LIFE OF A STUDENT: ASIAN EDITION

DO YOU RELATE?

Do you find yourself awake at odd hours of the night? Do you wake up early not for sunshine but for academic-shine? Do you drink coffee for hydration and water to keep you alive? Do you want to become a doctor or engineer as they are the only options available? Did you hate math since 5th grade but never failed in it? Do you also think European life is a dream and is worth the chase? Are you afraid of failure just because of some relatives always knocking on your door? Do you think academic validation is still better than any other kind of validation? Can anybody tell your subjects just by looking at the wall in front of your workspace? Do you minimize social interaction just for at 10/10 in a subject? Do you outwork your potential just so your parents could be proud of you? Do you always think you are behind because you didn't do that 5th revision? Do your vacations involve doing that extra to be better than others? So are you normal or are you an Asian student?

IT'S A 9.5 NOT A 10

While growing up academic validation was a real die-for thing for me. To be honest neither was I pretty enough for the society nor was I friendly enough (being an introvert) as a result I decided to seek something which was cheaper than a cosmetic surgery. Yeah, you got me right the academic validation was something that got me in the spotlight for being a person with high scores, good notes and class teacher's left hand. It was all good until someone told me that it's a 9.5 not a 10, harsh hmm? But trust me there's so many like me out there that have heard this before, and they don't feel sad about it, nonetheless feel the need to make it 10. If it's not a 10 nobody needs it, 9.2, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7 you can get them, but you have to work harder next time to get a 10 as uncle XYZ's son worked harder than you and got a 10. The pressure generated to do better works even better when your life's chapter 15 is compared to someone's chapter 155. Even if your parents are happy about a 9.5, there will always be someone whose got a point that if you let your daughter/son get morning sunshine with some soaked almonds they can do better because they got the genes. Asian or not I think a 9.5 or a 6.5 should be appreciated (just hoping my mom skips this line, or I'll be homeless in no time).

THE ASIAN UNCLE AND AUNT

The non-Asian readers reading the headline will be thinking about the relativity and at the same time would have a lot of curiosity so let me just unfold the theory for you. In Asia, we have a strong bonding culture with our relatives from the moment we are born, to the moment we die, and even after the eternity; god knows. Don't get me wrong I did love my relatives until I was 13 as my brain was still creating neurons, and I finally discovered why my uncle loves talking about his children's academic results in front of my parents.

“Oh my god sis, I love how my nephew/niece is doing so well, I wish my son could also be like him/her. Recently he got an A in math and I scolded him, he better gets an A+ next time ".

These lines had different meanings for me at different phases of my life, the 9-year-old me was happy about my cousin's success but didn't get the anger and disappointment my parents showed afterwards. On the other hand the 13-year-old me hated this conversation and always tried to do better next time, surprisingly the 17-year-old me never heard this conversation as she was finally the one getting the A+s. Happy ending, huh? Wish I could say that but you guys know right? I was rejected for medical school and not a long time passed until uncle XYZ was ready for some gossip.

But don't you worry, this 19-year-old is different she has installed a filter mechanism and absolutely doesn't let stuff get up to her head, she knows what she is doing and wholeheartedly believes in herself. No matter the grades she get; if she knows she did her best it's all good.