Was Life Really Better Back in the Day?
By Conrad
The common idea that life was better back in the day is shared among many people. These feelings are often fueled by nostalgia and overlook different aspects of modern life. Nostalgia is very much subjective, and many people don’t try to see from a broader and more objective perspective. This is why life cannot be definitively better in the past or the present—everything is based on each person’s subjective viewpoint. Whilst the past may have been great, from an objective standpoint, the future contains many new opportunities and conveniences that the past couldn’t offer. This is why arguing that the past was better doesn’t account for the ways society has progressed. Some major progress has been made in technology, such as better medicine, communication, and things like the internet. Although the price of living may be rising, so are opportunities for education and businesses. There are more ways to learn and create, which are also more accessible. Finally, quality of life has greatly improved, with better access to clean water, food, and safer working conditions. This is why, although it’s practically impossible to argue which side was better, from an objective standpoint, the present is better.
To begin with, in the present, there are many greater advancements in the technology scene. This scene not only includes the digital scene but also healthcare, communication, education, and much more. Starting with the digital scene, many businesses have used digital marketing and online services. These offer a wider range of services and conveniences to people. There have also been many major advancements in artificial intelligence, providing even the average person with incredible help. This also means many more things are automated. This leads to advancements in healthcare. There have been many new tools used in medical areas, some even using robotic systems. In addition, many life-saving vaccines and treatments have been developed. With better tech, doctors are able to bring help to more remote areas, which highlights the importance of improved communication. With the introduction of smartphones, instant calls and texts connect people across the world. These connections are supported by the internet, allowing things like social media to help create communities and connections. Internet access also enables people to have more access to education. These are just a few key advancements in modern technology.
With better technology, there is better access to information and education, which counters the argument that in the present, the cost of living is higher. Although costs for living are increasing, the present provides many opportunities for people to become successful through widespread access to education, which is supported by the internet. Websites such as Khan Academy can offer various courses for affordable prices and sometimes for free. Other platforms, such as YouTube, allow for access to tutorials and educational content for people of all skill levels. As said previously, with the introduction of AI, AI can have personal learning tools that can be adjusted to optimize anything.
Does History Repeat Itself?
By Joanne-9th Grade
The Earth is infinitely vast—not in space or mass, but in worlds. Someone in Southern Africa is going to seem like they are living in a different world compared to someone in Northern Asia. In reality, we are living in our separate bubbles as the main characters of our own story. If someone is telling you that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, that is probably someone who should have planted a tree 20 years ago, and you should probably listen to them. We learn history with the goal of preserving culture and learning from our past mistakes. Why, then, do so many people say we learn nothing from history?
There are many ways history is repeating itself right now. I speculate that what is repeating includes war, new influential technology, unstable politics, resource scarcity, medicine, climate, religion, and finance. Issues like pollution and resource depletion have always been major topics in history. The 2019 Kim Kim toxic river pollution and many other incidents have led to loss of life. It seems like people never learn—what you put into the waters will often backfire on you. These cases seem to happen repeatedly because people are not looking at history. Every expert on a subject usually knows the history of that subject in order to help them solve problems within new contexts.
Learning about the past can give us perspectives on culture, and looking back at our mistakes can help us grow. Court cases can be settled by referencing past cases in history. We can explain many things by analyzing history through the lens of this new age of technology. Ötzi, the perfectly mummified iceman, was a hunter-gatherer. Scientists know he had a darker pigmentation of skin due to DNA tests. Learning about his life can help us solve mysteries of the past and decipher what the future might hold for us. History helps us in racial and cultural debates by allowing us to understand each other. Many times, history helps us look at culture and appreciate the different worlds we all live in.
Why does history repeat itself? History is a complicated subject. It involves understanding human nature, beliefs, and how they developed, while also adding to our appreciation of each other. We can acknowledge how far we’ve come by looking back on what we were. History brings us together. History repeats itself because of human arrogance—the same arrogance a child feels when a mother warns them to hold scissors by the blade, yet they choose to ignore the advice. We fail to recognize that there will always be something wrong with us and neglect to reflect, even during times when everything seems right.
History will always repeat itself, for better or for worse. Humans have a nature driven by survival. We naturally want our lives to be satisfactory in the present moment, seeking glory, riches, or intelligence. Our human greed could be our downfall. This may seem like a hopeless statement, as if the future has already painted itself, but some fail to realize that the holder of the paintbrush is us. If we choose to take action on the good and follow in the steps that were right, we can carve a path toward something better. The future is a collective effort by all of humanity that can only be shaped by love. What we choose to take action on now will define the future.
Why is Sleep So Important?
By Hillary-4th Grade
Now, I am pretty sure all of you have stayed up late in bed. Well, if you haven’t, then good job. I was always the kid who liked to stay in bed late, but I always slept in late. If you’re like me, then you’re probably not that good of a kid. Since I don’t sleep much, I always wake up tired. Sleeping is very important. If you don’t believe it, your scores will most likely go down, like my Mandarin scores. I have evidence. I will explain it below.
