A few weeks ago, my family and I went to a buffet dinner — and I ended up vomiting.
Obviously, I had never intended to throw up — but the allure of the striploins and truffle mash was just too strong. In the span of an hour, I had downed five plates of steaks and mash.
As I was about to leave the restaurant, I felt my stomach churn as it struggled to handle the sudden influx of beef and potatoes. Barely able to move, I hobbled to the washroom, where I released my torrent of half-digested food.
In contrast, my grandfather seemed to have had a much more enjoyable experience. Unlike me, he left the buffet feeling full and satisfied. Surprisingly, all he had eaten was a few pieces of snow crab and a small slice of steak.
This set me thinking: how had he enjoyed himself despite eating so little?
In hindsight, I realised that the joy of dining at a buffet is not gorging on all that one can eat; rather, it is the experience of sampling a plethora of delicacies that makes the meal truly enjoyable. Was it really necessary to load up on steaks and mash? Or would I have been better off tasting a little of everything instead?
In some ways, that moment of excess reflected something bigger — an inherent assumption that equates more with better. Indeed, my overindulgence at the buffet mirrors the overzealousness with which many of us chase every opportunity.
RI offers a myriad of commitments, including CCAs, student leadership positions, and talent development programmes — all of which are taken on top of an already hectic student life. Many of us also take nine or even ten subjects in Year 3 and Year 4, stretching us out even further.
This busy lifestyle can help us build a more holistic leadership portfolio, as the lessons and experiences gained from one position can better inform our decisions in another. However, this balancing act often comes at the cost of our well-being.
Picture a dam constructed across a fast-flowing river. A common fallacy is that the amount of water supplied to the dam should be maximised, as the most energy is generated when the rate of water flowing through its turbines is at its highest. This may be true — but only up to a point.
Each commitment is like a tributary feeding into the river. The more we take on, the greater the flow — but the dam’s capacity remains unchanged, just like our work capacity. If an excessive number of tributaries is connected to the river, the pressure may grow unbearable. A sudden downpour could be the last straw, causing the dam to crack, or even collapse.
A dam in Norway giving way after days of torrential downpour — a real life parallel of what happens when we overcommit ourselves.
Perhaps this self-inflicted pressure is the reason why we are so stressed. How many of us are reaching — or worse, have already reached — our breaking points?
While there are various ways to mitigate the issue of students being overstretched, the root cause may lie in the very architecture of Student Leadership in RI. In Year 3, the doors to the “Leadership Opportunity” buffet are flung wide open. Gripped by a fear of missing out, many of us heap our plates with different commitments, then rush out the doors in giddy excitement during the Promethean Leadership Investiture.
What we fail to consider is whether we have the capacity to handle the commitments that we have grabbed. In the few weeks of nomination and campaigning, we throw ourselves headfirst into the rat race, gunning for our desired positions. However, when the adrenalin of campaigning dies down, we are left clutching our loaded plates in our hands, wondering if we have bitten off more than we can chew.
While being sworn in as the next CCAL is undoubtedly euphoric, we should also consider our long-term commitments. Enrichment programmes, third-language lessons, and other extracurricular activities are just a few of the myriad factors that we need to keep in mind. It’s better to savour a few slices of steak than to gorge and suffer the consequences.
So, in the future, maybe it isn’t so wise to head for the buffet. A more informed choice would be to visit the local cai png store. It may not offer abundance, but it does provide choice — and control. Perhaps these are what we really need.
