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2021

  • 3 min read

Don't Be Afraid, My Mentor Is Here

Do you have a phobia of speaking in front of a group? I do. That's why I joined Toastmasters—to practice more and strive to overcome my fears. At a social event, I was fortunate enough to meet Ernest Chen and asked him to be my mentor. Thanks to his generosity in accepting me as a protégé, I am writing about this topic today.

Over time, my fear began to fade. My anxiety lessened, especially when speaking in front of a small group of friends. Then, last month, I met one of my mentor's students—a young girl who is just thirteen. She dreams of becoming a successful diplomat translator. Public speaking is crucial if you wish to succeed in an international setting. Her ambition impressed us all, and my mentor is here to help her realize her dream.

Achieving this dream will take a lot of practice and training. During our class, my mentor instructed her to give a two-minute speech. The topic could be anything—school, the Olympics, or the lesson of the day. Since there were only five of us, it seemed easy enough. But she froze, unable to utter the first sentence, especially under the pressure from her mother who was urging her to speak. The more she hesitated, the more anxious she became.

Finally, she broke down in tears. Ernest, my mentor, comforted her: "Don't be afraid; I'm here to help you. Just start with the first sentence; the rest will come. There's no right or wrong." Taking his advice to heart, she gathered her courage and delivered her speech, regaining her self-assurance in the process.

Will my mentor help her overcome her phobia quickly? Unlikely. Learning not to be afraid won't make your fear disappear overnight. It took my mentor years of practice and effort. The young girl didn't conquer her fear immediately, but she made progress. More importantly, she grows more confident each week.

Now, as someone about twenty years her senior, I too feel the pressure when it's my turn to speak. Yet I manage, especially in a small setting. I continue to apply what I've learned from my mentor. But even with extensive practice, the fear never completely goes away.

Last week, in my role as an engineering manager, I had a critical presentation in front of seventy people, including senior executives from a multinational corporation based in Singapore. Despite rehearsing diligently, my fear of public speaking persisted. My inner voice wavered, filled with doubts, until I recalled my mentor's words: "Don't be afraid; just start with the first sentence."

Although it was stressful, the presentation went well, impressing even the CEO of the client company. My public speaking skills seemed to have stood out among the other six presentations in that hour.

I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ernest Chen, a fantastic public speaking mentor. I know it will take me years to reach his level, but he has already taught me the first steps to overcoming my fear. Whenever I find myself giving a speech without my mentor present, I remember his reassuring words: "Don't be afraid; your mentor is here." This mantra has become my guiding light, boosting my confidence and helping me to communicate more freely.

  • in zh
  • 1 min read

別怕，我的導師在這裡。

你是否對在群眾前演講有恐懼？我有。這就是我會加入Toastmasters—為了練習更多和努力克服我的恐懼。在一場社交活動中，我有幸遇到了Ernest Chen，並向他請教。多得他慷慨接納我為他的學生，我今天才能寫到這個主題。

隨著時間的推移，我的恐懼開始消退。我的焦慮減少了，尤其是在一小群朋友面前演講時。然後，上個月，我遇到了我導師的一個學生—一個只有十三歲的女孩。她夢想成為一名成功的外交口譯員。若想在國際場合取得成功，公共演說是極其重要的。她的雄心大大地震撼了我們，我的導師在此助她實現夢想。

要實現這個夢想，需要大量的練習和訓練。我導師在課堂上嘱咐她做一個兩分鐘的報告。主題可以是任何東西—學校，奧運，或者當天的課程。由於我們只有五個人，在似乎足夠簡單。然而，她因緊張而停滯不前，特別是在沉重的來自她母親的壓力下，她母親催促她說話。她愈加地猶豫不決，她也愈來愈焦躁。

最終，她痛哭失聲了。Ernest，我的導師，安慰她：“別怕，我在這裡幫你。只需要開始說出第一句話，剩下的就會自然而然地說出來。沒有對錯。” 她把他的建議銘記在心，勇敢地演說了自己的報告，在過程中重新找回了自信。

