Login

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

March 28, 2024, 09:14:20 pm

Author Topic: "Culture" at Melbourne High School  (Read 5938 times)  Share 

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

lurkering

  • Adventurer
  • *
  • Posts: 14
  • Respect: 0
"Culture" at Melbourne High School
« on: August 24, 2016, 08:07:35 pm »
+1
On the bright, cold day of the eleventh of August,  a letter pertaining information, and one that could potentially deliver a catastrophically deathly blow towards my self esteem, gently enticed my mother's gmail spam folder. We locked eyes, and the chill bone-struck thumb hovered above the "Open Message" button that appeared onto the iPhone screen stained with soy sauce. A short, sharp breath escaped from my chastised and chapped lips in deathly need of hydration. My broken Chinese marred the atmosphere, 我 考上, elated laughs followed in succession.

Okay, enough "Melbourne High Creative Writing" examination jargon. I somehow managed to "get" into, yes I did italicize those; I genuinely don't know how. Despite not conforming to Asian stereotypes and withering away all Saturday and Sunday afternoons to sitting in un-air-conditioned classrooms with ovals named A to E, and not attending a single scholarship coaching class, I still made it into one of the prestigious selective schools of Melbourne. Well, there's really only two, Macrob and Melbourne High; Nossal and Suzanne Cory are considered 'reject' schools for the dubious seedy underbellies of Melbourne's far east and west metropolitan areas. I did feel slightly "guilty", as in I had classmates that were locked and loaded; chocked with private tutors, scholarships classes and boost in morale for being a perfect well rounded epitome of the ideal kid: fluent Chinese, proficient in two or more instruments and participates in at least one state level sport.

I've already been suffocated by the poisonous  culture of being a "gifted and talented" student for the past two years. On year seven orientation day we had three kids already talking about future VCE courses and university courses and this was exacerbated by the presence of kids bringing in their year seven NAPLAN mock exams to interrogate the year level co-ordinator with. I've been encroached by the bias and prejudice of all the "other" kids warping their perception of what "actually being smart is", of course letting their bias and prejudice against Asians (or South East Asians in this case, I've had a fair share insults from Indian kids such as: "chink", "small eyes" and "the yellow race") to shadow basic social etiquette. Kids who want to "get to VCE already" and redirect all efforts subjects with "futures", so just Maths and Science; but of course not without the mention of how their dad, "back in the day", got perfect scores, and how he was "a real hard worker".

Oh, and yes, the principal had to walk into the future median ATAR boosters (I mean the year seven gifted and talented accelerated class  :) ) to inflate their ego with "You're all so special" and "Don't let anyone not let you be yourself". Of course a chorus of scoffs and hmms, no; a melody of scoffs and "huhs" followed suit as I sat dumbfounded at the kid reading a year twelve maths quest books across the ledge of me. I closed my eyelids and subdued myself to the toxic nature that I am forced to reside in for my high school career (which the principal referred to).

And another question, does everyone go through a phase of intentionally projecting an image of simply redirecting all their efforts towards the opposite gender by year eight? I've sat through countless sessions of "You're wasting your talent" by my English teacher as I teeter the tattered edges of my workbook as I gaze into the distance ignoring the overly simple vocabulary sheet my classmates struggle with... I've sat through countless sessions of art classes in which my classmates continue to boast about how "Art doesn't lead to real careers" and "Only Maths and Science does".... So will you please relinquish my yearn for what does Melbourne High encapsulate the general school population with?

Does my English ability (as my teacher refers to) substantiate my entry into the acclaimed utopia that is known as Melbourne High?

Swagadaktal

  • SwagLordOfAN
  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 904
  • djkhaled305 is the key to success
  • Respect: +102
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2016, 08:19:27 pm »
+14
Ok first of all: I admire your use of a thesaurus, however you'll soon come to learn that using a thesaurus often tends to obfuscate what you're trying to ask - just state your questions simply.

So I ask here, what are your questions?
You say "another question" but I haven't managed to locate your first question - it just seems that you're proud that you managed to receive an offer even though you didn't put in as much work as others, and I applaud you for that. But what's the question? I'll put a world limit here: 15 words. Don't go over no one cares about how you describe it just ask the question.

