Become Lazier or wiser? 怠惰になりますか？賢くなりますか？

"If we are not busy, people here would think we are lazy." A member of Bible Study group told me this joke. 

I never consider myself as a hardworking student. Unlike some persistent students who would try their very best in any subjects no matter if they like it or not, I usually spend time on the subjects/class I like most. As a result, my public examination results were not good at all, from HKCEE (standardized examination for high school in Hong Kong) to GRE (Graduate Records Exam).

I worked quite hard during my undergraduate years, because I could study in my favourite History Department. I always went to bed at 1 or 2 a.m., and even worked overnight at the end of semesters. Apart from time management problem, it was about my obsessive writing style. I could not stop myself to present the primary sources and arguments, hence my essays often doubled the required word number, e.g. I wrote 6,000 words while the prof. only required 3,500. It was a busy yet rewarding period. Nonetheless, it was definitely not good for health. Frequent asthmatic attack, chronic gastritis and GERD were the extra gifts with the first class honours degree and the M.Phil. offer.

The PhD program here is much tougher than undergrad. and MPhil study in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, I no longer work overnight. Frankly, I can't finish all the weekly readings in many courses. I mean, we normally get 300-page reading materials for each seminar, and we have three seminars each semester. Maybe I am too incapable, I am neither a robot nor calculator, I just can't finish or digest so many pages even I don't eat or sleep. I tend to read some pieces in detail, and leave the others that I am unable to go through. I go to bed when I really feel tired.

In terms of sleeping hours, I look like less busier than my undergraduate years. Does that mean I am getting lazier? Haha, I really don't know.I just think, we should learn to do things wiser. Progress and development are good things, but maybe we have to consider seriously on how to make them manageable and sustainable. Excessive ones might cause trouble or burn out our passion. 


私はいつも頑張る学生じゃなくて、好きな学科だけを勉強します。中学二年目から、歴史が好きです。私の専攻は好きな歴史だったので、大学の時に　勉強しにあまり寝ませんでした。遂に、第一級優等学位を取ったけど、健康はあまりよくなくなりました。だから、今の勉強の方が忙しいですが、毎晩は寝ています。真夜中は勉強できません。

ここの勉強の方がずっと大変です。毎週は読み物がたくさんありすぎます。 私はロボットと電卓じゃないですから、 すべて読めません。それに、自分の研究は本当にしたいです。私の仲間もそう思っています。実は、いくつかのセミナーは面白くて有用ですけど、他のセミナーと読み物は残念でつまらないです。 とにかく、PhDのプログラムは研究の方が、授業より大切だと思います。ですから、いくつかの読み物は読めだったら、たぶん大丈夫です。

今の方が、大学の時より、もっと寝ますから、あまり忙しそうじゃないですね。えーと、 私は怠惰になるそうですか？賢くなるそうですか？ハハ、本当にわかりませんよ。

人生も　社会も、ブログレスより、持続可能なプログレスの方が、大切だと思います。それに、一番大切なことは身体と心の健康ですね。