Mar 22, 2008

To TCU

Be acknowledged, some might find the following post offensive.

The world has become a demanding place. We demand more from others, and others demand more from us. We request for the best price, best bargains, and VIP treatment even though at times we're paying only paying a mere minimal fare. Similarly, teachers with only 2 credits demands students to pay importance of 5 credits to their lessons. At the same time we students demand the school to invest more on hardware and teaching staff, while they demand us to wear uniforms color of elephant skins. Nowadays you need 120% of immersion in every single thing you do and unwavering concentration and passion on all subjects to be qualified as 'a good Tzu Chi student'. And don't forget to wear your elephant skins and tie your hair in plaits (for girls).

Anatomy (above) and Molecular Cell Biology (below) consuming most of my time. And you're supposed to be equally good in co-curricular activities, being a responsible Exchange Officer, have good rapport with officers in the Office of International Affairs, and constantly earn attention and good image from your ever-demanding anatomy professor.

Sure, sometimes they argue it's for the discipline and equity (for the uniforms), and a good basic is foundation to every sophisticated field. But, share our shoes just this once - you're a little university with a population smaller than CLHS, and you have crap administration who couldn't even confirm when school starts when the next term is less than 6 months away, or, after receiving complaints about the dying LCD projector who switches color every 3 seconds, you decided it's more worthy to change the curtains (darker rooms means brighter contrast) instead of investing in a new projector; you demanded us to obey school rules, pay utmost attention in everything we do, and immerse ourselves 120% in schoolwork, co-curricular activities and school uniforms, but you yourself cannot fulfill our demands, is this equity in the first place?
The fact that the university has a respectable population of international students adds to your glory (or maybe, shame). The school is very generous when it comes to monetary and superficial fulfillments - MP3 players, vouchers and even cash to give away on the start-of-term gathering of the International Students' Club, but when you're in dire help of getting things done - confirming the date term starts so that you can book your air tickets home, or obtaining information on school subsidies, most staff transmogrify into the blind-deafs - 'I'm sorry, we could do nothing to help,' 'We'll try, but please don't give us any pressure. It's not our fault you know, it's the upper administration!' 'I SAID WE CAN DO NOTHING!'
I hope the day will come when we students have the power to fail schools and teachers, just like how teachers have the right to fail students. And I would, under the comments column, indicate 'insufficient immersion in things academic, low input-to-return rates for students, though after trimming away all the unnecessary flip-flops, there is chance to soar.'
Call me ignorant or a deteriorative complaint-only student, but I'm tired with immersion. For once I just hoped we could emphasize the University and not Tzu Chi. And we are here for the knowledge and not how to express superficial thankfulness. To TCU, know that lots of foreign students hold high expectations to you, just like me 2 years back. However, you've proved to be more or less a beautiful shell with the littlest contents, though still useful. Should you not evolute yourself the downward spiral will accelerate into a free fall. And it will be all-for-nothing then.
There is still hope, I pray. And next time try turning your demands inwards towards yourselves instead of directing it to us students. I wish you luck.

1 comments:

Wyatt said...

Hey there.
I couldn't agree more.
I'm had it with ISC,
i mean, i was so naive and retarded,
thinking i just might benefit something out of joining those freaks.

Guess what, screw them.
I'll finish up any leftover "assignments" they asked me to, then i'll go my own way.

And yeah, i know it's a good thing by imposing uniform on students, but please, some of those freaks have gone too far. I mean, tie their hairs into braids?

I've been thinking a lot for the past few months, did i made a wrong choice by coming here?

I just hope your choir club is still open for me to squeeze in...Sorry for bailing on you over and over again...