STU-DYING

15 Hours of study is no joke. Student in South Korea is already in this kind of pain ever since they were young. Country known as developed country by high level education surprisingly put much higher pressure on student since elementary school. Yeah, they are studying, but you can't spell studying without DYING. Maybe there is a connection between the high suicide rate and high pressure inside South Korea itself. Click read more guys.

Once upon a time in my high school, my Korean buddy told me about his schedule when he was back in middle school. He was maybe around 12 or 14 years old student back then. He came to school everyday anjd came back home at 10 pm. After he came back, he started to study again until midnight. Since I experience private school when I was middle school in Indonesia (only until 5 pm), I was a little bit depressed and feel like the freedom is taken away from me by this private school. Thus, I couldn't believe what he say, and if it's the truth, I might kill myself. After watching video, I realized that this is real and I was thinking about suicide at the same time due to high pressure.

Compared to International student, Korean student has higher quality and usually aced in the similar exam like SAT. However, it takes a lot of freedom from the elementary school student and they met teacher MORE often than they meet their own family. One more thing, the university exam is their goal, and if they failed, they lost everything on their life. Mostly the reason of suicidal culture is because south Korean caught in the middle of tradition transition and younger people compete since they are in school [1]. The other source said that mother that have really high expectancy often pressured their own children and end up causing more pain [2]. Parent support is the one which can save them or kill them in this kind of pressure. In the third sources, Suicide is an escape option and based on study korea teacher association and korea counselling adsociation, 41-43% student has suicidal thought [3].

As a student, failure might looks bad. Since high school in Busan, I felt different pressure compare to my country and I failed a lot until now. I failed my TOEFL IBT exam (got only 78 but need 80), couldn't go to my first university, and fail my reaction in lab (I am doing column while making this blog). However, I look on the bright side. If I didn't fail my university test and enter that university, I might mot miss the chance to do an awesome research with my current professor and less social life with Korean student. Thanks to my parent and my religion, my mindset is positive and never of this option. 

In conclusion, suicide is pretty bad trend in Korea for student who failed their exam. Yeah, it's a good way to escape, but who want to miss awesome chance of your life in the future later. Seriously though, If I caught you trying to hang yourself, I will stop you and maybe play League of Legend together. LOL hahaha

SERIOUSLY, DO NOT SUICIDE WHEN YOU FAIL.

Reference:

[1]http://www.salon.com/2014/03/15/why_is_suicide_so_popular_in_south_korea_partner/

[2] http://smudgem.blogspot.kr/2013/02/why-are-so-many-koreans-committing.html?m=1

[3] Card, James. "Life and death exams in South Korea." Asia Times 11, no. 30 (2005): 2005.

[4]Picture of student missing her parent:

http://iamkoream.com/what-south-korean-students-really-think-about-their-education-system/

[5] title picture (funny one though): 

http://memeunleashed.com/tag/high-expectations-asian-father/