Moments of Life

Foh Wan Yee 4STEM

I wonder how my childhood ends

As day passes through, like whispers, like friends
With the morning sun and the starry night
The journey starts in a dance of light

I wonder how my adolescence ends

As the day passes through, like the challenges we overcome
With the dreams unspoken and the fears untold
The tale that carries the memories we hold

I wonder how my adult years end

As the day passes through, with dreams still unfolding and the paths we have taken
With the laughter of the imperfection and the energy we have
The moments of struggle the more we go

I wonder how my old age ends

As the day passes through, with memories we made
With the laugher we shared and the generations compared
The stories of life are ready to be laid
 Mental Health Crises Among Teenagers
By Soo Xian Xin (4APSK)

What is mental health? According to the World Health Organization(WHO),mental health

refers to a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life. A
healthy mental health helps us to face emotional and physical stresses. Instead, a mental
health crisis is a situation when a person face intense physical and emotional stress, this
causes a person to have a mental breakdown and puts them at risk of hurting themselves.
For example, mental illness such as depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)and anger issues. For the past few years, the number of
teenagers who suffers from mental health crisis and mental illness in Malaysia has been
highly increasing. According to the national survey, it is shown that one in four adolescents
is struggling with depression, and one in ten has reported a suicidal attempt. This has
reached a worrying state.

What are the factors that cause mental health crises? First of all, being bullied. Bullying
can affect both mental and physical health of an individual, neither physical bullying nor
verbal bullying. Many of them aren’t conscious about the consequences of bullying, spitting
out hurtful words, causing injuries and harassing one not knowing that these lead the
victims to experience fear and anxious feeling that might cause mental health problems
such as anxiety and depression. Similarly, an individual who grows up in an abusive family
may develop mental health crises such as PTSD and anxiety as they experience traumatic
events. Besides, academic stresses. An adolescent who has high expectations in grades and
overwork is most likely exposed to the risk of getting mental health crisis.

What are the impacts of mental health crises for teenagers? Firstly, they might struggle
with concentration and low self-esteem, which can lead to the decrease of motivation and
confidence, these can affect their academic performance and grades. Furthermore, mental
health crises can affect both mental health and physical health. For example, mental health
can cause headaches, digestive problems and inability to sleep in. Other than that, they are
exposed to the risk of having criminal behaviours such as robbery, drug addiction and sexual
assault.

In conclusion, mental health crises must be taken seriously and none of us should ignore
this issue as it impacts the health of teenagers in Malaysia. Sadly, in Asia people often tend
to deny, dismiss or even feel ashamed when someone brings up mental health concerns.
Talking openly about health crises is rarely encouraged in this country, this might even
worsen this phenomenon. Facing mental health crisis requires open communication and
help from the others, the stereotype of mental health crises are a dishonour should be
broken down. Mental health crises are just as serious as physical health illnesses, it has to
be cured immediately, never leave a teenager to deal with mental health crisis on their
own! Feel free to speak to someone whenever you feel overwhelmed, seeking help is not a
sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.
An Untold Story by Hue Yean Kun (3USM)

Centuries ago, in the Heart of the World, where the realms of the physical and
the spiritual intersect, an agreement was struck between the powers that be.
Through the combined efforts of the gods both old and new, a champion shall be
made. With his chisel, the Great Sculptor carved a body of blackened stone,
impervious to the elements, complete with intricate mechanisms of gears and cogs
to permit movement and feats of great agility. With his mighty hammer, the Smith
forged a glistening suit of armour, composed of interlocking plates made of celestial
steel, it was immune to mortal weaponry, physical or otherwise. Nemara, spirit of the
oldest World Tree, granted this nascent champion a Connection to the Green, what
the trees saw he would see, what the grass felt he would feel. Karuk, Father of
Beasts blessed him with authority over all creatures of the wild. With many others
granting blessings of their own, but last but certainly not least The Wanderer, eldest
of the gods, gifted this champion a soul and a weapon. Hope it was called, a very
shard of his essence, able to transform itself to accommodate the needs of its
wielder, from blade to hammer, spear to shield, After 100 days and 100 nights, the
champion had finally awoken. I had finally awoken.

For decades I fought and I learned, uniting the mortal realms through words
and blood. Empires rose and fell upon my command, and peoples lived or died at my
whims. My words were thunder, and my speech was law. I had amassed a great
many names, the Onyx Swordsman, the Black Death, the Peacemaker, the Dark
King, and the Champion of the World. But you may call me Anikal. From this, you
may think me a monster but I did not kill for power, wealth, or influence. My goal was
to unite the divided nations of the mortal realms to fight the Great Enemy. For that
was my duty, the very purpose of my creation.

