Last year, Taiwan experienced an outbreak of COVID-19. We had our classes online, and of course, stayed at home for quarantine. No one was vaxxed and there were few vaccines in Taiwan. In addition to staying home, due to the international status of Taiwan, it was...
Taiwan was the first Asian country to legally acknowledge LGBTQ couples and has a history of strong support for LGBTQ rights. The country passed laws that protect and allow LGBTQ couples to wed. However, discrimination in Taiwan still keeps popping up everywhere, and...
Taiwanese junior high students have three years to prepare for a high school entrance exam, called the HuiKao, which I will refer to as “The Test”. Students are tested on academics learned in middle school, and apply to schools according to the scores they get. You...
When I first started learning writing, I sat at my desk and stared at my writing task, unwilling to jot down a word. Expressing my thoughts has long been an arduous task for me. To make things worse, my high expectations for myself have also placed enormous pressure...
Popularity is a big part of students' lives. Being popular determines how many friends you have, how many people would like to work with you, and how easy it is to ask for help. This fact motivates students to pay attention to how noticeable they are and how to make...
Taiwan’s COVID-19 situation became a nightmare during the past few months. In mid May 2021, domestic cases boomed with most cases found in Taipei. Within a week, the capital suddenly became the worst-hit area of Taiwan. Cases emerged in other areas within a few weeks...
Getting paid millions to play video games sounds like the easiest job there is. Now, with professional gaming and esports on the rise, getting paid for playing games all day is no longer a pipe dream. However, is gaming for a living really as good as it sounds? Health...
Imagine having royalty from England, Jordan, Spain, Netherlands, Holland, or Belgium as alumni. You must think that this school is for royalty, or at least, an expensive school that barely anyone can afford, right? The reality is the high school they attend has people...
Since the first time monkeys came out of trees, teenage girls have craved attention from boys. Girls love it when boys notice and like them, whether in a friendly way or a romantic way. They care about what boys think. In this context, I probably shouldn’t be using...
Body shaming is common nowadays. You can see it on social media, or even in real life. There are many types of body-shaming, but today I will be focusing on fat- and skinny-shaming because they are the most common. Body shaming is when someone mocks you for your body...
The internet is probably the single most important piece of infrastructure in our current world, with over 50 percent of the world’s population having direct access to the internet. It is one of our best sources of information, and especially with the recent pandemic...
Education helps people to get high paying jobs, become better citizens, and enjoy higher quality lifestyles. In 2015, the United Nations proposed 17 sustainable development goals, one of which is quality education. Although education plays a crucial role in society,...
When it comes to choosing schools, parents consider whether they should send their kids to single gender schools or not. However, parents do not know that separating boys and girls in school may harm kids in ways that may not be noticeable. So obviously, kids...
Students in Taiwan have to face a ton of tests and assignments every day; the cramming system students learn is making them suffer from pain and killing them. Cramming, tests, and homework are a cancer on Taiwanese students. Too much work and pressure leads to...
Most parents will forbid their kids from dating due to an assumed negative impact on grades. On average, teenagers find their first love at the age of 17, when kids are still in high school. Students should date because dating has lots of benefits, such as emotional...
Everyone agrees that it is impossible to stop teens from dating, especially when they are infatuated and blinded by hearts all over the place. It is common to hear them say, “no matter what age we’re in or how young we are, true love is true love, and we are...
Taiwan is known as a very foreign friendly country, and by “foreign” I mean white people. Taiwanese people love to see visitors around and welcome them. But when it comes to Southeast Asian or black people, many Taiwanese people give weird looks. This is ironic...
I’m sure everyone has at least has had one class of sex education in their lives before. It could be in a health class or in a lecture from the teacher because someone got pregnant. But have you ever realized that those classes were never detailed enough? At least...
What is a pick-me girl? This term comes up a lot, especially in recent social media. But what does this mean? A pick-me girl is broadly just any girl who claims or acts as if she is unlike most other girls, in order to gain attention from boys. They say they’re...
As Instagram has started to dominate social media and become the most used social network, it has become one of the biggest platforms where teens and celebrities from around the world upload their stories and share their lives. There are tons and tons of people...
As I have explored human cultures and their long histories, I have become fascinated by geography. Why does a specific group find itself on the Mongolian Steppe or in the valleys of Peru? How have their cultures developed in relation to those around them? How has...
Parents love their kids, so they always want to give their kids the biggest advantage, especially when it comes to school. In Taiwan, many parents prefer private school over public school because private schools tend to be better for the future prospects of their...
Bullying can affect everyone—those who are bullied, those who bully, and those who witness bullying. Bullying is linked to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health and suicide. Bullying will bring permanent trauma to both the bully and the victim....
Many students wonder if they should start working while they are in school. They think, “It would be awesome to start saving, but my friends would rather chat on Insta and watch YouTube. Would working help me? Or is it just a waste of time?” Working does benefit...
Schools are in charge of passing on important knowledge to students that they will need for the rest of their lives. To do this effectively and efficiently, schools use a wide array of regulations and rules to make sure students learn well and can focus on their work....
