Confessions of a disinterested wash-out

I opened my new set of watercolour paints and was filled with childlike glee as I admired the vivid array of colours, arranged neatly in colour coordinated rows. Cadmium Yellow, Scarlet Lake, Opera Rose, Cerulean Blue, Viridian, the list went on.

    It was after SPM when my life was exposed to so many open doors and pathways. I was thrilled and excited as the possibilities soared before my eyes! The greatest highlight was that wherever I would be going, I wouldn’t have to study the Malay Language anymore. (11 years was enough, thank you very much!) 

    Back then, there were so many things I was interested in that I was completely spoiled with choices. Education Fairs were no help at all as they only made me more confused. (So many options and I only have one life? Unfair!)

    Being the ‘kiasu’ over-achiever that I was, before I picked a college, I had to know what I wanted to do in the university so that it would suit my chosen career field. I was 18 then. How would an 18-year-old know what they want to do with their lives? Unless they’ve spent the last few years thinking about it, of course - and frankly, I was at home, watching downloaded TV series and studying Malay because it was just that hard. 

    Like most Malaysians of my age, I couldn’t decide. So, I did it the Malaysian way. I followed what my parents told me to do so. (Okay that’s an exaggeration, I know a few 18-year-old Malaysians who had their life pretty charted out.)

    Most parents sent their kids to Pre-University, a safe passport to any degree course. However, my dad had to convince my swaying, confused mind to take up the Institute of Chartered Accountants England & Wales (ICAEW), which was apparently the toughest accounting course out there. At the time, I agreed with him as it was a passport to enter any field I wanted. This was because accountants literally appeared in every type of industry, and not just as accounts clerks but as managers, directors, and more - perfect for the doubtful, multi-interested and naïve teenager I was.

    At first, the course was okay. It was doable. Okay fine, I hated every moment of it. Let me illustrate. 50% of the time I came 30 minutes late for my 3-hour lectures and 50 % of the time I didn’t attend.

I chose the wrong colour. It didn’t suit the painting and it didn’t look nice.

    I was disinterested. I felt like I never got to escape secondary school (which I hated too). I always thought that college or university life would be better as you could pick the subjects. In the situation I was in, however, I gave up hope on myself. “Okay,” I said,  “I just hate school. Along with some other things I hate in life. Deal with it.” I thought that college was just a stage I had to go through, and as I progressed, there would be a rainbow that would appear at the end of this suffering – the golden ticket called “Chartered Accountancy”.

    So, I dragged my feet in the morning and made my way to class. Mind you, I got my “A”s, but my heart wasn’t there.

    The turning point came when I realized I owed myself more than this horrible life. I got involved in the Youth Ministry at my church, and although times were super tough, I didn’t give up. I didn’t quit. It got me excited and that was something I could get up and keep doing no matter how many times my effort got tossed on the ground. I guess I’ve found that it was the best way for me to give back to the society, for me to play my part in the world; and knowing that gave me meaning in my life. It was worth fighting for!

    One day, when I was already one and a half years into my course, I discovered something that I could do unceasingly and not grow weary of it - helping people grow. Anyway, life was too good to suffer another 4 years in that accounting line. So I quit ICAEW.

It’s hard to paint over it. I can’t remove it, and I can’t paint over it. Maybe I should accept it?

    Picking up where I left from high school was the hardest part. I had to start Pre-University all over again as the foundation for ICAEW wasn’t a recognized Pre-University. My point of views had already been changed by the working world - because I did an internship - and having classmates 2 years younger than me as equal peers was a rough transition. It challenged my pride and my ability to love myself. Obviously, it’s a bit harder to fit in as everyone was at a different stage in life and mentality. 

    But that’s okay, because here is the crucial part. Now, I know what I’m fighting for. I’m no longer a disinterested washout, attending classes just to get it over with. I have a dream again; something I thought I’ve left behind with that excited girl fresh out from SPM. With that, I hope each one of you will be encouraged to find that field that makes you happy, gives you meaning and allows you to keep fighting when things get hard because you are truly passionate about it. 

