Hong Kong

Have you been feeling overwhelmed and stressed lately, and asking questions like “what’s my counterclaim to this argument” and “does eating count as activity hours for CAS?” Well if you have answered “yes” to all the above, it means that you’ve reached your final two years as an IB student! But rest assured: all of your tears, coffee, and many many sleepless nights will be all worth it when you go to university.

Planning to major in Psychology in year 2, I’m currently studying at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) as a social sciences student. HKU typically offers a 4-year program to undergraduate students. The first year is usually an “exploratory year” which provides freshmen an opportunity to explore the various disciplines offered by the faculty that you belong to, and also to do courses that are completely unrelated to your faculty. Once you’ve reached year 2, you will need to declare your major discipline of study and from then onwards your study will become more specialised and focused upon the disciplinary major you’ve chosen.

One thing that I’ve noticed after receiving a semester of higher education is the emphasis on critical thinking: the ability to evaluate and analyse concepts and ideas, judging whether they are valid or not. Sounds familiar? Yes, it is the exact same skill you are using to write your Extended Essays, TOK essays and many other assessment tasks that require you to evaluate and analyse. University tutors and examiners place a huge emphasis on critical thinking, as it shows that not only you’ve understood the material, but you’ve also placed your personal input on it. It is a way for you to show the examiners what you truly feel about an idea or concept discussed in class, and it’s also a way for you to take ownership of the knowledge received.

Other than critical thinking, higher education at HKU also emphasises independent learning. For the courses that I’ve taken, we were instructed to conduct our own investigations and research. Having done the Extended Essay and many IAs, I am already equipped with the research skills vital to finding relevant information and data to support my arguments and hypotheses. Though doing the Extended Essay and IAs were burdensome throughout the 2 year Diploma program, I really have these assignments to thank when it comes to independent learning at HKU.

Never would I’ve ever thought that I would say this during my two years of IB Diploma education, but I am really glad that I’ve done the IB. I wish everyone who’s doing the IB the very best. Remember: it’s all worth it in the end!

I remember how nervous yet excited I was before entering university. University is the time when I can do whatever I want, we can skip lectures, dye our hair, it’s the time without any restrictions or boundaries. Everything has changed, the grading system, the examination method, the way teachers teach, it’s like a complete new chapter of my life. University is a challenge for me, I need to study many subjects, some might seem random, yet it’s rewarding as it allows me to become more independent. It’s great to make new friends, broaden my perspective and expand my scope of knowledge. Despite the workload is still a lot at university, no matter how tired or exhausted and sometimes frustrated I am, I still enjoy my university life and I hope to see my fellow VSA schoolmates more often in the future.

1、大學生活的反面教材

自入學到現在，我從沒參加過任何社團活動，而是把時間與精力都花在個人學術體系的構建上，包括閱讀中醫經典及後世書籍、練習針刺基本功、思考與歸納整理等。佛教謂發願，道家謂立志，實名異而理同，為一切事業之根本。發心之清濁，直接決定各人往後的格局和見地，所以有人說開始就是結果，確非無稽之談。故此，大學生應著重於辨識自我，儘早「知天命」（降格概念），確立今生所走的路線，並在此基礎上錘煉身心，不斷前進，不斷學習。

可能同學會有疑問，若秉持此特立獨行的作風，豈不會對社交生活造成不良影響？是否應該注重搞好人際關係及建立人脈？此乃本末倒置之見。《易·系辭上》言：「方以類聚，物以群分。」當你以恬淡虛無的心來學習醫道的時候，自然會感召到志同道合的夥伴、朋友乃至前輩、老師，與你一併靠近「道」，互相扶持、指正，並逍遙於天地之間。另一方面，不要以交朋友的心態去打造人脈，兩者之間有根本性的區別。所謂的人脈，本質上是功利性的，並不是你認識了多少人，而是多少人想認識你！話說回來，我在大學也認識了好幾位朋友，但終究還是止於泛泛之交的程度。原因很簡單，不過是彼此的志向與格局迴異罷了。實際上，我的主要交流圈子在大學之外，且在外面結識到不少良師益友，包括在廣州中醫藥大學精研《傷寒論》的T君、通曉術數命理風水的L老師、看透武術本質的某君，還有亦師亦友的S老師（我視他為引路人）以及針藝卓絕的Z老師⋯⋯等，不勝枚舉。諸位師友使我的視野得以開闊，並學會了不少東西。

