Crossing Disciplines: My Path to HKUST(GZ)
I completed my undergraduate studies with a dual degree in Fashion and Accessory Design(major) and Statistics(minor). During my undergraduate years, continuous exploration helped me clarify my academic interests and career aspirations. Therefore, I made a challenging decision to pursue further study in Applied Statistics at Fudan University, marking a bold and drastic cross-disciplinary transition in my academic path.
During my senior year, I was juggling preparations for the graduate entrance exam while also applying for overseas programs, leaving me constantly busy. I would often stay in the library from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., watching political exam courses during lunch breaks, and memorizing IELTS vocabulary while walking. Looking back, I can hardly describe that period. I was anxious yet resolutely determined. I knew I had to follow this path.
As fate would have it, the date of the national postgraduate entrance examination clashed with my interview for HKUST(GZ). After repeated hesitation and careful consideration, I made the difficult decision to give up the long-prepared exam. Fortunately, all my efforts paid off, and I finally received an offer from HKUST(GZ). By the end of the exhausting application season, I had obtained three offers in total, including the IMBA program at CUHK-Shenzhen, the CS program at HKU, and the MPhil program at HKUST(GZ). I am deeply grateful to every professor who recognized me. Facing my unconventional cross-major background, they chose to trust my potential rather than doubt my capabilities, offering me the precious opportunity to engage in academic research in a brand-new field.
Nevertheless, I was soon caught in the dilemma of choosing between these promising offers. I consulted numerous teachers, seniors, and friends, weighing my academic orientation and future development repeatedly. On the very deadline for confirming my admission decision, I was interning at Publicis Groupe. Restless and tangled, I could barely focus on my work. Noticing my confusion, a colleague comforted me gently, “No matter which path you choose, you will excel in it. Feel Free to have your life.”
This simple sentence instantly melted away months of my anxiety, hesitation and self-doubt. I finally found peace and clarity amid all the struggles.
Ultimately, I declined the other two offers and chose to join The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). Leaving all uncertainties behind, I stepped into a brand-new journey and officially started my postgraduate life.