Unless you are science whizz kid Jared Lewis.
The 18-year-old Dunstan High School pupil was part of the New Zealand Chemistry Olympiad Team, which travelled to Cambridge in England in July to take part in the International Chemistry Olympiad.
He spent 12 days with other teams from 66 different countries and absolutely loved it.
It was a fantastic opportunity to meet ‘‘lots of people you wouldn't normally meet'', he says.
When they were not getting to know each other, sitting tests or carrying out practicals, the pupils were had a chance ‘‘to do lots of touristy stuff'' as well.
For his efforts he received a bronze medal.
Jared also took part in the Rotary Science Forum held in Auckland in January. He spent two weeks there ‘‘looking at different aspects of university life''.
Jared is a very strong academic who took Scholarship subjects last year and this year. Last year, he also achieved his NCEA level 3 with merit, a remarkable feat for a year 12 pupil.
Despite describing himself as ‘‘a bit of a nerd'', Jared is also an athlete who participated in rowing.
He was part of the Dunstan Arm Rowing Club eight which took part in the Head of the Charles regatta in the United States last October, and two years ago he was a member of Dunstan's bronze medal-winning under-15 eight at the Maadi Cup.
Achievements: Member of the NZ team at the International Chemistry Olympiad team; Maadi Cup bronze medallist; house captain; school council treasurer; Rotary Science Forum participant; scholarship subject pupil; achieved NCEA level 3 with merit (2008).
Role model: Chemistry teacher Charles List "because he always pushed me thoughout the years to do better".
Hopes for the future: To study engineering in Christchurch because "it's applied and something that's interested me".