我的導師會快速地幫她克服她的恐懼嗎？很不可能。學習不要恐懼並不會讓你的恐懼在一夜之間消失。我導師經過多年的實踐和努力。那個年輕的女孩並沒有立即征服她的恐劇，但她進步了。更重要的是，她每週越來越自信。

現在，作為她年長二十年的人，我在該輪到我說話的時候，也會感到壓力。尽管如此，我还是應對自如，尤其在小型环境中。我繼續運用我從我的導師那裡學到的知識。但即使有大量的練習，恐懼Never完全消失。

上週，我作為工程經理，面對著七十人，包括在新加坡的跨國公司的高管們，做了一個關鍵性的簡報。儘管我刻苦地排練，我對公共演講的恐懼仍然存在。我的內心聲音搖搖欲墜，充滿了懷疑，直到我想起了我的導師的話：“別怕，只需開始說出第一句話。”

雖然壓力很大，但是這場簡報進行得十分順利，甚至還給客戶公司的CEO留下了深刻的印象。我的公眾演講技巧似乎在那個小時的其他六場發言中脫穎而出。

我想對Ernest Chen表達我由衷的感謝，他是一位出色的公眾演講導師。我知道我要花上好幾年的時間才能達到他的水平，但他已經教會了我克服恐懼的第一步。每當我在我的導師不在場的情況下發表演說時，我會記得他令人安心的話：“別怕，你的導師在這裡。” 這種格言已經成為我前行的指路燈，增強了我的信心，幫助我更自由地交流。

  • 2 min read

My Imposter Syndrome, Insecurity, and Depression

Imposter syndrome is common among IT professionals, and I'm no exception. The constant feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt plagues me. Despite working as a software developer for EY, one of the most prestigious consulting firms, I often feel like a fraud. My academic background lacks a computer science component; my first job was in marketing, far removed from information technology. Initially, my role focused on frontend web development using JavaScript. However, upon being assigned to a fintech project, I became the principal Android app developer. Although I've submitted rigorously-tested, high-quality code, the fear persists: what if my colleagues discover that I'm not the most knowledgeable expert?

As a professional, I'm expected to know about cloud computing, networking, architecture, security, and more. Mastering all these fields is nearly impossible in an ever-changing technological landscape.

Adding to the internal tension, I charge my clients a high hourly rate for answering questions they could look up online. My supervisor epitomizes the polished consultant, impressing clients with buzzwords about digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. Meanwhile, my regular tasks often feel trivial, like adjusting the alignment of a button on different screens—a task that's more complicated than it seems.

To combat my insecurities, I pursued a part-time master's degree in computer science from 2015 to 2017 at CUHK. However, the additional education didn't alleviate my imposter syndrome; it exacerbated it. Studying academic papers and complex topics like Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and machine learning algorithms made me feel even more inadequate.

My imposter syndrome also seeped into my personal life. I met my girlfriend, Jo, while juggling a demanding job and part-time studies. My insecurity led me to believe I didn't deserve her. I was constantly afraid of losing her, which put an immense strain on our relationship. Unfortunately, my anxieties contributed to our breakup, devastating me even further.

As time passed, I engaged in self-reflection and found solace in books like Jordan Peterson's "12 Rules for Life." I realized that my imposter syndrome and insecurities were destroying both my professional and personal lives.

People often misunderstand depression as being related to material circumstances, but my issues lay more with a pervasive sense of hopelessness. To improve my emotional well-being, I changed jobs, focused on physical fitness, and made a concerted effort to address the root causes of my problems.

Today, as an engineering manager for a large retail bank in Hong Kong, I still experience imposter syndrome. However, I've learned to accept it as a motivator for lifelong learning rather than a crippling fear. By sharing my story, I hope to offer solace to others facing similar challenges, encouraging them not to make the same mistakes I did.

