By Abhay –
Exams, exams, exams
Oh it is such trouble,
it scripts the worst month of my life
I would rather move the rubble.
I cannot laugh or draw or play
all I can is study,
I keep re-dying everyday
I can’t even talk to my buddies
In the end I do really well
and be the topper of the class
but it really doesn’t make a difference to me
if I came first or last
– Abhay, Grade 7, Greenwood High, Bangalore
By Saksham – Green leaves, brown branches. Branches with more branches stuck to them. The pattern seemed almost satisfying with the tender and crooked yet beautiful leaves, that seemed like mint ice cream suspended by chocolate wafer sticks that were the branches. The leaves were abundant, not only adding a nice contrast to the sticky texture of the wood but also creating a calming background for the scenery that could be seen . Three red beetles clung to the branches, each wearing a stripy sweater, almost as if walking along the metro train to find a comfortable door to enter through. I assumed they were friends, travelling somewhere to hangout before they went home to their families. I wished I could be just like them, to have someone bigger than me, so I wouldn’t have any responsibilities at all, alone in just nature with some of my favourite comrades.
-Saksham
Grade 9, GD Goenka World School
By Rabnoor – As we all know due to Covid-19 virus all of the countries including India have declared a lockdown. Due to the lockdown my father started to run indoors. As I was getting bored because I could not go to school or play with my friends, seeing my father running every day I also decided to run within our apartment.
I have been running since long and have ran many marathons like Vadodara Marathon, Juniorun, Times Duathlon, Amity Marathon, Tuffman, Super Sikh Run (my favourite), Born2Run, and registered for many which could happened due to lock down. But running indoors was a new experience for me.
I started by aiming for 2 km, and it was a piece of cake for me. Later I aimed for 5 km which was a piece of sandwich (considerably harder) for me *Hahaha*. Succeeding, I endeavoured for 7 km as I was born on the 7th of January and also it was my 1st day of indoor running and January is the first month of the year, so many coincidences. I savoured the saltiness of the sweat. Fun was added when my dog Dexter started running after me. He also ran a good distance with me. It was a nice change for Dexter from resting the whole day to run approximately 1 km with me indoors, as we could not take him outside for a walk.
Lastly, I aimed for 10km, my first 10km! But I consulted my father first because he inspired me for running. When I walked into my bedroom once to get cool air, I saw my dad already making a medal for me using paper and pasting it on one of my old medals. However, I continued running as I could not stop in between. When my Garmin showed 10km, I entered my room and I saw my father waiting for me with medal in his hand and presented it to me. In every marathon a runner would always expect a medal for the efforts that he/she has put in. I also got one in spite of running inside my home. I was so happy that I could accomplish my goal for running 10km as all my earlier runs were only for 5kms.
I am looking forward to supplementing this accomplishment to my “Cookie Jar”(Check out David Goggins for information). Another coincidence is that I ran 10 km on the 10th of April *LOL*.
Since then I have been running regularly and never missed a single day. And I want to carry on with it.
I realised that running indoors has many benefits like we can get network connection to listen to music or watch movies, I could drink water anytime I want and I could sneak into my bedroom to get myself some cool air and then go back to running.But I would still prefer running outdoors because running in the nature is more beneficial than indoors but no circumstances can stop me from running.
– Rabnoor
Grade 6, Kunskapsskolan
Narrated in the name, form and shape of demons, One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry is the most unique autobiography I have ever read. After reading, it seems the most natural way of looking back at your life. Is it not demons we all live and grow up with?
Technically it is not an autobiography but reveals the most intimate parts of life and mind of the author. Presented in the form of a comic, it is funny and brutally honest. Right from head lice to heartbreak, from being bullied to becoming a bully, Lynda bares her feelings as she narrates episodes from her childhood and teenage. With no emotional support from her mother, how she dealt with the loneliness and anxiety of being ‘ugly’ and ‘different’ by doing some crazy things.
In her demons, you remember and begin to recognize your own demons. How I wish I had read something like this in my adolescence. I would have felt understood and not alone. That is why it may be a good book for your teenager but it may be even better for you as a parent. You will begin to place your child in the centre and see how she/he must be interacting with various elements in his/her life- school, attractions, teachers, best friend, boy/girlfriend, bullies, looks, abuse, need to prove. Once you draw the picture in your mind, you realize the pressure built up inside your child. It may just evoke the empathy, love and understanding your child may need from you.
Recommended for ages 13+ and all parents