And is your second questions asking whether puberty catches up and you lose focus coz you're focusing on girls?  What kind of question is that?

Wait are you trying to get us to give you feedback on this piece?

legit so confused here fam.
Fuck you english your eyebrows aren't even good
Why walk when you can stand on the shoulders of giants?

Calebark

  • biscuits of disappointment
  • National Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Superstar
  • *****
  • Posts: 2670
  • Respect: +2741
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2016, 08:28:19 pm »
0
Hi.

I'll start by saying that you will meet many different kinds of people at every school, including the ambitous, the vulgar, and the perfectly-normal-people-obsessed-with-the-opposite/same-sex. This is certainly not specific to your school, especially sexual or romantic interest.

Secondly, I don't know if it's just your writing style (thesaurus spam results in some serious obfuscation), but you sound quite condescending towards some of your old classmates, which sounds pretty terrible.

Thirdly, I must say that I don't attend a selective school, so I cannot comment on the school culture of Melbourne High School, but you can find a previous thread on the topic here. I hope that helps you.

🐢A turtle has flippers and a tortoise has clubs🐢

pi

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 14348
  • Doctor.
  • Respect: +2376
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2016, 08:37:00 pm »
+10
I do not understand this post at all.

Adequace

  • Victorian
  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 484
  • 7-1 never forget.
  • Respect: +12
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2016, 08:39:38 pm »
+1
What were you doing that caused you to get soy sauce all over your iPhone screen? Yikes.

Aaron

  • Honorary Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *******
  • Posts: 3932
  • Respect: +1536
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2016, 08:43:38 pm »
+5
On the bright, cold day of the eleventh of August,  a letter pertaining information, and one that could potentially deliver a catastrophically deathly blow towards my self esteem, gently enticed my mother's gmail spam folder. We locked eyes, and the chill bone-struck thumb hovered above the "Open Message" button that appeared onto the iPhone screen stained with soy sauce. A short, sharp breath escaped from my chastised and chapped lips in deathly need of hydration. My broken Chinese marred the atmosphere, 我 考上, elated laughs followed in succession.

Okay, enough "Melbourne High Creative Writing" examination jargon. I somehow managed to "get" into, yes I did italicize those; I genuinely don't know how. Despite not conforming to Asian stereotypes and withering away all Saturday and Sunday afternoons to sitting in un-air-conditioned classrooms with ovals named A to E, and not attending a single scholarship coaching class, I still made it into one of the prestigious selective schools of Melbourne. Well, there's really only two, Macrob and Melbourne High; Nossal and Suzanne Cory are considered 'reject' schools for the dubious seedy underbellies of Melbourne's far east and west metropolitan areas. I did feel slightly "guilty", as in I had classmates that were locked and loaded; chocked with private tutors, scholarships classes and boost in morale for being a perfect well rounded epitome of the ideal kid: fluent Chinese, proficient in two or more instruments and participates in at least one state level sport.

I've already been suffocated by the poisonous  culture of being a "gifted and talented" student for the past two years. On year seven orientation day we had three kids already talking about future VCE courses and university courses and this was exacerbated by the presence of kids bringing in their year seven NAPLAN mock exams to interrogate the year level co-ordinator with. I've been encroached by the bias and prejudice of all the "other" kids warping their perception of what "actually being smart is", of course letting their bias and prejudice against Asians (or South East Asians in this case, I've had a fair share insults from Indian kids such as: "chink", "small eyes" and "the yellow race") to shadow basic social etiquette. Kids who want to "get to VCE already" and redirect all efforts subjects with "futures", so just Maths and Science; but of course not without the mention of how their dad, "back in the day", got perfect scores, and how he was "a real hard worker".

Oh, and yes, the principal had to walk into the future median ATAR boosters (I mean the year seven gifted and talented accelerated class  :) ) to inflate their ego with "You're all so special" and "Don't let anyone not let you be yourself". Of course a chorus of scoffs and hmms, no; a melody of scoffs and "huhs" followed suit as I sat dumbfounded at the kid reading a year twelve maths quest books across the ledge of me. I closed my eyelids and subdued myself to the toxic nature that I am forced to reside in for my high school career (which the principal referred to).

