{"id":48231,"date":"2026-06-26T10:14:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T02:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/?p=48231"},"modified":"2026-06-26T16:37:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T08:37:44","slug":"the-hku-community-a-tapestry-of-memories-shaping-my-life-work-and-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/48231\/the-hku-community-a-tapestry-of-memories-shaping-my-life-work-and-home\/","title":{"rendered":"The HKU Community: A Tapestry of Memories Shaping My Life, Work, and Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Zishuo Patrick Xie (MACC 2025)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zishuo Patrick<\/em><\/em> Xie, a 2025 MA graduate of HKU\u2019s School of English, works as an Account Manager focusing on AI technologies in the APAC region. Based in Shanghai, he cherishes the lessons of empathy and community instilled by his alma mater.<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Receiving the call for submissions from the Alumni Magazine instantly brought back a flood of memories from my days at the School of English, HKU. These aren\u2019t just distant recollections; they are threads that have quietly woven themselves into my life, my work, and my family. As a graduate of the Class of 2025, I want to share how this community has turned fleeting campus moments into lifelong guiding principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My time at the School of English went far beyond lectures and textbooks. It was a living, breathing community where learning spilled out of the classroom. I still vividly remember our afternoons in the Black Box<\/em><\/strong>\u2014that modest tutorial room with blacked-out walls that felt like a sanctuary of exploration. There, guided by Maria (whose mentorship I still cherish), we dissected literary identity and embraced the nuances of human expression. Those sessions taught me the power of deep listening and empathy, skills that have become the bedrock of my career and my role as a husband and father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, my journey wasn\u2019t a straight line. In 2024, I made the difficult decision to take a leave of absence. It was a period of uncertainty, but the community didn\u2019t let me drift away. I am deeply grateful to Mandy, whose support was nothing short of a lifeline. She offered not just administrative guidance to help me navigate the complexities of returning, but also the emotional reassurance I desperately needed. Her kindness bridged the gap between my pause and my return in 2025, reminding me that I still belonged. That experience taught me that true community isn\u2019t just about celebrating successes together; it\u2019s about having a safety net when you stumble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That spirit of support was mirrored in my interactions with classmates, from impromptu study huddles in the Main Building corridors to rainy afternoons crowded in small caf\u00e9s, watching the clock tower while reviewing essays. We laughed through our stress and lifted each other up, a lesson that has carried me through career shifts and the challenges of raising a young family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, working as an Account Manager in Artificial Intelligence, I find the critical thinking and communication skills I honed at HKU more valuable than ever. The ability to analyze narratives and craft meaningful stories\u2014skills nurtured in classes with Long\u2014has helped me to connect with global audiences on a human level, even in a tech-driven field. At home, I try to pass this spirit of curiosity on to my seven-year-old sister, sharing stories of my campus days to inspire her to embrace both learning and kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The School of English didn\u2019t just educate me; it gave me a community that shaped who I am. It showed me that academic growth is inseparable from personal connection. Looking back, I am grateful for every late-night discussion, every shared meal, and every hand that reached out to pull me back up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. The HKU community will always hold a special place in my heart.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Zishuo Patrick Xie (MACC 2025) Zishuo Patrick Xie, a 2025 MA graduate of HKU\u2019s School of English, works as an Account Manager focusing on AI technologies in the APAC region. Based in Shanghai, he cherishes the lessons of empathy and community instilled by his alma mater. Receiving the call for submissions from the AlumniContinue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48231"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48231"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48354,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48231\/revisions\/48354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}