A few days ago, I observed that some of the students in my class were told off and embarrassed in front of the entire class for doing something wrong. In my perspective, I realise it is important for the teachers to reprimand the student, to ensure that the rest of the class understands it is wrong. Due to some idiosyncrasies these students possess, they are often shunned aside during discussions, so these particular students strive for attention and their actions are centred on receiving more attention from their classmates. This strive for attention then results in the students doing various actions and then getting scolded and getting shunned aside by their classmates. This will keep going on and on in a vicious circle the student is trapped in, causing insecurities and in extreme cases, mental health problems. I feel that this case that I have witnessed is only one in many tales of woe these students face. These students may be special and require special attention. Perhaps the teachers could talk to the students privately, without the special students and remind them to be more acceptive of their peers. This issue needs to be addressed in order for the special students to have confidence, and in time they will progress to be leaders, if given the right mentorship. Some change needs to happen in the way we view these pupils and in the way these pupils look at themselves, for our society to become truly accepting.

Four day work-weeks are gaining momentum as more companies both in Singapore and abroad adopt the four day work week policy. This policy allows workers to take one day off from the week on top of the weekend while adding more working hours to their working days. This arrangement has its pros and cons. By allowing workers to have one more day off, they are able to avoid burnout and able to focus more on their mental and physical well-being. This is more so after the ‘9 to 6, 6 days a week’ policy has come under scrutiny. The mental well-being of workers is also an important factor companies take note of. However, the four day work week policy also might impact the business costs of running the company. For some businesses, implementing a four day work week has its challenges, as they would need to hire more headcount to fill the shifts, which would ultimately lead to higher costs. Some employees would also want to retain the 5 day work week structure with lesser hours of work a day. The crucial point is that employers and employees must be flexible in introducing and implementing the four day work week policy. Only this way can the Singaporean business environment improve and grow.

By allowing workers to have one more day off, they are able to avoid burnout and able to focus more on their mental and physical well-being.

As Singapore and the world progresses into the fern age, more and more people have access to technology, and more and more people are learning to communicate in different languages. Websites and apps like Duolingo are widespread, allowing people all around the world to pick up a new language. This is something that needs to be encouraged—being a bilingual or multi-lingual person is not something that most adults look to as their dream. In fact, in school, I am seeing an alarmingly large majority of pupils who see Mother Tongue as a chore and not as an opportunity to learn about a culture and experience a language. As Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew rightly pointed out that everybody should learn their own Mother Tongue. And this is especially true for dying languages such as Hawaiian. More people need to take notice of the fact that languages are what make us different from animals and allow us to communicate and work together to achieve common goals, to strive towards a better future. But for that reality to happen, we all need to realise one thing—learning a language, especially your own mother tongue—will always pay off. I learnt that lesson as someone who can say I can speak in 4 languages, and write in 2. The fact that I can write in English and Chinese, and have taken the PSLE for these two languages as an Indian, is astounding to many people. And I am glad I did. For learning this language allowed me to experience a new culture, a new environment, and more importantly, new windows were opened for me to expand my potential. So, to our society and everyone in it-go learn a language today!

More people need to take notice of the fact that languages are what make us different from animals and allow us to communicate and work together to achieve common goals, to strive towards a better future.

The drive, the desire the motivation the aspiration to push on. The heat, the sweat immaterial, nonexistent. Seconds before a shot, silence, as the racket draws closer to the ball, every moment lasting forever as if in slow -motion. The key to unlock sport as Rafael Nadal unlocked tennis, as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo unlocked soccer — desire. The want, the drive to push through every obstacle to the finish line, the competitive spirit to fight for every last point, every goal, no matter if in the end you win or lose. The sportsmanship, to congratulate the other on their victory even if you think you should have won, even if your heart fills with bitter animosity, to smile heartily and shrug it off, determined to do better. The knowledge that every match is a clean slate, not to add another trophy to a brimming cupboard, but to have fun and enjoy the journey, the process. And the determination to fight till the last minute, to never give up, no matter if the chances are you will lose. These values, these are the true gems in the crown of football greats, of tennis legends. And these are values we all have to learn, for they unlock sport just as they unlock everything else in life. We all have to understand the importance that sport plays in our life, and in the life our society. The reason that people stay up till one in the morning to watch football matches, or go crazy over a sixes in cricket. Sport is a part of our life and our society, but many of us do not appreciate it. So all of us need to get out there, and pick up a racket, a ball, or a bat, and start playing. That’s what I learnt from a 30 – second slow-motion video , from my parents my teachers and most importantly sport, in the form of a game of tennis. So I encourage you, go out, play a match of any game, with anyone, just like I did. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose (I lost), it doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to play properly. Just go out there with a smile on your face and do your best. Forget the rest. Then only can we appreciate sport, truly.

