finishing a Korean drama within a day. I like day-dreaming, so don’t blame or despise me if I forget what you’ve just said. I hate worms and free-riders. (and I believe everyone hates the latter.) I’ve come up with ways to deal with these people…ask me if you want to know. I enjoy hanging out with friends, while food is my best friend. So am I hanging out with food? Well…
Matt Kwok
Marketing Secretary
University life is all about meeting deadlines. Many say I’m an industrious person who manages to put up with the pressure of deadlines. This is only the case when I find something appealing to me. People around me like to ask the reasons why I join English Society. The answer is simple - to take up new challenges and get out of my comfort zone. Friendships and experiences, which spice up my university life, are what I’ve gained from the first few months of the Session.There’re a lot more to university life than we thought and we have to learn to discover and experience it wholeheartedly. It’s determination which activates our strengths and full power; it’s passion which keeps us motivated; it’s dedication which leads us to success. University life is all about meeting deadlines – only if we don’t engage in it. Don’t ask which kind of person I am. Feel my words and you’ll know.
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In Retrospect... Inauguration Ceremony 23rd November 2016
*Dr. Lisa Lim, Professor Adam Jaworski and our cabinet
The Inauguration Ceremony of English Society, A.A.H.K.U.S.U., Session 2016-2017, was held on the 23rd November 2016 at Rayson Huang Theatre. We were honoured to have Dr. Lisa Lim as our guest speaker and Professor Adam Jaworski from the School of English to join us. We were delighted to celebrate this momentous occasion with representatives from other universities and student societies from the University. This event marked the beginning of a year filled with opportunities and challenges. It is never easy to hold an event, not to mention it was the first time eleven of us worked together. While there might be times where we had different opinions, it was all because of our determination to make the event successful.
*Our guest speaker, Dr. Lisa Lim
*Our reception table
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*Exco taking photos with the beautiful balloons *Guests enjoying our refreshments
*Past and present Exco taking photos
*Guests’ overwhelming response
There would not be a particular moment that is the most memorable, but the little moments such as having our first ever meeting or visiting sponsors, would for sure be imprinted in our minds and hearts forever as precious memories of our journey. It was priceless for us to see all our guests enjoying the event with us. We were glad to receive compliments on our efforts on preparing the whole ceremony, from the provision of a wide range of refreshments during the cocktail and refreshment sessions to the decorations of the venue. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude once again to everyone who has helped us throughout the whole event. It is crucial to acknowledge the fact that any of these would not be possible without the generous support and sincere advice from our sponsors, past Exco, and helpers. 11
Bazaar 13th February - 3rd March 2017
*Exco taking photos at our booth
Our Bazaar was successfully held from 13th February to 3rd March. This year, our theme was “Blast from the Past”, which featured vintage and handmade goods. We hoped that this theme could recall people’s childhood memories.
*Our newly designed Society products
*Cute handmade accessories
The most important part of preparing for the Bazaar was inviting shops to cooperate with us. Contacting consignors was not an easy task. Luckily, they were amiable and they were willing to answer our questions patiently. A wide range of products was sold along with our Society products. Many of our popular products were from local online shops since we hope that everyone can appreciate local designers and support them through our Bazaar. Customers were especially fond of our exquisite and chic handmade accessories! Our Society products were very popular as well.
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*Some of our handmade dreamcatchers
*Our best-selling handmade earrings
*Unique postcards and planet candles
*Promotion for Superpass Bags
During the Bazaar, it’s inevitable for us to encounter obstacles. It’s especially hard to wake up so early in the morning and transport products from our Society room to the booth. It was such a long way! We were so glad that we’ve got strong male “jongyaus”! The duty allocation was also a bit problematic at the beginning. As our timetables were vastly different, it’s difficult to ensure that there’re enough people on duty in each shift. Fortunately, all of us were willing to stay behind even though we didn’t have lessons anymore. In time, we treat our booth as our “second home”, and liked to linger around the booth between lessons. These three weeks had surely made us closer, and we will never forget the funny moments we had with one another. 13
Welfare Week 27th February - 3rd March 2017 Welfare Week is an annual event which attracts hundreds of members to collect their welfare packages every year. This year was no exeception. In fact, the road of preparation was paved with obstacles and uncertainties. One of them is the inadequacy of sponsors at the beginning. Driven by anxiety and discouragement, we tried every method we could think of to find more sponsors: from sending emails to directly visiting every company near campus. *Our all-in-one welfare packs
Luckily, everything was back on track after we solicited support from companies of various kinds. We realised that our bare hands and a red trolley (that’s what we’ve got) could, however unlikely it may seem, showed that we meant business. Satisfied smiles of the collectors signified their recognitions of our efforts, which had a great deal to do with our passion, perseverance and most importantly, the red trolley, our dear buddy when transporting sponsored items. More often than not, in our life, uncertainties and obstacles are the motives which keep us mentally alert and, in the meantime, lead to success.
