By Gaargi SHARMA (Alumini Civility Hall)

A few days ago, my Residence Master of Alumni Civility Hall, Dr. Cheung Chor-Yung, told me something during the Poon Choi Dinner organised by Hall 3. He said that according to Confucius, our mind should be like still water. It should remain quiet within and be undisturbed on the surface. Balance is achieved by being like still water. So what balance was he talking about? We are all in a festive mood. After the long winter break we had a couple of weeks of classes before getting another long break for the Chinese New Year. In all of this we must not overlook that it is already the middle of Semester B and the mid-terms are round the corner. So I would like to share my way for figuring out this balance: image form http://www.tlcschool.com/Portals/41743/images/WorkLifeBalance.jpg

• To get out of the festive mood, utilize the time to reflect and find errors in your strategy. Make a clear distinction between time for work and play.
• After finding the balance between work and play, maintain it by efficiently allocating the time.
• Mark all the important dates for the next few weeks on your schedule or better still, write it on your white board so that you don’t miss out.
• Say NO to things that tempt you, like going out till late at night, facebook-ing for more than an hour, or staying up after midnight without doing anything constructive. Sometimes, saying No is the best time management practice.
• That does not mean you should become anti-social. You should continue to participate in different hall activities and enjoy your hall life. Do your best when you work and play your hardest when not. 

Einstein, one of my favourite scientists, said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” Just as your bicycle runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther after the initial efforts, you will perform better when you get that rhythm by balancing your feelings, thoughts, emotions and goals. Add oil ：]