School may only be three-and-a-half days long each week, but life sure is hectic. You’d practically need to go back to school every day of the week, including weekends. What else but to engage in the art of mugging? Have you ever seen the library or study rooms empty? Neither have I. So what if you compacted your timetable into three days? Should you pat yourself on the back because you can have an extra long weekend? I would think not. You can’t escape from the realities of school! With an Everest of projects and presentations to tackle each semester, here’s how a water-cooler conversation might go:

Student A: Hey man! What’s up?
Student B: What else? Project meetings lo! (or substitute your own equivalent)
Student A: Sian, me too.

These aren’t the only things that need to be done in an average school semester, for if it were to be the case, I would already be kicking back and chillaxing on my comfy every afternoon. Well, there’s the all important mandatory readings before lessons ranging from a couple pages to hundreds each week. You could probably get away scot-free with not reading them, but if you are asked a question in relation to the materials, it becomes apparent to everyone that you obviously haven’t prepared for class. No one likes to be in that position.

Class time is even more nerve-racking! Just take a look at the competitive environment in each classroom and you’d realize that the circumstances are very much akin to a flock of vultures eyeing a dying animal. Let’s face it – would you rather starve to death or fight for your scraps? That’s Darwinism for you. And you thought you could get away with ‘switching off’ during lessons? Fat hope. While you try to balance academics with social life, you wouldn’t find yourself left with much time anyway. During the crunch period, one not only burns midnight oil but also the weekends working away. Only then would one fully understands what it’s like to be in a pressure cooker.

An average day starts at 8 in the morning and lessons end at about 3 for me after which there are project meetings till about 7. The cycle then repeats itself every school day. But well, at least I still have an hour of leisure time each day though I’m sure there are a whole lot of people out there who got it worse than me. It doesn’t help that you’re living each day like it was a frantic rush. Sometimes, you’d feel as if we were drones programmed to run like Energizer bunnies, but mostly, you’d just want to drop everything you’re doing and say “Forget this. I’m done.” (in an exasperated tone)

But you know what, it’s Friday tomorrow! So, bring out the champagne and here’s to surviving another week in school!