"Singapore's greatest export is its brain!" joked my '80 year old' professor in my Global Economic Dimensions of Singapore (basically the economic history of Singapore) class. Only 278 square miles in size, Singapore lacks natural resources to fuel its economy. Its main economic asset are its people. The government invests heavily in its people, especially in the education sector in order to produce future leaders in all fields. Upon a simple Google search of countries with the highest academically ranking students, you will find Singapore consistently popping up towards the top of the list. Moreover, Singapore is home to the top universities in Asia and the world including the National University of Singapore. However, the education system itself is not the sole reason for the success of Singapore in ranking highly on international scholastic performance exams such as the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). If you walk through almost any spot on the NUS campus with tables, you will find students with their nose stuck in a book. Singaporean culture gravitates strongly towards academia; this is not to say that every Singaporean values academic success above all else. Below, I will describe the wide variety of students that can be found at NUS. Many of these characteristics overlap between students and this is certainly not an exhaustive list of the types of students at NUS.
1. Muggers
No, when I say mugger I don't mean in the literal sense of the word. While having a discussion with a local friend, I learned that a mugger in the Singaporean context is a student who you barely see outside of the library. This student is constantly reviewing notes from lectures, doing practice problems, and preparing for exams. A mugger is the stereotypical image that comes to mind when one thinks of a nerdy Singaporean student. It might seem that being called a mugger is offensive, but many Singaporeans find being called a mugger a compliment.
2. International Student
In my residence hall, UTown Residence (UTR), a majority of the residents are international students. These students are not usually undergraduate students but rather master's and Ph.D students. The first few floors of UTR are actually married flats which means that instead of the typical four single bedrooms with a common space format like the other rooms, the room has one single large bedroom separated by a door to a tiny living room with a full kitchen. Not a lot of the masters and Ph.D students occupy the married flats though and they are often assigned to exchange students who wish to transfer out of other residence halls to UTR. Despite being stressed out about their constant projects and presentations, the international students often attend the activities held by the RAs and are friendly and pleasant to talk to.
3. CCA Obsessed Students
CCAs (aka Co-Curricular Activities) is synonymous to extra curricular activities including athletic, artistic, community service, advocacy, and talent clubs. Almost every NUS student participates in at least one CCA; in fact, the website of the Ministry of Education states that secondary school (high school) students are required to participate in at least one CCA in order to achieve a more holistic educational experience. To get involved in a CCA, one can simply go onto NUSync (OrgSync at GW) and find clubs that match your interests. The number of CCAs available at NUS is equal to and even greater than the number of clubs at GW. These clubs include rock climbing club, drone club, harmonica orchestra, motoring club, Red Cross, and more. Some NUS students are so passionate about their CCA that you will regularly see them handing out flyers or advertising their club throughout campus. However, as with the interest groups handing out flyers outside near Whole Foods on I Street in D.C, many students including myself swerve around these enthusiastic students.
4. Jocks
At the age of 18, all male Singaporeans are required to perform National Service, two years of mandatory military service. During this time, they have a strict regime of physical activity and exercise. While many students upon completing their National Service revert back to a more sedentary lifestyle, a lot of Singaporeans continue to regularly exercise in one way or another. The gyms, tennis courts, running tracks, etc. throughout the campus are packed with these jocks who are obsessed with fitness. Additionally, any large green spaces are filled with students playing Ultimate Frisbee or soccer.
5. Exchange Students
I could write an entire blog post about the different types of exchange students at NUS. However, I will spare you additional reading and summarize the common types of exchangers which include: the ones who are constantly traveling to other countries every weekend, the ones who never travel outside Singapore, the ones who never attend class, the ones who are diligent about their classes and work, the ones who have never interacted with a local student outside an academic setting, etc. Again, this list is not exhaustive and the characteristics are not mutually exclusive. What surprised me during a conversation with several friends was that some of them have never talked to local students beyond whatever group projects and assignments they shared. It's a shame that people do not interact with the locals in the country they are studying in. Thankfully, the NUS exchange leaders do a good job of including the exchangers into the local environment and culture.