*Our chairperson and Dr. Lisa Lim 14 From little sparks to eternal flame
*Our lucky collector
English Festival 13th March - 7th April 2017
English Festival aims to promote an English-learning atmosphere on campus. A series of academic events, namely Book Fair, Film Appreciation, Academic Dialogue and Academic Talk were held under the theme “Dystopian Fictions – Ideal World Goes Wrong”.
1. Book Fair 20th - 24th March 2017
*Exco taking photos on the last day of Book Fair
A wide range of books from The Commercial Press and second-hand books from BooksMart were offered. Some popular novels were also available. We had a lot of fun searching for books under our theme. It’s a bit hard sometimes as we haven’t read many dystopian fictions before, but it’s a great experience for us. We discovered many new books that we’re interested in reading. Indeed, many of us bought books from the Book Fair to show our support. A lot of students and professors came to support our Book Fair, and we are glad to see that everyone loved the books we recommended.
*Our booth at Union Foyer, G/F
*Books chosen by us
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2. Film Appreciation 27th March 2017 Our featured dystopian film – Equilibrium is set in a futuristic society where people are not allowed to have any feelings. All citizens have to take an injection of chemicals every day to suppress their emotions. The film depicts how the main character, John Preston, tries to overthrow the totalitarian government when he starts feeling again after he missed a dose accidentally. It was hard for us to choose the film to screen, as there’re so many exciting and thought-provoking dystopian films out there. We chose this film at last as it’s both meaningful and thrilling. Everyone had a great time watching the film, especially when Global Lounge is a really comfortable place! We all shared our thoughts on the film after the screening. It’s interesting to know the views of different people.
*Preparing refreshments for participants
*Poster of the film
*Enjoying the movie at Global Lounge 16 From little sparks to eternal flame
3. Academic Dialogue 30th March 2017
*Our guests and partipants taking photos
We are honoured to have Dr. Jessica Valdez and Dr. Christopher Patterson as our guest speakers for Academic Dialogue this year. We had an interesting discussion on genres of dystopia, speculative fiction, and the wider political and social context. Participants actively voiced their opinions on how dystopian fictions may affect our society and especially, how they influence adolescents’ minds.
*Actively participating in the discussion
*Our guests showing us some photos
We enjoyed the discussion a lot as we heard so many different and fascinating ideas from everyone. Dr. Patterson showed us some peculiar photos while trying to explain to us some prominent features of dystopian fictions. Dr. Valdez also prompted us to think about some questions she has prepared and share our ideas with one another. We had a little chat with them after the event, and we were glad to know that they also had a great time! 17
4. Academic Talk 7th April 2017
*Our guests and partipants taking photos
Our last event was successfully held at Haking Wong Podium. We have invited Dr. Paul Fung as our guest speaker to share with us some common themes in the genre of dystopia, with specific references to the Russian novel, We. Dr. Fung gave us a list of quotations from this novel that he regards as meaningful and intriguing, and led us in a close reading of these quotes. Reading these quotes enabled us to have a deeper understanding of the dystopian world this novel is trying to depict. Dr. Fung also introduced us to other books that we may find useful in the study of dystopian fictions. It was a really hot day, and we were exhausted with all the preparation work before the event. *Participants reading the quotes
It took us so long to transport all the equipment under this hot weather – we have to stop every now and then to allow us some time to rest. It was tiring but everyone worked with so much passion without complaining a word. It’s definitely worth it when the Talk was a massive success! *Our chairperson presenting souvenir 18 From little sparks to eternal flame
Our Thoughts What does“Time” mean to our Exco?
Owen Leung
Time have always seemed redundant to me in the past 17 years. Yet, in the twinkle of an eye, I am officially an adult right now.Trying to find ways to make the most of the remaining time of my youth, I have set a schedule, with studying, working, “jong mo”, tutoring packed in a single day. But then does my life look more fruitful? No. Am I becoming happier? No.
What is time? Have you ever experienced a minute that feels like an hour or vice versa? Remember when you are telling yourself that “oh, I’ll just sleep for one more minute”. Then, the next moment, you found out that you’ve already overslept for more than an hour. My parents told me that time flies when I was small. Regardless of how those words went in one ear and out the other, I never actually understood the meaning of those words until now. My secondary school life seemed to have passed by for just a few minutes. So, what is time? People always say that “time is a thief ”. But I think that time is a gift. A gift that we need to treasure and enjoy because, before we know, it will slip through our hands and never come back.
