The Science Stream
My passport says I'm a student, so I stick to that. I mean, I am a student, just not one who is actually studying anywhere. But I hope to study soon, so... I just don't know if I need to change the occupation in my passport or if it doesn't matter. Last year, a guy at the immigration counter asked me where I was studying. I had just finished my A/Ls and was waiting for my results. So I told him the truth, even though he was a bit confused by the London A/L system and why I did only one subject in November.
This year I had to lie. At the gate, as I was giving my passport to the guy standing by the machine that we send our belongings through, the guy asked me where I was off to. "Thailand," I told him. "Are you studying?" he asked me. I told him I was, since that's what my passport says. He wanted to know if I was studying medicine. "No, arts," I answered.
(Now, a fib isn't a criminal offense so don't try to accuse me of lying to airport security!)
So anyway, I was quite offended by the disappointed look on his face when I told him I was doing arts, which I did for my A/Ls and hope to do when I finally get around applying for a degree. But arts isn't as fancy as science or maths or even commerce. Or so people think.
When I did my O/Ls certain relatives thought I would do science for my A/Ls and then I got an S for O/L science; just one grade above the failing grade. So they decided that unlike my brother and cousin, I wasn't meant to do science. The next option was commerce which I got a B for. And I still think the examiner felt sorry for me, because the paper was two hours, and thirty minutes after writing my index number on the top of the paper, I was done answering it. The examiner came up to me and said, "you have one hour thirty minutes left." I looked at my watch and nodded. "Did you double check your answers?" Yes, I answered. He seemed a bit unsure about what he should say next. Finally, "well, sleep then." And I did.
So someone saw my paper which wasn't even half-answered and felt sorry for me. Cause I didn't understand a single bit of commerce and hated studying it. My mother gave up on me and got this tuition master to come to my place and teach me. On the first day, just three months before the O/L exam, he asked me what I needed extra help on. I said, "everything." He wanted to narrow it down a bit and asked, "well, what do you understand?" and I said, "nothing." I never heard from him after the third class.
Which meant that poor dumb Shailee had no choice but follow the arts stream. And everyone thinks arts subjects are easy. "Oh! It's not like science or even commerce. Art is simple as pie!" Well, I studied history, A/S maths, psychology and law and let me tell you that none of those subjects were easy. You had to study your bum off and then study some more. So science, commerce or arts, no matter what stream, you need to study. You have to do a whole lot of research, study on your own and if you don't do any past papers, well, get ready to fail.
And when people look at me with pity when I tell them I did arts, I only want to slam my fist into their faces. Especially in Sri Lanka, people always think only the super intelligent can do science. And so just to prove that they are bright and smart, these poor kids stay up past 3 AM studying, and they finally pass their exams and before they can say Boo! have already started their degree programs. And everyone wants to be a doctor! Or an engineer or lawyer. And any other career is for losers.
When I tell people I write for a newspaper, they all think it's a short term thing. Who in their right mind would consider that a real job, right?!?
Let me tell you this, if you are just choosing your streams, whether its O/L or A/L or university, choose subjects you like. Your choice of subjects shouldn't determine your intelligence, and people have no right to ridicule or insult your career choice. People can say, "it's such a waste you aren't studying to be a doctor, such a bright child you are," ignore such people.
In the end, you have to look back and be proud of what you do. Not because it proves how intelligent you are or how perfect you are, but because you spent your life doing something you love.
I may never have a Dr in front of my name. I haven't even started on my BA, which I plan to do... soon. But every Sunday, when I turn the pages of The Nation and read the articles of the people I work with, and I see my stories on print, I feel incredibly happy, and incredibly proud. The pay mayn't be much and very few consider it a real job, but it's something I love doing and that's all that matters.
This year I had to lie. At the gate, as I was giving my passport to the guy standing by the machine that we send our belongings through, the guy asked me where I was off to. "Thailand," I told him. "Are you studying?" he asked me. I told him I was, since that's what my passport says. He wanted to know if I was studying medicine. "No, arts," I answered.
(Now, a fib isn't a criminal offense so don't try to accuse me of lying to airport security!)
So anyway, I was quite offended by the disappointed look on his face when I told him I was doing arts, which I did for my A/Ls and hope to do when I finally get around applying for a degree. But arts isn't as fancy as science or maths or even commerce. Or so people think.
When I did my O/Ls certain relatives thought I would do science for my A/Ls and then I got an S for O/L science; just one grade above the failing grade. So they decided that unlike my brother and cousin, I wasn't meant to do science. The next option was commerce which I got a B for. And I still think the examiner felt sorry for me, because the paper was two hours, and thirty minutes after writing my index number on the top of the paper, I was done answering it. The examiner came up to me and said, "you have one hour thirty minutes left." I looked at my watch and nodded. "Did you double check your answers?" Yes, I answered. He seemed a bit unsure about what he should say next. Finally, "well, sleep then." And I did.
So someone saw my paper which wasn't even half-answered and felt sorry for me. Cause I didn't understand a single bit of commerce and hated studying it. My mother gave up on me and got this tuition master to come to my place and teach me. On the first day, just three months before the O/L exam, he asked me what I needed extra help on. I said, "everything." He wanted to narrow it down a bit and asked, "well, what do you understand?" and I said, "nothing." I never heard from him after the third class.
Which meant that poor dumb Shailee had no choice but follow the arts stream. And everyone thinks arts subjects are easy. "Oh! It's not like science or even commerce. Art is simple as pie!" Well, I studied history, A/S maths, psychology and law and let me tell you that none of those subjects were easy. You had to study your bum off and then study some more. So science, commerce or arts, no matter what stream, you need to study. You have to do a whole lot of research, study on your own and if you don't do any past papers, well, get ready to fail.
And when people look at me with pity when I tell them I did arts, I only want to slam my fist into their faces. Especially in Sri Lanka, people always think only the super intelligent can do science. And so just to prove that they are bright and smart, these poor kids stay up past 3 AM studying, and they finally pass their exams and before they can say Boo! have already started their degree programs. And everyone wants to be a doctor! Or an engineer or lawyer. And any other career is for losers.
When I tell people I write for a newspaper, they all think it's a short term thing. Who in their right mind would consider that a real job, right?!?
Let me tell you this, if you are just choosing your streams, whether its O/L or A/L or university, choose subjects you like. Your choice of subjects shouldn't determine your intelligence, and people have no right to ridicule or insult your career choice. People can say, "it's such a waste you aren't studying to be a doctor, such a bright child you are," ignore such people.
In the end, you have to look back and be proud of what you do. Not because it proves how intelligent you are or how perfect you are, but because you spent your life doing something you love.
I may never have a Dr in front of my name. I haven't even started on my BA, which I plan to do... soon. But every Sunday, when I turn the pages of The Nation and read the articles of the people I work with, and I see my stories on print, I feel incredibly happy, and incredibly proud. The pay mayn't be much and very few consider it a real job, but it's something I love doing and that's all that matters.
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