Message from Keith
Well, the year 2021 is almost in the rear-view mirror. But before we were able to say goodbye, or perhaps good riddance, we find ourselves dealing with the arrival of yet another new Covid-19 variant, called Omicron, that could set back our hope for a return to pre-pandemic normalcy in 2022.
Before we despair, let’s look back at all the positive developments of this last year.
First, here in Hong Kong, we have managed to keep the coronavirus at bay. That has come at great sacrifice to many, including people like myself who long to travel abroad to see family and friends but are deterred by the prospects of a 21-day quarantine upon return.
Many people find three weeks of isolation arduous, arbitrary and lacking any scientific basis, an assessment I share. But when I see a thousand people a day dying of Covid-19 in the U.S., or the violent anti-lockdown protests in Europe, I suppose we can be thankful that life’s rhythms and routines here in Hong Kong have mostly seemed normal. Hopefully soon the government will see the sense in reducing the quarantine for returning travellers to a more reasonable week or 10 days, perhaps with a follow-up period of self-isolation and testing.
We can also be thankful that our classes were able to resume face-to-face on campus. It struck me how disruptive the past two years have been when one second-year undergraduate reminded me that her first year had been entirely on Zoom, and she had never met her classmates face-to-face until this semester. It would still be great to see students’ faces and smiles once we can dispense with the masks. But for now, let’s be grateful we are back to in-person learning.
The Faculty of Social Sciences was also able to hold its 205th Congregation in person on December 5, and it was great to see so many Bachelor of Journalism students and Master of Journalism students able to attend the event in person. We had to do it without family and friends in the Grand Hall due to pandemic restrictions on capacity, but it was a great celebration that we did make available on video.
The pandemic started at the tail end of the Year of the Pig, accelerated around the world during the Rat Year, and seemed to become our interminable “new normal” throughout this Year of the Ox. I’m told that the upcoming Year of the Water Tiger promises positive change. Let’s hope so — Lordy Lordy, we need that right now.
And before I say Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and see you next year, one final note; we are now accepting applications for our 2022-23 Master of Journalism programme. Our best and most effective advertising is word-of-mouth, meaning — you. So if you know any qualified candidates who are interested in studying journalism, or who want to hone their journalism chops, let them know they can find more information about how to apply here on our website.
Happy holidays, everyone!
Keith B. Richburg
Director, Journalism and Media Studies Centre
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