Spending your time wisely is definitely not about using up all your time mindlessly, but it’s about taking time for what we feel is important in our lives. Do find something or someone that is really worth spending time on. I used to wish that I could grow up faster to escape from the tedious school days. But now, I hope there could be a button for me to rewind my life, to the time when I could smile without any concerns… 20 From little sparks to eternal flame
Melody Yan
Anthony Tai
We can’t see time, so we never notice it passing by; we can’t touch time, so we can never try to grasp it, however much we hear of the expression “seize the time”; we can’t control time, so the clock keeps on ticking and our days pass by no matter what. As time passes, we age and we get closer to the time of our death, which makes me think of the quote “time is a thief ”. Time steals our youth, robbing us of our moments no matter happy or sad. The passage of time usually only occurs to us when we get old, some may realise how much of a thief time is during their birthdays, when they see the number of candles piling up on their birthday cakes; others may be aware of their stolen youth when they find a white strand amidst their hair. “Live every day like it’s the last day of your life”. With this attitude in mind, surely we will leave nothing for time to steal from us.
Time will never stop for anyone; the world will keep revolving no matter what. Different people have different attitudes towards time. Some people would like to waste their time on playing video games or sitting at home doing nothing, while some people will seize every moment they have and make the best use of it. To me, as time goes by, I become more mature as I learn how to be a better person from what people have taught me and from my own experiences. But time itself won’t teach you anything unless you are willing to reach out and try different things. Time itself is unlimited, but our time is limited. So, whenever we are faced with different chances, don’t hesitate to take them because time will let them fade away when you do nothing.
Nicole Tsang
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Natalie Wong For me, time is life, and time management is always critical to our life. When we are young, our parents are the ones who manage our time for us. When we become older, we are the ones who are in charge of our time. As a freshman, I sometimes feel lost and frustrated with how to manage my time well, or how to manage my life. In university, there is a lot for us to discover and to experience, and that means it becomes more difficult to manage my time well, especially when I have to use nearly 3 hours to go to school. I always want to use my time in a more efficient way, and I try not to procrastinate. I want to do something that I won’t regret and makes me happy. I am not the kind of person that always think about enriching myself. To me, life is short, and time is precious. Then why not do something that I really want to do?
Tik tok tik tok. Time passes. Some memories and feelings may fade with time, but something must stay in your mind forever. It may be the moment when your long-awaited semester break finally comes, or when you are with your friends, families and your beloved ones. When you do not want some of your precious memories, no matter good ones or bad ones, to fade away with time, you try hard to remember them. These memories may help you become a better person. In other words, they are life-changing. Time itself is neutral. It is like a catalyst – it transforms things. When time passes, people may forgive each other and lost friendship can be restored. Meanwhile, some feelings and relationships may gradually fade when time passes. These two drastically different outcomes stem from how you spend your time with people you value, so remember to spend your time wisely.
Yuki Wong
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Cathy Tse
Time is fluid. The ways people perceive time are different. For me, time seems to be a blessing in disguise. I dislike repetition personally. Repeating the same thing is boring. The routine for every day is mostly the same. People get to work or school, then go home. Day by day, from dusk till dawn and from dawn till dusk. Memories are built up not by the substantial things you did, but the people you met. Time is magic. Humdrum as it may seem, time is working out something for us.
Time could be a vague concept. When we draw a timeline, we have ‘past’, ‘present’ and ‘future’. There are fine lines between the three of them. When we are children, we wish to grow faster to do whatever we want. But when we are older and with more responsibilities, we wish we could be young and free like a child. We look forward to the future, hoping for a better life. But when it comes, we reminisce the past and feel nostalgic. We are tied up with the past and the future and we forget about the present. Our lifetime is limited and we only live for once. When we hesitate a minute, we have wasted it. It is irreversible. Chase your dream and go for your goals when you can because when you get older, you will be tangled and trapped. Do the right thing at the right time. After all, it is now or never.
So, treasure every moment since it may become one of the best parts of your life when you are old.
Gigi Ling
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Matt Kwok
Have you ever missed a period of time so much that it beggared description? Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘Lost time is never found again’. Yes, we all know it but the cruel reality is that we won’t cherish time and things until we lose them out of the blue. Memories, however vivid they are, are the only things that leave room for a revisit of the past. Time is a precious gift to humans. It can make a huge difference to our life: practising in return for achievements, studying in return for gratification.
Since we started school, we are taught various skills to manage our time efficiently. But admit it, such good theories are not effective as we always procrastinate.
Ahead of us lies numerous obstacles and challenges. Trivial as they are, every moment or part is worth cherishing as we find ourselves maturing.
Another thing about time is “immortality”. From ancient times till now, some people have been finding ways to live forever: from the emperor of China, Qinshihuang, refining elixirs of life to Egyptian pharaohs conducting religious rites.
At a time when the clock is ticking, close your eyes and reflect on the value of time. You’ll know what’s behind.
If we cannot be immortal, then why not grab every moment in our life? There’s a quote from the president of America, Abraham Lincoln. “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” We may be fearful of death, but if we can carpe diem and enjoy every moment, we will be able to live our lives with no regrets. Seize the day, and make your life extraordinary!
