Minerva 畢業
大學唸了七年，我終於畢業了，Minerva 居然也沒有倒。當初在念了台大三年後決定輟學，進 Minerva 重新來過，家人真的都要氣死了。他們說：「這不是一所詐騙學校吧？」「那如果你念 Minerva ，唸到一半又不想念了怎麼辦？」「那你同學都畢業工作很多年，你慢了這麼多要怎麼辦？」
回想起當時的我，確實只是義無反顧的想為自己爭取更好的教育，並沒多想可能的後果。而這蠻橫的氣魄得從去荷蘭交換那年開始說起了。生在一個平凡高雄家庭，能進台大是非常光耀門楣的事，我知道的也不多。所以，雖然大一大二注意到很多台大教育差強人意的地方，像是生活的每一天都不明白為何而忙，但是還得其他人爭奪有限的優質資源。但是，當時的我總是心想，台大都已經是全台灣最好的大學了，還能有什麼好抱怨的呢？
直到到了大三到荷蘭交換的那一年，心態有了劇烈的改變。在荷蘭的大學，我深切地感受到教育帶給我的變化和啟發。在台大的時候，反正考前背書，讀個選擇題就可以輕鬆過關，老師有好有壞。荷蘭真正強調學以致用，教授真的很在乎我們的成長。我用更少的時間讀書工作，卻更專心地吸收，再也不讀死書。每一篇老師上課在小班制裡面一起討論的論文，都重新形塑了我對世界了瞭解和觀點。當時的我，第一次感受到知識就是力量的震撼。在荷蘭的學習帶給我太大的衝擊和喜悅，於是在那個時刻，我發現，我的教育，應該可以很不一樣。
一年後交換結束，準備回台大的時候，我早就已經移情別戀。沒辦法，曾經滄海難為水，我再也不愛台大了。我的心中只想著該怎麼離開這個地方。這時候剛好滑到 Minerva 的介紹，受到它瘋狂和革命性的教育模型吸引。當時做了要不要留在台大的分析，發現其實如果最重視未來的職涯發展，去 Minerva 並不是最好的選擇。可是我心裡想：「正因為 Minerva 還很新，會去的人，大概也是真正熱愛學習、勇於冒險、充滿好奇的人類吧！」於是就賭上了這一把，因為信念遠勝理性，而它在呼喚我。
那台大都快唸畢業了，女兒突然跑路了，還要跑去一間默默無名的野雞大學（高雄的爸媽當然是不會聽說 Minerva 這種奇怪的東西），鬧了個很大的家庭革命，家人氣急敗壞的說不可能。於是我就和高中老師借了錢，寫了一篇自白書，然後就跟他們說再見了。
回頭來看，這個選擇仍是徹底改變我生命的重大選擇，重塑了我是誰和我對教育的許多觀點。回台灣見到老朋友時，他們確實多工作我很多年，我看起來也確實是慢了很多。但是我也徹底離開了社會價值下的競爭，更靠近自己喜歡的人，在自己的時區上踏實的前進著。雖然這一路走來的每一步可能並不容易，花了很多心力修復家庭關係、在自己的路上跌跌撞撞、在革新的體制和文化衝擊下不斷地被打碎，我都沒有後悔過，非常感激當初的自己能夠拿出這麼多的勇氣。
很多人問我花了這麼多時間念大學，學到了什麼。於是接下來的四篇文，我決定寫下我在 Minerva 這四年學到的十堂課，對比我在台大的經驗，一方面給大家參考其他教育的可能性，一方面因爲上了年紀記性不好，如果不寫下來，怕學費白繳了。但是，總體而言，即便 Minerva 至今還是有很多美中不足的地方，我真的很感謝自己放棄台大，因為 Minerva 真的是我當初所想像的應許之地。
Minerva 畢業系列
• Minerva 畢業
• Minerva 的第一課：專心致志遠勝聰明才智
• Minerva 的第二課：環境的重要
• Minerva 的第三課：科學下的謙卑
• Minerva 的第四課：何謂視野
After studying colleges for seven years, I finally graduated, and Minerva didn’t collapse after all. When I decided to drop out of National Taiwan University after three years and start over at Minerva, my family was really furious. They said, “Isn’t this a fraudulent school?” “What if you decide halfway through Minerva that you don’t want to continue studying?” “Your classmates have graduated and been working for many years, what will you do with all the time you’ve lost?”
