Today I realized that one of the better parts about being in Hong Kong is that I get to be a complete nerd. There are only a few people that can actually distract me from studying, but those few are far less effective than my boyfriend and roommates at home. It's useless trying to get anything done around that bunch. But here, I can find a chair in the library and disappear. Granted, it's much harder to find a chair because they're all occupied by locals at most hours of the day. You think I'm kidding, but I've never seen a library so busy during a non-exam period. On another note, don't let the Asians fool you. Some of them are studying, yes. Others are canoodling, talking, SLEEPING, playing on their computer-- doing anything but work. You gotta watch 'em. Little tricksters.
It's Friday evening and I've nearly finished my entire book for Women's Movement. All 256 pages. I've started analyzing my case for Tuesday. I've done all of the assigned reading for my US-China Relations test on Monday. This feeling if preparedness is not one I've had in a while. I thought I was a procrastinator at heart. Apparently, in the right place and state of mind, I get shit done.
I'm not even doing it to compete with the locals. That, my friends, is impossible and not why I'm here. They WANT us to fail. It shifts the curve in their favor. They say, "You should be traveling. Go! Have fun! See you next week." I don't really care about all of that.
It's just nice to be a place that reminds me that I'm "good" at the college thing. At UT, I'm surrounded by a bunch of overzealous business students who exist only to remind others that they're smarter-- in one field or another. They make me feel lazy. "They" (usually finance or Business Honors kids) like to display their busy schedules and flaunt their interview courtships in a tireless effort to stand out. When in fact, maybe they should just come to China. All they have to do is exist, not thinking or doing, and they'll stand out. Students will look at them and assume they're going places simply because they speak perfect English and are from the US.
College is wonderful. It makes you realize it's ok to just 'be.' You can sit in silence or among a sea of people and feel good about just being you. I don't study to prove other people right or wrong. I study because I enjoy it; it makes me feel smart without having to tell anyone.
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Study Abroad Spring 2008: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
2 comments:
I liked this post. Very thoughtful, with just the right amount of humor. Very Laura.
Love you!
The one thing that I was most excited about when you told me you were going to China was, for the first time in your life, the spare time that you were going to have available to you.
Sometimes I forget that I've been spoiled, both by my pedigree (I have an interestingly laid back family) and by my habits. I've been lucky enough to be self-reflective for years, and that's bred all sorts of wonderful self realizations that I'm sure you remember quite well.
You don't need years, though. The time you're spending there in China will prove to be plenty, and I'm so excited that you're getting a chance to just let go of the rat race for a couple of months.
If nothing else, you'll smile a little larger tomorrow. :)
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