A year after Unification, I led an army, millions strong, to the assault on the
Fortress City of Sakar’Rok, at the centre of the Rokar Wastes. There laid the final
bastion of the Cult of The Parasite, led by the very son of the Parasite, Kathos the
Desolator, Herald of the Apocalypse. I think now is the time I tell you about our
enemy, though I will keep it brief, the less said about it the better. Our Enemy was
the Great Parasite, the Harbinger of Suffering, and the Monarch of Madness. It is an
Outer God of immeasurable might, it feeds off the suffering of others to fuel its dark
powers. Aeons ago, it came to our world, to feed like it had a thousand worlds
before. But through the combined might of the Gods, and the various creatures and
mortal races of the time, its soul was separated from its body and sealed away with
various artefacts. Its soulless husk was entombed with earth and stone from the
world and made into the second smaller moon that you now see in the night sky. His
Heralds were either killed or sealed in different parts of the world but still they exert
influence upon those of weaker wills. That is why today I march my army upon this
Fortress, composed of all races, humanity, beastmen, dragons, and more. You may
think such a grand army is unnecessary but against the servants of the enemy, one
can never be too sure. The area around the Fortress City was devoid of plant life, the
skies overhead perpetually shrouded in an ominous darkness. The Fortress City was
surrounded by a massive wall stretching across the entire city, with a gargantuan
steel gate in the middle. The defenses were reinforced by dark magic as well, if evil
was a place it would be here. Regardless, with a determined heart I ordered the
beginning of the siege.

The siege lasted two bloody years. The foul magics of the Enemy reigned
terror upon the army, men died in their sleep or turned into twisted monstrosities of
madness and hatred. But the greater danger was more subtle, the Enemy whispered
lies and sowed seeds of doubt within the soldiers of the army. Men turned on each
other, former comrades now fought each other to the bitter end. Many friends and
allies were lost in that terrible siege but in the end, we persevered. I came face to
face with Kathos himself, he was not the prettiest of beings, a maddening set of eyes
and tentacles comprised his “face” and an aura of despair radiated from him. I
steeled myself, Hope within my hands, we fought. For ten days and ten nights, we
fought. Blade against claw, armour against magic. Until finally with a feint that cost
me half of my body, I drove Hope straight into his chest piercing his wretched heart.
As his corpse melted into a pool of dark sludge, I lay on the ground, the left side of
my stone body annihilated by a blast of eldritch sorcery. With the resilient frame that
I was blessed with, I still had some time. With the cheers of my army in the
background I grabbed a nearby rock and used Hope to carve the passages that you
are currently reading. To those reading this, my only wish is for you to bury my body
in the Heart of the World so that I may rest in the place where I was made. Tell my
army this: remain ever vigilant even in an age of peace and do not let the sacrifices
of your comrades be in vain. That is all.

Pros and Cons of Online Gaming

Chong Wui Xian (5BCB1)

Online gaming. One of the most popular activities among teenagers, even
adults. Many people choose online gaming for several reasons. However, they also
come with downsides. This essay will explain the pros and cons about online
gaming.

To start it off, online gaming can reduce stress by providing entertainment and
also relaxation mainly through their fun and engaging ways that players can unwind
into. Not only that, but some games provide motivation to the player, therefore
significantly increasing one's mood.

Next, online games allow players to connect with other players from all around
the world, so players will get a chance to communicate with each other anywhere,
creating a long-distance friendship. Online games also tend to enhance teamwork
skills as some games require multiple players, else it will be too hard. This also
teaches us not everything is meant to be done alone.

Many games offer creative outlets such as character customization. This can
also give players the confidence to freely express themselves in public, enhancing
social abilities. Another example is world-building, this will enhance your designing
skills along with patience as good things will always take the most time.

Some games are designed to be educational as many games require strategic

thinking, problem solving and decision making which can help players learn new
skills in a fun and interactive way.

Moving onto the cons about online gaming, excessive gaming can lead to
addiction, negatively impacting daily life and responsibilities. Besides, it will also
strain your eyes when too much time is spent in front of a screen, especially
watching videos in a dark environment as it greatly increases the risk of getting
shortsightedness.

Some online games can be time consuming, ranging to 2 to 5 hours per game,
potentially leading to poor time management and neglect of other important activities
and responsibilities.

Cybersecurity risks are common in online games as well. Players can get their
account information leaked or exposed if not careful, there are also scams too, like
asking for real money for a digital products and not getting it after the transaction,
this will lead to serious consequences if you fall for these threats.

Teenagers will often find some games disturbing due to the violent and
inappropriate contents shown in the game. After long term exposure of these games
at young ages, there will be a significant change in terms of personalities that you
can expect, like violent behaviours and anger issues.

To finalize everything, online gaming is good when you engage in at the right
time, like in a bad mood or just want to express your creativity and hang out with
your friends and make sure you take breaks to avoid health issues. Teenagers
should also ask or notify their parents about the game they’re about to get to avoid
exposure to inappropriate content. It is also important to stay aware of players
around you, as they can start a cyberbully or a scam. Online games are a great
choice when it comes to entertainment and also social interactions.