    A lot of people think I’ve wasted a good part of my life with that accounting course and changing halfway. “You’ve gone backwards,” they say. Well, to that, I have one thing to say: I don’t believe in a linear life anymore, because if life is just climbing stages until you reach the top, one day you will reach the top and wonder why you did all that fighting for. That’s why people go through a mid-life crisis – they reach the top and go, “Now what?” The disinterested washout to me, is merely just another process in life that leads to pursuing my dream. I am happy that I’ve painted a little bit of accounting into my life; if only to add a bit more flavour in the colour. 

I look back and I am happy with the masterpiece I have so far. Still, there’s a lot of painting left to do.

 Written by Christine Kuan
South Australian Matriculation

Nature and Health Benefits

Does spending time in nature provide health benefits?

Just recently, my smartphone malfunctioned. In this modern day and age, the effects of such a simple event have been catastrophic to my social life. I have been out of touch with many of my friends, and have rediscovered the hobby of staring blankly at the wall. It is interesting to note the effects of technology on us all. Often, we are content to busy away our lives in front of a tiny screen, and deprive ourselves of spending time outside. Why would we want to bother, in fact, to leave the comfort of our rooms and our iPads for the dangerous, sweaty, bug-infested world outside anyway? 

"It's just you and me, babe"

 

"Or maybe not."

Well, there’s more to the outdoors than meets the eye. Spending time in nature is actually beneficial to health! And no, it’s not just because the only time you spend outside is when you’re exercising. (Wait, I forgot. There are gyms for that.) It’s no surprise that being in nature causes you to de-stress. One study showed that blood pressure, muscle tension, and skin conductance, which are all measures of stress, were greatly reduced when participants were showed a video of nature compared to urban videos. This is a great excuse to turn on YouTube the next time you’re stressing over that last-minute assignment. Just be sure to pull yourself away from nigahiga and perhaps watch a serene waterfall video instead. Feeling depressed? Have no fear, nature is also the cure! Various studies have linked nature with better self–esteem, social satisfaction, positive feelings and decreased loneliness. In fact, nature deprivation makes you feel negative all the time. Could this possibly be related to the high suicide rates this modern urban-living era has seen? 

The solution: an urban waterfall

Another experiment showed that walking in a tree-lined area for 50 minutes improved memory and attention by 20% compared to an urban setting. While this has important implications for choosing the best places to study, it is greater news for patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).  Researches showed they displayed tremendous improvements in concentration, self-discipline and the ability to delay gratification just by having more time in nature. 

Or they could walk on the tree instead

The physical benefits of nature are abundant too. TCSH may want to consider installing more windows as, in two separate studies, a window-view of nature was found to increase recovery (patients at a hospital) and reduce sick calls (among prisoners). While the increased air quality of natural environments would obviously improve respiratory health, a little known fact is that the stress-reducing quality of natural environments also reduces risk of stress-related diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular health, headaches, arthritis, fatigue, and allergies. Certain chemicals in plants called phytoncides also have been proven to enhance natural killer cell activity. In layman’s terms, spending time with plants could stop cancer. 

Solitary confinement isn't so bad after all

If you’ve ever been to a spiritual retreat (or you’re like me and you frequent church camps), you would notice the venue tends to be located in some remote jungle area or other natural setting. Once, I was fortunate enough to attend one located at the beach! It was easy to feel the presence of a higher power in the midst of the sounds of crashing waves, the cool breeze dancing on your skin and the rainbow coloured sunset. People who attended wilderness therapy also reported finding deeper meaning in life and altered relationships with the natural world.

Philosophical awakening achieved

All in all, in mental, physical and spiritual ways, nature has proven to be a strong contender to drugs and exercise in improving the quality of our health. Even though insects, mud and our vanity issues (indeed, you may get tanned) are reasonable fears for stepping outside, the benefits are certainly something to consider. After all, it is difficult to enjoy our smartphones, televisions, laptops and tablets when we’re using it from a hospital bed. Cheers!

