Is setting plan B good or not? (Ah Mon)

Is setting plan B good or not?

When we have things to get done, most of us likely to set plans in advance. A sequence of events are made in those plans. But some people also set extra plan in addition to the original one,which we called Plan B. Plan B is an alternative solution in case the original plan fails. So, it becomes interesting to wonder whether setting plan B is good or not.

An argument in favour of setting plan B in advance is that it really do help the planner to save face. As we have already known, future is unpredictable and things can turn out to a different situation. To illustrate it in teaching, suppose that a teacher wants to make an experiment and he or she has already planned the equipments. But unexpectedly, the equipments don't work when students start working with them. At that time, teacher who made a plan B in advance will find ways to move on to another planned activity like observation or nature walk around the school while teacher who did not set a plan B in advance will be lost in chaos in front of the students. Many other examples can also be found at work, hospital, court and so on where having plan B always works. A further advantage is that plan Bs can raise the planners' confidence. The awareness of having planned a plan B will definitely increase our levels of confidence in that we do not have to worry about whether things can go wrong or not. 

In contrary, it can be argued that setting plan B in advance by thinking of `what if´ situation is not an easy job actually. It can bring more stress, more worries and be more time-consuming. For example, it surely will make you to be more confusing of thinking about a plan B if you just race against the clock with loads of things to do and the deadline is tomorrow. Apart from this, a commitment to the original plan could be lost by plan B. The sense that you have a plan B will, in some cases, force you to give up easily on the original one.

All things considered, I think setting plan B in advance is a good habit that we should develop. It is better to have a planB than with no choice left in hand. It can give us the sense of secureness and make us to be strong. It can be said that plan Bs are like quick-relief inhalers for asthma attack. Just like such inhalers save asthmatic from difficulties of breathing, plan Bs help us free from a series of frustrations when things get wrong. 

Ah Mon

E-book: Is it better to be read than a printed book? (HZH)

E-book: Is it better to be read than a printed book?

Advances in technology have been growing day by day all over the world. An obvious example of such technological development is computer, mobile Internet and smartphones. Modern technology gets people's daily activities to depend more on electronic devices. Electronic banking, electronic publishing, electronic cash, electronic sport and so on are on everyone's lips nowadays. Likewise, books are published widely as electronic publishing and electronic books, shortened as e-books, and electronic magazines, shortened as e-magazines, become popular among not only light readers but also avid ones. Bringing lots of benefits to the book readers, reading printed books develop into reading electronic books, but on the other hand reading e-books make side effects for the readers too.

One major advantage of reading e-books is that it does reduce time consuming. In the olden days, especially before Internet and electronic devices were widely used, it used to be very difficult and time consuming to get and collect information. People had to go to the libraries and turn on many pages of the books to find the information they needed. However, nowadays, they can get the information they need through surfing the Internet at once. They can easily look for what they want by just clicking each topic described in electronic books. In addition, people have more chances to read books even when they have no money to buy the original printed books. Today most of the books are scanned and changed into electronic books and then they are uploaded to get downloaded in some websites. As a result, it is easy for a person to read a book even if he is not able to buy the original printed book because he is flat broke.

Nevertheless, reading electronic books has many side effects however it is widely used nowadays. The major or worst disadvantage of reading electronic books is that it badly affects our eyes. Blue light from smartphone and computer screens get people's eyes hurt.  Some people try to get around the blue-light problem by dimming their screens or wearing special glasses. But there is no proof that these work. What is more, reading electronic books make people hard to sleep. Light from electronic screens comes in all colors, but the blues are the worst. Blue light fools the brain into thinking it i`s daytime. When that happens, the body stops releasing a sleep hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is nature's way of helping us wind down and prepare for bed. The body starts releasing it a couple of hours before bedtime. Darkness helps trigger the release of melatonin; blue light delays it. In addition, electronic books are likely to be less appreciated than printed books because they can be got more easily than printed books. When a person has finished reading a printed book, he puts it somewhere like the bookshelf. As a result, it gets him to notice that book and read again as the second time. On the contrary, it is more difficult for him to notice, search and read the electronic books which have been saved in his computer or smartphone because he has already stored songs, movies, photos and others together in his smartphone memory.  Last but not the least, it is undeniable that reading a printed book by holding it in our hands gives us more pleasure than reading electronic books on electronic screens. 

