Talk of therapy and counselling seems to be more widespread these days, as young people are becoming much more open to the ideas of mental wellness and taking care of their own mental health. This has arguably resulted in most teenagers and young adults being more careful with each other’s well-being too. It is my […]
The syllabus is changing again! Over the years, my little website has gotten attention mainly for my essays, but I’m feeling a little bit uncomfortable with them now that the syllabus will change for those taking the O-level exams in 2023 (though 5N and repeat 4E students will be taking the old 1128 syllabus in […]
Sometimes it feels like hard work being a child. Students have many complaints these days: too much homework, too many restrictions, too much anxiety, and so on. It is perfectly possible that we complain so much because we have been too protected by our parents and society, but I think the picture is a bit […]
Happiness is an elusive thing. Some people find happiness in their daily cup of coffee, and others in a good meal, and some even claim to have never been happy before. What makes many of us unhappy, of course, is unfair treatment. Still, I feel that people are capable of being happy even if they […]
TW: mention of death and an old person dying Death is a strange thing. Many people fear it, but it stands as a chance to express our greatest triumphs in life. As a teenager, it is a little strange to say this, but the person who has had the most positive impact on me is […]
If anyone ever reads a report on a school bully who was struck by a haunting only days before his examinations, with his bag with all his notes and textbooks set on fire without any explanation, please know that I am utterly sorry for what I did. The only defence I have is that nobody […]
Pre-reading vocabulary list: Essential: Absolutely necessary; extremely important. Truism: A statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting. Relentless: Harsh or inflexible. Burnout: Physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress. Utterance: The action of saying or expressing something aloud. ‘Learning how to respond to making mistakes is an essential part […]
When Dorothy, in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz says to herself “there’s no place like home”, I find myself identifying with her desires. Even if I get the chance to live in some kind of fabled green emerald city where everyone loves me because I saved the day, like Dorothy, I still would […]
Describe the things that you do to relax after you have been very busy. Explain why you find them enjoyable. (2020 O-level English Paper 1, Q3) If you found yourself running away from a lion, you would not be able to think very deeply about whether the dagger that Macbeth saw was only in his […]
Even schools and teachers use social media these days, with lessons, assignments, and whole-class discussions conducted on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. Clearly, they think that social media brings many benefits. I agree that it does, but we have to be careful to bring nuance to our understanding of social media, not just because it […]