2、簡談中醫的學習方法

學習中醫的核心是提升自己對人體和天地的認知，繼則落實到身心上，並以臨床診治作為具體呈現，而不是傻乎乎地學習知識。知識儲備固然重要，但更關鍵的是思維框架的構建。談到學習方法，這裡面有一個很大的分野，即是「本」與「末」。學「本」，則是觀察並體認人體在內外各種影響之下所作出的反應，例如：喜怒哀樂、飲水吃飯對脈象的影響、天時地理對身心的影響等。再如：我們每天玩手機和走路，經常活動手指和腿腳，便可以藉此機會觀察手腳活動對經絡氣血所產生的影響。至於學「末」，則是學習現有的理論框架和其他前輩所留下的臨床經驗，並在此基礎上收集數據，進一步填充修正，再建立個人的學術體系。其實，兩種學習方法本不矛盾，學生可以由末達本，猶如在走路自如之後便可將拐杖捨棄，而悟性極高者可直接從本入手，以究天人之道。但是，有很多人一輩子卻踏不出「末」的圈子，一直學習別人的經驗，淪落為經驗醫學的信徒，且對行業和學術的發展均無貢獻。本末之別，學子需謹記於心，勿令廢亡。

接下來，就中醫學院的教學方面分享一下個人的淺見。首先，理論與實踐是嚴重脫節的，若只走學院的路線，則難以成才。其次，理論方面有根本性的錯誤，導致有不少學生以為經脈只是一條線，亦不知經脈如何跟天地相應（如太陰應濕氣、衛氣隨日節律運行、經緯與經絡的關係等），甚至根本就不知道有這麼一回事。《靈樞•經別》云：「十二經脈者，此五藏六府之所以應天道」，經典已然明言，你們為何視而不見？另外，我在見習期間的見聞，更是讓人心寒。看到帶教醫師施針的時候，心中毫無經絡時空概念，亦不曉得配穴與針刺手法，真是太悲哀了。

如果讀者對中醫感興趣，建議先慎重地理清自己的目標和動機，並看清自己願意付出多少，否則永遠都不能上路，而致渾渾噩噩，徒廢光陰，乃至成為中醫的罪人。尚有許多方面還沒展開來談論，可書不盡言，言不盡意，還是止步於此吧。

To me, there are two big differences between my life at VSA and my life at CUHK. Firstly, everything felt so small and contained in VSA: every classmate and every teacher I encountered felt like a big deal to me. At CUHK, there are 20 thousand students in total, 230 medical students in each year and about a dozen lecturers (teachers) for each major-required subject, so most individual people seem no longer as important. Secondly, medical school is much harder than the IB program, but most of your IB skills are quite useful for medical school and for university in general. The exception is that rote memorization skills are much more important in the first three years of medical school than in the IB.

CUHK is an amazing university to study in, with a comfortable environment and lots of nice, supportive people. It also has lots of lazy and sloppy people who don’t put in work during group projects, but those people exist everywhere. I was lucky enough to get 4 years of guaranteed on-campus residence, which has a big positive impact on my university life.

I still hang out with some of my VSA classmates, juniors and seniors. Usually I arrange to see each of these friends once or twice a year. Many of them are still great people, and I’m glad I got to share so many interesting memories with them.

To those of you who want to study medicine (and I know that there are many of you in the class of 2019): medical school is great, but it isn’t for everyone. You need to be either super smart, super passionate about medicine, or both to survive even the first few years, not to mention all the challenges faced by doctors. I’m pretty passionate about medicine myself, and I’ve even been playing and streaming surgery simulation games in my free time.

To those of you who are frustrated with the IB or struggling in various ways: surviving the IB program is already a great achievement! Try to focus on the good things in life, like tasty food or enjoyable friendships, and try to get enough sleep despite all the challenges. I know what it’s like to struggle academically nowadays, but I’ve also realized that your grades aren’t everything.

