In addition to the Graduation Ceremony and Photo Day, the Class Society also holds graduation-related events for the College. But what is the “role” of this Society for the prospective graduates? Ms. Joey Chong (Chinese Language and Literature / 4), the current Class Society President, explains its meaning.
Q: Why did you decide to serve as the President of this year's Class Society? What are its responsibilities?
A: Like many of my college mates, my initial impression of the Class Society was limited to the farewell speeches and games during the Farewell Assembly. However, through organising other college events, I got to know two former Class Society Presidents and learned that they have to create meaningful final memories for graduating classmates. As I am graduating this year, when I saw the Class Society's recruitment notice again, I recalled their dedication and hoped to take up their duties and carry on this Chung Chi tradition.
This year's Class Society consists of eight members responsible for three main tasks: society's name, souvenirs, and farewell assembly. Through a naming survey and vote, we named our society 慕 which inspired by the biblical idea of“seeking righteousness.”This embodies the hope that after graduation, our classmates will put their learning into practice, and bring hope to others. To reflect this meaningful theme, we chose violet-blue as our class color and incorporated it into our souvenirs, including a yearbook, a jigsaw puzzle, and an air ticket holder — symbolising carrying the Chung Chi spirit to distant places.
The Class Society has always been responsible for preparing the program for the Farewell Assembly. This year, we designed a game called“Chung Chi Magnifying Glass,”which tested students' knowledge of locations in Chung Chi. We also hosted“Graduation Radio,”where two society members served as“DJs”to read letters from graduates expressing their feelings and gratitude. To our surprise, Professor Kwan treated us to a buffet after the Farewell Assembly as a token of appreciation, making us feel that our efforts had been recognised.
Q: You helped organise the College Founders' Day Student Festival for two consecutive years. What were your unforgettable moments?
A: For the 72nd Chung Ching Festival, I was invited by a friend to serve as an executive member for the committee of art support and prop-making. During September to October of that year, every night from nine to midnight, about 100 to 200 members from all committees gathered at Chung Chi Tang to prepare for the event. My main task at the time was to build installations of arcade game machines. My team and I formed a production line for tasks - rolling newspaper balls, applying white glue and painting, with other departments helping us out. This unprecedented sense of unity and warmth made me participate in the Festival again the following year.
By the 73rd edition, since I was the only one with experience of organising the Festival at the time, and due to some causes stated in the charter, I was appointed as the President of the Executive Committees of the Festival. This experience was very different from my first time. As an executive member, I did not need to secure many resources and paid little attention to conflicts between committees, but as the president, I had to balance the interests of all committees. I knew everyone wanted to do a good job, so I often found myself torn between persuasion and control, almost as if I were rehearsing workplace communication. It was a valuable lesson.
At the Thousand People Feast, I gave a speech as president. As I looked across the venue, I saw a thousand of teachers, college mates, and alumni gathered, stretching as far as the eye could see. It was my first time facing such a large crowd alone, and I was deeply moved. I knew that the efforts of myself and everyone else in our respective roles had finally borne fruit in that moment — a scene I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Q: You spent two years at Ming Hua Tang. Are there any anecdotes of your life?
A: I used to be an introverted person, so when I first arrived at university, I was rather wary of strangers. However, when I moved into Ming Hua Tang, a male resident saw me dragging my heavy luggage. Without a word, he helped me carry it up to the fourth floor where the women's rooms were located. He did not try to strike up a conversation either. His selfless act of kindness really moved me at the time, because I had never experienced anything like that in secondary school.
That said, I was eventually approached by a Residents' Association member while I was washing dishes. He started a conversation with me, which initially made me quite wary, but I soon realised that he was simply trying to understand the needs of new residents. He even invited me and the other residents to have hot pot together. Looking back now, it seems like a small thing, but at the time it really opened me up. That genuine concern made me feel less out of place, and from then on, I truly immersed myself in university life, coming to regard Ming Hua Tang and Chung Chi as my home. I also began participating in different student groups and organising activities.
While creating memories for others, Joey also left behind many records of her youthful years at Chung Chi before stepping into the“adult world.”
Q: What does Chung Chi mean to you, and what will you miss the most?
A: One's impression of a place is often shaped by the people they meet. To me, Chung Chi is a place where there is always a group of people willing to become part of others' memories in order to create those memories. They give generously, ask for nothing in return, and are willing to sacrifice their time and energy to bring their envisioned Chung Chi closer to the real one.
I will miss everything about Chung Chi. Whether it is close-knit“hostel family”or the larger Chung Chi community; whether it is the intimate atmosphere of a small community where you are bound to run into someone you know, or the carefree freedom of wandering around in flip-flops without drawing disapproving glances — I will miss it all. Once we leave campus, these connections and feelings will be hard to recapture, because we become“members of society”; others see us as“adults”, and we hold ourselves to that standard as well. Gone are the carefree days of our university years.