My first reason is that your grades will go down. The lower your scores are, the more likely you will have to redo high school. There was a school in Mississippi, and when the school changed the time to go to class, many students' grades went up. So, sleeping helps your brain think clearly. And if you want good grades, then sleep more.
Sleeping also helps with stress. Stress is something everyone struggles with. The more you sleep, the lower your stress level goes. Like if you have exams the next day, when you sleep, your body helps lower your stress levels. So, when you have a headache from all the stress, take a nap. Sleep also recharges your brain so that it’s not too stuffed.
And last but not least, sleep helps with insomnia, a common sleep disorder. If you sleep more, you can avoid insomnia. I’m telling you, insomnia is terrible. When you have insomnia, you can’t sleep. You have to wait hours in bed until you can fall asleep. And if you’re afraid at night, that’s even worse. So, sleep can slowly reduce insomnia.
As you can see, these are my reasons why sleeping is so important. When you sleep less, your grades will go down, and you’re likely to get grounded. So, if you sleep more, you will have a bright future.
Paper Books vs. eBooks
By Emma-7th Grade
At last, I set down my book, having read the very last page. Wishing that the book could have a full series, I daydreamed about fighting alongside Percy Jackson in a fierce battle between us and Medusa. Looking back, I realize how much I read in a span of a week and a half (which is considered short compared to my average reading time). “Oh, how life would be without books! How could one go without a book? The sounds of the pages turning. The start of a new beginning! The smell of a new book as you open it, greeted by endless stories and tales!” I think. Nowadays, most people find themselves purchasing ebooks, mainly because ebooks are a lot cheaper and you can get them in an instant. Additionally, you get an unlimited number of books stored on one device. However, reading on a device will never be considered “real reading.”
First off, both the quality and convenience of ebooks are lacking. Ebooks are like all electronic devices; they need to charge for about 1-2 hours, depending on the type of device you are using. However, during this time, you cannot read your ebook. Imagine how many pages you could have gone through! What happens if you just got to the peak of the chapter, and suddenly there’s a notification saying “Low battery”? Right at the cliffhanger, the moment when the drama REALLY hits. Instead of reading an ebook, you could read a real paper book, which doesn’t require charging. This also means you save some electricity by not charging your device. If you’ve ever tried to read on a Kindle, you’d find yourself squinting your eyes to read the words. The words are tiny and can be hard to read sometimes. When reading comics in Kindle format, the words are especially microscopic. It’s barely possible to read those tiny words that seem to only look like tiny pixels. Another thing to note about ebooks is the “zoom-in feature.” This feature can be found on devices such as a Kindle. Speaking from my perspective, when trying to use this, I would find myself zoomed in very close. Not to mention how glitchy that zoom-in tool was. It would be no fun to read if the zoom-in was extremely glitchy. It’s very obvious that real paper books are far better than ebooks.
Reading any paper book will always bring that “book nostalgia.” If you’ve ever read paper books, you know how good the ASMR is. From each flip of a page, you’re greeted with the delightful, crisp, pleasant sound of “a chapter unfolding.” Ebooks do not have that sound when flipping the “page.” It’s just a simple motion of tapping the void of whiteness to view the next page. How sad and depressing is that? Almost a crime! Then, as you flip through each page, the scent of a new book enters your nose. The puff of this rich new book smell surrounds you, with a hint of vanilla and tree bark greeting you. Opening the first page in the fresh, new book is like entering a new dreamland. Sometimes, if you ever hold the book, you might think of the book as the “author’s creation.” Every page that has been carefully and craftily sewn into the spine of the book has its own magic. Each page being flipped is one step closer to the climax of the journey.
As I stick my bookmark in between the two halves of the book, being careful not to damage either the pages or the bookmark, I admire it. Each page makes a faint line, a step closer to the ending. The bookmark suddenly catches the corner of my eye. “Oh, when was that there? It used to be WAY further in the beginning!” I think. The bookmark’s travel gives a sense of great accomplishment. From page 1 to wherever time takes you on the quest. The feeling of being able to physically see your progress throughout the journey. Not only do you experience the tale in the wonders of your dreamland, but you get to see it! It may not look as stunning and vibrant as the black printed words, but the story will surely keep you drawn for HOURS. Long enough to see your bookmark zoom through the whole book. By the time you notice it, you’re far into the wonderment of what your story has in store. Sometimes, you may not enjoy the book and slug through it. Sometimes, you spend a dedicated time just to mentally prepare yourself for the long ride. Seeing your bookmark move from page to page surely will bring you a sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s a bookmark that ZOOMED through the story or one that took its time, there will always be that feeling. After finally slugging or zooming through, seeing your bookmark hit its last page is something worth feeling proud of.
In conclusion, I strongly support the idea that paper books are superior to ebooks. Paper books provide better quality, a nostalgic feel, and a sense of accomplishment.