Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

I was a Harry Potter fan. I started to read the first book of the series in primary four, about 3 years after I watched the movie on the big screen. I must admit I was very much attracted to the story plot, and the books were probably the only English novels I touched during that time. I guessed I have read the first and second books twice. The entire Harry Potter fever peaked at the last book, and slowly faded until part two of the last movie. I would say I grow out of it. Until the emergence of this new franchise.

Many details of the entire story I do not remember, including Newt Scamander as the author of the textbook "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". Though I remember vaguely there is such a textbook which Harry studied. I do not remember he appears in the Chocolate Frog Cards as well. But that's the surprise, doesn't it? That many of the small tiny details are actually hidden somewhere throughout the series. 

I would say it is a nice movie, at least to me. In a way it satisfies my curiosity of the wizarding world which Rowling created. It fills the knowledge gap as what happened before the age of Voldemort and Harry Potter. And the setting of 1920s adds another sense of mystery to me as the world back then was absolutely different from the world I live in now.

I guess it's every primary school kid's dream to receive an enrolment letter from Hogwarts. But as a kid I used to gauge how big is Hogwarts. My primary school had a total of 2000 students from primary one to six. It seems like there is just a handful of students in Hogwarts, far less than the crowd depicted on the stadium during a Quidditch match. It is also the only school in Britain. The population of the wizards and witches was quite a problem to me at that age as it didn't seem to make sense in my wild imagination. In the series we know there are other schools across the globe, it made me wondered was there a Chinese school in China and how about South East Asia. In this movie we finally have a glimpse of the wizarding community in America. They refer muggles as non-mag. And perhaps you might not need a passport but you need to apply for permit of a wand. Besides, there are others magical creatures apart from the ones introduced in the series.

Next, I am particularly fond of Eddie Redmayne in this movie as Newt Scamander. He gives that innocent looking face and the care-free spirit of a young adult pursuing his passion. I notice that he always bends his neck at an angle, is this the side effect from portraying Stephen Hawking? In the movie, Newt is very passionate about all the magical creatures, he will be a great vet in our world. That motivates me to be passionate about what I am doing now. Or perhaps the courage to pursue what I really wanted to do. 

As I am reminded of the characters in the book series, there are indeed a lot of possibilities where each character's story can be expanded. There are many notable ones and also many less known ones such as Newt Scamander. Really looking forward to more stories even though there are some in Pottermore already. There will be another 4 more movies in this franchise, can't wait to see how the story unfolds!

在考试后谈读书

终于熬过了考试那三天，整体上来说还算满意，只不过在温习作业的过程中发现有许多地方需要再花时间去了解和记忆。当时候就理所当然地告诉自己在假期时好好恶补吧。我想我发现了一个真理，虽说读书不是为了考试，但为了考试有其读书的模式。很惭愧的，自小读书最大的动力是考试。也许当时看不见所读的书有什么实际作用，而那时读书最实际的作用是考试获得佳绩。因此，考试成为了大多数学生鞭策学习的工具。只要在压力承受得了的范围内，考试是让学生愿意下功夫的好工具。

这却和那句“读书不是为了考试”产生了矛盾。儿时的自己觉得那句话很有深度，但不是真正晓得其中的大义。这句话就像其他小时候耳闻的格言一样，变成了自己仿效的目标和完美人格的标准。我就不停地告诉自己读书不是为了考试，却也没去思索话中的意义。我就像为了考试而读书般去记得这一句话，但它只停留在大脑表皮，没有渗入心里。久了，自己也就被自己骗了，以为自己读书真的不是为了考试。

再大一些，开始对那句话的意思有一丝明白。既然读书不是为了考试，就不要死记硬背，要活学活用。可是，中小学的许多科目，都算是基础，在我当时的生活派不上场。就这样，读书还是为了考试过关。就算是自己喜爱的科目如华文和物理，如果没有考试，也不会细心反复地去琢磨，也不会好好地做研究，只会在兴趣的驱使下翻阅资料而已。