Timothy Wong 24 From little sparks to eternal flame
Creative Writings
After looking at what “Time” means to our Exco, let’s appreciate the works contributed by talented writers in HKU.
From Above
by Ashley Leung This frail wall of fading yellow Separates horizontally the inside from the outside. Like black and white frames from the 20s, With grains dancing like frying nostalgia. The buzzing cars and the burdened footsteps Groping westwards until age has drained them. Now the cheers of the schoolgirls are as uplifting as chirps of the sparrows, The flying ball chases around from one youthful hand to the other, The recklessness of free-spirited girls sitting on the red and green ground, The touching tips of two dresses manifest great pure exotic love. Are these not images of flowery fields and youthful wonders? The red and blue light flashes frantically outside and rushes off, Its painful cry scratches open the secured wall of this warm womb. Was it not once a set of strict stubborn bars? Perhaps reversed is what they are.
Gone Forever Thy palm it gently sits, Of brown and yellow shade. Danced its way down Delivered by the wind. Broke away from all restraints, Yet calm and cold it sleeps. I let it fall so it can Rest, sets off with a ‘swish’ Delivered by the wind. Yet never to be seen, or Heard ever again. 25
Time - A Poem
by Kristy Tang Dedicated to my grandmother As I engraved each word, so eternal and erasable at the same time, The clock ticks, mercilessly like raging winds, Sweeping second after second, minute after minute, Time flowed like a river, ever lasting in its own mechanic rhythm. Or does it? If it does, why did it stand, almost froze that day? I remembered standing there, her wrinkled, strangely smooth hand firmly in my grasp, Half of her chest heaved, as if Death itself was sitting upon her shoulder, constricting her, I stared. In both sadness and amazement, I stared. Did she succumb to disease? Did time rob her of her age, her joy and ultimately her life? I observed her face, how her mouth was a gapping hole, how her eyes were glued shut; I looked at her face, a week ago she was still talking, hysterical, but much more than this, this mass of skin and bones that could barely called human. I was not sure whether she was sleeping, or was she sealed within this shell of sedative, painfully screaming for someone to release her. I stared, each wrinkle on her sullen face was a milestone, a honour medallion to be worn; each freckle a spot that time pressed its kiss upon her, under the sun of four seasons. She was still, perfectly still. Is she still running, or had she finally settled, awaiting the end like it was her long lost friend? After running with time for eighty odd years, she had finally stopped. Time had finally caught up with her. I remembered being speechless as she wandered, lingering in this world and the next. I told her that I shall visit her again ‘tomorrow’ – a concept perhaps she would no longer understand. For in a world where time stood still, will there be tomorrow? Will there even be time? What will clocks look like in a timeless world– will they tick? Will their 26 From little sparks to eternal flame
their arms be amputated for they have no use? I wondered, as I punch in each word, hitting the backspace key and repeated; Wondering if I have been wasting my time, talking about time. Wondering if this would be timeless as I write it down, or will it simply be – A waste of my limited time.
Hourglasses and clocks by Jessica Wang
Hourglasses are quiet. They hold an hour in their slender bodies and time is flowing sand, time is the gentle trickle that you could perhaps hear if you put your ear to the glass. Hear the rushing distant sea-sound, the pale echo of a dream, of a stream of sand that runs but never hurries. Clocks are too loud. They break the quiet. They shatter it with their constant, anxious ticking. Unrelenting, never ending, Never ceasing in reminding: time is ticking, time is tocking, time is clicking by.
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Time
by Lyddia Ho Time, is constrained by life. Birth. When eggs are hatched into fishes, they swim…. When babies born into the world, they breathe…they cry…they search for something…which I do not know. When we walk, we discover, and search for more, more and more….which I do not know. I guess, time allows me to make a guess, a guess… Guess for unknown. Death. I did not cry. His hands in mine; his deadly eyes in mine…. I heard nothing from his body. I heard breath is taking him away. What I heard as if nothing, I heard nothing, I guess. Not sure. Rebirth. His image, his body, his voice His smile, his kiss, his care His playful laughter and joke His encouragement I exist, therefore he is here. Make a guess, I am searching for more, more memories and love. And, more tears, for I cannot cry.
