Learning to Accept Hard Work

The tennis player collapsed with resignation on the chair, and started to glance around the empty, silent, locker room. His laboured breathing echoed, so far that it seemed to be heard from the tennis courts upstairs. His eyes showed sadness, a sense of utter disbelief at what had just happened. Suddenly, as if realising the SAT was the next day, he dropped his head into his hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Just when there was a hint of pause between his desperate gulps for air, the crying started again, faster and more furious. Like a train coming to a halt, in one swift motion, the crying ceased, and he stormed out the door.

Yes. This boy just lost the biggest tennis match of his life.

In life, we all deal with failures. When we do, we start to realise that we have two main options when dealing with failure. Firstly, we can blame lack of hard work and lack of time and energy put in striving for the result. The flip side of this would be feeling good that you tried, thinking the outcome was inevitable. Just as the tennis player sat in confusion in the locker room, we all seem to have a similar epiphany. As a community, we all deal with failure at some point, however, there is a fine line between whether we should be happy with our hard work, or feel that the result is due to lack of hard work.

Our community as a whole makes it clear that we have one main belief when it comes to the topic- that hard work should be the backbone of all of our successes, and when we fail, it is due to lack of hard work. One example of this comes from a school survey that was conducted. When given 2 scenarios of failure, both in sports and at school, 87% of the time international school students would not have been satisfied with how hard they tried, instead believing that lack of enough hard work was all to blame. In addition, when talking to Aryan Bhargava, a student at United World College who has dealt with failure, he commented, “Hard work takes you to where you need.” When asked if there should be a mix between these two concepts of hard work and being happy that you tried, he responded, saying, “I don’t think so. You really do have to work for it.” Underlying these words is the belief that hard work is the only option. The belief that success stems from only hard work in general. We seem to think that we are machines. That the amount of hard work is proportional to our successes.


On the other hand, the lack of feeling empathetic for ourselves does not take away from the need for it. Peter Bregman, an award winning author for the Harvard Business Review, used his daughter’s experience to show that we need to be empathetic for ourselves. After coming home from a swimming race in which she was disqualified from, Bregman talks about how Mimi sobbed for hours on end, unable to be comforted by her parents. Bregman later described how only the grandmother was able to comfort her by showing empathy, telling her that in the end failing may have been inevitable. At the end of the article, Bregman concluded by saying, “The learning, the avoidance of future failures - only comes when they feel okay with failing. And that feeling comes from empathy.”

This offers evidence that we are not machines. Our hard work is usually proportional to the amount of success, but not always. We feel that being empathetic means being pathetic. On the contrary, we need bits of love from other people and from ourselves that resemble our childhood. We all need support, and we should not be reluctant to feel happy for ourselves.


In addition, Marshall Rosenberg, an expert on the topic of empathy shared his thoughts, by saying, "Time and again, people transcend the paralyzing effects of psychological pain when they have sufficient contact with someone who can hear them empathically." All in all, makes it even more clear that, as humans, we do need empathy, to show us that it is okay to fail. At the end of the day, it does not really matter whether we are receiving empathy from someone else, or we are letting ourselves feel it. It is all the same, because the main barrier is the one in our mind, barring ourselves from feeling good for what we have done. Once we overcome the fear of failing, we can then work hard to achieve our goals.

As a tennis player myself, I also know what it feels like to be afraid of failing. When we overcome this fear, we can achieve our goals. With this fear baring down on me like the current Singapore haze, I feel more and more nervous, and eventually do not end up achieving the goal.

So, next time you come across failure in your life, accept it with open arms. Remember that accepting failure is the first step in improving. When we go straight to our mistakes, we often feel very disappointed, alone and without support. On the other hand, if we feel content with what we have done, we learn that we have not failed so much after all. We know that we can improve, however we end up climbing a hill, not a mountain. This empathetic feeling closes the gap between you and the goal, where you want to be. So, when you lose that tennis match, ask yourself, “Was it really that bad? What did I do well? Although, I lost, how did I win?” This creates the positive mindset that is essential when it comes to learning from your mistakes. The common understanding we all need to grasp is that we should feel content with our hard work and at the same time know we will have room to improve. Only then, we can gain from our failures.