到了最近，也就是明白自己读书的目的地后，才完整地达到读书不是为了考试的境界。身为一个医学生，我读书的目的是为了能够治疗病人，最起码也不要损害病人的健康。我要学的毕生无穷尽，却与我日后的职业息息相关。我必须能够应用我在这几年学的知识，才能够履行我的职责。忽然之间，知识的运用有了更崇高的范围，不仅仅是在考场上而已。这让考试不再是读书的焦点。原来，当一个学生彻底明白读书的目的后，他读书就自然地不是为了考试。

就这样，我继续地发现考试和求学是两回事，虽然两者之间有一种关系。当你明白这是两回事后，就会知道各个有各个的方法。我知道我读书是为了当个出色、不害死人的医生，因此读起书来就会以这个为出发点。自己还不够了解的课题会勤奋地探索和记忆，不会马虎。如果我天资过人的话，就可以以同样的策略轻松地战胜考场。只可惜我并没有那么天才，也没有过目不忘的能力。假设我秉着同样的信念，想在考试前把所有应该懂得东西都记住，那么我在考场上必定碰钉子。熟读兵书不代表就可以打赢每一场仗。同样的，熟记所有的知识不代表会作答每一道试题。应对考试，目的是要顺利过关以便能够结业。虽然考试的目的就是希望测试你是否有适当的知识水平，但单凭大量的知识累积不能够确保考试顺利，其中之一的原因是出题方式的不同。试题往往都是考重点，因此勤做习题来准备考试才是上策，并不是花大量时间来研究。当你透过习题来熟悉出题者的思维后，考试便更加得心应手了。

总结来说，在医学院要考好成绩不一定要满脑学问，只要多看历年考题（考题会被循环使用）。这就是所谓的为了考试，有其读书的方法。

考试加油吧！

再熬多一个星期就可以回家了，回家过圣诞、元旦、生日和农历新年。

当考试越来越接近时，心里就会开始慌张，总觉得有太多的课题要复习，大脑容量不够。此时偏偏大脑也开始疲惫，好像马上进入考场考完算了。

和每一次面临大考一样，心底深处对考试后悠哉的盼望就如一股春泉，源源不绝地从心口溢出，为快要干枯的精神提供动力。就再读多一些吧，不要松懈，做最后的冲刺吧。我相信大多数的学生都是这样挺过去的。

给和我一起奋斗着的好友们，大家一定要一起毕业。

给快要毕业的鸭子和嘉文，这就是学生生涯的最后一关了。

再次拿出我曾经过人的自信吧！这道坎，我必定会跃过去的！

新人类？

从前只以为别人可以把你当朋友，或者是不当朋友。当朋友的，就好好珍惜；不当朋友的，就不相为谋。这似乎非常直接了当。

最近才发现，其实别人可以把你当朋友，或者是好朋友。怎么说呢？他们看起来就是你的朋友，有时又常常约你吃饭聊天和你接近得让你感觉他们当你是好朋友。而你日积月累，也觉得你们变成了好朋友。突然，他们做了一些你认为不该对好朋友做出的事，却发现其实他们并没有讨厌你。你开始挣扎，试图明白是怎么一回事。后来你退一步，站在一个普通朋友的立场上看事情，惊讶地发现他们的所为完全没有错。原来，他们一直只当你是朋友，一个普通的朋友。他们偶尔对你的过度善良，骗走了你善良的心。

其实不是他们，只是她。她，是我个人第一次遇见此类型的新人类，目前还没遇过第二个。有人说，这就是她的性格，就像我偶尔喜欢放纵自己的情绪一样。到头来只能怪自己多心了，都是自己让自己痛苦。

以后该怎么相处呢？闹到了这个地步，我们往日大概不会有交集了。基于大家还是要一起上课的理由，尴尬终究会化解，但我已汲取教训，好好保守我善良的心。

感谢身边的好友，真正的好朋友，不管你们在世界的哪个角落。还有还有，那位特别的妳。我知道我的性格脾气，今年才彻底知道不是每一个人能够谅解，有些人还会反击。