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Dresden, Germany - the city that stands the test of time by Crystal Chan
Long hair as fine as spun gold, soaring tower crept with thorny vines, malicious sorceress working her wicked against the damsel in distress, these perfect Deutschland elements of Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales, are probably today’s globe trekkers’ impression of what Dresden, the synonym of apocalypse after massive bloodbaths in the world’s modern history, is like. Yet, as I, with my dear friends, embarked on the odyssey of a lifetime, retracing footsteps of the European chornicles, did we realize the city has so much more to offer than just the romantically weaved story of Rapunzel and the memoir of the violent historical devil in the first half of 20th century. Our eyes glowed with sparkles once our feet gently stepped out of the modern pumpkin carriage and onto the land of the past. The vintage Baroque beauty of the once military complex beckoned us closer, by whispering in our ears through the peaceful chimes of morning breezes and chirping songbirds. As if walking through Alice’s looking glass, a portal that turns back the hands of time, we found ourselves stunned and mesmerized by the very sight of the Deutsch humanities centre - as if time has frozen in this quiet little town, Dresden’s life in the old times was captured and has been showcased impeccably ever since. Despite the poise of the Semperoper and the gothic grandeur of Katholische with Dresdner Schloss as the backdrop, wounds were scarred and could still be seen on the exteriors. The entire city, 90 percent of it, in de facto, were bombed and reduced to mere heaps of ruins and weathered ashes by the Allied Powers in the Second World War, albeit having no strategic values whatsoever, but countless civilians, mostly females and children. Shielded by the curtain of iron forged out of Communist beliefs and authoritarian rule in the post-war period, however, Dresden’s socialist leaders reconstructed a great deal of historical edifices. After Germany’s reunification, of course, most of the architectures were restored, using collapsed rubbles to recreate the original facades and today’s reinforced materials to strengthen the buildings’ inner structure, making it the perfect example of centuries-old classics that are infused with 21th-century-technologies. The grandiose of Dresden was then once again unveiled and presented before the eyes of many Dresdeners and travellers. As we waved goodbye to the Semperoper adorned with Baroque interiors and portals depicting famous artists like William Shakespeare, and the resurrected 29
Katholische Hofkirche supported by a myriad of different local and foreign funding, we continued to journey through the city of Dresden. We then roamed along a walled sidewalk - Fürstenzug. The golden tapestrylike mural, depicting the parade of 94 royalty of Wettin Dynasty of Saxony, was ablaze with sunshine scattered through the morning mist. The vivid work of art, nonetheless, morphed from once a mere painted facade to the present Meissen porcelain tiles, due to the rapid deterioration and weathering in the early 19th century. At the end of the stroll, the Dresdner Neumarkt - the old market square appeared right before our beaming eyes, as if we were taking another ride on the time machine that transported us into another dimension - the world of yestercentury. Sitting on the bank of Elbe River, the spacious old town, styled with typical European buildings which were revitalized and fashioned into modern retailing businesses, bathed in the pool of magic beneath the veiled early sun. The inner city revolves around the symbolic Dresden Frauenkirche, the Church of Our Lady. Though this Baroque majesty, prominent for its elegance in sculptural composition of the altar and the white-gold body that hovers over her, weathered the neverending rainstorm of bombs in 1945, could not stand the test of scorching heat in the fiery inferno caused by air raids, and was eventually erased from the striking skyline of the city. Being rebuilt in the pre-war style after falling into the hands of socialists who walled the city from her bonded sister to the west, the sacred church is the landmark of the old city today. The monuments that engraved with both its glory and abomination, edifices that defined the horizon and patios that furnished with restaurants’ lounge seating created the perfect artwork of canvas poured with an array of mellow hues. The square, in flawless harmony, basked in the dancing sunlight peeking from behind the powder-puffed marshmallows in the wild blue yonder. I wonder if it was only me, or was time really so much more fleeting in the land of Dresden? After hours of carefree wander in the old town, we reluctantly pulled ourselves away from the allure of having another ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’ once the clock struck - only at noon instead of midnight - then hurried to our coach and kissed goodbye to our beloved city: one that never disguises or denies its scars; one that stands on its feet after the test of time, one that sort ways to hammer the cliché yet undoubtedly true message told by many into its people’s mind: if, and only if humanities learn from the past, shall the world know peace, and every single soul on this planet get its very own fairytale-like happily-ever-after. 30 From little sparks to eternal flame
Shower Thoughts About The Almighty, Time by Megha Daswani
Would it be alright if I said time is a pathetic excuse to justify mankind’s existence. In the end doesn’t it all just boil down to what you did with your time. I do understand why people post cliché quotes about time. But when you say things like “live in the moment” is that meant to make you feel better? Because all I feel is this helplessness caused by the fact that with every passing second, I am closer to death. I live in my own world, I wake up at noon, I sleep whenever I feel like, I set my own hours. People don’t like that, they don’t “appreciate it” - that’s how its often put it for the sake of politeness. But why do I need to conform to your idea of time, and what I should be doing with it? A potential reply could be to “regulate” our lives. And while you may think ‘regulate’ is a good thing...I see idiots thinking they’ve got it all figured out. “By the time I’m 30, I’ll be married with two kids, and a lovely home.” You meaninglessly base your aspirations on time. What do you think time is going to do for you? Get off your ass and do whatever you want now. Where did it even come from? Why do I measure my life in years, months, minutes, seconds, milliseconds? What happens if I don’t? Well when I don’t, I’m free. I have no way to know how much closer I am to potentially become nonexistent. I do whatever I want, when I want. Mrs. Do-Whatever-The-Hell-I-Want. Yep, its a fancy name. I married and wholeheartedly committed to ignoring time. Time is like religion, the more you believe in it, the stronger it’s hold on you gets. And as with religious wars, there are many battles with time too. We fight against deadlines, delays and the worst of all death. Do you even realise how foolish you are? You are going to die in no time. No time - because there is no such thing as time. It’s all lie, a ruse, and so is your life. So why? Why do you do it? Why do you constrain yourself to these pointless barriers? I’ll admit, there is a sense of satisfaction when you complete something on time, but I only feel that way because society tells me to feel that way.