  • in zh
  • 1 min read

我的冒名頂替者症候群、不安全感和抑鬱症

冒名頂替者症候群在 IT 專業人士中很常見，我也不例外。持續的自我懷疑和不適感一直困擾著我。儘管我在 EY（一家極負盛名的顧問公司）擔任軟體開發工程師，但我經常感覺自己是個騙子。我的學術背景並不包含電腦科學元素；我的第一份工作是在市場營銷中，遠離資訊科技。起初，我的角色主要著重於使用 JavaScript 進行前端網頁開發。然而，在被分配到金融科技項目之後，我變成了主要的 Android 應用程序開發者。儘管我提交了經過嚴格測試的高品質程式碼，但這種恐懼仍然存在：如果我的同事發現我並不是最有見地的專家，會怎麼樣？

作為一名專業人士，我需要知道雲計算、網絡、架構、安全性等等。在不斷變化的技術環境中，精通所有這些領域幾乎是不可能的。

加劇內在壓力的是，我為客戶回答他們可以在線查找的問題而收取高時薪。我的主管是典型的優質顧問，他用關於數字化轉型、人工智能和區塊鏈等流行詞匯來打動客戶。與此同時，我的日常任務經常感覺十分瑣碎，例如調整按鈕在不同屏幕上的對齊，這個任務比看起來要複雜得多。

為了對抗我的不安全感，我在 2015 到 2017 年間於香港中文大學攻讀了兼職的電腦科學碩士學位。然而，額外的學習並未緩解我的冒名頂替者症候群；反而加重了。學習學術論文和複雜的主題，如邊界網關協定（BGP）和機器學習演算法，使我感到更加不適。

我的冒名頂替者症候群也滲透到了我的個人生活中。當我在繁忙的工作和兼職學習中遇到我的女友 Jo 時，我的不安全感使我認為我不配得到她。我一直害怕會失去她，這對我們的關係產生了巨大的壓力。不幸的是，我的煩惱導致我們分手，這使我更加痛苦。

隨著時間的推移，我開始自我反省，並從像喬丹·彼得森的《生活的12條規則》這樣的書中找到了慰藉。我意識到，我的冒名頂替者症候群和不安全感正在破壞我的職業生活和個人生活。

人們經常誤解抑鬱症與物質環境有關，但我的問題更多的是普遍的絕望感。為了提升我的情緒健康，我改變了工作，專注於體能鍛練，並努力解決問題的根本原因。

今天，作為一個在香港大型零售銀行的工程經理，我依然經歷著冒名頂替者症候群的困擾。但我已經學會將其接受為終身學習的動力，而不是一種讓人膽怯的恐懼。透過分享我的故事，我希望能給面臨類似挑戰的人帶來安慰，鼓勵他們不要犯我曾經犯的錯誤。

  • 3 min read

My Career Transition to Software Engineer

In 2014, I received life-changing news: my work visa application for Australia had been rejected. After spending a year there on a working holiday visa and landing an extended job offer as a marketing manager in Brisbane, my hopes were shattered. The authorities denied my application because I lacked a solid background in marketing and a relevant degree. As a result, I had to leave the country, saying goodbye to friends and colleagues, never to see them again.

I returned to Hong Kong jobless. Many companies did not value my experience as an Assistant Marketing Manager. I didn't want to revert to my former career in a laboratory. After sending out numerous resumes without any responses, I realized that the most terrifying aspect of unemployment was not the lack of money but the loss of social status. It became difficult to face my friends in Hong Kong.

Determined to change my path, I invested my savings in an expensive coding bootcamp. It promised three months of intensive training and a high likelihood of securing a programming job, which seemed ideal for someone like me with a passion for digital marketing. However, the experience was disheartening. The ROI was minimal due to my lackadaisical instructor and affluent classmates who didn't share my sense of urgency. The majority of my learning happened in the late hours, on my own. Worse still, I ended up with an unpaid internship instead of a full-time job.