"Getting tanned sounds horrendous."

Written by Christine Kuan
Editorial Board Writing Department
South Australian Matriculation

Are we losing the art of listening?

For the past decade or so, it has become clear that we are beginning to transcend into a technological era. Despite the development and modernisation, the sobering truth is that we are starting to become slaves to technology. Due to this, we have begun to neglect people as a whole, and instead pay more attention to portable inanimate objects even more than we pay attention to ourselves at times. Society and teenagers in particular, are so engrossed in smartphone usage and social media that they tend to isolate themselves from the real world. Trapped in a world of their own and completely oblivious to their surroundings, they walk around with earphones blasting in their ears, drowning their thoughts and worries in music.

Milk worries.

    Have we become a society that doesn’t even open our ears to anything other than our favourite music or hot online gossip? Have we lost those times when one could sit down, have a cup of coffee and have a full-on conversation without a vibrating phone or the constant need to update a status? Dear reader, take some time to look away from this article and look around you. How many people do you see every day without realising how many lives revolve around their handphone instead of a living, breathing human beings? Think about the last time you could have a real heart-to-heart conversation with someone without the distraction of a handphone. 

"It's all your fault!"

    Why is it that we don’t even listen to people anymore? It’s true, we use our handphones to interact with people through social media sites like Whatsapp and Twitter, but that’s not even close to the real deal. Sometimes we live for messages from the people we deem important in our lives to the point that we neglect those who are right in front of us. The prevalent issue within society now is that what we claim to be listening, but the fact is, we are just hearing. People generally have a huge misconception of these two words, deeming them as having the same meaning. However, the truth begs to differ as the one thing that differentiates actually listening from hearing, is in fact, ATTENTION.

Nope.

    When we really listen and pay attention, what is being said is not the only thing that we pick up on in a conversation. Non-verbal communication such as their tone of voice and body language gives us a deeper insight behind their words, and express emotions that cannot be verbalised. These are things that we do not realise if we only hear, instead of listen. It does not necessarily mean agreeing with them but it means the ability to see things from their vantage point and to understand their opinion on things. Listening, like other skills, can be developed through practice, but it is lost if not regularly used. 

'Tis an art to be mastered.

    Living in a world of constant chatter, where there are so many words, stories, and emotions that flow out of us, it is truly a shame if these just remain hovering in the air, with no ears to go to and no hearts to touch. Why? Because nobody listens anymore. Are we losing the art of listening? After extensive research and surveying, I can safely say that the answer is sadly, yes. If you, dear reader, have ever felt that there is no one whom you can tell your problems to, but don’t know why, well - let me tell you. It’s because we are living in a world where everyone wants to be the one talking but never the one who’s willing to listen. So, take some time and think about it, when was the last time you sat down and truly listened and participated in a fulfilling, engaging conversation without any distractions?

"Your face is distracting."

    If the art of listening was painted on a canvas, the end result would still be a blank, white canvas, because no one in this current generation is willing to lift the brush and take the first stroke. So, put down that handphone, pick up the brush, and start painting the canvas. Be the person who listens instead of talks, and you’ll step back and see what a beautiful masterpiece you have created on what used to be an empty white canvas.

The last resort of sanity without human interaction -- art therapy, folks!

Written by Daphanee Wong
South Australian Matriculation

Bride Kidnapping

Bride kidnapping is the act of abducting women and forcing them into marriage. These women - sometimes even girls, are victims of this crime.  In some countries, this process is even considered to be a form of “tradition”.  It occurs in around 17 countries all over the world ranging from Central Asia to Mexico to Africa. What makes it shocking is that according to a survey, 50% out of the 268 girls interviewed stated that they had never met their kidnappers before. This is because these abductors usually have a target, but once they fail to kidnap the girl they desire, they simply abduct a random girl walking on the street. Bride kidnapping can vary from consensual marriages to kidnap and rape.