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If I were to declare tomorrow there was no such thing as time, what would you do? There would be no more “what’s the time” “I need to be there on time” “where’d the time go” There would just be you and me, and all of eternity in time.
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The Inverted Hourglass by Angel Yip
Four thirty. Late September. He stood at the bus stop as usual, with beads of sweat on his forehead. ‘It’s been a long time since we last met,’ ‘But it was like... yesterday?’ ‘No, two days ago. Classes ended late yesterday.” His brows were brought together in regret. ‘I miss you, Jo.’ Five twenty-eight. A familiar ‘pop’ sound repeated from my mobile. His new messages, I bet. ‘Jo, got home yet?’ ‘Are you here?’ ‘Jo??’ All received in a few minutes. ‘Don’t worry Dan, just got home. I’m totally fine.’ ‘You could’ve responded earlier…’ ‘It took time to reply all my messages.’ He was disappointed for sure: I held a superior position in his heart, which he also sought to reach in mine, but we were just… Friends. He wouldn’t listen to me. He simply couldn’t help it. He was afraid of losing me to the abyss of unknown threat, or more importantly, to another boy. ‘A brief, immediate reply will do, just to prove you’re here with me. Jo, please.
Promise me.’ Since July, Dan had been seizing every single moment to talk to me - instant replies, simple meals, endless revision, bus journeys… Even a brief glimpse brought him comfort for the day. He hoped time would prove his sincerity, and make himself an indispensable part of my life. I always long for care and company. He might not be whom I’d been looking for, but I didn’t dare reject him. This was like spotting an enthralling novel and deciding whether to add it to my shopping cart. He wasn’t guaranteed to be, or of course, not to be the best for me. Relying on one’s company without officially starting a relationship sounded alright. Way too indulged in this bliss of being treasured, I was unaware of the pain silently inflicted on him. Eleven thirty. Mid October. Crescent. Near my building stood the boy smiling as if his princess returned. ‘You’ve stayed here for two hours, haven’t you? Please… You could’ve done more for yourself!’ ‘Force me to go. Again.’ His smile faded. ‘I wonder if you actually hate me that much.’ ‘Of course not. I’m simply…’ The word ‘guilty’ was intended but withheld. 33
His eyes were filled with dismay. They resembled vigorously burning blazes diminishing into small sparks and, eventually, lifeless ashes. He knew well enough his vain efforts wouldn’t bring him any further, but he carried on.
Getting restless just after two minutes is exactly how you feel when you’re too hungry for instant noodles to get cooked. Was this how he always felt back then? Sorry, Dan. I’m sorry.
Perhaps we were common in a way we preferred to hold on to the present and disregard the likely future. Neither did I desire to start a stable relationship with him nor loathe his presence. How I wished I could make these months forever, so I never had to reject or accept him to let our lives go on.
Nine forty-five. ‘Pop!’ ‘Jo, I just want you to be happy.’ Four hours already. We could have returned each other up to a hundred messages back then. How successfully he’d made himself important, but was gone by then. I hated to admit how much I’d got used to his company. I hated to miss him as much as a shaded sunflower misses sunshine. I hated to find time passed so slowly. I hated myself for ungratefully taking him for granted. But it was too late.
Yet life must go on. Midnight. ‘No matter how hard I’ve tried, you’ll never be mine.’ ‘I should’ve realised earlier. Sorry.’ I heard the ‘pop’ sound twice that night.
Five fifty. No response.
Four thirty. Late April 2016. What a drastic transition. We had barely met or communicated until this day - the long lost boy was there like six months ago. His sudden appearance caused my heart to beat so hard. All deeply buried memories of him were unearthed at that particular moment: his figure at the bus stop and near my home, his efficient replies, his smile and his furrowed brows.
Five fifty-one. No response.
Time moves anticlockwise and stops at the most remarkable episode, forcing
Four thirty. Late October. No longer the same boy stood at the bus stop, with beads shimmering on his forehead. Five forty-nine. ‘Dan, I’m sorry.’
