My Summer Break: How I would spend a HK$5,000 e-voucher
- This week, students share what they would buy with a HK$5,000 e-voucher, such as the latest video game or buying face masks for the needy
- One student was even inspired by Hong Kong’s Olympic medallist, Edgar Cheung Ka-long, and would use the money to pay for fencing lessons
Who wouldn’t love a little extra cash?This is the last edition of My Summer Break. From next week, we will be starting up our Top 10 page again, where we will publish even more submissions from you!
The first question for next week’s Top 10 page is: If you could get rid of one rule in your school, what would it be?
If you would like to participate, submit your response using this Google form. The deadline is Wednesday, September 1.
This week’s question: If the government gave every teenager in Hong Kong a HK$5,000 e-voucher – just as it has recently done for adults – what would you buy?
I have always wanted my mum to spend more time with me doing outdoor activities. I would use the HK$5,000 to hire someone to ease my mum’s workload at home. Also, since the beginning of the pandemic, my family has been buying masks and other hygiene products, which has significantly increased my family’s spending.
This additional financial burden has meant that my mum’s working hours have increased. She works six days a week at a construction site, as well as doing many overtime shifts. She is exhausted when she comes home. She sleeps a lot on Sunday, and we don’t get to spend much time together.
I would hope to use my e-voucher so she doesn’t have to work so hard and can spend more quality time with me at home. A woman should not have to choose between her family and her job. Family should always come first. I wish that every mum could spend as much time as possible with her children.
Coco Man Tsz-wing, 14, TWGHs Chang Ming Thien College
I would use the HK$5,000 e-voucher in exchange for more time with my father. My dad is a workaholic. He works six days a week at a water-pipeline company. I hardly ever see him home before dinner.
He is a responsible father who gives so much to our family, yet he doesn’t have time to enjoy family gatherings, even on special days. I am very grateful for what he has done for us.
I hope the e-voucher can bring him closer to the family, so we can enjoy a nice summer break together. I would like to go to the beach and enjoy chatting with him there. I hope he can take a break and relieve some of the pressure he feels from work.
Alisa Lee Sin-yi, 13, Cognitio College
I would use the money to buy video games. I love playing video games, but I always need to use my parents’ money to buy them. I don’t want them to have to keep paying for my games because I am afraid that I will use all of their money.
But at the same time, gaming is very popular among teens, and I don’t want to be left out! People may not want to hang out with me if they think I am old-fashioned, and I may even get bullied if I don’t play video games.
Carson Luk, 12, St Joseph Anglo-Chinese School
I would spend 20 per cent of the HK$5,000 e-voucher on my hobbies and use the rest to help society.
As for my hobbies, I would buy a book called One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. MacManus which I have been eyeing for almost a year! I am also interested in photography, so I would buy a Polaroid camera to take some cool photos.
With the remaining money, I would buy new clothes, face masks, and hand sanitiser to donate to poor people in areas of Hong Kong such as Sham Shui Po. People from low-income families have been badly affected during the pandemic, and even small acts of kindness can have a big impact on society.
Shruti Kaur, 16, YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College
Since I’m a reckless person, I would spend half of the money on expensive but not-so-useful things, such as vegan leather trousers, rings that make your fingers look like claws, and vintage copies of books I already own.
I would also buy tickets to see a movie with my family on the weekend, and try some
of the popcorn which my mum always says is too expensive.
Finally, I would donate the rest of the money to charities which are helping those who have been displaced by the crisis in Afghanistan.
Yuhan Huang, 15, German Swiss International School
I would buy fencing lessons because I was inspired by Edgar Cheung Ka-long, who won the first gold medal in fencing at the Tokyo Olympic Games and surprised me with his outstanding performance.
Despite the strong opponent Cheung faced, he was extremely calm and collected. Although I don’t know much about fencing and his tactics, he showed an admirable spirit and never gave up.
The coronavirus pandemic has made me miss many of my after-school extracurricular activities. I have also missed many hours with my peers at school. I am hoping to catch up on my training and start doing something fun. Maybe one day I will be an Olympic medallist too.
Lawrence Zhou Leran, 14, Munsang College
The first thing that comes to my mind is the latest game from Nintendo Switch, but I think it would be better if I could share my money and spread happiness to other people. A lot of elderly people live in my neighbourhood, and they sometimes have to scavenge for discarded cardboard and other waste to make a living. They desperately need our help.
As a primary school student, I cannot offer them any financial aid, but I can donate my pocket money or buy them some food, face masks or other daily necessities with the e-voucher. Sharing is the best way to multiply happiness.
Jayden Chow, 10, PLK Leung Chow Shun Kam Primary School