And if nothing else works? I am sure that you can buy a Magic 8 Ball that tells you what to do upon shaking.

Rosenberg, Marshall. "Benefits of Empathy Articles and Links." Benefits of Empathy Articles and Links. Center for Building a Culture of Empathy, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.

Bregman, Peter. "The Right Way to Respond to Failure." Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business School, 10 Mar. 2011. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.

Bhargava, Aryan. "What Do You Value in Terms of Hard Work?" Telephone interview. 15 Nov. 2015.

The Impacts of Stereotypes on Children and Society

A girl walks down the hallway with a basketball under her arm and a smile on her face. Suddenly, a group of boys run past knocking the ball away. “Girls can’t play sports.” They laugh as the ball bounces down the hall and the happiness drains out of her. She, along with many others is a victim of stereotypes. Stereotypes are everywhere, and affect the way people view the world around them. From a young age it is imprinted on children that because you are one way, you must do a certain thing or because you believe something, you are the same as everyone else who believes something similar. The people most often caught in the crosshairs of stereotypes, are children. Stereotypes form the way children think about themselves; being so young they are are very impressionable, so if someone tells them something, it sticks.

One parent of a child at UWCSEA East has had an experience with one of the many common stereotypes. “I wanted to buy a construction house building kit for my daughter, but they only ones I could find were in the boys section and I worried that I was buying something not appropriate for girls.” She says. This illustrates a common misconception. In every store most baby clothes are coloured in the way associated with that specific gender. There are stereotypical toys for each gender as well. In the “girls toys section” there are dolls, cooking sets and beauty kits as if preparing them for a life staying home, cooking and taking care of children. In the “boys toys section” there are soldiers, cars and fake guns as if telling them to be violent is the only way to be “manly”. These stereotypes affect children from a very young age and influence gender roles later in life. The children can think it isn’t right to like something from the other gender, and if they do like it then they can feel out of place amongst their friends. This may force them to create a version of themselves that isn’t true to who they actually are.

Noshin Saiyaara is a grade 8 student at UWCSEA East whose life is full of stereotypes. “Most of the stereotypes I face are from my own family, saying that because I am a girl, my life should basically be about school, marriage and becoming a housewife.” She says. This reveals that gender roles are also deeply buried in society’s views. Children can even experience them from their own family. In traditional families it is believed that the role of a woman is to take care of her husband and children, while the man goes out and earns money for the family. In some families this model may work, however girls are capable more than just housework. It is stereotyped that women are somehow incapable of providing their own source of income and need to be taken care of by the man. This stereotype affects young girls growing up to think that they don’t have to try because they’ll get a husband who can take care of them. This thinking can lead to children not living up to their capabilities and not trying their very best.

“Some people assume because I am a Muslim, I am a terrorist.” Noshin continues. Sadly, this is a reality for many people. The growing terrorism in the middle east is causing effects on Muslims all around the world. Many people view them as a threat because of the stereotypes created by a few extremists. In the airports, despite the selections of passengers for further screening being “completely random”, the ones chosen are usually Muslims or Arab. This is due to racial profiling and stereotypes. Everyone is entitled to their religion, and that religion doesn’t determine whether a person has good or bad intentions. It doesn’t just apply for muslims, every religion has a specific look that society feels all members should have. “People think that just because my nose is slightly more arched than most, it must mean I am Jewish.” Said Lia Shoshani, another 8th grade student. Despite the fact that she actually is Jewish, the way she looks should not be what gives it away. Religions cross international borders, and are followed by people all over the world. So to say that all members should look a certain way is discriminating against the majority. This stereotype can lead to children feeling like the world doesn’t accept their religion or that they don’t belong in their religion. That can cause conflicting ideals in a young person who is still trying to find their place in the world.