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you to revisit it. How tormenting it is to have the flashback as a constant reminder of your guilt. You simply can’t forget. Especially when this once-important figure re-entered your life. I hesitated, but my body pulled me closer and closer to him. Then I was just next to him. ‘Why’re you here?’ ‘Oh… Hi, Jo.’ Dan tried to wear a cheerful smile, but embarrassment in his eyes proved otherwise. ‘I’m here for… my girlfriend.’ Girlfriend. How six months could make a difference. It seemed so short, but was so long indeed. Who says time is a scientific measurement, while every second is constant? Six months can be a century, or a day if memories stay. ‘It’s been a long time since we last met.’ ‘But it was like yesterday.’
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Our Recommendations
There are many literary works with the theme “Time”. Here, we recommend some that you wouldn’t want to miss!
Songs
Living in the Moment, Jason Mraz (2012)
This is a relaxing pop song that reminds us that life is easy if we seize the opportunity and time to enjoy ourselves with peace. ‘I let the past go past’ is one thing we should learn from the song. We reminisce about the past and sometimes we regret what we’ve done. But looking back does not improve our future or present unless we learn something from it. Letting all the miserable past go is a good way to embrace the brighter future. Living in the moment is ‘easy and breezy’. Letting go of all the bad thoughts and negative emotions and living our life with peace make us a lot happier. Enjoy what we have now and we will achieve peace in our hearts and souls.
My Happy Days, Eason Chan (1998)
Cathy Tse
As time passes, everything changes. We become more mature. We are less adventurous when we have more responsibilities to bear. But Eason Chan’s song reminds me to stay true to myself. “My Happy Days” is a song released in 1998 and it’s still very inspiring now. The song is written in the perspective of a grown man wishing that he could have more time to do whatever he wants and create some good memories. However, he can’t do so because he’s no longer carefree. This song always encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and do whatever I want when I’m still young. If you were my age, you’ll definitely understand what Eason wants to convey! Anthony Tai
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Time, Pink Floyd (1973) Obviously, the title of the song shows its theme. It does not have any catchy chorus but it’s mesmerising. It sounds simple yet there’re a lot of meaningful metaphors. The song resembles the lives of most university students. “You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today” exactly reflects my procrastination even if there’re deadlines tomorrow. Time doesn’t seem to be valuable when people are young. However, nothing can be reversed as the clock goes nonstop. “So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it’s sinking” exhibits the shortage of time and the deep regret of an old man. I would like to confess my insensible use of time that makes me prone to repentance, despair and pity. Therefore, I always remind myself to seize my day by listening to this song. I hope this song will help you too. It’s definitely a song that’s worth your time. Gigi Ling
Times of Your Life, Paul Anka (1975)
Presented by a soothing and fabulous voice, this song depicts the feelings of reaching back to the past and reflecting on life. It also encourages people to remember the times of their life, both the joy and the sorrow. When I first listened to it in a TV show, I was completely mesmerised by the rhythm and lines of the song. It reminded me of different experiences and milestones in my life, as if I was on a time travel. Everyone has their own story that’s unique and worth recalling. We may well discover something new upon reflection. So, do you remember the times of your life?
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Poems
Time Is, Henry Van Dyke
When I think of the theme “time”, one poem that instantly came to mind was the poem “Time Is” by Henry Van Dyke. This is a very short yet very inspiring poem that made a great impression on me. Time will never be “just right” for us; it flies by when we’re happy yet drags on when we’re suffering. Even so, we just have to accept that, as we cannot control how time passes, the only thing we can control is our attitude. To some, the ending of the poem may be about how love leads one to forget about time. Yet to me, I think it’s more about our attitude towards time. Given the inevitability of the passage of time, the only thing we can do is to accept and treasure every given moment. Then, it wouldn’t matter how slow or fast time passes, and “time” wouldn’t matter so much to us. Nicole Tsang
Our Banker, Oliver Wendell In this poem, time is described as a bank which “lends people minutes and charges them years”. Indeed, time is a thief that slowly and secretly robs us. Happy and memorable moments often slip away much more quickly than miserable ones. Though time seems to be a miser in lending us time, we can still find charm in all the pleasant things he has done for us: he forces green leaves to fall, yet he lets the sunshine in as fast as the leaves fall. He left all the best remembrances in our minds – love, friendship and hope. No matter how much misery or unhappiness time may sometimes bring us, we still hope that he’ll be forever lending us time, even though it’s only in minutes, as that’s all we need to create the most unforgettable moments that we will remember for a lifetime.