These men, however, are not always the root of the problem. Parents usually put pressure on these men to find a wife and start a family; resulting in bride kidnapping. In other cases, some of them would rather abduct a woman than propose to her, to avoid facing the possibility of rejection. In China, where the population of men exceeds the population of women, some men hire kidnappers to abduct a woman from a nearby country to marry them. As we can see, bride kidnapping often happens in poor and rural areas because bride kidnapping is seen as a cheaper way of getting married compared to paying the dowry for the intended bride.

This tradition was once consensual, but as the years passed, this tradition has gone south; consensual marriages now lead to cases where women are often raped and left with no choice but to submit to the marriage because they would no longer be considered pure and would be too “tainted”. After a woman is abducted, she is often brought back to the home of the abductor’s family where female relatives of the abductor will force the victim to wear a white shawl over her head as a symbol of her submission in the marriage. In one instance, two 20-year-old students who were victims of this practice committed suicide.

Despite this, police officers often put aside and delay cases that link to bride kidnapping and avoid bringing it to court. In addition, criminal justice agencies such as prosecutors and judges view bride kidnapping as a culturally protected Kyrgyz tradition, therefore failing to enforce the law. However, last year, the President of Kyrgyzstan increased the maximum jail term from 3 years to 7 years and if the victim is younger than 17 years old, the maximum jail term can go up to 10 years.

Reports must be made for it to be a crime, but women are often too afraid to report to the police fearing that it would shame her family’s name and very often these women are left with no legal advice to defend themselves. Moreover, family members of the victim might also accept gifts from the abductor’s family in exchange to keep quiet. Societal pressures and threats from kidnappers also play a part in stopping victims from reporting to the police.

According to a survey done in April, the majority of participants did not know what bride kidnapping was. Therefore, we can start spreading awareness across the globe and fight for the freedom of bodily integrity, freedom from violence and freedom of movement for these women. It is a priority that these women can lead an independent and free life, where they will not be denied their basic human rights.

Written by Deborah Lee
South Australian Matriculation

Can we be, without the bee?

Are bees crucial to modern society - or must they be replaced? 

Well, there are other alternative candidates for employment so...

What are bees to you? Are they a distant trademark of honey brands, or are they just the annoying pests that plague your backyard on a hot, humid day? Or are they, perhaps, reminiscent of the name of a popular spelling competition? Whatever they may mean to you, bees have had a long history with humans dating back almost 7000 years. It all started when men began stealing honey from the hives of wild bees, aptly termed “honey hunting”. This often resulted in the destruction of the bee’s hives. As time passed, men slowly evolved to rear bees for their own convenience, effectively domesticating bees and developing the art of apiculture or beekeeping. However, the beekeeping industry exploded in 1853 when a scientist named Langstroth invented a type of hive that was both efficient and harmless to bees. The population of domesticated bees has rocketed since then, providing a variety of benefits to the human society today. The conundrum is whether their existing and potential contributions have become absolutely vital to human existence - especially during this age of rapidly advancing technology.

Contrary to the popular belief that bees only exist to produce honey, bees are actually most important to humans as pollinators. The reason bees fly from flower to flower is to collect pollen and nectar to nourish larvae in bee colonies, but at the same time they aid in the reproduction of plants through cross-pollination. Did you know that bees pollinate at least eighty percent of the world’s crops? These include apples, oranges, berries, avocados, cucumbers, carrots, and more. Their role is so significant that at present, the production of almonds in the US is virtually completely dependent on bee pollination. As a result, bee pollination generates a whopping $15 billion in the US economy and £200 million in the UK annually.