Looking back on myself at that time, I truly had an unwavering determination to pursue a better education for myself, without considering the possible consequences. This audacious mindset began when I went on an exchange program to the Netherlands. Being born into an ordinary family in Kaohsiung, it was a great honor to be admitted to National Taiwan University, and that was all I knew. So, even though I noticed many shortcomings in the education at National Taiwan University during my freshman and sophomore years, such as not understanding why we were so busy every day, I thought that everyone had to compete for limited quality resources. But I always thought, “Since National Taiwan University is already the best university in Taiwan, what is there to complain about?”
It wasn’t until my third year when I went on an exchange program to the Netherlands that my mindset underwent a drastic change. At the university in the Netherlands, I deeply felt the changes and inspirations that education brought me. During my time at National Taiwan University, I could simply cram before exams, answer multiple-choice questions, and easily pass, with some teachers being good and others not. The Netherlands truly emphasized the application of knowledge, and the professors genuinely cared about our growth. I spent less time studying and working, but I absorbed the material more attentively and no longer studied just to pass exams. Each paper we discussed in small classes with the professors reshaped my understanding and perspectives of the world. At that time, I experienced the awe-inspiring power of knowledge for the first time. The learning experience in the Netherlands had such a profound impact and joy on me that I realized my education could be very different.
A year later, when the exchange program ended and I was preparing to return to National Taiwan University, I had already fallen out of love with it. There was no way around it, for once the sea turns rough, one cannot depend on the water anymore. I no longer loved National Taiwan University. All I wanted was to figure out how to leave that place. It was at this time that I came across an introduction to Minerva, which attracted me with its revolutionary and innovative educational model. I analyzed whether I should stay at National Taiwan University or not and realized that if I valued my future career development the most, going to Minerva wasn’t the best choice. But in my heart, I thought, “Because Minerva is still relatively new, the people who choose to go there are probably truly passionate about learning, willing to take risks, and filled with curiosity!” So, I took a gamble because conviction outweighs reason, and it was calling out to me.
As my time at National Taiwan University was nearing its end, my daughter suddenly ran away and decided to attend an unknown and insignificant university (Of course, my parents in Kaohsiung had never heard of Minerva, this strange thing). It caused a major upheaval in our family, and my relatives were infuriated, saying it was impossible. So, I borrowed money from my high school teacher, wrote a confession letter, and bid them farewell.
Looking back, this choice was truly a life-altering decision that reshaped my identity and many of my perspectives on education. When I returned to Taiwan and met old friends, it was true that they had been working for many years, and I did appear to be significantly behind. However, I had completely detached myself from the competition driven by societal values and moved closer to the people I loved, steadily progressing in my own time zone. Although each step along this journey may not have been easy, requiring much effort to mend family relationships, stumbling on my own path, and being constantly shattered by the innovative systems and cultural impacts, I have no regrets. I am incredibly grateful that my past self had the courage to take such a leap.
Many people ask me what I learned from spending so many years in university. As a result, in the following ten articles, I have decided to document the ten lessons I learned during my four years at Minerva, comparing them with my experiences at National Taiwan University. This will provide both a reference for exploring alternative educational possibilities and serve as a memory aid since my memory isn’t the best due to my age. If I don’t write it down, I’m afraid the tuition fees would have been in vain. However, overall, even though Minerva still has its flaws to this day, I genuinely appreciate my decision to give up National Taiwan University because Minerva truly became the promised land I envisioned.
Note: This series of stories are in Manderin, but I used ChatGPT to translate it for my loyal readers.
This is the 32nd post from my 60-day writing challenges. I was inspired by Tung Nguyen, a friend who is a famous blogger. He overcame the fear of creation through mass-producing blogs and eventually found his own niche audiences.
