Bad education

Science or art? This is a choice I was faced with ten years ago. Fast-forward to 1998, after the first year in high school, we had to choose between the two. Besides Chinese, English and mathematics, which were compulsory subjects, science students focused on physics and chemistry, while art students on history and politics.

I chose science without hesitation. I couldn’t stand the dates and historical events being drummed into me and learning everything by rote. Or maybe the darkness of the Middle ages and the resplendence of Renaissance Europe were too far away for a 16-year-old. I actually wasn’t interested in science either. I struggled in byzantine physical theories and fell asleep over chemistry formulas.

So you can imagine how miserable my high school life would be. 12 classes a day, 7am to 9pm, Monday to Sunday, Jan to Dec. The only spare time was Sunday afternoon. If I could call that spare time.

Despite my stupidity on certain subjects, I was pretty good at English. So after graduation, I chose English as my major. It was a miracle. I survived and finally broke out of the prison.

When I entered university, I found myself being surrounded by elites from all over the country. I was jealous of those with deep philosophical thoughts and admired those who can reel off history. I shouldn’t have wasted my youth on science exercises. What good did it do to me? Logical thinking? Hopefully.

When it comes to making choices, there is no right or wrong. It is always the not-so-wise choices that teach us something and we grow mature in these lessons. And coming of age is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives us the right to choose what we want to do and give up what we don’t.