I also applaud his work ethic. However, when reading inspirational things like this, it often seems hard work is the only option. But working smart is also valid, and there's definitely a sweet spot of effort vs grade. I'm really not trying to diminish this guys work, quite the opposite. Keeping up with high achievers is (by definition) hard, and it's really easy to get stressed out. Getting top marks doesn't help too much in life (although it usually doesn't hurt) - especially if you don't intend to stay in academia. Other activities (working part time, hobbies) can also be really beneficial for their direct results (money, experience, balanced and healthy lifestyle) and indirect results (can also look good on a CV).

Finally, his English skills are awesome. My English skills also improved dramatically watching English TV and movies, and while frustrating at first, in the end it's a very fun route to improve one's skills.

Is there a site that ranks shows and movies on how easy they are to understand (e.g. how strong are the accents, how difficult is the dialog)? If not, it's definitely something I'm interested in starting!