“People tell me that Indians are smart, so they ask: why aren't you?” Said one student at UWCSEA East when asked if she ever felt subjected to stereotypes. Many have thought that all Asians are smart, and all Asians want to become doctors or lawyers. However many Asians are actually better at other things. Maybe they’re good at sports, maybe their good at art, it depends on the individual. Your race in no way determines your strengths and weaknesses. It is related to your heritage, and although that may influence your interests, every person is an individual and is entitled to their own opinions. These stereotypes can make a child feel as if they have a responsibility to fulfill them. Instead of pursuing their passion, children may change their mind to make the stereotypes true. Just like religion, one stereotype for a racial group is not capable of accurately defining all it’s members.

“I sometimes judge sporty people and think they’re are not exactly good at academics.” The student continues. It is often assumed that someone can only be good at one thing. If you’re good at academics you’re a nerd and not good at sport, if you’re good at sport you’re a jock and dumb. In actual fact, someone’s skills are not only focused on one thing, and hobbies cannot define someone’s personality. Human brains are remarkable, and capable of specialising in more than one area. These generally untrue stereotypes are common in movies and televison, rule the school hallways and can negatively influence the way students view each other from a young age.

Although stereotypes are a huge problem, there are ways in which we can prevent ourselves from using them to judge others. Despite the fact that some may actually be true or rooted in some form of truth, don’t let your first impression of someone get in the way of actually getting to know someone; they may be totally different to how they initially appear. Second, don’t resort to a single story and assume it applies to everyone, it most likely won’t. Finally, be aware of stereotypes the next time you use them to judge someone. Stereotyping is often subconscious and we don’t even realise we’ve done it until the moment has passed.

Stereotypes have surround every topic, and have always been around. However the impacts they are having on today’s society are worsening. “I always feel like a have a sort of responsibility towards the stereotype.” Says Francesca Marshall, another student at UWCSEA East. “I think in a lot of cases people use stereotypes to form opinions on others. They just assume because you’re Asian you’re smart, or because you’re Muslim you’re dangerous. I don’t think people should assume that just because of your race or religion, you’re something you’re not. Everyone is unique and different, stereotypes don't define who you are.”

by Isabella Duncan

The Distress Through Social Media

Have you ever experienced the true world of social media? The words themselves make some shudder and many ecstatic. There will never be an answer to whether it's beneficial or not...

The world has advanced. The word “iPhone” and “Samsung Galaxy” has become a trend. It’s like the same feeling to people when the world cup starts but the question is, why smartphones? Why not other phones? Well, it’s mainly because of two words, “Social Media”

Picture yourself at home, on your phone, on facebook and having a fun time scrolling. Do you really think that you are achieving or gaining something from it and did you know that the people who have the time to care about you, are just being ignored by your lazy and antisocial behaviour. Are you aware that a human spends about an average of 3 hours a day on social media? The implication isn’t that social media is unbeneficial” but the people who are trying to be active with you shouldn’t be neglected. Maybe you or your friends are being mature on social media but there are others who aren’t. Cyberbullies, trolls and scammers are like the dons of social media.

Youngsters, generally from the age thirteen to sixteen, are tormented by these cyber bullies on social media, however there are few who know how to deal with such dilemmas. Michael Hamm, researcher in pediatrics at University of Alberta, cited that “parents, need to be addressed that there child is being cyber bullied.” Alerting parents play a big role in these aspects. Remember, social media is much more distinctive than the real world and we should use it with caution.

Philip Haryanto, an 8th grade student, conceded strongly, “Social media is something that should be handled maturely. It needs to be utilised cautiously. There are many hazards involved, and I think that the most effective method is to avoid it entirely. I don’t have any experiences of any severe cases but I am acquainted with people who have and it was abhorrent and wistful. It is best to use social media when matured”

Cyber bullying not only affects us, but also the people amongst us and that is what caused desolation. “Once cyberbullied, it will be a rough experience to accept and prevent”, added by Philip Haryanto.

When surveyed, 8th grade students at UWCSEA reported firmly that roughly fifty percent of the people who they knew, have been cyberbullied and went through that atrocious process. Most peers, when surveyed, also responded that the first thing they would do is to alert their parents, but if we rely on our parents so much, then why do we use social media? This justifies that social media is meant for the matured and cyber bullies purposefully target young adolescents because they know that they can’t fight alone.