After the bootcamp, I faced another crossroads. I could either return to Australia for a master's degree in marketing or enroll in another bootcamp in the U.S. I chose the latter and got accepted into the country's top coding school. But, once again, my visa was denied. Resilient, I decided to complete the course online from Hong Kong, studying through the night and sleeping during the day. My mental health deteriorated, but my mother supported me financially, for which I felt both grateful and guilty.

This time, however, my efforts paid off. After mastering challenging concepts like recursion, I received nine job offers out of ten applications. Even though the salary was lower compared to U.S. counterparts, I accepted a position as a full-time software engineer with an Australian consulting firm in Hong Kong. The job allowed me to work on high-profile projects, but it also taught me hard lessons about the volatile nature of client-based work.

Later, I was assigned to work on an app for a startup, which turned out to be an uninspiring experience due to the difficult personality of the product owner. I eventually left for a large international software company where I worked on a project for Hong Kong's best airline. However, the work environment was toxic due to poor management and the challenges associated with offshore development. Still, I made great friends and found satisfaction in the work we accomplished together.

Recently, a headhunter approached me for a position at a prestigious consulting firm. I didn't hesitate to accept the offer, which also resulted in a salary hike. Currently, I am working in-house at HSBC bank on a fintech project, marking another exciting chapter in my life.

And that, in a nutshell, is my journey from a rejected visa applicant to a software engineer, a path filled with ups and downs but always moving forward.

  • in zh
  • 1 min read

我的職業轉型為軟體工程師

在2014年，我收到了改變生活的消息：我為澳洲所申請的工作簽證被拒絕了。在那裡度過了一年的工作假期並在布里斯班獲得一份市場經理的工作延長期的工作機會後，我的希望被粉碎了。因為我缺乏紮實的市場營銷背景和相關的學位，所以當局拒絕了我的申請。結果，我不得不離開該國，向朋友和同事道別，再也不會再見到他們。

我在香港失業地回來。許多公司並不重視我作為助理市場經理的經驗。我不想再回到我的實驗室工作。在發送了大量的簡歷沒有任何回應後，我意識到失業最可怕的部分不是缺少金錢，而是失去了社會地位。在香港見我的朋友們變得困難起來。

為了改變我的道路，我投入我的積蓄參加了一個昂貴的編碼訓練營。它承諾三個月的密集訓練和有很高可能性獲得一份編程工作，這對於像我這樣對數字營銷有熱情的人來說似乎是理想的。然而，經歷令人心寒。由於我的導師慵懶和富裕的同學們並不與我有相同的緊迫感，投資回報微乎其微。我大部分的學習都在深夜獨自進行。更糟的是，我最後得到的是一份無薪的實習，而不是一份全職工作。

在訓練營結束後，我面臨另一個十字路口。我可以選擇回到澳洲攻讀市場營銷碩士學位，或者在美國報名另一個訓練營。我選擇了後者，並成功進入該國的頂級編碼學校。然而，我的簽證再次被拒絕。我決定從香港在線完成這個課程，晚上學習，白天睡覺。我的心理健康惡化了，但我的母親在金錢上支持了我，讓我感到既感激又充滿罪惡感。

然而，這次，我的努力終於得到了回報。在掌握了像遞歸這樣的挑戰性概念後，我在十份申請中獲得了九個工作機會。即使薪水比美國的同行低，我還是接受了一份在香港的澳洲顧問公司的全職軟體工程師職位。這份工作讓我有機會參與高調的項目，但它也教給我有關客戶型工作波動性的艱難課程。

後來，我被指派為一家初創公司開發一款應用程序的工作，但由於產品所有者的困難個性，這次經歷變成了不愉快的經驗。我最終離開，加入了一家大型國際軟體公司，在那裡我參加了香港最好的航空公司的一個項目。然而，由於管理不善和海外開發的挑戰，工作環境變得很惡劣。然而，我結交了很好的朋友，並對我們一起完成的工作感到滿意。

