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Vanda Suvansilpakit’s (inset) decision to intern in the Outlook section here at the Bangkok Post has confirmed her career goals and with the support of experienced writers like Usnisa Sukhsvasti (standing) has honed her writing skills. She’s ready to take on studies at UCLA in September. |
 Udom Saengsawang, an advisor for students at Ekamai International School, urges students to think about their goals for the time between high school and university. |
"Parents who have high expectations of their children, a trend that is especially common in Thailand and other Asian countries, would prefer that their kids take summer school or other educational classes that would prepare them for college," says Udom Saengsawang, an advisor for students at Ekamai International School. "And of course to get good grades from those classes. On the other hand, the students might feel that they would benefit more doing something else, such as exploring areas of interests totally unrelated to what they will be pursuing in college. Unfortunately, very rarely do the parents agree with their children’s suggestions, seeing them as a waste of time or simply a result of laziness."
It might actually be a good idea to see what the students themselves say of their decisions. Duangkamol Harnprasopwat
 Duangkamol Harnprasopwat (Joy) is getting the much-needed time she needs to be ready for the rigours of Mahidol. It’s important to know yourself and make wise choices about your summer break. |
Bound for Mahidol University later this year, Duangkamol, or Joy, is choosing to spend her summer relaxing on the money she is earning as an English-language tutor to a Thai kid. Having gone through a typically busy final year in high school, Joy looks toward to summer as her big break of the year.
"During my senior year I was trying to gain as many experiences as I could, so I joined the Student Council, varsity sports, and various other activities," Joy says. "There was no time to really relax at all." Besides, she says, the process of making decisions about college and filling out applications consumed a great amount of her would-be free time during the year. Joy wants to spend this summer before her university opens in September doing something she has been wanting to do for so long — nothing. Well, at least nothing that would cause her to stress out. "I’m definitely enjoying my summer. The tutoring is actually fun and I finally have the chance to take part of the money I am earning and go for a shopping blast," Joy grins. And it’s more than just having a good time. Joy thinks it is important for her to get a chance to relax before going off to college. "Because once you are there," she says, "everyone will have different, higher expectations of your academic performance as well as your level of maturity. It’s like embarking on a whole new life, as a full grown adult." Joy also feels that it would not be fair for anyone to simply pass judgement on how she is spending her time this summer without first hearing what she has to say about it. "My summer might not fit the traditional ‘worthwhile’ experience in preparation for college," she says, "But I am getting the much-needed break, which I doubt I will get to indulge in once Mahidol University starts." Chang-Yu Hsieh At first glance, Chang-Yu Hsieh, or Kim, may seem the very model of compliance and diligence that most parents would beam on with approval. Although that is at least partly true, Kim has other priorities in mind. Currently taking a summer course at the University of Toronto where he will be a freshman this coming fall, Kim assures us that whatever he is doing now, it is a result of careful consideration. "I’m certainly not in summer school simply to please my parents or just for the sake of credits. One of the main reasons is that I want to get used to the university — not only its academic style, but also its surroundings and peer environment," he explains. It is important, Kim says, not to get sucked into the widespread trend of taking summer courses solely for the university credits and concentrating on getting good grades without actually learning anything. "Taking part in summer school can be a rewarding experience if you know what you are doing it for. Having a purpose can really make all the difference." For Kim, the mathematics course he is taking will help to prepare him for a similar line of courses he will be taking once the university starts, and also to assure him of his choice of concentration in the field. "The course aims to bridge the differences between the level of high school math and university math," Kim explains about the course. "It spans seven weeks, but only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The lecture, which is for everyone, takes place in the morning; then there’s the tutorial, which is taught by the teaching assistant, not the professor, in the afternoon." Furthermore, the tutorials are offered in two sections: advanced level and beginner’s level. In this way, he says, the TA can interact with a smaller number of quite similarly talented students, and aid them in understanding the lecture given in the morning. Not only will this course effectively hone his math skills, but it will also help him in adjusting to the demands of standard university courses. So far Kim loves the course, "The fact that I am enjoying it is very reassuring; it more or less confirms my decision to concentrate in this field," Kim says. Outside classes Kim is taking the opportunity available to get to know the campus and Toronto better. "One unique thing about it is that the university does not have a rigid campus. There are no walls to separate it from all those shopping malls and shops in the city. You would never know that you have already entered the campus, unless you have been living in Toronto for a while, or I should say that there’s no campus besides buildings," Kim jokes. As he considers his time to be spent this summer, Kim says it is proving to be one of the most productive and enjoyable experiences he has ever had. And he is far from worried about the stress that might result from the studies. "Why would I be (worried)? I see this more as an opportunity to get used to the system and the city than a struggle for A’s," Kim says. The Writer As for myself, I am spending two months of my summer break doing an internship at the Bangkok Post. Before making the final decision, I vacillated between finding a job that pays well and doing community service. I also considered training at the Bangkok Post. Finally I chose the Bangkok Post, for no other reason than that it was what I have always wanted to do. I did not do it for the money (obviously, as the Bangkok Post does not pay interns). Rather I did it because this particular internship affords a great opportunity for me to explore possibilities and delve further into my own interests in the field of journalism. The internship also gave me a chance to improve my writing skills in preparation for the enormous amount of writing I expect to encounter in the university. Indeed, that likelihood is confirmed by actual proven results. With many of its writers having won one scholarship or the other, there is a general consensus among the Outlook staff that working as journalists seems to make the process of filling out scholarship applications, particularly the essay sections, not as complicated as it would otherwise be. As idiom goes, "practice makes perfect". And in this line of career there is definitely no lack of opportunities to practice writing. Despite the seemingly serious nature of my internship, it is in fact proving to be a very enjoyable experience. The Outlook staff is very supportive and I have been given a chance to try my hand at several interesting assignments. I have already attended a variety of events, from fashion shows and seminars to the usual press conferences. Being present at each event and taking down notes is not overly complicated. However, the hard part is learning how to distinguish between a vital piece of information and a negligible one in constructing a story. With practice I hope to be able to gradually develop the ability. Since I will be majoring in Political Science at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), I am delighted with the prospect of seeing improvements in my writing skills. It should be an enormous help as I will be enrolling in social studies courses that are sure to be accompanied by several research assignments. Moreover, this internship would benefit me particularly since one of the extracurricular activities I am interested in pursuing is the Daily Bruins, the university newspaper. The essential writing style, techniques of searching for news stories and attaining information fall directly in line with what I am absorbing during my stay at the Bangkok Post. All things considered, the internship is turning out to be a very fruitful and memorable experience. If nothing else, it has taught me the value of having a goal in mind whenever I am about to do something. Once I know what result I want, in this case to explore the possibility of a career in journalism and to acquire useful techniques and style in writing articles, it will be practical for me to concentrate on taking the steps to realise that specific goal rather than wasting time trying to absorb everything. Perspectives So what is the best way to spend the summer before college? The answer is that there is no best way. Every person’s definition of a "worthwhile" experience varies; the crucial task often lies in keeping in mind the ultimate goal and working toward it."As students move on to higher education, it becomes increasingly important for them to understand and be able to recognise the reasons behind their actions. No longer can they simply do things on orders from teachers or anyone else without thought," Udom Saengsawang says. "Students should keep in mind what their goals are and know why they are doing certain things in order to reap the most benefits from those actions."
terryfrd@ksc15.th.com |