To every student in VSA: good luck, and I hope you guys can treasure the experiences you have and the people you meet here!

After high school, university is probably the best alternative to carry on with academic studies for most people. Likewise, it is a whole new chapter of my life and is totally different from high school. University gives me a lot of freedom such as that I don’t go to school as often as in high school, I only go to school on a couple of days rather than the whole week. I get to hang out with my friends more often and I have more time to do whatever I want to do. It even offers more opportunities for me such as taking up a position in some societies and gaining some experience as well as to sweeten my résumé. So in general, university is a fun and worthwhile place for an intellectual and entertaining learning experience.

I was very excited and looking forward to university after I finished the IB exam in May last year. I thought it would be a new chapter of my life where wonderful things would happen because everyone kept telling me how amazing their university lives were. Indeed, you get a lot of freedom in university, you can eat in class, no uniforms, and not only free lessons but also you get a whole day or days off, but surely you will have more responsibility. Even though I’m studying in Hong Kong, most of my friends are studying overseas and you start to experience this “cultural shock” in university because it is very different to the culture of VSA. It takes time for us to adapt to university life. Academic-wise, during the orientation camps, you will constantly hear people (seniors) telling us (the juniors) which courses are easier; which courses are good grades; which courses are poor grades etc. And these comments will easily distract you while you’re working on your course selection. I do enjoy my time at HKU, but certainly I am still adapting to university life, because there seems to be a difference between the first semester and second semester. For example the schedule is completely different, some courses are highly competitive because of limited spaces available for that particular class. But still, I enjoyed my time so far in HKU despite the endless readings we got for each courses.

University, or college some would call it, is a rather complicated environment. Different from the passive environment in secondary, where teachers and parents feed everything into your mouth, you're allowed to make all the decisions starting from here. Most of you must have seen the "Golden Triangle of IB", which you are only allowed to choose two out of three from Sleep, Social life and High IB Scores. Well, in University social networking can be considered as most important. Why? Simply because if you make good friends, you'll get good group mates for you projects and you'll be able to get your work done efficiently! That makes up for good marks and more sleeping hours. University life is all about responsibility and making good social networks for your future. Make more friends (find responsible ones) and it'll make your life much easier and happier.

Taking the IB is tough, not in the same sense as the HK A Levels ( which many claim to be one of the toughest curriculums in the world) but rather in the sense that it requires a lot of independent, out-of-the-box thinking. However, taking the IB is also very rewarding, and perhaps, like me, you will find yourself missing VSA and the IB when its time for you to study at university.

To all of those frustrated and stressed with the upcoming final exams: just relax, and enjoy the experience. Enjoy spouting all your worries and ranting to your friends, and more importantly, enjoy those moments spent together in class or in the library, the whole group of you with your heads together, trying to figure out just what your teacher meant, or trying to decipher the ridiculously thick textbooks....for you may never have the chance to work together with a bunch of close friends as innocently and happily as you do now. The world out here is big, and people may not be who they seem to be, but your secondary school friends, those who grew up with you, will always be by your side. This is the spirit of the alumni association.

And to those of you in the lower year levels, who are still struggling to adapt to secondary school life and are clueless as to what the teachers expect from you: you, too should take those worries from your mind. You are so young and there are plenty of opportunities out there for you, don't be afraid to try. And know, always, that there is the whole family of VSA students, old and young, who are here to support you.

A year before, I had just submitted my EE final draft to school and on the same day I had my second draft of my Business IA due and submitted as well. One year later, I am already a graduate of VSA, and soon my first semester of university will be completed. How fast time flies? I miss those days a lot. I miss the days when we were still a Year 12 students, fighting against deadlines to have our Internal Assessments completed on time, and I miss those times where we had interclass competitions, house day and swimming gala. But I knew those days will never return. We are old, and we are now university students. I just want to say that: I miss my high school a lot, I miss every single day from my secondary and I miss my senior schoolmates.​

In a world that's full of competition, arguments and conflicts, everything becomes blurred. But then, you will know there is always one thing that you believe in, that would be you HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOLMATES. They are the REAL True friends of yours. So please do treasure your time in VSA, because you will never have another chance anymore in the future to go back to high school period.