Thanusan Ponniah
Grade 10
Arab Unity School, Dubai
The sun has risen after the last night of 2018 slid away into history, and the first day of a brand new year, 2019, has shone into existence. It’s that day. The first day of the new year. The day that youngsters excitedly add a year to their age, the day that adults sigh when they look at that increasing figure.
Multiple world-shaping events like Brexit, the Indian, Indonesian and Nigerian elections, the abdication of the Japanese Emperor Akihito, and the Cricket and Rugby World Cups are set to unfold in this final year of the 2010s decade.
2019 tends to be a significant year for the UAE too. The Year of Zayed has led to the Year of Tolerance, standing as a beacon for leniency and diversity across the nation.
Moving on to a more personal note, this year holds special importance to me. I somehow got myself to believe that there were some flaws in me that needed immediate mending; I made up my mind to do just that this year.
The first issue I need to ponder over is how I spend my time. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you must have found it near intolerable to sit still without using those LCD-layered jewels known as smartphones. The cons of switching to these devices far outweigh the benefits.
I plan to utilise my time instead on activities I enjoy doing. I do go for cricket coaching on weekends. The unseasonable, mild cold that comes and goes either side of the extremely sultry summer plays host to a plethora of outdoor activities. So, cricket on the green grass with friends over the incessant tapping on a phone or tablet. Difficult, but doable.
2019 could also be dedicated to enhancing my individualism. Although I can take care of my academics, I need an impetus to get myself to hit the books. I do hope I’m a one-man army by the end of this year.
This summer (if I don’t travel), spending more time with my family, while working on a broader, more fruitful aspect won’t be a bad thing to do. Perhaps a few charity walks or clean-up campaigns would certainly offset watching a film in a dark theatre and finding your leg asleep as you rise to leave.
As a fresh year blossoms and the old one fades out, the only thing that matters is how different we are at the end of each.
Wishing you a very happy new year!
SOURCE : GULFNEWS