Greener Grass

Early to Bed and Early to Rise,

Makes a Man stupid and blind in the eyes.

- Ender, Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)

Sound familiar?

Yea, It's exactly the theory I'm testing out now, rising at 6.30am to watch some overdue online lectures and so forth.

Apparently you can tell it's working real fine since I'm here happily allowing myself to get distracted.

Once more, I'll be doing a post on stuff related to nothing.

Prior to coming up to Australia (Since we're all aware Australia is after all, at the top of the world)

The question of 'Was it worth it? Spending such a large sum on education?" Constantly ran through the mind.

Everyone around assured me then, don't worry 'it's for the experience'.

Whether they be saying it as a form of 'comfort' or 'reassurance';

The truth, I've yet to find.

However, having been here for almost a year, it seems like those words do hold some truth.

Studying abroad is something that a Singaporean can never experience in well...Singapore.

Take for example, being a hot blooded male, the chicks here. Checking them out is perhaps the one most important life skill that can never be learnt in ANY classroom. However developing this hidden talent is a necessity for a male's survival in the stressed environment 'University'. And Perth for one, has MUCH MUCH MUCH to offer. (I cannot emphasize how much is much)

Where this serves as always, a motivation to drag oneself out of bed in the morning for morning lectures.

Especially so when it rains the night before (Yes, it DOES rain in Perth)

If you thought sleeping in Singapore when it rains is nice.

Dear Friend, wait till you've tried Perth.

(Any better, and it's orgasmic)

Moving on,

the study atmosphere, from what I've come to realize after 12years in the Singapore education system.

It is all but a rat race, scrambling to reach the top.

In Perth, (whether for better or worse) is more laid back, where the University and student body aims in trying to get students involved in the University, for the whole 'Uni Experience'.

Uni-wide games like 'Humans VS Zombies' are randomly held during the week. Where the sight of random 'Human' players screaming and running away from 'Zombies' whilst traveling from lecture to lecture meets the eye.

Lecturers too try and make lectures interesting (well...most of them anyway)

Dipping bits of sarcasm during lecture, as well as providing heaps of demonstrations

'Is that guy sleeping? Or has he actually died?

Cause I really doubt anyone can die from Maths'

-Prof Gorden Royle (Math1010)

'The only way to get out of a test, is to get hit by a bus or something'

-Prof Lyle Noakes (Math1020)

Compared to what I've experienced 'crashing' the more popular Singapore Unis, where lecturers drone on and on and on...

Not to say that such lecturers don't exist here of course.

Many a time I've prepped myself with 2 double expressos before a particular lecture.

Only to find myself waking up after, with drool all over my notes.

Well, I guess I've run dry on things to say for now.

But if you be reading this, and be studying in a local (SG) institutions, please, do try and get an overseas education exposure if possible, through exchange, internships...or whatever else.

The main point being:

Head out, Explore!

It's worth it.

For sure.

(Unless you get mugged or something during your duration of stay I guess.)