And another question, does everyone go through a phase of intentionally projecting an image of simply redirecting all their efforts towards the opposite gender by year eight? I've sat through countless sessions of "You're wasting your talent" by my English teacher as I teeter the tattered edges of my workbook as I gaze into the distance ignoring the overly simple vocabulary sheet my classmates struggle with... I've sat through countless sessions of art classes in which my classmates continue to boast about how "Art doesn't lead to real careers" and "Only Maths and Science does".... So will you please relinquish my yearn for what does Melbourne High encapsulate the general school population with?

Does my English ability (as my teacher refers to) substantiate my entry into the acclaimed utopia that is known as Melbourne High?

okay

(This is probably the only time i'll ever reply with one word - jeepers my own standards are declining)
Experience in teaching at both secondary and tertiary levels.

website // new forum profile

vox nihili

  • National Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *****
  • Posts: 5343
  • Respect: +1447
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2016, 08:45:05 pm »
+2
Not sure what to make of this. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a chat about MHS I'm sure that everyone here will be more than happy to help, just perhaps put your questions/concerns in simpler terms :)
2013-15: BBiomed (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), UniMelb
2016-20: MD, UniMelb
2019-20: MPH, UniMelb
2021-: GDipBiostat, USyd

ldunn

  • Victorian
  • Trailblazer
  • *
  • Posts: 40
  • Respect: +4
  • School: University of Melbourne
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2016, 09:07:01 pm »
+3
but why?

Shenz0r

  • Victorian
  • Part of the furniture
  • *****
  • Posts: 1875
  • Respect: +410
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2016, 09:17:50 pm »
+7
Attention people: This shows how writing like a wanker is not going to get you 50 in English
2012 ATAR: 99.20
2013-2015: Bachelor of Biomedicine (Microbiology/Immunology: Infections and Immunity) at The University of Melbourne
2016-2019: Doctor of Medicine (MD4) at The University of Melbourne

EEEEEEP

  • New South Welsh
  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 971
  • Resource Writer
  • Respect: +543
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2016, 09:24:24 pm »
+4
Insert long wordy thesaurus like post.

((THERE WE GO PEOPLE, PLAIN ENGLISH FOR THE LAY PERSONS))!!!
TLDR .Your story.
> You got into Melbourne high school and was surprised
> You don't fit into the sterotype of an Asian
 > You don't feel like you belong in the school as you didn't do tutoring or have scholarships or are not a genius
 
> You infer that you transferred to the school from another competitive place
> People were racist and made assumptions about you
> There were egotistical people at your old school who wanted to do the VCE early  ... Btw, that isn't egotistical, it's called having high goals + being really motivated
...
Your questions
1. Does everyone get infatuated around year 8?
2. What sort of aspects or characteristics does MHS instill in their kids?
3. Does my English ability prove that I deserve to be in a school with lots of high achieving students? P.S. No one calls it a utopia, it's just where the higher achievers go to....
« Last Edit: August 24, 2016, 09:26:17 pm by EEEEEEP »

zhen

  • Victorian
  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 631
  • The world is a bitter place
  • Respect: +338
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2016, 09:30:53 pm »
0
Honestly, your vocabulary would be impressive if you could use the words properly. Looking up fancy words in the thesaurus can sometimes make your piece sound more sophisticated, but if you use these words incorrectly it can sometimes make your writing incoherent. Also, sometimes it's better to use simple language, so that the reader can clearly understand what you are saying. Generally when I use the thesaurus, I look for words that I have used or seen before. When I'm using a new word, I always look for example sentences to check if I'm using it correctly. No offense, but this piece of writing is confusing and incoherent. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that using fancy words isn't always good and that you should always make sure that you know how to use a word before using it.

Also, it's pretty mean to label Nossal and Suzanne Cory as "reject schools".
« Last Edit: August 24, 2016, 09:46:16 pm by zhen »

vox nihili

  • National Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *****
  • Posts: 5343
  • Respect: +1447
Re: "Culture" at Melbourne High School
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2016, 10:10:51 pm »
+4
Can't see how this is going to turn out constructive, so better to cut our losses and lock before anyone gets too nasty I think.

OP can Message myself or the other mods if you want a chat.
2013-15: BBiomed (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), UniMelb
2016-20: MD, UniMelb
2019-20: MPH, UniMelb
2021-: GDipBiostat, USyd