The experience of surviving a storm is always inspiring and unforgettable. As a sailing lover, Cataleya Cao, from G11-5, has been learning from storms. Recently, she organized an exhibition themed "Turn Your Fear into Respect" in the exhibition hall on the 4th floor, sharing her sailing experiences.

In January 2025, Cataleya joined the “Sailing in” team for the 2025 MGM Macao International Regatta. For the first time, she encountered winds with a maximum of 39 knots. She was terrified. Yet that was when Captain Jim said something she still remembers to this day: "This is nature. We should respect nature, not fear it. Try to turn your fear into respect!”

That powerful sentence helped her complete that regatta and became her sailing motto. Later, she shared it with a fellow sailor who also faced extreme conditions during the World Youth Sailing Championships in Portugal, inspiring her to persevere through the game. That moment convinced Cataleya of the power of those words, and now she hopes to spread them to more people. Thus, this exhibition called “Turn Your Fear into Respect" was born.

The exhibition was composed of three sections.

The first section focused on basic basic knowledge about sailing, demonstrating four-season training gears and various sailing knots (“the art of sailors”), and introducing special materials for sailing gear and the three-layer dressing rule. It also presented fundamental physics and geography knowledge related to sailing.

In the second section, Cataleya introduced her sailing-related experiences. She displayed photo collections of the training, competitions, and camps she had participated in. This section also featured model boats including a 3D-modeled and 3D-printed NACRA 15 and introduced some unique onboard facilities from a four-day, three-night offshore experience.

Sailing is not only a sport but also nurtures the heart. The third section of the exhibition featured sailing-related books and research. Cataleya shared her personal reflections from her sailing experiences and displayed her self-designed souvenirs.

The exhibition helped students better understand sailing as a complex, challenging sport. Cataleya's introduction of the four-day, three-night offshore experience illustrated how various facilities on boats (e.g., sewage systems, stoves) are specially designed for sea conditions, very different from land facilities. Yet the biggest challenge sailing entails lies in the sailers' qualities. Cataleya's introduced various skills needed for sailing, such as tidal height calculation, chart drawing, and weather forecasting, illustrating how sailors are required to be knowledgeable and skillful. The wetsuit, harness, buoyancy aid, helmet, ankle protection boots, half/full-finger gloves, and polarized sunglasses featured in the exhibition allowed the audience to imagine how hard and complicated sailing is and the strict requirements it poses on atheletes' physical and mental strength. Meanwhile, the photo collections demonstrated the changeable nature of sea conditions, which urges sailors to analyze calmly, react flexibly, and cooperate efficiently.

The exhibition as a whole conveyed the message of what "respect" truly means and how it is important for success. As Cataleya said, “Respect comes from a sufficient understanding and well-prepared actions. Fear is not the way to solve problems or overcome difficulties. Respect is.” She hopes the audience will better appreciate sailing as an experience distinct from that on land. She also hopes this sense of respect rather than fear will give everyone power and resilience in the coming application season and help them "reach the shore".