"Money Bees" - The art of Beeconomics

In addition, bees provide raw materials such as propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly, and of course, honey. Bee products happen to be some of the most nutritious and highly edible insect products in the world, with a range of vitamins and minerals such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and more. Honey is also a staple ingredient in the kitchen as it acts as a natural sweetener. Moreover, bee products are used in soaps and medicine as they possess medicinal properties - surprisingly, bee venom is used to treat depression and arthritis amongst a wide spectrum of diseases. Economically, a rising trend in honey production has been shown in the US with around 150 million pounds of honey produced in 2013; a 5% increase from the previous year.

Another main contribution of bees towards modern society is the generation of jobs. As of 2014, there are around 112000 to 125000 beekeepers in the US alone - and keep in mind that beekeeping has become a worldwide phenomenon for both hobbies and careers. Other jobs that are also created include retailers of bee products, and ironically, specialised pest control as bees tend to build their hives in the nooks and crannies of houses due to the loss of natural habitats. These jobs create revenue and have a hand in the growth of the global economy.

Soon, unemployment will be on the rise for these buzzy fellas

However, a pivotal event that forever altered the course of history of humans and bees recently forced countries to look for possible alternatives to bees. This occurrence was termed Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD. It began in 2006 when domestic beekeepers lost thirty to ninety percent of bees in their hives - whole colonies of bees mysteriously left their hives overnight or were found dead in the morning. Eventually, this grew into a global phenomenon and until today numbers continue to dwindle. Scientists suspect that CCD transpired due to an amalgamation of factors; namely, farm pesticides, destruction of their natural habitats, diseases, and parasites (specifically the Varroa mite). To put things into perspective, statistics from the USDA show that bee populations plunged from 6 million in 1947 to 2.4 million in 2008 - a decline of sixty percent from the original population. For this reason, a few innovative ways have been explored by various countries to deal with the worldwide decline in bee populations.

A fall in variable factors of production will cause productivity to plummet

One alternative to bees is hand pollination, which is mainly carried out in China. This method effectively replaces bees with humans. Workers manually dust pollen from flower to flower to aid cross-pollination. This is useful to developing economies in reducing major unemployment, caused by both the doubling of total human population in the last five decades and a trailing rate of job production. The only limitation is that workers are only able to pollinate about 30 trees daily as seen in China, while bees are able to pollinate about 300 million flowers.

"Ho! Humans, thy productivity shalt never surbuzz me!"

Furthermore, modern technology is a medium that is more widely applicable to all countries through the development of genetic engineering. In the food industry, genetic engineering involves the alteration of DNA of crops to produce higher yields. Therefore, less bee pollination is needed as the same amount of crops are able to generate more products than before. Other insect pollinators can also be relied on for cross-pollination, such as butterflies. However, some crops that are only specific to bee pollination may suffer.

In conclusion, while there are sound concepts for alternatives, practicality of these alternatives falls short of being economically and ecologically beneficial at present. The contributions of bees to modern society are clearly irreplaceable and vital to the continuation of modern society; and thus, bees present a compelling argument for their conservation. However, few know of the plight of the bees - and fewer are aware of the steps we can take to help them. Albert Einstein was once rumoured to say, “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left.” So now that you have read about their silent struggle, will you still try to swat them away when they buzz around your garden? Will you entertain second thoughts when spraying your flowers with pesticide? Will you still scream about bee stings and call for their extinction? And most importantly, will you join me in spreading word about the bees? I hope you do, dear reader. I hope you do. But if you were to tuck this article in the corners of your mind - as most of us often do - then at least remember this:

We cannot be, without the bee.

Or perhaps extermination is the wiser option.

Jamie Liew
Head of Writing
South Australian Matriculation

Organic Food: The Cream of the Crop?