最近，一位獵頭向我介紹了一家著名諮詢公司的職位。我毫不猶豫就接受了這個提議，這也帶來了薪水的提高。目前，我在匯豐銀行內部工作，參與一個金融科技項目，為我生活中又開啟了一個令人興奮的新篇章。

以上，就是我從被拒絕簽證申請者，到軟體工程師的旅程，一條充滿起伏但始終向前的道路。

  • 3 min read

My Memories in Brisbane

In 2013, I embarked on a working holiday in Australia that completely transformed my life. While studying chemistry as an undergraduate in Hong Kong, I had always dreamed of working abroad. However, opportunities for international exchange were limited. During a trip to Brisbane after finishing my last exam and before officially graduating, I worked as a volunteer at a tourist adventure center. This experience was enriching; I made new friends, hugged koalas, and spent quality time on the beach.

I remember sitting on the Gold Coast, basking in the sunshine, and contemplating the stark contrasts between life in Australia and Hong Kong. In Australia, people seemed to enjoy an enviable quality of life—lying on the beach, surfing, and living less stressful lives. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the fierce competition and cramped living conditions were constant stressors. I looked up at the sky, noticing how much bluer it was in Australia compared to Hong Kong.

Tears trickled down my cheeks as I wondered why I didn't deserve such a beautiful environment. I thought of an old Chinese tale that describes the disparities in living conditions for mice born in different settings. Inspired by Guan Zhong, who migrated for a better life and eventually became a successful chancellor, I decided to stay in Australia. Shortly after my internship, I was fortunate to receive a long-term job offer.

Upon returning briefly to Hong Kong, I secured my first full-time job as a test engineer at a German laboratory. Although my coworkers were pleasant, the work was monotonous and demanding. My duties included cutting plastic cups into standardized sizes, immersing them in various acidic solutions, and conducting multiple chemical tests. It was a tedious job with limited growth opportunities. Consequently, I resigned a few months later and decided to return to Brisbane, accepting a new role as an Assistant Marketing Manager.

My new job was demanding but fulfilling. Although my responsibilities ranged from social media marketing to janitorial tasks, I found it more satisfying than my previous role. I was lucky to live with a welcoming host family, Lindsey and Elisabeth Timms, who offered me affordable accommodation. I developed close relationships with other guests, including Japanese students learning English. My workplace was situated in Brisbane's city center, adjacent to the Brisbane River, and offered various activities like kayaking, rock climbing, and paddleboarding.

One unforgettable experience was working on New Year's Eve. While others celebrated, I was busy moving alcohol from the fridge to the venue and cleaning up after the event. It was a physically demanding and sometimes unpleasant job, but it gave me a sense of responsibility and purpose.

In addition to my regular duties, I handled a large market of Chinese visitors and local Chinese students, leveraging my fluency in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. I also participated in the production of tourist programs in Brisbane and enjoyed being a kayaking instructor. Even though the work was hard, especially when it involved multitasking across various roles, it was far more enjoyable than my previous job.

Through this experience, I enhanced the organization's online presence and grew our Twitter followership to 10,000, making our account the number one tourist destination on the platform. Though some tactics may be considered outdated now, they were highly effective at that time. My role made me realize that digital marketing was an area I wanted to explore further, setting the stage for my subsequent career as a website developer.

And so, the story continues in the next chapter.