Experience taught us that life is very fair. There are always two sides. Therefore, reading both electronic books and printed books have advantages and drawbacks. Taking everything into account, reading electronic books are efficient in finding what we want to read without delay. However, it is harmful to our eyes and it should not be used for long-term reading. Despite the fact that printed books probably may not be got easily and be high-priced, they are not bad for eyes and get easily noticed to read again. All in all, I think that printed books are better to be read than electronic books and it is impossible to replace completely the role of printed-books with electronic books.

Htet Zaw Htoo (SUOE)

GLOBALIZATION (Ah Mon)

Globalization

The word `Globalization´ has become popular during the last two decades. The term means interaction and integration of people, companies and governments of different nations. There are mainly three types of globalizations such as social, political and economic globalizations. Firstly, social globalization occurs through many kinds of media outlets, films, series and these days, mostly through social media. We have a chance to know a country's culture, custom and living style through social globalization. Secondly, governments from different nations cooperate each other and solve problems or prevent conflicts which are as a result of political globalization. Well known global organizations such as World Trade Organization (WTO) and United Nations (UN) are helping to increase the degree of political globalization. The third one called economic globalization refers to the interconnectedness of economies through trade and the exchange of resources. Foe example, developed countries are increasingly dependent on the developing countries for natural and human resources while developing countries need capital, technology and brainpower of the wealthier countries. It should be noted that globalization also has its own pluses and minuses. On an individual level, globalization has affected the standard of living and quality of life of individuals and families throughout the world. In contrary, as a result of globalization, powerful countries impact greatly upon the poor countries and also social globalization is often criticised for eroding cultural differences. Therefore, between the benefits and costs of globalization, citizens of all nations need to understand how globalization works to find the right balance.

Aye Myat Mon

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Rules the World (Ah Mon)

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Rules the World

Mother is the most powerful, graceful and strong woman on earth. No one is born without her. From the highest authority to the layman, no one is escaped from the greatest gratitude of mothers. It is to be remembered that mothers are the primitive teachers since the formative years of a child. The way they talk, behave, think and interact with others ultimately influence on the child. As a result, they can shape the child to become a hardworking or a lazy person, a leader or a loafer, the good or evil. It is like a fountain from which its streamlets stream. A mother's love, affection and care affect the child throughout his life. Our society needs men who are considerable, loving, sympathetic, true and intelligent. It is clearly obvious that a better society will produce a better world. A saying goes that life is from the cradle to the grave. The beginning of human life, starting from a cradle is important as a good start can lead to a good ending. Therefore, it can be said that `The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world´ , which means mothers are the most powerful women in making the world a better place to live in with full of good people. 

Aye Myat Mon

INTEGRITY (Ah Mon)

Integrity

Integrity is the quality that everyone should possess. The term refers to the ability of being honest, true, concerned about one's own diginity and being able to live according to one's own values. In other words, it is the capacity of possessing constant state of mind which is unaffected whether in the public or alone. It affects our lives profoundly in many aspects of our lives. For example, in workplace, doing the work that you have to do whether or not the head is present or not is an integrity. Also in relationships, keeping faith and being honest upon one's mate or partner not only with him or her but also behind him or her shows the quality of integrity. Morrover, integrity is being able to live the way you are which is more courageous than treating people by not showing your true self. We are not born with it or without it and it is the quality we can cultivate over time. So, it is vital for all of us to possess integrity if we wish to survive confidently and bravely.