Shirley Yau
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Books
11/22/63, Stephen King (2011)
This novel is about a time traveller who attempts to stop the assassination of the American President J.F. Kennedy. The story starts with the appearance of a portal to 1958 in Al’s restaurant, and they plan to go back to the past to prevent President Kennedy from being killed by L.H. Oswald. Ultimately, Jake successfully stops Oswald from killing the president but his girlfriend, Sadie is shot and killed. Jake is distraught but he must go back to modern time to see what the world will be when Kennedy is still alive. Here comes the question, will it make the future better or worse? This book raises a question – if time travel works, will changing the past result in a more ideal future? Or is it just a fantasy after all? If you want to know the ending, go and read this book! Timothy Wong
Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt (1975) Winnie Foster is tired of how her family treats her and is considering to run away. Subsequently, she meets a boy called Jesse Tuck who is drinking from a spring in the forest. Her family explain to her that she cannot drink from the spring, since it’ll give her an eternal life. Unfortunately, a man in a yellow suit eavesdrops on their conversation. He plans to sell the spring water to the public. Throughout the story, the author keeps provoking us to ponder over the idea of immortality. This book reminds us that though we have limited time in life, that’s what makes life amazing. It would be meaningless to live like the Tuck family since, without the experience of different stages of life, it would never be a life worth living.
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Star Wars - Lost Stars, Claudia Gray (2015) This is a story of how things change when time passes. When Thane and Ciena grew up, time changed them from friends to lovers. But years later, they turned from lovers to foes. Time allowed them to rebuild their friendship despite their services in opposite camps. They treasure their time together when terrible incidents are happening in the reality. Time itself therefore acted as a catalyst for them. The two of them also took an active role in building their relationship despite the passing of time and the complexity of the world. Although time and tide wait for no men, we should still treasure our time with the people around us. Somehow we can make a difference. Yuki Wong
Replay, Ken Grimwood (1986) What if you could start your life again, and again? This is the story of a man named Jeff Winston, who dies in 1988 and finds himself going back to twenty five years ago. He realises that he can live another life, die, and live again. While Jeff lives through those twenty five years repeatedly, he tries to experience different kinds of lives. He has had a rich life, a life with drugs, and lives with different women. Jeff and his fellow “replayers� are sentenced to start over their lives repeatedly but they cannot dodge their deaths. Though Jeff can start over his life, he has only 25 years and he can never take something he treasures the most to the next life. As lives passed for Jeff, he realises that he’s doomed to lose everything. Unlike Jeff, we only live once. We will never be able to start over our life again. We have to live with no regrets, and to love and treasure what we have. Owen Leung
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Films
In Time (2011)
Have you ever imagined the world using time as a currency? This is the case in the film “In Time”. In the future, human will stop aging after 25 due to genetic engineering, but they’ll have a digital clock on their forearm and it’ll start counting down from one year. In the poor district, people often have less than 24 hours to live, so they have to keep working to earn more time for themselves. This film reminds me of the importance of time management. Sometimes, we don’t make good use of our time because we tend to think that we still have a lot. But when we have less than 24 hours to live, I guess most of us will stop procrastinating. Just treat every day as the last day of your life and you’ll definitely want to make no regret of it. Anthony Tai
Interstellar (2014) In the film, Joseph Cooper and his colleagues travel through a wormhole to assess each planet’s suitability as the new home for mankind. In different planets, time flows at different rates. A second on Earth may mean 10 years on a distinct planet. The movie is intriguing as the notion of travelling to the past sounds very alluring. I really want to erase something in the past. However, a movie remains a movie unless the scientists can solve the mysterious equation of time, or else humans cannot go back to even 10 seconds ago. The past may be so appalling and sorrowful that you don’t want to reveal it even for once. Yet, that’s part of our history. What I would like to emphasize is that we should not let regrets slip into our minds. What’s more, we should embrace our disgraceful memories as nothing can be changed. Gigi Ling
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Inception (2010) Directed by Christopher Nolan and starred by Leonardo DiCaprio, this film is about planting an idea into the mind of a young CEO by using dream-sharing technology. The main character, Cobb, is a thief who infiltrates the minds of people to steal their ideas. He’s hired by a billionaire to initiate ideas that will lead to the surrender of another billionaire’s company. He produces dreams that are nearly the same as the reality to control what the billionaire thinks. Although this is only a movie, there’s a chance that we can really dream of something that is similar to reality in the future when the technology has become more advanced. I really wish this would happen some days, because then we would have more time to explore the unknown through dreams! Natalie Wong
About time (2013)
Unlike other time-travel movies, About time is a romantic comedy. The main character, Tim, doesn’t use his time-travelling ability to acquire wealth or fame. Instead, as ordinary as it may sound, he uses his ability to find his true love, Mary. By travelling back in time to correct all the mistakes he has made, Tim finally wins Mary’s heart. He also uses his ability to go back to the time when his dad is still alive. However, Tim has to bear the butterfly effect if he turns back time. Things surrounding him change unintentionally when he tries to change the past. By saving his sister from a car crash, the gender of his child changes. Living in the present is what the movie wants to say. Indeed, rather than remaking every decision to achieve perfection, why not accept the imperfection and cherish everything you have in life? Owen Leung 42 From little sparks to eternal flame
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Editor
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Publisher
English Society, A.A.H.K.U.S.U., Session 2016-2017
Address
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