New Year promises a new beginning. What dreams and wishes do you have for the Year of the Snake? Check out what our colleagues and students have to say.

Wei Zhao   Rector
I hope colleagues and students can work together to complete the relocation to the new campus smoothly. I also hope everyone can take some time out of their busy schedules for their family.

George Watt   Master of the Pearl Jubilee College
Living in Macau means two new years—the Western and Chinese. This allows two sets of wishes. The first is for the exciting and positive formation of several new residential colleges that will give UM students an enriching and exciting university experience. The second is for a more peaceful world, especially in Syria and Afghanistan.

Han Dong   Year-1 student of e-commerce, FST
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Meaning:

[ In mathematic means “begin with boundary”

) In mathematic means “ends without boundary”

Olli Māki   Year-3 student of marketing, FBA
Get to know Asian culture better. Make new friends. Start a company!

May Zhang   Year-2 student of accounting, FBA
Maya people’s miscalculation kept the whole world in dread for a time, but it also delivered a surprise gift of “rebirth” to everyone. On the prophesied doomsday, I returned to Macao from Beijing, where the snowy night made me convinced that tomorrow would not be the end of the world, but rather another beautiful day full of hope and promise.

Zenon Udani   Assistant professor of management, FBA
The New Year is a good occasion to renew our commitment to love and serve our family, friends and neighbours. May we, with our whole heart & mind, be “sowers of peace & joy”. God bless!

Sylvia Chen   Administrative assistant of Centre for Macau Studies
The happiest thing for me in 2012 was that I got a little rounder. I look forward to the addition of a new member in my family in 2013. I wish my family lots of happiness and health.

Tang Keng Pan   Professor of Chinese, FSH
I want to thank UM for nurturing me into the first local professor of the Department of Chinese.
I want to thank the Macao SAR government for awarding me the Medal of Cultural Merit.
I will continue to make my humble contributions to UM and the Macao society with a grateful heart.

Maria Antónia Nicolau Espadinha   Professor Emeritus of Portuguese, FSH
No limiar de um novo ano, que se anuncia muito importante para a Universidade de Macau, desejo a todos os colegas e alunos, para além do sucesso dos seus projectos, felicidades, saúde, alegria e paz.
(On the threshold of a new year, which is very important for the University of Macau, I wish all colleagues and students success, happiness, health, joy and peace.)

Terry Lam   Acting head of the Campus Services Section
I wish everyone more joy, less worries, and lots of health and peace in 2013!

Emily Wu   Year-3 student of psychology, FSH
How time flies! I’ll be celebrating my third Chinese Spring Festival since I started university. The longer I’m away from home, the more I realise how much I love my family. No one can ever replace them in my heart. The Chinese Spring Festival is a rare opportunity for family reunion. I feel awkward about telling my family face-to-face about how much I love and appreciate them, so I want to say it through My UM—I love you. I hope everyone’s dream comes true in the New Year. I wish UM more successes. I love UM.

Rachel Li   Year-3 student of English, FSH
New Year’s coming! I’m graduating!
I hope everything goes well in the New Year. I will give my best at everything I do and try to slowly figure out what I want to do with my life.
2013, I’m coming!

Lei Chin Pang   Senior instructor of communications, FSH
The journey of studies, like the journey of life, has so much more to offer than meets the eye. I wish every fellow student an endless expanse of stunning views along the way, and I also hope everyone enjoys the inevitable detours and setbacks that may bring refreshing surprises in the end.

Helena Tan   Secretary to Dean, FLL
I open the new calendar and hear the relentless rhythm of the train of life roaring forward. Why don’t we smile off our needless worries, be true to ourselves and others, and enjoy the journey to the fullest?

Katrina Cheong   Director of the Communications Office
The new campus relocation is just around the corner. Hope we can embrace the challenge together, good communication will go a long way.

May everyone’s dreams, published here or cherished in the heart, all come true in the Year of the Snake!