  • in zh
  • 1 min read

我的布里斯班回憶

在2013年，我踏上了在澳洲工作假期的歷程，徹底改變了我的人生。當我在香港唸大學時期修讀化學，我總是夢想出國工作。然而，出國交流的機會卻非常有限。最後一次考試結束和正式畢業前我去了布里斯班，並在一間遊客冒險中心當義工。這經驗讓我受益匪淺；我結交新朋友，擁抱考拉，並在海灘上度過了美好的時光。

我記得我坐在黃金海岸上，沐浴在陽光下，思考著澳洲和香港生活的鮮明對比。在澳洲，人們似乎享受著令人羨慕的生活品質——躺在海灘上，衝浪，過著壓力較少的生活。然而，在香港，激烈的競爭和擁擠的生活條件是不斷的壓力來源。我抬頭看天空，注意到澳洲的天空比香港的藍的多了。

我淚滴綻放，我在想為什麼我不值得這麼美麗的環境。我想到一個舊中國故事，描述了在不同環境下出生的老鼠的生活環境差距。受到管仲的啟發，他為了更好的生活而移居，最終成為了成功的丞相，我決定留在澳洲。我的實習不久之後，我很幸運得到了一份長期的工作提議。

在短暫回到香港後，我在一家德國實驗室得到了我的第一份全職工作，成為了一個測試工程師。雖然我的同事都很和善，但工作單調且要求高。我的工作包括將塑膠杯切成標準尺寸，將它們浸入各種酸性溶液中，並進行多種化學測試。這是一份單調且成長機會有限的工作。所以，我幾個月後辭職，決定返回布里斯班，接受了行銷助理經理的新工作。

我的新工作雖然要求高，但卻很有成就感。雖然我的責任範圍從社會媒體營銷到事務性工作，但我卻覺得它比我以前的工作更有趣。我很幸運的與一個熱情的寄宿家庭，Lindsey和Elisabeth Timms一起生活，他們提供了我價格合理的居住條件。我與其他客人包括正在學英文的日本學生建立了親密的關係。我的工作地點位於布里斯班市中心，靠近布里斯班河，提供了許多活動，如皮划艇，攀岩和划槳板。

一個難忘的經驗是在新年除夕時工作。當別人在慶祝時，我忙著將酒從冰箱搬到場地，並在活動後清理。這是一份體力上要求高且有時候不太舒服的工作，但它給了我一種責任和目標。

除了我平時的職責外，我還負責處理大規模中國遊客和當地中國學生的市場，利用我的廣東話、普通話和英語的流利。我還參與了在布里斯班的旅遊節目的製作，並很高興成為一個皮划艇教練。雖然工作辛苦，特別是在涉及到多種角色的多任務處理時，它比我以前的工作更加有趣。

通過這個經驗，我提升了組織的在線形象，並將我們的推特粉絲數量增加到10,000，使我們的賬戶成為該平台上的第一個旅遊目的地。雖然一些策略現在可能被認為已經過時，但在當時它們非常有效。我的角色讓我認識到，數字營銷是我想進一步探索的領域，為我後來成為一個網站開發者的職業生涯鋪平了道路。

所以，故事在下一章繼續。

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My Time as an Undergraduate Student

I studied chemistry for three years and earned a bachelor's degree. The greatest conflict I faced was between ideals and reality. In an ideal world, I could devote all my time to scientific research. I became fascinated with quantum mechanics, the most challenging subject I had ever studied. Schrödinger's cat seemed counterintuitive in the microscopic realm, and the mathematics involved were incredibly complex, involving equations with multiple dimensions and variables.

However, I also had to consider the job market in Hong Kong, a global financial hub with limited industries. Many top students opted for business school to enhance their employment prospects, leaving morale extremely low among chemistry students. The coursework was challenging, and many instructors seemed more interested in their research than in teaching. There were a few exceptions, though; my favorite was Professor Chu Ming Chung from the physics department. He had studied under the renowned American physicist Richard Feynman and greatly expanded my understanding of Einstein's general theory of relativity, sparking my interest in the universe.

Outside of academics, I gained valuable experience volunteering with the student union. Unlike my high school's student union, which focused mainly on entertainment and shopping discounts, the university student union was deeply engaged in societal and political issues. Though most active members were public administration students, I was one of the few science students who participated. We engaged in intellectual discussions, debating the philosophy of justice and the equitable distribution of limited resources.

