Acts of kindness are good for you

Have you ever felt great when you have acted kindly to someone? Of course, you have.According to the BBC website https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/54921787, acts of kindness are: good for your heart, are contagious, slow ageing, give us energy, make you feel happy, reduce stress and anxiety, support your immune system and reduce pain. Amazing benefits for something that costs nothing and also makes the recipient feel good too.Some people are naturally kind and think nothing of helping someone out

March 20, 2023 | BY Lesley Wells

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A splash of pure kindness

An act of kindness can do a lot for someone. It can make both the doer and the recipient feel good, as well as even change the course of someone else’s life. Maybe it can even lift a person up, with the doer having no clue just how much their act means. One January afternoon this year, I experienced an act of kindness, one that is unforgettable and perhaps done in its purest form.Some might be familiar with the term “January blues”, which, according to PsychCentral, is “a common period

March 20, 2023 | BY Rui Pastorin

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How trends can affect us

Trends are present in many aspects of our lives. At the time of writing this article, there are certain hairstyles that are popular or are experiencing a resurgence (like the mullet, surprisingly), an item of clothing or outfit that somebody wants to wear due to its popularity, and a dance or challenge on social media that leaves someone saying “Hey, I want to join in on that!”. These are all part of a trend in their respective categories, and it doesn’t just stop there. How does it

March 13, 2023 | BY Rui Pastorin

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Marriage trends

I saw recently a post on social media about how a female was being pushed by her parents to get married, and even by her relatives.However, is it important and necessary for girls to get married? The comments for the post tell me the answer is…… “no”, considering the current growth trend of late marriage and even singlehood for both men and women in Macau and other developed societies.According to The Hill, a US political website, since the start of the 21st century, the US marriage

March 13, 2023 | BY Yuki Lei

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A person who made a difference in my life

As a student, I have had the privilege of learning from many talented and knowledgeable professors. However, there is one professor who stands out as someone who has truly made a difference in my life: Timothy Kerswell, a former professor at the University of Macau. As a political scientist, he has had a profound impact on me both academically and personally, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from him.Academically, Prof. Kerswell is an excellent teacher. His lectures are

March 6, 2023 | BY William Chan

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An email, a sticky note and a few words

Did you know that words have the power to impact someone, perhaps in more ways than what one can even expect? It doesn’t matter what medium those words are said through. It could be on a sticky note, an email or through actually hearing them with your own ears, all of which I experienced through one person who changed the course of where my life was heading.It was 2017 and I had lost a lot of motivation to take school as seriously as I did before. The days were getting longer while

March 6, 2023 | BY Rui Pastorin

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Learning perseverance through a hobby

I stood in the darkness as I attempted to remain hidden, my eyes darting from left to right as I searched for a target. I waited patiently, wanting to make sure that I neither missed or wasted a shot, my feet tired from having stood in the same corner, my vantage point, for what felt like hours. And then I saw her. My target.I held my breath as she walked into the frame, my finger already on the trigger. It was time for the shot. Click. My shutter had let out a quick mechanical sound. The sound

February 27, 2023 | BY Rui Pastorin

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Entitlement does not lead to satisfaction

Getting handed everything on a silver platter as a child or even an adult may seem like a wonderful concept but in the long run it does not do anyone any favours as the receivers end up with a sense of entitlement and a satisfaction of nothing.As the Rolling Stones sang, “I can’t get no satisfaction.”Nowadays, there appears to be a whole generation who have grown up being given everything in life by doting parents, even as adults, who do not want their offspring to have the same struggles

February 27, 2023 | BY Lesley Wells

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Is Valentine’s Day important to you?

Following the end of the Chinese New Year, a day……no, I should say a “festival” belonging to the world’s couples is approaching us, which is tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day. Mentioning the annual date of February 14, what you do think of…lovers, celebrations, or chocolates? It brought to the fore my memories at school that were buried in my mind, and I believe that it is also one of your precious memories too. However, while celebrating this day with your beloved, do you know about

February 13, 2023 | BY Yuki Lei

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Valentine’s Day can still be special

Tomorrow is February 14, Valentine’s Day. It is a day where one might choose to profess one’s feelings for someone they like or show appreciation of their significant other with gifts such as the standard chocolates, flowers and cards with sweet messages, along with greetings. They might even be holding these gifts while on the way to a restaurant offering Valentine’s Day specials. This is a day where Cupid, the god of love, is not only busy shooting arrows, but with the various business

February 13, 2023 | BY Rui Pastorin

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My favourite summer vacation: Baguio

In 2019, the start of my third year at college was fast approaching. I was bored and burnt out from the previous semester. Although working a summer job had kept me occupied, the anxiety and dread of the coming semester was smothering me and a vacation was much needed. I could not have been happier when my parents said that we would be taking one to the Philippines, specifically a few days in the City of Baguio.Located within the Province of Benguet, Baguio is labelled as the “Summer Capital

February 6, 2023 | BY Rui Pastorin

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A Must-go Journey in Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is the most important festival celebrated in China from the first day of the 1st lunar month to the 15th day of the 1st lunar month annually. It is a precious time when all family members gather to experience the joyful moments. Our family has a must-go to location – and that is Disneyland.Travelling to Hong Kong Disneyland used to be one of my essential journeys in past Chinese New Years. It has always been a remarkable place for me. I

February 6, 2023 | BY Leong Weng Lam, local Form 5 student

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The last great adventure

When was your last great adventure? For me, it was in 2017. I had just graduated from high school and my classmates and I wanted to enjoy our newfound freedom before proceeding with a new chapter in our lives, which was either four years at university or jumping straight into the workforce. After much research and deliberation, we decided on visiting two places: Da Nang and Hội An  in Vietnam. This trip would end up being an adventure for kids who had never really had one yet.Upon

January 16, 2023 | BY Rui Pastorin

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Life is about adventures

It is important that we have adventures throughout our lives as they make things interesting and give us memories that we can carry with us forever so I believe that life should contain as many adventures as possible.While I realise that growing up my life was very different when compared to the majority of people as my family travelled the world because of my dad’s job. I didn’t go to one school for the whole of my school days, which was great as if I didn’t like one I knew I wouldn’t

January 16, 2023 | BY Lesley Wells

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