Domain

Explanation

Stu … dung?

• It's Student 學生 - 學習的生命
• A student has the dictionary meaning of one engaging in the process of cultivated learning

How to be studnug?

• Simply put,
• A student can be anyone striving to learn something
• As Learning is one of the 4 attributes of wisdom 智慧, a student can also said to be cultivating wisdom
• To be considered a student, similar to critical thinking 深思熟思, the following attributes need to be satisfied in general:

1. Need for studies: curiosity, motivation, urge & requirement to learn, investigate & use certain new concepts & things; or to unlearn certain useless misconceptions 學以致用
2. Physiology of learning: perceptual, stimulus-response, motor & complex relational learning as development of learning skills
3. Anxiety of learning: For transformational learning to occur, survival anxiety > learning anxiety; else only tutorial learning is carried out
4. Modes of learning: autonomous, associated, memory & transformational learning
5. Awareness of own learning styles 知我知者也: Linguistic, Logical-mathematical intelligence, Visual-spatial, Musical intelligence, Bodily-kinesthetic, Intra-personal intuitive intelligence, Inter-personal, social intelligence
6. Pursuance of helpful resources: when in difficulties, seek people 三人行必有我師, tools & equipment 公欲善其事, 必先利其, knowledge resources (hard sources like texts & publications, soft sources like Internet) , know-how techniques (codes, methodologies) 技巧 through research
7. Venue of learning: conducive place for learning & interactions constituted by the physical environment, cultures, diet, amenities & activities
8. Exchanges: interactions involving external relationships of mentor-apprentice, peer-peer, student-teacher & resource-researcher

• The merger of these 8 characteristics is the student

Academic side?

• Consistent motivation & quality studies
• Preparations:
• Tests

More on the venues?

• The venue is the place of studies
• In formal studies, the venue is often institutions of higher learning
• These include tertiary institutions like universities & polytechnics, or polytechnic universities
• These institutions can be located:

1. Local relative to place of permanent residence: in the vicinity or national boundary; studies here is more convenient
2. Overseas relative to place of permanent residence: beyond national boundary; studies here is less convenient, hence involves more in-depth considerations

• Considerations when choosing overseas institutions include:

1. Relevance to needs of learning & own aspirations: fitness level
2. Quality of courses: staff, resources, research, facilities
3. Expenses: costs of tuition, living
4. Cultures: environment, people, foods, activities

• Choose the one with the highest matching of the 4 considerations

Potential venues?

• Major institutions of higher learning are in:
• US: all areas, expensive, mixed cultures, congregation of top talents
• UK: mix of tradition & modern education, varied cultures, expensive, knowledge-intensive
• Europe: same as UK, less expensive
• Australia, New Zealand (4million): shorter courses, less expensive, representation of all cultures, interaction-intensive
• Canada: academic excellence, highest SOL, less expensive, encouraged to own vehicles & explore country
• Japan: academic excellence, expensive, uni-culture, knowledge-intensive
• Others offering higher learning include:
• Russia: mix of traditional & modern academic, historical cultures, less expensive, few cultures
• China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore: improving academics, mixed Asian cultures, not expensive
• Thailand: hard sciences, agro-culture, not expensive
• India, Bangladesh: mix of agro-sciences & academic, cheap, mixed Indian cultures
• Middle East: arts & social sciences focused, not expensive, mixed religious cultures
• South America: Latin arts & sciences, not expensive, mixed Euro-American Indian cultures
• Africa: natural sciences & academics, test-bed for front-end technologies for developing worlds, not expensive, Swahili cultures
• In general, the more coverage of courses, the higher the quality of courses, the more popular the destinations, the more developed the country, the higher the standard of living, the more varieties of foods & cultures, the higher the expenses & costs of living & tuition
• There is a compromise, hence choose diligently

Cultures?

• For those comfortable with the present, choose familiar cultures along with familiar foods & activities
• For those edging for a break, teasing for new encounters or wishing to expand social horizon, choose the more exotic cultures & soak in their essences
• Social wisdom

Last words?

• Life as a student is often more carefree with freedom for exploration
• Thoroughly soak up the experience that you have always been wishing for
• & let the pages of your student life diary not be empty
• Best of all,
• Learn & realize what you have set out to experience on this journey