Share
At the Link University Scholarship presentation ceremony in early March, 220 local university students were awarded scholarships in recognition of their outstanding academic and community service achievements. The students participated in an innovative “Infinite Game” workshop, where they enjoyed two novel games to stimulate their creativity and foster their team spirit and communication skills. This one-of-a-kind experience inspired the students to ponder life’s boundless possibilities and the various definitions of success, motivating them to challenge conventional wisdom and, more importantly, to live a fulfilling and purposeful life.
The awardees were divided into 20 teams to take part in two rounds of games. In the initial round, participants had to locate a QR code, scan it with their smartphones and engage in an augmented reality game where they answered questions to accumulate points. In the subsequent round, they were tasked with crafting paper airplanes from recycled paper and then land them within a designated area. The more successful landings achieved, the higher the team’s score.
Christine Cheng, a year-one medical student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, shared her delight: “I noticed that the rules didn’t specify the need to fold paper airplanes the traditional way, so I suggested to my teammates that we go for something unconventional, thinking outside the box to come up with our own definition of an airplane. We crumpled the paper into balls and tossed them effortlessly into the landing area. I discovered that we don’t always have to blindly follow convention or abide by the rules. Being flexible and adaptive are also important traits in life."
Similarly, Aishah, a Hong Kong-born Pakistani student studying biochemistry at the University of Hong Kong and a first-time Link University Scholarship recipient, remarked on her team’s experience with the plane-folding game. She recalled her team coming to a realisation as the game moved into the third round. When the host reminded the participants that there were no restrictions on the size or shape of the paper airplanes, Aishah’s team quickly adapted, using all available materials and the simplest, quickest method to get the planes into the landing zone. “The game changed my perspective and inspired a completely different way of thinking. It encouraged us to be more flexible, open and creative both in school and in life, to be all that we can be in everything we do.”
Samuel Ng, an engineering major at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, highlighted the collaborative spirit and the art of compromise during the plane-folding game: “At first, I concentrated on creating a conventional paper airplane capable of reaching the target landing zone. It wasn’t my idea to roll paper into balls and throw them. A teammate came up with this game-changing strategy and earned our team easy points. This showed us all how flexibility leads to fresh possibilities. Although our team didn’t win in the end, we worked extremely well together. Everyone had their roles and respected one another. That’s very important.”
The “Infinite Game” workshop was tailored specifically for Link Scholars by Catherine Wong, Warren Lee and their teams. As Catherine explains, the game’s objective is to provide a platform for young students to explore their creativity and delve into life’s values in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. “If you feel that life is a game of constraints, you will follow the rules and feel let down when you don’t succeed. That’s not what we want for our young people. Instead, we hope to empower students to define success on their own terms. When they plan for the future, they don’t have to limit themselves to careers or industries that have been labelled ‘successful’ by society. It is more important to pursue fulfilling and purposeful work while also contributing to society.”
Catherine observes that while academic achievement and knowledge acquisition are significant in school, life itself is akin to an “infinite game”. Each stage of life presents unique challenges, and there is no predetermined endpoint or time limit to this “game”. Through the “Infinite Game” workshop, Link Scholars not only unleashed their creativity but also translated their innovative ideas into action. They displayed courage to take risks, make mistakes, and embrace their individuality.
