It is without a doubt that any person living on this planet have gone through some rough times. This could be the passing of a loved one, the stress of a job interview, or an important test coming around the corner. It’s important to manage under tough conditions, as such events could mentally scar anyone, and cause people to do things which are way out of character, and could end up in the downfall of a person, making them lose their jobs, family members and close friends, and their own sanity.

While we may experience stress on a day to day basis, there are always solutions such as simple breathing exercises, managing a schedule, or having a quick chat with a friend to check up and make sure both of you are doing fine. If things start to go downhill there are always support mechanisms put in place, such as counselling (inside or outside of school), Emergency hotlines, and applications which allow you to talk to any mental health professional who is qualified.

It’s important to be in check, as it can affect our productivity, and having a mental burden on us will never help. That’s why it’s important to reach out and get help when needed, because it’s never too late and it’s definitely not embarrassing if you go down for a counselling session.

This political cartoon showed in the Times Magazine around last week, which depicts 4 well known world leaders holding up IV poles with their respective countries flags, supporting the earth.

The artist carefully chose what details to include to give the image more of an effect, such as the little sweat drops spraying from the earth (Showing that Earth is experiencing a sort of pain, or a situation it was not meant to handle). The people the artist chose have a very significant impact on the whole situation, as Donald Trump, President Xi, Chancellor Merkel, and President Macron have very high powers in most of the cabinets they sit in, allowing for executive decisions, which can affect millions, to be taken directly from them.

The idea that some of the political figures are helping can be questionable. Leaders such as Macron and Merkel have has speeches addressing their country and their people. They have proposed aid programs to help dis-proportionally affected people. Donald Trump, has had a bit more of a lax approach on helping out during the pandemic. It can be stated that some of the comments he has made have not been helping, but instead hindering the progress of the US in returning to a normal state. He has been known for disapproving various sources of information regarding the COVID pandemic, which may have led to some of the more controversial comments he has made.

 

Hello all,

We have had to make drastic changes

This is an unfortunate time for all

We hope you stay safe

 

Hello students and parents

These are unprecedented times

This should minimize the impact

Stay safe and well

 

Hello

We find ourselves in unfortunate circumstances

We hope this email is clear

Take Care

Looking at the top 25 list of songs from the New York Times, it is apparent that most of the songs listed are mostly positive, and are meant to keep people motivated in day to day life. With the current coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world, it has become imperative that people who are locked indoors, keep sane and happy. Being stuck inside for long periods of time is never good, and with only so much to keep anyone going, it’s important that people use all the resources available to either work on self-improvement, or to take some time off and relax and maybe, get a Spotify playlist rolling.

Music by no end has a significant impact on us. Music can change the way we think, act, or even live. People that have been raised with a certain genre of music will most likely keep on listening to the same genre well into their adult lives. Music has the power to change how we feel, and listening to a happy song, or even a moody song can make us feel more at ease. It can prepare us for eventualities that can occur in life, and help ease the burden of other sad moments that people might be facing at times like these. With the creation of mood specific playlists on many music streaming platforms, it can help a person feel more comfortable, and eventually better if they’re going through a tough situation that may be affecting their personal life, family life, or work.

This is in response to this article by the New York Times

In my personal opinion, I do believe that the acts Mr. Colvin did in buying a significant number of hand sanitizer bottles and completely stocking out store shelves of many small retailers was completely immoral, and I do agree with the statement that some sort of legal action has to be carried out against him for possibly preventing families from accessing hand sanitizer in a time of need. Price gouging at the expense of other people should be made entirely illegal, as this no longer becomes “healthy competition” and more a case of greed of one individual.

I believe that Mr. Colvin should have kept the resources for himself, and only purchased what was required for personal use. If he was so keen on purchasing such a ridiculous amount of hand sanitizer, it would have been a very wise choice for him to consider donating the hand sanitizer to medical professionals or people with lower economic status who would not have been able to afford hand sanitizer or other basic necessities to prevent them from getting affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

In Singapore itself, there have been cases of price gouging and unfortunately, people have had to take drastic measures with work or family life just to afford necessities in times like these, and it’s even worse for people who have just been laid off, meaning that the no longer have an income, and with government subsidies running low or are becoming inaccesible in some countries, many people might find themselves bankrupt in the next coming months, not being able to afford anything.

It is well known that the COVID-19 epidemic has had widespread consequences around the world, costing industries millions and billions of dollars in lost revenue. Airlines have shut down for good, business are making employees redundant, and a shockingly low amount of equipment is available to healthcare professionals who need it most, but COVID-19 doesn’t just affect massive corporations and hospitals.

In our families, in our communities and in our friend groups, we all know someone who is affected not only by COVID-19 directly, but are living the consequences of it. My local community of Simpang Bedok has definitely changed. From a bustling night scene of 24 hour Indian restaurants, to now completely closed establishments. The streets are empty, people are frightened of leaving their houses, and a whole spree of fear-mongering news has caused people to panic and go full out to fight this pandemic. People are being urged to stay inside, with the circuit breaker policies now in effect, people are now being forced to stay inside, and relax on their devices, pick up a new skill, or interact with their family members.

On my end of the scale, the effects have been noticeable with more prevention being taken inside the house, like frequent hand washing, taking shoes off outside the house, and using hand sanitizer outside (if we have to go out). It is possible to get through this calmly, and with the willpower of everyone and the motivation to finally see a day where we can go outside, it will happen sooner than later, hopefully by the beginning of summer.