Hello! My name is Anne and I am a high school student. In two years, I will be graduating high school, and I try to avoid thinking about it because it makes me feel anxious. When you are young, two years seems like a lifetime away, but I know how fast time passes in high school. 

Being in grade 10 makes me feel like I am sitting on a ticking clock waiting for the two-year expiry date of my childhood. Worrying about the future will not stop it from arriving. Actively being in the present is more useful to minimize the catastrophe I know will eventually l happen at 18. Regrets are not dwelled on, even if there are some things I wish to change. Through anguish, sadness, and confusion, I have learned hard lessons and solved my personal problems. I grew up. But I wish I knew these things when I was 12, so  I could have avoided many tears…

The first piece of advice I want to share is to surround yourself with people that value you and encourage you to be a better person. Don’t try to make people like you. The right friends will come to you.  A real friend is a rare and precious gem to cherish. Try to include people that respect and care for you but also challenge you to be a better person. A real friend will stay with you through thick and thin while consistently having your back. In Beijing, I have met some incredible people that I can call my friends. Obviously, we argue and fight but it doesn’t really matter because at the end of the day, they are still my friends and we forgive each other.

My second piece of advice is to be honest with yourself. Know your boundaries and abstain from wasting time on things that will not help you. Focus on your priorities and don’t try to put too much on your plate. You are still young, and you shouldn’t have to shoulder too much responsibility.  Be honest with yourself about how much you can do. Those are the steps you need to get your priorities straight. Also, even if you are busy with homework or chores, I really encourage you to set aside all responsibilities and give yourself an hour a week to just do what you want to do. It could be journaling, exercising, or learning a new language – anything that fills your bucket!

My third piece of advice is to take care of yourself. You are the most important person in your own life. Make your own rules. Middle school is the time when people start being self-conscious of themselves, you can use this to your advantage. Find your personal style and prioritize your personal hygiene. Learn how to do your laundry and cook some basic foods. Start being more independent. These essential life skills will help you in the long run. If you don’t know how to get started, there is a lot of information online! If you are interested in learning how to cook, using online search engines is so helpful! You can find so many delicious recipes and I personally think they are way more convenient than traditional cookbooks. 

dav

My last piece of advice would be to not aim for perfection but to strive for consistency. Especially if you are trying to master a skill or a habit. You will face days when the motivation isn’t there, there will be sad days, exhausting days, and depressing days. Do you think you will perform perfectly on those days? Hmm…probably not. A job doesn’t have to be perfect or satisfying to be completed. 

You will need willpower to grind through even when your entire being is screaming at you to give up and try again tomorrow. It would be so much easier to rest. The line between actual repose and slacking off is easily confused so make sure you know it.

Learning about yourself can be a journey – a long, uncertain path where the only person that is eventually affected by the outcome is yourself. I went through that phase, so I can assure you the advice I am giving you is legit. Don’t be shy to go out on your own and do crazy things. Be free, independent, and have confidence in yourself! Living day to day without regrets will assure you have more fulfilling memories. 

This article appeared in the jingkids 2022 Teen Takeover issue

When I moved to Beijing in 2019, I went searching for happiness. I wasn’t happy with my old situation in Canada because I felt captive. After living in the same city for over a decade, monotony and a desire for change plagued my thoughts. So, when my dad announced the we were moving to China, I saw an opportunity to grow. Since then, I am in a much happier place now. 

This beautiful country has treated me well and the people have taught me how to find my own happiness. My time spent in China will be nostalgically revisited with a hint of melancholy. I will miss the splendid hours spent exploring Beijing, the amazing nights with my friends, the long intellectual discussions I have held with wonderful people. But I won’t miss the hard evenings when my mind was filled with self-doubt and despair, when my academic confidence would crumble from not understanding assignments that seemed so simple to my peers. To me, happiness is when I feel a sense of deep satisfaction like all the stars are aligned and everything in that infinitely small moment is perfect.

Every man, woman, and child’s experience of living in Beijing will be different and interesting. Everyone has their own definitions of happiness. I thought it would interesting to ask a colorful variety of Beijingers, from local Chinese to expats and from teens to retirees, on what they thought happiness meant to them. 

According to the Oxford dictionary, happiness is a state of mind. It is often associated with feelings of joy and contentment.  To achieve happiness, one must have all their needs satisfied.  

“Happiness is about self-acceptance and being okay with the way you are.”, says Cindy Avom, a student at Pakistani Embassy College Beijing.

Wang Xin is a lawyer who’s lived in Beijing for 15 years. To her, happiness is to be fulfilled while “doing good for those around us “. She also thinks happiness can be found in the small things like “a cup of steaming coffee in the morning” or “a fresh bouquet of flowers in the bedroom”. 

Jenny Avom, a student at Pakistani Embassy College Beijing who has lived in Beijing since 2005, gives an inspiring quote: “Happiness is temporary but sadness is too.” 

Weiss Jia, a now retired local, says that he found happiness “doing the things he loved” like fishing and hiking. And finally, Hélène Wang, a grade 12 student at Beijing City International School who has lived in Beijing her entire life believes that happiness comes from “having a caring social circle”.

So now you ask, what was the point of knowing what other people feel about happiness? Well, I guess it was just to see how happiness can differ from one person to another. And to inspire you to reflect on your own happiness. Have you been able to find satisfaction in your life? 

Images: Pexels

This article appeared in the jingkids 2022 Teen Takeover issue