What does it take to go to a private school? You might say you need to be smart or hardworking or you have to pass tests; however, you are missing something - money. Without money, no matter how smart and hardworking a person is, they would never, ever, get the chance...
Leonardo DiCaprio revealed he’s a fan of Euphoria, saying “I just saw Euphoria, which is amazing. That show is amazing.” Euphoria is an HBO teen drama written and created by Sam Levinson. The show has received positive reviews from critics and has won several awards...
Before you call me a “boomer” or try to cancel me, read this article, because it’s time we realize that we aren’t the first generation to think that we’re going to change the world. It’s not news that Gen Z isn’t the first generation to think they're special, but it’s...
Have you ever faced a problem and didn’t know how to solve it? Then you wanted to seek advice from your parents, but felt like they'd humiliate you? Well, you’re not alone. Most teenagers do, in fact, feel this way. This is an illusion, at least in most situations,...
Teens are busy in their lives, but many of them tend to forget one precious activity: time with their families. Although sometimes teens gather with their families, some still stick with their phones and play on their social media accounts instead of talking to their...
If you have used the internet at any point of time in the last decade, chances are that you’ve already been introduced to the concept of “video games”. Video games are games that a person can play through a computer, like a PC, game console, or even some calculators....
People often think of reptiles as scary, poisonous, aggressive, and dangerous. Reptiles aren’t as bad as you think; lizards can also cuddle and play with you if they are well trained. Reptiles make better pets than cats and dogs - here are some reasons why. Reptiles...
There is no doubt that every parent loves their children. However, parents might be doing things that are unintentionally detrimental. Many Taiwanese parents tend to interfere heavily in their kids' lives and it is harming kids in different ways. Parents make kids...
Finding a place to live is vital for people’s lives, and the places where people live are likely to influence their lifestyle. People choose differently based on their preferences when they select their living places. Indeed, most people’s living places can be divided...
Test scores - something that students care about on a daily basis - scare students every time they are announced. Parents tell students all day long: “Work harder, your grades are not good at all”, “Are you even reviewing?” and all sorts of scolding. This creates a...
Taipei Teen Tribune (TTT) is a special class at Englist, and students who are in this class write about the topics they care about instead of writing about topics that their teachers assign them. The primary goal of this class is to train students to write high...
The hallways in school are now like the stage for runway models. Teenagers are now wearing their best outfits to school, sporting their own style. Here are places that you can find a wide range of clothes that suit your vibe. Taipei Xinyi shopping district In Xinyi...
If you’re reading this, there’s a high possibility that you’re a boy, extremely offended, and want to see what I have to say. Well, don’t worry. I’m talking about boys who treat girls or women like objects and property. I’m talking about those who sexually harass...
If you’re reading this article, chances are that you have access to the internet. The internet gives a person access to almost anything they could need. They can find social media, video games, books, and articles about anything in the world. While most believe that...
Kanye West is a talented rapper from the US. Many people think he is nuts, has the worst personality, and doesn’t know how to respect others. However, the reason for his “crazy” behavior is due to his Bipolar Disorder. What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar Disorder is a...
Taiwanese classrooms are famous for students’ silence. Compared to students from other countries like the U.S., Taiwanese students rarely ask questions and express their opinions during class. Even though teachers ask their students if they have questions or if they...
Everyone has heard of the app TikTok, it just sneaked into our lives silently without notice. However, it became so popular that everyone downloaded it voluntarily. Teenagers make friends on the platform and shoot crazy videos. But then the problem occurred; teenagers...
Imagine facing bankruptcy, and risking everything to even just have a chance to earn some money. Marvel, without a doubt, is arguably the most successful studio on this planet, with Avengers: Endgame being the number one highest grossing film, taking over Avatar with...
The Social Dilemma on Netflix, which is about the problem with social media, is set in the dark underbelly of Silicon Valley and explains how once people are hooked on the internet and social media, they will crave more. It also covers how social media’s ability to...
Netflix recently released Enola Holmes, an original movie written by Nancy Springer. The film is a spinoff of the popular Sherlock Holmes detective stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock’s teenage sister, Enola Holmes, is played by Millie Bobby Brown. Story &...
Counterstrike: Global Offensive, also known as CS:GO, is an extremely popular game, having sold over 25 million copies, which makes it the best selling game of all time. This game was officially published in 2012, but it took three years to gain major attention. What...
Fortnite is a battle royale game created by Epic Games, and recently, Epic has decided to release its own transaction method that bypassed the Apple App Store and Google Play, Google’s app vendor, due to large fees being charged by Apple and Google - what some...
It is important for students to participate in extracurricular activities since they can enrich students’ lives. There are some skills and traits that can’t be taught and trained in class. Here are some of the best extracurricular activities for students. Volunteer...
Medicare for all is a big topic in the United States. With 32% of American workers and over half having defaulted on it having problems with medical bills, and 530,000 Americans going bankrupt every year. The United States has undoubtedly one of the most expensive...
Volunteering is worth it because it involves caring, loving, and sharing my time with others. This summer, I went to volunteer in a church in Pingtung for a week. The priest who runs it opens an after school program in his church. After I finished volunteering, I felt...
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