As we know, social media is a good way of spending free time and hanging out but we should be aware of its dangers. Sometimes, children can get influenced by the methods of cyberbullying and can start to do it which can be inimical to many. At the ages spanning from thirteen to sixteen are very crucial as that is when our brain starts to develop, and function better and faster and if we are influenced by these practices, not only it affects others, but if affects us the most and is precarious to our body.

Again, social media and the real world are complete two different things and both have its dangers and safety. It is like comparing cyber bullying and terrorism which again, is two bizarre and different things. If cyber bullying approaches to you, either block the account or let your parents know as soon as possible but, could cyberbullying be a lesson to teach youngsters not to use social media?

By: Aditya

"The Scientific American." Social Media, Cyber Bullying. N.p., 23 June 2015. Web.

The Link Between Power and Corruption

A student in UWCSEA calls for quiet, he is the leader of his G.C. Once everyone has quieted down, he begins the session by asking everyone whether or not they have any ideas for fundraising. First he writes his own idea on the board, then adds everyone else's. There are some really good ideas, but in the end, he goes with his own. Is it the best? No, but who can challenge him?

This is just one example of power affecting someone into making the wrong decision. This is because power, the one thing everyone wants in their life, is corruptive. Power is corruptive because, once you have power, you go up a step in life. You have gained authority over someone and with this authority you can go on and make them do what you want, when you want.

Iain Mclaughlin, head of Coca-Cola in Southeast Asia, when asked about this issue, revealed other examples of people being corrupted by power, “They force people in the organization to do things that aren’t necessarily in the best interests of the company. Or they use their position power to make unreasonable demands on people which impacts their lives.” The two examples above exposes the concept that, with power comes an ability to affect our the people around us, our environment, in a negative way and implies a sense of people changing because of power, which the Guardian researched further in a experiment.

They gave participants scenario’s with two choices, the social choice or the anti-social choice. In the beginning, before the scenarios started, they asked the participants what choice they would go with and 97% of the participants said they would choose the social choice. However, once the experiment started and they got actual power, the clock started ticking. The pressure of making a decision kept on rising and rising, and in the end everyone made the anti-social choice.

This experiment shows that power makes people change, but why does this happen? When asked this question, Iain Mclaughlin replied. “Power makes things easier, the more power you have the easier it is to get things happening and get things done.” The idea that power makes things easier is significant because it gets to the heart of why power is so wanted and so corruptive. With power you suddenly have this ability to do more, do things that might have been out of reach before, and this new ability can make life much simplier. Whether or not this new found ability is positive or negative depends on situation and the person.

But, what can we do about this. What can be done to stop this corruption. Iain Mclaughlin answered this question in his interview. “To stop corruption there has to be safeguards, checks and balances, to stop people corrupting.”

There have to be checks and balances. One example of these might be asking your friends, the people you knew before your new role, your new power, whether they have noticed anything different about you. Another check might be asking your boss or one of your peers to watch you while you work and see if they find negative use of power. An example of a balance could be spreading your power out evenly to the people around you. Try and give everyone around you a say, endeavour to make your environment as democratic as possible.

There is a link between power and corruption and this link will change the people around you, create corruption were there wasn’t any before. However, don’t let this link affect you. Try and check in regularly with the people around you, and balance out your power as evenly as possible. Make sure your sense of integrity always stays intact and rely on those around you to keep it that way. To stay whole even though you have power will become harder and harder as time goes on. Temptation will start to slide in, the benefits of what you could get if you only just did one thing wrong will show. But, in the end that will mean you’ve let power change you. That would mean you’re a worse person than who you were originally, all because of a concept, an idea, something that isn’t even real.


Sources:
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/dec/17/does-power-lead-to-corruption-research-testosterone

Iain Mclaughlin

Gilli Eco Trust Shark Release

In December of 2014, three juvenile sharks were rescued by Bali Sharks. Bali Sharks is a non government organisation that helps to rescue sharks from fish markets and waters that are threatened by fishermen and corporate fishing companies. 

