It’s bittersweet typing these words, especially since this is my last article for The RCHK Truth after working with it for four years and writing at least a dozen pieces. But everything will end with a goodbye, and as I set myself up for the IBDP exam and depart for university, leaving The RCHK Truth is an inevitable decision I need to make sooner or later.

So I’m dedicating this article to giving advice and informing readers on better ways to survive life in RCHK and make sense of the world. So here it goes, the seven bits of advice for everybody who needs it. 

Number one, make the best of every day. I know it sounds cliche, but living up to that goal is more important than you think. We all have been told sometime in our lives to have aims and create goals for the future, to achieve them when the time comes. But that sort of instruction comes with a sense of vagueness and distance many feel impossible to reach or too caught up in the present to care about. Making the best of every day gives you a short-term, achievable goal based on what you can do to make the day great. This sense of achievement makes you more satisfied and improves your mental health and spirit. 

Number two, ask for help. Ask your friend whenever you have something bothering you, ask your parents for life and relationship advice, and ask your teacher for subject help whenever you feel stuck in it. Trust me, I get the feeling some readers have, thinking the process is worthless and it won’t help you in any way shape or form. But you will never know if you don’t try. Even if you think they’re horrible at their job and won’t help you in the slightest (no offense teachers), the simple action of asking can improve their view of you and help you in the long run.

Number three, participate in things you like. Life sometimes looks like a fixed set of chores and plans you must do, whether for the day, the curriculum, or your life. But whenever the opportunity knocks on your door, seize that opportunity to do something you like—for example, my entire tenure at The Truth. As readers might know, students need to fulfill CAS requirements as part of their course in the Diploma. Personally, I enjoy writing and sharing my opinions on the news, so working for The Truth is a very appealing choice for me. Developing hobbies and interests is easy, so expand them to your daily life and school experience. Believe me, sharing your favourite activities with your friends is a wonderful feeling, even though it may just be in the guise of making fulfilling criteria seem not so bad.

Number four, listen to different points of view. In our increasingly divided and polarised society, people are more likely to be trapped in their information bubbles. Media echo chambers and friendship circles can influence how you perceive the world and decide what information you absorb. Regardless of political leaning or personal preferences, this is a dangerous long-term problem, as people create silos between each other and those with differences of opinion cannot mingle or cooperate. The best way to bridge that gap is to expose yourself to people who think differently. Read different news sources, listen to opinions from all over the political spectrum, or even do something as simple as talking to classmates and friends about current affairs you’re mutually interested in. Breaking yourself from the echo chamber often starts with a single step.

Number five, expect the unexpected. If you had told me last year that Russia would invade Ukraine but not take the entire country, I would have called your idea far-fetched. If there is anything the war in Ukraine shows, reality and the geopolitical situation does not act in the way you think it does. Stay vigilant to any new threats or concepts dancing in the background of the news performance stage. The COVID pandemic lurked behind us for months before dominating our lives for three years; that is the level of surprise we must expect for the turbulent 2020s. But don’t be afraid of the unexpected, be excited about them. Especially in science and technology, daily innovations and discoveries promise to improve our world and enhance our perspective on who we are. If you need some help getting started, look no further than the photos sent by the James Webb Space Telescope for inspiration. 

Number six, take a break if you need to. I get it, keeping up with the news these days is hard. Just look at the headlines these past few months: Chinese spy balloons in American skies, Russia’s escalating war in Ukraine, the devastating earthquake that has affected millions in Turkey and Syria, and the list goes on and on. Whenever you feel exhausted by the barrage of news or demands life has thrown at you, click the pause button and take a break. It can be anything you like: read a fiction book, exercise, or sing karaoke with your friends. Or go one step further and do charity work. Whether by donating or volunteering, starting small can lead to big changes, and it’s important to know change is never as linear as you think. Change can be frustrating if not never-ending, so it’s important to treasure small victories while not dwelling on temporary failures.  

Finally, stay optimistic. Based on advice number six, the negativity and toxic discourse around politics and social issues can be highly demotivating, and your school life can throw hurdles at you. Trust me — I had run-ins with getting low scores in my exams, especially with Physics, when I obtained all scores from 1 to 7 in the Diploma grading spectrum. But don’t feel bad all the time. Motivate yourself into doing something positive that can change your trajectory or think differently in a way you rarely do. Who knows what kind of inspiration might fly into your orbit? Being optimistic is important in your life. It prevents you from sinking into self-doubt and depression, thinking it’s doom and gloom and nothing can be done to solve the problems you have or exist in this world. Hope is a source of light amidst all of our world's darkness. 

And that’s it. I hope you find value in these nuggets of advice. Stay safe, stay vigilant, and stay hopeful!