Seconds before a shot, silence, as the racket draws closer to the ball, every moment lasting forever as if in slow -motion.

Sometime ago, I had the privilege of meeting someone and hearing their life story. This experience was a rare opportunity for me to peep into the life of someone else, and understand their pains and sufferings, ups and downs in their life. Through this conversation, I learnt about the impact cancer can have on someone’s life. Having a chance to talk to a cancer survivor was something remarkable in itself, and I was heartened to know that there are people out there who have been able to overcome such obstacles when the odds are not in their favour. We are lucky that in today’s day and age there are tools and methods to help those with challenges, such as cancer. Unfortunately, not many people are able to struggle out of the whirlpool when fate is pulling them down, deeper and deeper. All of us today need to understand and appreciate the situation we are in. Every second that we are alive is precious—who knows when we will meet with a fatal accident. I am fortunate that I am able to appreciate the value of life. All of us should. And no matter what happens, we should stay positive. Life will always throw obstacles our way, but we need to learn to be determined, resilient and true to ourselves to overcome these obstacles and rise above, to shine like the stars. Everyone has the potential to shine, it just needs a little effort to show it. No matter what situation you are in, no matter if you are a cancer survivor or someone with challenges in your life you feel you cannot overcome, you can shine.

Everyone has the potential to shine.

In today’s world, we can order groceries through delivery apps with the press of a button, but at what cost? Amazon and Lazada are just two of the many grocery-delivery companies. As the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll what seems like eons ago, more and more people started to use such apps. Now, there is no need for people to use such apps, but the convenience of being able to order groceries with just a click is contributing to Amazon and Lazada’s continued growth. Not only does ordering groceries increase our emissions (the delivery drivers have to drive over to our doorsteps to deliver these groceries), it also wastes packaging. To ensure products reach their destination unharmed, even the tiniest groceries are packed very tightly with layers and layers of packaging around them. This is definitely not the most environmentally-friendly solution. Climate change is a true problem facing our current world, yet, scenes like these are not uncommon across the world. There is much these companies, and we, can do that will make a positive impact in this world. Decreasing the amount of packaging per product or allowing the packages to be sent back to the warehouse to be recycled are both feasible options, and there are many more out there. We can also play our part by not ordering online and heading to our nearest supermarket to buy our groceries. This way, we can also ensure our groceries are fresh. And we can play a part in saving our world.

We can play a part in saving our world.

Singapore is a book-loving country and this can be seen through its National Library Board, its bookshops and its book-loving population. So, a few days ago I was surprised when I found out there was a library in the Istanbul domestic Airport (in 2022), but we do not have one in Changi Airport. I was even more astonished to see a wide range of titles in many genres in both English and Turkish. This library was part on the library board and thus it was even possible to borrow books there. This initiative had been received with open arms by the passengers and in the short two hours I was there I saw quite a few people come in to read. It is very astonishing that we have a theatre, a shopping mall, various art installations and all manner of eateries and entertainment areas, but we do not have a library in our airport. This initiative would not only allow visitors to have a more enriching and meaningful experience but would also allow them to have a chance to read. This would especially help avid readers and book lovers in Singapore, of which there are many. I feel that more can be done in creating such a corner in Singapore. I would love to see a library in Changi Airport, and I am sure other avid readers and book lovers would too.

​​On my out of the country, outside of Singapore, I encountered many people who smoked. From taxi drivers to hotel staff, almost 8 of 10 of all the adults I encountered were smokers. Not only were their poisonous fumes being inhaled by all manner of people, including children, their cigarettes littered the streets and roads. Smoking is not only detrimental to one’s own body, but it also affects the environment and the people around. This is especially true as smoking starts to become a way of life after one starts smoking and it becomes extremely difficult to stop. It is at times like these, when I encounter people who smoke wherever they go, that I am grateful for Singapore’s strict policies against underage smoking and of smoking as a whole. However, that being said, I feel that more can still be done to educate those who smoke on the harms of smoking and how to stop an addiction.

As the school holidays come to an end and students flock back home with their families to prepare for the new school year after a month-long vacation, I reflect on what travel means to me. Travel means being able to explore cultures, realise histories and have an opportunity to experience something new. Travel is interacting with people and finding out their cultures, their identities and their beliefs. Travel is putting yourself out there to have an adventure, to get lost in the woods, to get stranded at sea–and then to make your way back home. It is about learning about what makes a place unique. Learning about their history, their culture, their food and their life. And while travel means experiencing something new, we must not forget our identity as Singaporeans. And nothing brings back pride and identity more than a plate of chicken noodles while talking to a fellow Singaporean you meet on the highway, while on a boat or while hiking in the remotest mountains. To travel, to experience, to explore, to interact, to appreciate. And to find common identities while rocking on a boat in the middle of the sea. Travel–to experience.

Travel means being able to explore cultures, realize histories and have and opportunity to experience something new.