While the phrase “survival of the fittest” comes to mind when looking back on what scientists have deemed as our ancient evolutionary path as a species, I believe that another, more modern phrase must replace it. We have long passed the stage of closely competing with other species for survival. In my opinion, this phrase would be: “Humans are power-hungry beasts.” Technically, this statement is correct. We seek to nourish our bodies for the power and energy to do work daily. We eat three times a day on average - perhaps more, being Malaysians - every day for every month of the year; and according to 2011 statistics, the average life expectancy of a Malaysian is about seventy-four years. Another interpretation of this modern phrase would be that in this age of rapidly developing technology, we as a species strive to control our environment more than ever. In recent decades, genetically modified foods (GMOs) have taken over the global food industry in favour of better characteristics, such as larger yield, better flavours, and more. However, strangely enough, the newfound popularity of GMOs brought about a concurrent rise in popularity of organic food – the opposite of GMOs. But is this resulting popularity justifiable? Does organic food truly provide more benefits than conventionally grown foods, or is it just another fad?

If your grandparents were once into it, then probably not.

    Firstly, a short introduction for those who do not know much about organic food: organic food is widely defined as food that is grown without the interference of certain added chemicals or processes. The basis of “organic” standards involves the response to location-specific farming and crop conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that depend on cycling of resources. The types of chemicals that cannot be used for organic farming (the term used for organic food agriculture) are specific to the regulations and standards in different countries. Generally, these include synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilisers; although certain organically approved pesticides may be used under limited conditions. Furthermore, organic foods are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or certain chemical food additives. There are a variety of benefits that arise from this venture, but also misconceptions and myths.

Trust the label.

    One of the main health benefits of organic produce is that it contains fewer pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. These chemicals are widely used in conventional agriculture to make crops more resilient to plagues and harsh environmental conditions. Residues remain our food and accumulate in our bodies, and over a long period of time may be carcinogenic. Thus, organic food is believed to be “healthier” in the long run. In addition, organic food is usually fresher as it is often sourced from local farms; this is because preservatives are not added. According to the consensus of organic-food lovers, organic food tastes better too; with less food additives such as sugar and monosodium glutamate (MSG), which are usually added to non-organic food by food manufacturers to enhance flavour. The lack of food additives in organic food has been claimed to prevent obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. 

Seems legit.

    Following that, organic food poses a number of environmental benefits. Organic farming prevents pollution as the harmful chemicals used in conventionally grown food are not used. The excess of certain chemical additives such as pesticides kill essential microorganisms in the soil and pollute nearby water bodies. Moreover, as organic food is usually sourced locally, this reduces one’s “food miles”. This is exactly what it sounds like: the number of miles your food has travelled to get from the producer to your plate. With the decrease in food miles comes a decrease in carbon emissions, and thus a decrease in what is arguably the world’s most significant environmental issue: global warming. Food is transported by road if the producer is in the vicinity, but by plane if the food is internationally sourced. It is possible to track your food miles by checking where your groceries are from and using an online “food miles calculator”. Therefore, organic food is viewed to have a range of health and environmental benefits.

    However, there are some disadvantages to organic food. Organic food is very expensive as compared to non-organic food. This is because the cost of production of organic food is more compared to that of non-organic food, which results in a lower price for non-organic food. Organic food also does not last long since it does not contain preservatives. As with most hugely popular trends, a myriad of myths and misconceptions occur about organic food too. Organic food does exclude the use of certain chemicals, but not all - the key word here is “certain”. It is not possible for farms to grow any food completely chemical-free and still profit from a large yield because the food industry has grown so dependent on them. An example would be sodium bicarbonate, which is permitted in baking goods as a leavening agent. At present, there are more than 200 synthetic, non-organic and other materials that the National Organic Program allows to be used for specific purposes in organic food products and production. Moreover, while excess chemical additives such as pesticides cause unfavourable effects, some serve to protect us from deadly disease-causing organisms. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, organic food is not proven to have more nutrients than non-organic food. What has been proven, however, is that the nutrient content in organic foods decreases more quickly than non-organic foods due to the lack of preservatives. Thus, there are many practical disadvantages to organic food, as well as myths and misconceptions about the concept.

Hey, we are being realistic here.

