The Demanding Generation

It has been a long long time since I updated my blog.

Once in awhile, I will come across a new occurrence that I have to write down.

SPM result was released exactly a week ago, and students of class 2011 are now rushing to enrol into colleges or universities. And I came across this chat on Facebook about scholarship (it never will please everybody).

Malaysian students have become a "demanding" generation. Pampered with scholarships thrown from hundreds of universities/colleges, it becomes a norm for students with top result to "demand" for scholarship. It is so unlike my generation who graduated in the 90s.

We do not demand for scholarship back then, as we were taught to apply and hope for scholarship. We do not think that because we are top students in school or district or state or national level will earn us a full scholarship.

We took our result when it was released and quietly filled up scholarship application form to universities/colleges. We quietly, eagerly and patiently sat at home, waiting for our dear postman and checked our mail box everyday to see if there was "good news" among the letters.

But it wasn't the same anymore.

Parents and students walk into education fair and asked for scholarship proudly and when you inform them that they have to fill up and apply for scholarship, they will raise their eyebrow and said,"You don't have full scholarship? My son scored 10As in SPM with 6A+."

If you go to the western countries like U.S. or U.K., where their universities and academics are rated among the top in the world, students are fighting among the best to get a small chance for scholarship. They do not demand, they want. They do not ask for it, they fight for it.

There is a difference between "demand" and "want".

Good results in SPM or even straight As in A-Level or degree do not mean you will be successful in the future. Such good result is just a bridge that can lead you there, but with the wrong attitude, you will fall from the bridge halfway and the destination will never be reached.