A new year has arrived and the students of Class 2020 are raring to start their second semester in the Honours College with something fresh. On January 14, the much-anticipated beginning came in the form of the HC Spring Retreat. This time, it was led by Dr. Zenon UDANI who would later guide the class on their leadership journey. The focus of the event was on an indispensable aspect of leadership – Gratitude.
In the multi-function room of the HC, the Retreat began with a dance to wake the spirit and banish yawns. The energizer was followed by an icebreaking activity, Passing Positivity Around, which involved tossing a volleyball around and whoever caught it had to give a short self-introduction. The ball was thrown in all manners; likewise, each student introduced themselves differently. It was fair to say that everyone had walked very diverse paths before converging at the HC.
The rest of the morning was dedicated to filming and editing short videos on gratitude. Students were required to be creative in expressing gratitude, and their collective effort was evident. After lunch at Fortune Inn, they were treated to the completed works in which memorable acts of kindness, generosity, and appreciation for the people around them left a great impression. There was an awards ceremony for Best Videos, the high point of which came when a group of students presented an apple to Dr. UDANI as a show of gratitude. His follow-up speech was not punctuated by a mic drop, rather it was preceded by one as the instructor fumbled with emotion. His brief words of thanks gave way to an invitation to go outside the room for a group photo, which concluded the Retreat.
The Spring Retreat may be simple in scale, but it has made a profound impact on its participants. The seeds of leadership that were sown in the beginning of the academic year have already taken root in the minds of Class 2020, and now with the values of Gratitude in their hearts, each and every one of them are ready to make their lives in the HC, and the University of Macau, a profitable one together.