We also explored fundamental questions like the role of government and student unions, the necessity of democracy, and civic responsibilities. These discussions were conducted in an environment that welcomed diverse perspectives, though we recognized the risks associated with discussing sensitive topics like the Tiananmen Square protests.

I was particularly proud to be a part of the Chinese University of Hong Kong's New Asia College, founded by eminent Confucian scholars Qian Mu and Tang Chun I. They dedicated their lives to fighting communism and preserving Chinese culture. The school's ethos, focused on integrity, morality, and responsibility, had a profound impact on me.

During the summer, I traveled to the United States on a working holiday. The experience was eye-opening, from the cultural differences in public transportation to the Americans' open attitudes toward sexuality. Working a minimum-wage job selling souvenirs, I also learned valuable life and sales skills.

When I returned to Hong Kong, I faced various personal and career challenges. A long-distance relationship ended, and I struggled to find a fulfilling job. Eventually, I took a part-time job at Uniqlo, where the repetitive nature of the work led me to question the meaning of life and my educational choices.

Fortunately, I soon received a full-time job offer as a test engineer in a lab that assesses the chemical safety of food utensils. This role felt more aligned with my chemistry background and prompted less existential questioning. Before starting my new job, I took a life-changing trip to Australia, which I'll detail in the next chapter.

  • in zh
  • 1 min read

我的大學本科生涯

我花了三年時間學習化學，並獲得了學士學位。我面對的最大衝突是理想與現實之間的矛盾。在理想世界中，我可以將所有時間都用於科學研究。我對量子力學深深著迷，這是我曾經學習過的最具挑戰性的科目。薛定諤的貓在微觀世界中似乎違反直覺，而且涉及的數學非常複雜，涵蓋了帶有多個維度和變數的方程式。

然而，我也必須考慮香港的就業市場，這是一個僅有有限產業的全球金融中心。許多頂尖學生選擇商學院提升他們的就業前景，這讓化學學生的士氣低落。課程內容具有挑戰性，許多教師似乎對他們的研究比對教學更感興趣。然而，也有一些例外，我最喜歡的是物理系的朱銘鬆教授。他曾在著名美國物理學家理查德·費曼門下學習，並大大擴展了我對愛因斯坦廣義相對論的理解，引發了我對宇宙的興趣。

在學術之外，我在學生會做志願者獲得了寶貴的經驗。與我高中的學生會主要關注娛樂和購物折扣不同，大學的學生會深深地參與社會和政治問題。儘管大多數活躍成員都是公共行政學生，我是少數參與的理科學生之一。我們進行了智識討論，辯論正義哲學和有限資源的公平分配。

我們還探討了一些基本問題，例如政府和學生會的角色，民主的必要性，以及公民責任。這些討論在一個歡迎多元觀點的環境中進行，雖然我們認識到討論天安門廣場抗議事件等敏感話題的風險。

我為能夠成為中文大學新亞書院的一部分感到非常自豪，該書院是由知名儒家學者錢穆和唐君毅創立的。他們致力於對抗共產主義並保存中國文化。學校的精神，包括誠信、道德和責任，對我產生了深遠影響。

暑假期間，我到美國進行了工作假期。這次經驗讓我大開眼界，從公共交通的文化差異到美國人對性開放的態度。在最低工資的工作中銷售紀念品，我還學習了寶貴的生活和銷售技能。

當我回到香港時，我面臨了各種個人和職業上的挑戰。一段遙距戀情結束了，我努力尋找一份令人滿意的工作。最終，我在優衣庫找到了一份兼職工作，但工作的重複性讓我質疑人生的意義和我的教育選擇。

幸運的是，我很快收到了一份全職工作的邀請，成為一名評估食品器具化學安全的實驗室的測試工程師。這個角色更符合我的化學背景，並引發了較少的存在主義質疑。在開始我的新工作之前，我到澳大利亞進行了一次改變人生的旅行，我將在下一章節詳細介紹。