    In conclusion, organic food possesses benefits and drawbacks that each consumer has to weigh carefully before choosing to purchase organic food or conventionally grown food. It is difficult indeed to compare them equally, as organic food provides benefits in health and environmental aspects; but provides drawbacks in the practical and economical sense. More studies have to be carried out to help consumers make more informed decisions, but at the moment, this is what will have to suffice: in this hectic pace of life that we are doomed to follow, it is important to simply have a balanced diet - of either organic or non-organic food - and exercise daily, for this balanced lifestyle will be sure to benefit our mental and physical health nevertheless; and if we have a little more time, we can worry about the war on organic food.

Or we could abolish the concept of food altogether...with futuristic food supplements!

Written by Jamie Liew
Head of Writing
South Australian Matriculation

Are we only as good as our achievements?

    Form 5 was a hectic time for everybody, and as such, all of us were extremely stressed. It was a dramatic school day when I noticed that my classmate, Jane, appeared to be a little more stressed out than the rest of us. Apparently, something small had ticked her off earlier that day and she overturned a table, sending books sprawling on the floor; shouting curse words that were peculiar to hear from this usually prim and proper girl. She ran out of class after shrieking her head off. Although she had seemed slightly gloomy the past few months, the moment I realised the extent of her stress it still came as a bit of a shocker.

That was one of the first signs we had that Jane was going through depression.

    Everyone was appalled, to say the least. Jane was one of the bright high-achievers, scoring straight A’s all the time, was quite popular, and was even actively involved in charity. How could a person who was so high up there fall so low?

    But she did. It was interesting to see who still stuck with her regardless of her condition. Even her close friends found it hard to just sit with her when she wouldn’t say a word to them and they could feel the thorny, black wall she built around her heart. Sometimes she’d say things about jumping and taking her own life. At times, scars are even sighted upon her hands. It was very hard for anyone to be her friend.

    It wasn’t long before her grades deteriorated and the once high-achiever was now friendless, failing, and virtually had nothing - not even a spark of hope left in her heart. It could have stayed that way if we had not intervened. Although we weren’t even her close friends, we knew we had to reach out to her.

    After an excruciatingly long process, assisted by some new friends, Jane got back on her feet and out of her depression. But the damage was done and people never looked at her the same way again - she never looked at herself the same way again.

    When Jane realized she had lost everything that once made her who she was, she was distraught. It really made me wonder: what, then, makes us who we are if everything we once believed about ourselves could be taken away just like that?

    In college, many of us are high-achievers, using college as a platform to achieve success later in life so we can fully bloom like a metamorphosed butterfly. We keep on striving to make a name for ourselves, be it through academic or co-curricular achievements, so we won’t get lost in the fray of the crowd. Sometimes, I just feel tired trying to be that star that shines brighter among the millions. And like Jane, sometimes people try so hard till they die out.

    The problem with our society is that people are so judged by what they do or what they can do, up to the point they forget that who they are also matters. In an upper-class middle income group, not attending college would be considered blasphemy, and the idea of studying a degree outside the five professionally recognised courses(doctor,engineer, accountant, lawyer, or architect) makes people turn downtheir noses an inch or so in your direction. Studying overseas is the norm because we look down on a Malaysian degree and expect others to as well.

    Last year, I spent 3 months in an internship with a top accounting firm. As an intern with virtually no ranking, I was considered lucky to get a glimpse of the senior managers. It was a harsh reality of the working world whereby people were ranked according to their abilities, and correspondingly, the invisible social ladder dictated that I was nowhere near the rung of those who had higher ranks. Basically, it was a magnification of what already happens in our everyday lives – a person’s self-worth is only as good as his abilities and the things he or she can do.

    Now, this would be sad news for people like Jane - but fortunately, she is not considered a lost cause as she is still able to work her way back up into the society. She is still able to prove her abilities as a normal contributor to the society, but how about the people with ASD(Autism Spectrum Disorder) or Down’s Syndrome? What kind of contribution can they make to society? What kind of achievements can they accomplish? Close to home, does the fact that a person being the least intelligent in the class, make him or her any less of a human or any less worth noticing?

