2024.08.26
A group of faculty holding up NTHU pennants while the freshmen respond by lighting up their mobile phone flashlights.
School has started! National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan recently held an orientation camp for the 1,900 students in this year's freshman class. The theme of the event was “The World of Magic.” NTHU president W. John Kao (高為元) said that if you want to cultivate a new ability, all you have to do is adopt a plan and put in the effort; the results will manifest, “as if by magic.”
In a video made during the event, students spoke about the new skills they want to acquire. Many said that they want to improve their communication skills, and Kao suggested reading a few books on communication skills, taking a class, practicing with classmates, and asking them to provide suggestions for improvement, adding, “By making a solid effort in this way, by the time you graduate, you will surely be a master of communication!”
Kao emphasized that magic is not something easily mastered and that the protagonists in movies and novels always go through a long period of study and hard work before gaining the magical abilities required to defeat their archenemies. His advice for freshmen is to think about the abilities they want to cultivate, make a plan for doing so, start working hard at it right from the first semester of college, and keep the goal in sight while steadily moving towards it.
Kao also shared a powerful mantra: “Without a doubt, I can do it!”
Stir up Imagination, Explore the World
Student teams took the lead in planning the freshman orientation camp, and the flags of NTHU's 12 colleges were hung high in the gymnasium for the event. A group of faculty led by NTHU senior vice president Nyan-Hwa Tai (戴念華) held up NTHU pennants and chanted the school motto. The freshmen responded by lighting up their mobile phone flashlights, symbolizing lighting up the future.
Tai called on students to spend 20 minutes every week thinking about their study goals, pointing out, “When you have a goal, you feel that all the hard work is worth it!”
Hui-Ling Chen (陳慧瓴), the student organizer of the camp, said that they chose magic as the theme to stimulate the freshmen's imagination and spirit of exploration. This year's virtual campus tour had seven levels; after downloading the iNTHU app, students who completed all the tasks received a limited-edition button badge and a drink bag.
Promoting Sustainability
The school's gift pack for freshmen included a reusable bag, a glass lunch container, and a set of reusable spoons and chopsticks. The lunch containers came in two sizes---800ml and 1,000ml, and those who use them at on-campus restaurants will enjoy a discount.
Chen explained that the environmentally friendly spoons and chopsticks are made of food-grade 304 stainless steel, and that the reusable bag with a panda image was designed by a student team and is easy to clean. He hopes that students will make frequent use of the gift pack, thereby reducing the use of single-use plastics.
Yan-Jun Chen (陳妍㚬), a freshman in the Department of Arts and Design (Art Group), said that the orientation camp and video impressed upon her the dynamic school spirit at NTHU, and that she is looking forward to cultivating her communication skills and improving her self-confidence. Another freshman, Xi-Jie Wang (王熙潔), found the ID holder in the gift pack to be cute and practical, adding, “I can't wait to use it!”
NTHU faculty giving a rousing welcome to the class of 2028. From left to right: vice president for global affairs Shin-Yi Peng (彭心儀); vice president for general affairs Hsiang-Kuang Chang (張祥光); vice president for academic affairs Yung-Hsien Wu (巫勇賢); senior vice president Nyan-Hwa Tai (戴念華); chief secretary Chih-Kuang Yeh (葉秩光); dean of student affairs Hong-Lin Chan (詹鴻霖); and Po-Wen Chiu (邱博文), director of the Office of Research and Development.
NTHU president W. John Kao (高為元) in a video encouraging freshmen to cultivate new abilities.
NTHU president Kao in a video encouraging freshmen to cultivate new abilities.
NTHU president Kao's mantra for success: “Without a doubt, I can do it!”
The NTHU gift pack for freshmen included a reusable bag, a glass lunch container, a set of reusable spoons and chopsticks, and an ID holder.
On the reusable bag is an image of the NTHU panda in the guise of a witch.
The NTHU gift pack for freshmen includes an eco-friendly lunchbox, a spoon, and chopsticks.
The NTHU glass lunch container in two sizes---800ml and 1,000ml.
Freshmen using the reusable NTHU lunch container.
Freshmen who completed all the tasks in this year's virtual campus tour received a limited-edition button badge and a drink bag.
NTHU freshmen with their gift packs.
NTHU freshmen with their gift packs.
Freshmen at this year's NTHU orientation camp.
