Your Voice: Building a progressive society, working hard for a better future (long letters)

Students are building a more progressive society with the Hong Kong Secondary Schools Gender Studies Club (GSC). The club strives to support and raise awareness about the LGBTQ community through educational activities and community events.

Secondary school and university students work together to host forums and screenings. For instance, the club recently held a film appreciation event for LGBTQ teens. The club also uses its social media platform to raise awareness of social issues.

Over just two years, the club has grown from a group of four members to a vibrant community of about 50 individuals.

This shows that individuals, no matter how young, can make widespread changes in our community. We should do our utmost to create a safe environment and provide these groups with adequate resources.

Embrace diverse perspectives; unconventional athletes inspire (short letters)

The club has been taking part in Pride events like the Rainbow Market and the Pink Dot Festival. The club’s founder, who is known as Whale, discussed what it took to be part of these events.

One of the most significant challenges faced by club members was the limited opportunities for in-person gatherings. Balancing academic responsibilities with club participation is also challenging, as most members are full-time students.

Whale expressed her understanding of the varying levels of commitment as members come from different backgrounds. Some are navigating university life, while others are still in secondary school.

Nevertheless, the club is fortunate to have a network made up of fellow student-led groups and local organisations. Members were particularly grateful to the LGBTQ-friendly restaurants that have provided space for club events.

The Rainbow Market provided an excellent platform for members to showcase their talents. The members sold a variety of handmade products, such as colourful bracelets.

At the Pink Dot Festival, the club prepared engaging activities such as inviting passers-by to play conversation games.

Club members also encouraged attendees to brainstorm slogans that promote inclusivity, and to connect with other participants to create stronger bonds within the community.

Whale was pleasantly surprised by the public’s positive response. Many passers-by admired the members’ ability to implement their plans at a young age. This encouragement created a sense of achievement and identity among members.

The Pride events were instrumental in transforming reserved individuals into confident leaders, encouraging them to take up leadership positions within the club.

Hong Kong is part of a multicultural metropolis that prides itself on its international influence; we must advocate for equality. When bright young minds of our society are already taking the initiative, it is high time for the rest of us to follow in their footsteps.

Help! How do I come out to my parents as genderfluid?

Aaron Dou, HKTA Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School

Life is an endless cycle of bitter and sweet. As students, we should study first and reward ourselves later. We attend school for most of the day and rest after.

In an average person’s lifetime, they will usually work hard for around 60 years before retiring. We have set up a system where “you suffer before you can enjoy”.

I agree with this philosophy.

Firstly, it is a good idea to prioritise the things that you “suffer” through before allowing yourself to indulge. You cannot enjoy yourself thoroughly if you have not done your job or completed everyday assignments.

You will think of the things you have not finished or even started; instead of relaxing, you will be preoccupied and nervous. In contrast, if you manage your time well and complete your work, you can enjoy yourself when you “play” after without worrying.

Therefore, do not procrastinate. Your everyday tasks will not go away, so it’s best to handle them and soothe your anxiety before doing anything else.

Achieving success requires perseverance. If there is a reward that you can get without hard work, it will last only a short time. It might even just be luck. Although working hard to get the fruits of our labour and real results may be tiring and difficult, it is more meaningful than using someone else’s idea or finding a short-cut.

To “work hard” before you can enjoy yourself is about trying our best to do everything we can now. Seemingly small things can add up and lead to a serious problem later.

For example, if you fail to “digest” new knowledge as you are taught it, by the time it comes to revising, you will not have understood anything and will be learning it essentially for the first time.

None of us can handle all that learning in a few hours. Revising new knowledge and practising new skills as often as possible is the most effective and efficient way to learn.

Reviving Ocean Park with pandas, reducing student stress (long letters)

It is also beneficial in the long run. You will have less stress before your final public exams if you start taking off pressure from now. Ensure you completely understand new material every school year leading up to your final one so you do not have to rush and “cram” before, say, a university entrance examination.

In conclusion, to minimise “suffering” in your life, try to finish your smaller daily tasks in time. It is always possible if you are willing to take action. Work hard now to get into a good university and get job opportunities.