    When we base our sense of self-worth on our achievements, we indirectly tell people who are “nowhere in their life” that they do not own any value as human beings. Yet, we fail to realise how easily everything we have can be taken away in a flicker just like Jane. When I was working in that accounting firm - how I wished someone there would recognise me. Even a smile to acknowledge me as a human could have gone a long way, but it was a rare commodity. (Granted, there were some really nice people whose kindness in that stressful, hectic environment really gave me a lot of hope.)

    The question now is, do we want to give each person their basic right to be respected as an equal in the eyes of God? Or will we continue to support charity as long as it’s convenient and yet, turn a blind eye to the everyday ‘nobody’s in our lives?

    While aiming for success is great, we cannot let success and power rule over our identities lest we find ourselves at the receiving end of people who categorise us into the lower part of society. We, as a small portion of humanity, may not be able to change the ocean; but we can cast a stone to make many ripples (the essence of a wise quote by Mother Theresa). Maybe today, let one person know he/she is a human being worthy of dignity. Talk to that person in class no one talks to. Assure the guy who’s failing that his achievements don’t make him who he is. One day you may lose everything and realise, it is not what you do that makes you who you are. It’s the simple moments of life that reminds you- you are a human being. You are worthy.

Here’s a secret. That’s how Jane recovered. We loved her till she believed in herself again.
   
Dignity. I believe seeing this in someone, despite if  you have a religion or not, is seeing with the eyes of God.

Written by Christine Kuan,
South Australian Matriculation Program,
Editorial Board Writing Department.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

I’d like to share a little tradition that happens every year in the Catholic Church.

Forty six days before Easter (the day Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead), Catholics around the world celebrate Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent (a season of fasting and prayer – similar to Bulan Puasa for Muslims). It’s during this day that you sometimes see people sporting a black smudge on their head in the shape of the cross. Haven’t seen one yet? Well, here you go.
 
Why do they do it? Well, there are a lot of reasons, but today let’s just focus on one part that really struck me during this year’s Ash Wednesday. 

As they put the ash on your forehead, the priest will say “From dust you came, and to dust you shall return.”
 


That phrase is literally true. I mean, you were once so small, you were a speck of dust.
 
Look, it’s you! Age: 1 day!
 
And one day, you return to the earth as dust and that’s the end of it. You die. Just like that. Just like everything else.
 

And it really makes you question yourself: Why should I deal with the things the way I do if one day, it will all turn to dust again? I ask myself that very question frequently, especially when studying hard for a test hoping to get an A. If there was a more pressing issue at hand (such as an alien invasion) I would drop everything because the preservation of my life is more important.

I guess from this message of dust returning to dust I learnt two things:

1. Life is short 
So live it. One day you’ll wake up and realise that you’re 70 years old – or you might find out you are sick with a disease you thought only old people would be afflicted with, and you realise you will never get to do the things you wanted to do all along. Maybe you might board a plane that disappears in midair out of expectation? Either way, live with no regrets.

2. Live humbly
We all came from the same place and we’ll all be going back to the same place. If that’s the case, what makes a top CEO different from a garbage-cleaner? Even Cory Monteith, with all his fame, fortune and fans couldn’t escape the harsh reality of life that all of us have to face eventually – death. If that is the case, what gives any human the right to think they’re better or worse than others? Nothing. Nobody can bring riches, beauty, or anything else with them to death, whatever you believe death may be, even if it’s just a hole in the ground to you.

Ponder then, what it means to live and remember that life is short; the sand in the hourglass is flowing away as we speak. Soon, you may return to dust – so live today facing forward, with your back on yesterday, your eyes on tomorrow, and your head and heart in the moment.


Written by Christine Kuan,
South Australian Matriculation Program,
Editorial Board Writing Department.