To engage school kids during this lockdown, Republica is organizing a Daily Contest where we have been publishing the best submission everyday in Republica. Meanwhile, here are other three top articles along with the winning article sent to us for Topic 3:
Winner
Tenzing Gurung
Grade: IX
The Excelsior School, Swoyambhu, Kathmandu
Here is why I am staying positive during lockdown
Covid-19 has changed our life. Every day the news channels are reporting an increase in the deaths and infected peoples due to Covid-19. Due to all this negative information processing our mind, we are scared. It’s okay to be scared but due to all this negative information we are missing the positive part. Instead of being negative and complaining about the lockdown we should try being positive when the world is affected by Covid-19.
The question is how? How can one be positive during Covid-19? If we want to stay positive during the lockdown of Covid-19, let’s start off by being grateful. Let’s be grateful we are still alive. Being grateful gives us a sense of happiness. We should thank god for protecting us and our family from covid-19. It may seem a little ridiculous at the time but the wisdom of this simple act has proven to me that this simple act makes me positive and happy. We all have hobbies but in recent times due to lack of time, we are not able to work on our hobbies. So, now is the time to work on our old hobby and start and explore a new one. Let’s be positive by doing something we enjoy. When there was no lockdown and Covid-19 was not around, we used to promise to wake up early, exercise, read books and many promises. We used to never do this saying, “we don’t have any time”.
Let’s take this lockdown as an opportunity we have been given to evolve to a better self. We can read the book which we wanted to read for a year, exercise and wake up early. When you complete all your promises you made to yourself you will surely be positive and happy towards the achievements you achieved. Let’s work on improving our mind, body and soul. Before we had no time to spend with our family but today we have time to enjoy at home by doing various activities with your family. Some may still be scared hearing the news say 42,736 people have already died. This may affect us making us feel negative but let’s not forget the fact that 194,311 people have recovered.
Instead of hearing bad news let's listen to some good news. We don’t have to watch, read or talk about Covid-19 all day. I know that it’s important to be informed but don’t let the news impact us negatively. This lockdown may be so frustrating, you may want to go out and enjoy with your friends but let’s not forget that our one single mistake may result in the health of our parents and grandparents. We can instead talk with our friends and enjoy at home with our parents and grandparents.
Do not think that getting covid-19 is a death sentence. It is something we can win over and prove we can survive a pandemic like covid-19. This is a time when we need to be calm. If one wants to stay positive during covid-19 we must try to be our best during the darkest moments like covid-19. As a great man said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, We are challenged to change ourselves”
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Top 3
Nurturing relationships
Republica Daily Contest Topic 1: Life lessons you are learning...
Shrawon Shrestha
School: The Excelsior school
Grade: 10
With all flashy and glooming news, it has been since the outbreak of the coronavirus it has been crucial for us to stay optimistic. With millions of people the world over entering isolation to fight against the spread of COVID19, the need for positivity becomes even more critical. With that in mind, I am looking for costiveness in this negative situation and can follow many productive steps in this horrific time of our life so that when we return into our normal lives we have something that we can add in our curriculum-vitae.
With the ongoing outbreak, the isolation phase has already been started in our country as well. We live in a fast and competitive environment because of which it may have been a problem for us to maintain relations. Relationships and social connections are essential to our lives. Now is the time to nurture relationships at home. Normally, we are in a routine so it may have been hard for us to make long term bonds or we may have taken our vital relationships for granted so now could be an amazing opportunity to start reconnecting bonds. Even philosophy states that long-termed relationships generate blissful happiness for humans.
Similarly, during this time we need to gain knowledge instead of wasting the time we get. We could set a goal for us to be forward in our resumed life. We need to stick to the end to get a life-changing skill. One can learn languages, common life skills, upgrading to something that we have. For example, I have my SEE examinations coming up so I am trying to upgrade the entire knowledge that I have. Instead of watching funny videos or starting up a new movie series, we could gain something informative like watching documentaries, scientific facts so that we move forward. As it is said, “Discover and understand the true essence of time to know how best to utilize and effectively manage it”
It is said that “we can complain because the roses have thorns or, rejoice because thorns have bushes.” Similarly, we can either be overjoyed and waste our time on unwanted stuff, get addicted to social media, cell phones or utilize our time to get momentum so that we get a head start in our life ahead. We also need to make time for ourselves and get refreshments from daily burdens but maintaining composure and managing time is important at the same time.
“ Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise” In times of constant negative messaging, we need an antidote so that we can keep our positive attitude and march forward with determination and hope. Let's be deliberate in activities that are positive, heartwarming, stress-reducing and laughter-inducing! Together, we’ll get through this.
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Name : Pukar Raut
School : St Xavier's high school
Grade : 7
Taking this situation positively and making the most of the opportunity
Like the scratched diamond, the scratches in our lives could become a beautiful opportunity to turn a negative into positive or a minus into plus. With the announcement of the lockdown, people dying everyday in the world and having to listen to the dreadful stories brought by the virus has just shattered everyone's peace. With all the offices and schools closing and the sudden lockdown being announced I was quite sad with the notice of my annual holiday being prolonged because I had made a lot of resolutions for my upcoming session. For a week I spent playing video games and watching the television. But I started feeling bored with my lifestyle. I couldn't go out to play with my friends or do any outdoor activities.
During this I was really motivated by my sister due to which the lockdown has changed my habit dramatically. I knew I had the power of choice within me of taking this situation positively and making the most of the opportunity.
Now I wake up early in the morning and separate some time for simple yoga. It has helped me to concentrate more on things and has made me more optimistic about handling matters. I would like to request all of you to give some of your time to do yoga as it uplifts your spirit and helps you stay positive throughout the day. I also read some books like 'the alchemist' , 'Diary of a wimpy kid ' and many more. It has really cheered me up and helped me build my vocabulary.
After my lunch I watch Charlie Chaplin's movies which are among the best of it's kind. I've finished watching 'the kid' , 'the great dictator ' and 'city lights '. I recommend you also to watch these movies as they are full of comedy.
I also learned how to play chess during the holiday from my father. So besides doing all these I go to play indoor games like chess and ludo with my family. It's a great way to spend time with your family. Sometimes I call my relatives and tell them about the importance of sanitation .By doing this, I can also get to learn different new things.
This is how I'm keeping myself engaged in something or the other. By doing this I can observe a big change in me and has helped me to develop an optimistic behavior .
Children like me should be involved in creative and productive works rather than wasting their time and also be precautious of the covid-19 virus.
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Name: Sanvi Timsina
School: United School, Imadol Lalitpur
Grade: 3
With positivity and taking care of ourselves
Three-four weeks before I heard about the Corona virus also known as Covid-19. During my exam time my parents were so worried because there might be someone with Coronavirus in school and it will transfer to me. I had no idea for their worries were. Now after lockdown, I am aware about this virus and I found people are dying from it. Some people said we can’t fight this virus but some said we have to fight with a positive mind. We can win this virus with positivity and taking care of ourselves, I heard about this in a news read by my mom about the coronavirus case in Nepali family in New York, USA. I was so happy to know how they fought the virus and finally it wore off. I also heard there are some elderly people who fought coronavirus with positivity.
I have watched videos on TV, how communities are cheering up suffering people and helping their neighborhood. There are examples of communities making positive vibes through different means like putting the posters and signs saying “smile” and “be happy”. They are also helping by making food and buying groceries for others who are unable to go outside. All these positive and helpfulness of people and community are making people happy and they are fighting the virus.
Now I will tell how we can become positive and happy. For me worrying less and entertainment can make us feel good. During school time I have to rush for school and I have busy time table from morning to night and there was no time for entertainment. But now I am free. I can do dancing, singing and whatever I like. Even though I am in lock down I can still play indoor games like chess, ludo and snakes and ladders that make me happy. I also do creative works such as writing stories, essays and poems. I have working parents. Before covid-19 came they worked a lot but now they are spending so much time with me and I am happy for that. I learned how to cut vegetables, make the beds and wash the dishes. But once I broke a cup. My mom and dad distract me when I get bored. Kids get bored easily. I also read books to make time go faster, I love funny books for e.g books by Roald Dahl and Wimpy kid’s series. In bed time I ask my mom and dad to tell me their child stories and I always listen intently.
