kimchi's blog

 Do you know what Reddit is? (●ˇ∀ˇ●) Reddit is a forum-based social media platform, where users publish posts in subreddits that pertain to a single overarching topic. For example, students may post about studying tips in r/studying, or look for online friends to play games with in r/Roblox. The forum structure of Reddit makes it very useful for reading and writing long-form content like articles and opinion pieces. This is one of the advantages of Reddit, since it does not actively promote short-form content that diminishes students’ attention spans. However, the long-form content can also be harmful, especially if the content is radical. Reddit, like any social media platform, decides which post is “better” based on the number of likes and comments it receives. In order to get attention, people make “rage bait” posts that are intended to offend or provoke users to make them comment their disapproval. These posts consequently get many comments and are usually at the top of student...

 Home is where we recharge after a long day at work, where we can truly be ourselves without worrying about scrutiny from our fellow peers. In this way, home truly is a special place for most of us. But due to the rise of work-from-home arrangements, home is increasingly becoming a place to work instead of remaining as a sanctuary of rest. Does this recent development render the home just a glorified office? Over the years, home has served mankind in many different ways, the most important of these being to shelter its inhabitants. Strong wooden structures have made way for firm concrete constructions, but the materials have identical functions. They protect humans from the elements, and in doing so give them a place of refuge, where they are safe from predators and danger. As such, the modern home is likewise similar, offering modern humans a cozy den to relax and destress from a hectic day of work. For example, my apartment is home to ancient towers of bookshelves and pristine st...

 I embarked on some English revision today ( •̀ ω •́ )✧ It comprised multiple essays and a full reading comprehension package. Recently, I've started enjoying doing reading comprehensions. My assumption is that my reading habit has made reading seem more pleasurable to me, and interacting with text? Sign me up!  Anyways, the factual comprehension I comprehended was on penguins! Here's the summary of the text: When penguins are on land, they are often seen to have low shoulders and long bodies on short legs. Their profile resembles a boomerang with a natural rounded stance. When erect, penguins are graceful with their tail ends touching the ground. They tuck their legs into their bodies to ward off coldness, resulting in a shuffling stride. In water, penguins surface for air and propel out when moving. As skilled divers, they hold their breaths at length to outswim their prey. No other animal surpasses the penguin in water. I remember playing a game called Happy Feet that ...

 I had a trial lesson at a local tuition centre today (～￣▽￣)～ It was a group tuition session, and multiple students were sitting at a long, light-brown, birch table. They were all female, and the teacher was a male. Since it was my first time actually experiencing a real tuition session -- academic, institutionalised and expensive -- I was extremely nervous. This was glaringly obvious in the fact that I arrived at the centre 30 minutes early, waited outside the glass doors for 2 minutes after the session had already started, and stood nervously at the edge of the room, staring apprehensively at the figures seated by the table.  The tuition teacher tilted his head up and greeted me with a dismissive smile. He beckoned me to take a seat beside him, and I uncomfortably navigated into the proffered seat, wary of the half-lidded eyes around me. Oddly, the students remained entirely silent and barely looked up at the newcomer. Their eyes, half concealed by beige-coloured eyelids, we...

 Governments around the world are publishing screen time guidelines for children （⊙ｏ⊙） These measures were taken after multiple studies had indicated the dangers and harms of prolonged exposure to social media on young children. However, parents have mixed views on this issue. Some think that the parents would know what is best for their children, while others support the government's intervention; some of whom even call for a legal age limit on access to social media. In this essay, I am going to discuss whether a legal age limit for social media is necessary. Firstly, there are vast amounts of enriching educational content on social media. From Do-It-Yourself crafts videos to documentaries targeted at children, the youth of today can discover and pursue their passions with just a phone. For example, after watching a Youtube video on the importance of protecting the environment, my younger brother initiated a self-led project in his school's Eco-Green club. Every Friday for 8 ...

 My dad transmitted his sore throat virus to me ヾ(≧へ≦)〃 We were having lunch after my exam when I accidentally took a sip of his contaminated iced tea. I had just wanted to tease him, as I often do to my brother, by stealing some sips from his beloved drink. Seeing my sad excuse for a taunt, my father stared at me blankly and commented, "I have a sore throat." "What?" I exclaimed, immediately jerking away from the now disgusting, filthy cup of tea. His face creased into a faint smile at my reaction. He added reassuringly that it was just a slight infection, but I was unconvinced.  See, I've been reading up on quite a lot of medical literature, so I know for a fact that even a trace amount of virus in one person can result in a devastating illness in another. It's because we all have different immune systems suited to different infections. As a result, we are more vulnerable to some infections and more resistant to others.  Really, it's a good sign of hea...

 Today I went on an outing with my dad （￣︶￣）↗　 We went to buy swimming goggles for our swimming trip on Friday! My father had recommended the sport to me because the water could release all that tension in my muscles, allowing to truly and completely relax. This was after I had ranted to him about my encroaching exam stress, how the big dark cloud was consuming everything I loved, including my social skills. I've just been feeling pretty detached from my friends lately, especially my close friends, which is sort of paradoxical.  Anyways, before we set off to the faraway lands of Decathlon, I tucked into a deliciously warm butter and kaya-filled toast. The buns were warm and the fillings were generous, making me squirm in delight at the clash of sensations and flavours. Ooh, a fat slab of butter always does the trick! Of course, there's the thing about saturated fats causing high cholesterol, but let's not think about that right now. When we arrived at Decathlon, a light gre...

 Hey, it's exam season （＞人＜；） I've been feeling quite stressed lately. Any time I would decide to do something I enjoy, like rewatch House M.D. or read a book, I'd feel immensely guilty for wasting time. My brain would annoyingly tug at me, whispering that I should be studying, asking if I had forgotten about the piles of practice papers I hadn't done yet. Needless to say, this relentless torment has resulted in a tense demeanour and a subtle but not imperceptible ache between my eyebrows. As such, I took a day off this Monday to go cycling with my father -- an activity I've long withheld from.  Why did I stop myself from cycling, you may ask. Well, this sort of restraint was not internal but external. This year, in early February, my brother had a biking accident which left him with a long scar on his knee and one less tooth in his jaw. Don't fret! We brought him to the emergency ward at a hospital, where the doctors tied his tooth back in place. They reassured...