Teenage years are the stage in life where you have the most amount of time to do the things you want. Although teenagers in Malaysia often busy themselves with studies and tuition, efforts and time should be taken to do other things besides academics to make one's teenage years more fulfilling. Here'a a bucket list created by myself on what are the things teenagers should do more:
1. Reading
It is found that reading has been in the bottom of most Malaysian teenager's list of hobbies. This is an disturbing trend and with technologies like smartphones and computer games engulfing our teenagers' leisure, reading has almost been shunned aside from a teenager's upbringing. And this prompts me to put reading on top of this bucket list.
Teenagers should develop the habit of reading for pleasure. Put aside your smartphone and textbooks and spend some of your time reading novels like J.K Rowling, Dan Brown and etc. Delve yourself into the fictional world and experience that incredible world created by the authors. There is an immensely satisfying feeling when one finishes reading a book that is worth reading.
Besides, reading helps in improving your writing and this could not have been mentioned enough. Reading and writing goes hand in hand and without developing a reading habit, one can never produce a good quality writing because of lack of language knowledge. Having good results on your maths and science subjects but unable to put out a good writing makes your education incomplete.
Some people argue reading is an expensive leisure as books and novels are expensive. This is not entirely the case as there are book fairs such as The Big Bad Wolf in which old but good books are sold at less than RM10. It never hurts to spend a little on a couple of good reads once or twice a year to fill up your holidays' leisure.
Lastly, study done by Oxford University has shown that teenagers who read are much more likely to get a better job. Reading-as-teenager-gets-you-a-better-job . Any more doubts on why reading helps you in your future?
2. Play sports
If you have not learn to play a sports during your childhood, it's never too late to begin picking up a sports at your teenage years. Whether it's ball games (basketball, soccer n etc), racket sports (badminton, tennis), swimming or even cheerleading, being a sporty teenager does bring an extra personal charisma and it may play to your advantage in FYP (finding your partner). xD
Joke aside, the advantages of playing sports are abundant: exercise regularly to keep your body healthy, getting to know new friends in a random pick-up game, having fun with friends who share the same interest in sports, easing the stresses from school.
It's advisable to not wait until university to start learning a sports, You will certainly be a laughing stock among your sporty friends when you join them for sports session.
3. Part-time jobs
Saving money for college, buying your favourite sneaker, going for a trip with friends. Whatever reasons you might have to get a part-time job, it feels immensely satisfying to be able to earn and spend your own money. Being a cashier in book fairs, promoting at a shopping mall, serving customers in a restaurant. Go and do a part-time job and earn your own money so that you can spend on the things you want without putting too much financial pressure on your parents.
Besides, any form of work experience is invaluable in your growth and prepare you for the future. More importantly, it gives you a deeper appreciation for all the work that goes into earning your own income.
4. Participated in extra-curricular activities
Extra-curricular activities (ECA) are a part of teenagers' education in high school. Go and participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities to discover your interests. Whether it is joining an expedition, being a cadet reporter, or organising a camp, these activities serve to make one's teenage years more memorable and fulfilling in the sense that one has try and have a go at a variety of things in a self-discovering journey.
Besides, ECA helps in improving interpersonal skills and leadership development. Go ahead and take on some leadership role in high school and finds out whether being a leader fits you. These experiences gained in high school certainly helps one to ease into university life where emphasis is placed on developing skills and leadership other than studies.
5. Picking up a hobby
Let's face it, teenage years are about having fun. Go and do something which you can enjoy yourself: playing musical instrument, singing, dancing, collecting stamps, playing Rubik's cube, hiking, jogging, cycling, learning to cook, learning foreign language. The list goes on and on. #YOLO
No comments:
Post a Comment