Tuesday, 5 September 2023

Peer Pressure: What's Its Future? - Oshi Singh


Picture Courtesy: https://images.app.goo.gl/MuaNBWFQoBKXUt5b7

Thinking about how the human race started has always intrigued me but do you know something that intrigued me even more? 

It's thinking about the future. Will there be flying cars? Will there ever be robot teachers? Will we ever live in an AI-dominated world? Well of course these are all questions that I often think about but how awesome would it be if all of this turned into reality? 

However, this would only be possible if today’s youth or may I say ‘Gen-Z’ is ready to face the future. When I say face, I mean they are in a healthy condition, mentally as well as physically. We were all teenagers once. 

Teenage is the period where a child builds his/her character and it is also the period when everything hits us all at once. We experience a lot of changes. During this time it can be hard to keep up with stuff now be it academically or in any other field. That is when we hear phrases like, ‘You only live once’, ‘You have one life, live it.’ or ‘It’s now or never.’ Phrases like these are what make us want to try something new every day. 

We follow these phrases with blindfolded lyrics and they become our mantras. Not to mention the constant fear of being left out if we don’t do ‘exactly’ what others are doing. Forget if it’s good or bad we have to do it because if we don't we’ll be left out. I believe it is safe for me to say that teenagers undergo a lot of pressure. Doing well under academic pressure, thinking about future pressure, doing co-curricular activity pressure and all this adds up to the pressure of fitting in. 

At this very moment, we get introduced to all kinds of bad stuff. Alcohol, drugs and whatnot! “Try a little bit”, “A little won’t harm you.” Well, trust me that little bit is what harms every single time. Peer pressure has become a growing concern in today’s generation. The day-to-day reduction of “Self-Control” in youngsters is often what takes them on a trip to heaven. 

I strongly believe that a lack of knowledge is like a crossroads with no signal and once learned it is very hard to unlearn. Many youngsters start drinking to become what they think is cool only to realize later in life that they have become addicted. Which in turn takes them on the road of cancer and mental instability. 

The family environment & communication play a considerable amount of role in a child's future. Imagine the life of a child born into a very respectable family. He/She will automatically learn good virtues and how to present himself/herself in public. Although, living in a world with about 8 billion people you can’t guarantee on behalf of everyone but we ‘can’ guarantee for ourselves. 

What if we become a good influence in someone’s life? Their temporary conscience. After all, it is always the little acts of kindness that make a difference. 

So let us all step up and help each other rise. I am sure if we do this we will be living in a developed world instead of a developing one very soon. 

Oshi Singh
IX-C || Gyanshree School 

Saturday, 2 September 2023

Abraham Lincoln - Nishan Karki

Picture Courtesy: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Abraham_Lincoln_head_on_shoulders_photo_portrait.jpg

Abraham Lincoln was an American lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the 16th president of the United States of America from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He was born near Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. His family moved to Indiana when he was seven and he grew up on the edge of the frontier. He had very little formal education but read voraciously when not working on his father’s farm. 

Lincoln’s legacy is based on his momentous achievements: he successfully waged a political struggle and civil war that preserved the Union, ended slavery, and created the possibility of civil and social freedom for African Americans. 

Abraham Lincoln was also a good thinker and orator. Lincoln's emergence as a great orator dates from 1854 when he made a memorable speech in Peoria, on October 6, of that year. This was his first major attack on the position of Senator Douglas who was the leader of the Illinois Democrats. 

"His manner is neither fanciful nor rhetorical, but logical.
His thoughts are strong and are strongly joined together. 
He is a close reasoner, and has the faculty of making himself clearly understood." 
-Galena (Illinois) North-Western Gazette, 
July 1856. 

Abraham Lincoln has given many famous quotes which are known worldwide. 
Some of them are as follows:-

●“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” 

● “No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.” 

● “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” 

● “Perhaps a man’s character is like a tree, and his reputation like its shadow; The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” 

● “I am not concerned that you have fallen; I am concerned that you arise.

Nishan Karki
Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

Reflections Since 2021