Newsletter No. 483

當 校園裏的每個角落都變得熱鬧起來，就知道新學年又開始了。 自八月下旬起，中大為一眾新生舉辦了各式各樣的迎新活動，當中最矚目的，莫過於由逾二 千位新生合力組成巨型「16 CU」及心形圖案的「書院會師顯創意」活動。九所書院的新 生由所屬書院校園出發，於大學本部的林蔭大道「會師」，齊聲叫口號及「砌字」，若從高 處俯瞰，場面更為壯觀。活動除了讓他們體驗中大獨有的書院制度，加強對其所屬書院的 歸屬感，又可團結所有中大新生，在輕鬆的氣氛相聚，合力完成屬於2016中大新生的獨特 字型。 在正式開學之前， 沈祖堯 校長於本科生入學典禮上歡迎所有新生，寄語他們珍惜大學教 育與校園生活，並將這段時間化為人生的轉捩點。他建議新生在未來數年，起碼認識三件 事：就是認識自己、認識世界需要甚麼和認識如何與人共事。對於即將迎接大學生活的新 生來說，這裏或許是他們上學生涯的最後一站，若能將上述建議付諸實踐，必定能擴闊視 野，令未來四年的日子過得既充實又豐盛。 本學年共有約三千九百一十名本科一年級新生加入中大，聯招生佔約二千八百四十 名，99.5%以中大課程為Band A選擇。整體收生成績理想，於文憑試考獲至少一科5**成 績的全港考生中，35%獲中大錄取。 入學新生中亦有不少才華橫溢之輩，包括十位獲全額學費贊助的第二屆「多元卓越獎學 金」得主。該獎學金由民政事務局頒發給約二十位在體育、藝術或社會服務等範疇表現卓 越而符合大學收生基本要求的中學文憑試畢業生。此外，透過「運動員獎學金計劃」入讀 新學年 新面孔 New School Year, New Faces 03 # 4 8 3 | 1 9 . 0 9 . 2 0 1 6 great way for city dwellers who normally keep to themselves to connect with one another. The face-to-face interactions are way more beneficial than online ones to a person’s mental health, according to research findings.’ 4. The rule of uncertainty and scarcity plays a large role. Rewards are more exciting and valuable when they are uncertain and scarce. For one thing, we can never predict which critter is going to pop up on the screen; such uncertainty about the next reward tremendously increases excitement. For another, among the full list of 151 Pokémon, some are considered rarer and harder to catch, as measured by higher CP (combat power). When we succeed in catching those, it feeds our sense of fulfilment and superiority. That is an important reason why people are motivated to scale mountains in search of a Dragonite, or sneak into funeral parlours to track down a Gastly. 5. The herd effect is a powerful force. We are influenced by what others around us do, so if everyone is playing Go , no one wants to miss out on the action. ‘I believe many are not huge Pokémon fans, but under peer pressure or in fear of having nothing to talk about with the rest, people feel compelled to jump on the bandwagon,’ explained Professor Hui. Despite its unprecedented popularity, Go has reportedly lost around a third of its users in recent weeks, which Professor Hui again attributed to how our brain handles new things: however excited AR once made us feel, the novelty wears off as our brain begins to get used to it. ‘The game developer should consider adding new features, like allowing players to trade Pokémon with their friends or battle against them, to sustain novelty and tap deeper into people’s insatiable appetite for social connection.’