Tonight, I would like to recall a term familiar to many of us. It’s the “USP Spirit”, or, as some of the more enthusiastic of us calls it, “USPIRIT”.

The root term of “Spirit” is the Latin word Spirare, which also means “breath” or “to breathe.”

To me, the “USP Spirit” is not just some fancy ideal. It is embodied, and it is us who embody it. By talking about the “USP Spirit,” we are talking about how these four years in USP have moulded and shaped our entire persons. It’s become a part of our habitus — just like breathing.

Let me offer you what I think are the three greatest qualities we’ve gained from embodying the “USP Spirit”.

SPIRIT OF CURIOSITY

Firstly, to embody the “USP Spirit” is to embody a “Spirit of Curiosity.” Now, curiosity did not come out of nowhere. It was first cultivated in our Writing and Critical Thinking modules. Where our Professors tried to help us find a “motive” and “thesis” for our papers by sweetly asking us: what really interests us about our readings? Only for us to find out many consultations and many re-submissions later, that what we were originally interested in was actually not very interesting at all.

But of course over time, our carefully tailored programme nurtured this spirit of curiosity. I will never forget, there was one semester I had to wake up in the morning to grapple with the fluid dynamics of “squishy” animals with Prof Saif Khan, and then in the afternoon immediately going for Prof Lo Mun Hou’s class to trace the problematic history of “gender”.

At the end of the day, I swear I could literally feel the two halves of my brain being used! My point is that our classes were incredibly diverse and engaging. There was always this sense of wonder and curiosity when stepping into a new USP class.

A “CAN-DO” SPIRIT

But of course, over the years, we have discovered that just having a childlike curiosity is not enough. Truly maturing as a “USP Scholar,” also requires a “Can-Do” spirit.

What is a “Can-Do” Spirit? Well, I think this is best illustrated in the Inter-Faculty Games (IFG). Whenever IFG comes around, we like to joke that as long as you are in USP and you can run and throw something, you should be playing a sport. Many of us got our hands and feet dirty from catching Frisbees or paddling canoes even though we’d never done these things before. Most of the time we didn’t win anything, but it was this “Can-Do” Spirit that really mattered.

It is with that same “Can-Do” spirit that led to fulfill many other noble aspirations: From building electric motorcycles, to conducting [a special] tuition programme for underprivileged children, to documenting forgotten communities in Southeast Asia.

My point is that university has served as a kind of harbour for our ideals, but it is really the grit of a “Can-Do” spirit that will carry our ships out to unchartered waters.

SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY

Finally, besides a CURIOUS and a “CAN-DO” Spirit, tonight, we also embody a “Spirit of Community.” Now if we are honest with ourselves, the truth is that we are quite an idiosyncratic bunch. But we have learned to work and live together as a community, especially as the pioneering batch in the UTown Residential Colleges. This place [Cinnamon College (USP)] has become a home for many of us, and it will always hold many special memories. From studying together, to the late night captains ball matches, the heart-to-heart talks in each other’s rooms, or just coming back from a terrible day to find a note of encouragement waiting at our door.

In these moments, we realised that life was not just about chasing that elusive grade, but also about caring for those around us. We may have learned many things in the USP, but there is no greater knowledge than knowing we are loved. And that, to me, is the gift of a Community Spirit.

Carrying Forward the USP Spirit

So, is the USP Spirit still relevant as we move on from University life? I believe so. And not just for us in USP, but all of us graduating tonight.

As we move on to our respective careers, our expertise and knowledge will begin to narrow. But let’s always possess a sense of wonder with a Spirit of Curiosity for different things.

As we enter the so-called “real world”, our ideals will be tested and it’s possible to get disillusioned. But let’s draw upon a “Can-Do” Spirit to find strength and grit whenever we are discouraged.

As we graduate tonight, we say goodbye to some of our dearest friends here in USP. But let’s remember our Spirit of Community, by treasuring and holding on to these friendships.