Recently I was allocated the job of Programs organizer for my consortium leadership camp, which aims to pick out leaders into council. One of the game, which required the students to share their views on controversial questions, really inspired me to think deeper into the meaning of being in council.
The question we planned to set for the students was: Should council be put as first priority before academics? Before even thinking about possible answers the participants would give to us, I began thinking about this question, and was trying very hard to answer it myself.
Of course, for the participants, the politically correct answer is: Yes. However, I do not have a clue to the answering my own question honestly. I must be crazy!
I began to think about the present. Recently, my fellow councillor have been commenting that I am not committed enough to council. But also just yesterday, my parents have been complaining that I have too many responsibilities at hand, and academic studies is still the basic duty of a student.
Then I linked back to the past. Why did I join council in the first place? I remembered it was because I wanted to receive the fantastic leadership education my school provides. It was enriching and of course, daunting, but I really wanted to be a level above my fellow schoolmates.
Now, I have the answer. I should have a healthy balance between council and academic education.
Going to school is the basic job of a student. We are learning in this school because we are setting up the foundations and qualifications for our future. To aspire to become a lawyer, doctor, entrepeuner, or engineer, we have to learn the required knowledge in school.
However, it is common misconception that besides basic education, other activities are not important. I beg to differ. Leadership is also an education, and this an extremely skill of life that would carry me through the rest of life. I would forget quadratic expressions by 21 years old.
As my director of consortium likes to say, "Hwa Chong is a school that provides you a very wide range of buffet food - from China culture to organizing events to examining animals in biology. You have to pick the best food , and don't make yourself too full. Try a little of everything."
My hope in 2010 is that I will not only be just a student, I will not just be a leader, but I will be a student leader that would strike a wise balance between studies and leadership. For example, I can focus more on studies when nearing tests, and focus more on organizing my event during the holidays.
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