These sharks were then flown to Gili, a small island off Lombok. 

On the island, a woman named Delphine Robbe runs an organization called the Gili Eco Trust, a community of islanders and foreigners that work together to help sustain the coral reefs by planting biorock to help the flora grow, run a glass workshop that recycles old bottles and has weekly island wide beach clean ups. 

Gili Eco Trust is a global concern here at United World College and also a service trip we do every year.

Last year, these sharks were released at the biorock coral reefs off of Gili, and students from Middle School got to witness the experience first hand.

Here is a quote from a student who went on the trip and saw this amazing and once in a lifetime opportunity. “This experience was very eye opening. I got to see how even a small change can create a big chain reaction, especially out in the wild.” says Isis Savage, a former UWC student.

These sharks have been tagged and are being monitored and are currently doing very well in their new home.

By Francesca

Outbreak At Mumbai Airport Baggage Claim

It’s not often that you see two women fighting in the middle of a baggage claim belt, over a piece of luggage.

On October 10th, 2015, two women started fighting at Mumbai Airport after one accidentally hit another with her bag, creating a massive havoc in the airport. This was after a 5-hour long flight to Mumbai from Singapore. 

As the box rolled along to reach its owner, a lady picked up her box, hitting another woman standing next to her while trying to load the large box onto her luggage cart. 

As if she had been punched, the woman feel over, screaming with grief, as many heads turned their way. Once getting up, she firmly commented, “I am being careful, so why aren’t you?”

After suggesting that she should have asked for help, the other woman responded saying, “I didn’t need help, it was a very light box!” The injured lady then went on to show her friends and relatives nearby her many injuries from the incident.

Spectators nearby ignored the argument, however watched with intent to see if it would escalate. Fortunately it did not, and the two women went on to collect their pieces of luggage and depart from the airport. 

This drama seems to beg the question that, are baggage belts safe? This light box caused an injury, so what would the injuries be like with a bigger box? With bigger populations of people coming off flights and crowded around one belt, there seems to be a high potential for injury.

In other places, there have been instances as well where the issue has occurred. With bigger bags, people have swung them off the belt in a rush to make sure it comes off in time, hitting other people nearby in the process. 

We usually think of weapons as the greatest things that hurt us, but increasing populations may have us thinking otherwise.

By Om

Haze Affecting Singapore Citizens

Hazy mornings, evenings interrupting our daily lives, can’t go outside and we are not allowed to play our sport and have our liberty all because of people in Indonesia burning down trees thus creating haze. People are in misery, trapped inside a city where people walk around wearing face masks for protection. Tourist come to Singapore expecting that Singapore is a great place and away from any natural crisis but in reality they have to deal with the haze.

The main reason why the haze is caused is because loggers in Indonesia are burning down palm trees for their job. Acres and acres burn every single day. Indonesia and Malaysia have dozens of space filled with palm plantations. It is challenging to put the haze to rest as the haze comes from the burning of the roots of the tree. Meteorologist predict that the haze will continue to travel to Singapore until the monsoon season meaning that could mean November throughout January.

PSI is the reading that is used to show the level of the current haze outside. Depending on where you are currently located, mostly countries surrounding Indonesia will be effected, one of the countries does include Singapore, Malaysia and the south sides of Thailand. The psi at the moment ranges from 900-1000 in Indonesia and 130-160 in Singapore and Malaysia.

There are different categories of danger when the National Environmental Agency releases the level of the haze using psi. 20-80 means moderate, 100-150 means unhealthy. The danger keeps rising and once it reaches 300 or above, the category that with the 300 or above is hazardous. Hazardous means that you should avoid being outside for too long. Lucky for people living in Singapore, people can continue with their daily lives and routines but people located in Indonesia need to stay indoors and stop most of the things they would do in their life.

Haze can be very critical and dangerous and we could get asthma and other respiratory illnesses. People with existing problems should seek immediate medical attention and safety mask for protection from the airborne haze particles.

By Adhvay