Aye Myat Mon

City or Countryside (Ah Mon)

City or Countryside

It is already known that there are many differences between a city and a countryside. Although each has its own values and benefits to live in , I prefer a city to a countryside. It is undeniable that most people in the city are always swarming and alive as if they have hunger for something which in turn motivates me to a great extent. Moreover, the city is full of opportunities to grasp like various courses for computer, management or English, loads of sophisticated things and access to the latest technologies and events in the world. Also, alternative forms of transportations are available and high living standards are maintained. People who are very easy to content themselves might not like living in a city. The main difference between a city and a countryside is the lifestyles of the people, the former one is presented with a competitive lifestyle and the latter one is with the quiet lifestyle. However, I think it does not matter at all where you live, all it matters is how much you are empowering the people around you and serving for your country as much as you can. 

Ah Mon

If I were a headmistress (Ah Mon)

If I were a headmistress

If I were a headmistress, I would not follow the rules of authoritarian leadership except in some cases that I really must do. During meetings, I would ask for all the teachers' advices and make decisions based on those. Equal and fair delegation of duties and responsibilities would also be done to teachers. Also, I would go and check every classroom as much as I can to make sure that every teacher cares for and gives attention to his or her students. There would be praise and prizes for teachers who work hard and who teach by using various teaching methods. In addition, school environment would  be taken care and clean and pleasant compound would also be created. Moreover, I would try to be respected by students, teachers and parents but I would make sure that respect would come from the ethics and personality I possess, rather than coming from their fear. As only good leader can bring good followers, I would try to be a good leader not just by words but by actions if I were a headmistress.

Aye Myat Mon

Extracurricular activities are essential (Ah Mon)

Extracurricular Activities are Essential

Extracurricular activities are undertaken outside the regular course of study. These activities can be divided into indoor and outdoor activities. Indoor activities include music and dance, art and craft, drawing and painting, tailoring and so on. Outdoor ones comprise football, volleyball, basketball, excursions and so forth. While some schools and universities are trying to serve these activities to students, some do not pay attention to these ones. Reasons for this difference are depending on the benefits and setbacks resulting from theses activities.
An argument in favour of extracurricular activities is that they can arouse the motivation and enthusiasm of students. Only learning the academic subjects can bring boredom and can make children to become less motivated. Learners without being given the chance to take part in extracurricular activities become dimmed in their qualities and feelings towards learning. Mostly young learners need as much extracurricular activities as possible. Because young learners can be molded through extracurricular activities to become curious, to love and appreciate the nature, to develop the ability to observe and to think creatively. At university level, debate and discussions, academic teams and clubs, culture clubs, volunteer work and community service and etc. are carrying out as more advanced extracurricular activities and bringing positive results on students like becoming more active, enthusiasted, creative and confident learners. Apart from this, extracurricular activities widen the views of learners and give them chances to apply their knowledge. To a great extent, the theoretical knowledge gets strengthened when a relevent extracurricular activity is organized related to the content taught in the classroom. Furthermore, these activities encourage learners to find out what their hobbies and interests are and to develop their characters, social skills, coordination, speech fluency, aesthetics and moral values. 
On the other hand, an argument against extracurricular activities is that they make the educators busy. It is not an easy job to carry out these activities with careful and skillful planning. For instance, during excursions, teachers always need to keep their eyes on the children not to get lost or not to let something bad happen. They also have to prepare a lot before excursions like hiring cars, preparing for foods and managing of money. Besides, extracurricular activities reduce the amount of time on learning academic subjects. In some cases, teachers groan concerning with the extracurricular activities for delaying to finish the curriculum in time. Moreover, over use of extracurricular activities discourage the interest of students on academic subjects. 
To take everything into account, the mixture of pluses and minuses are included in extracurricular activities. However, the benefits of extracurricular activities outweigh the drawbacks. I think every school and university should set aside time for extracurricular activities and ensure that these activities are operated in moderation because excessive or insufficient use of them can cause side effects. Therefore, it is to be considered that extracurricular activities are the essential tools for bringing the best out of the learners and supporting all round development of the learners.

Ah Mon

All Work and No Play Makes A Dull Life (Htet Zaw Htoo)

All work and no play makes a dull life

How would you feel if you eat the same meal every day or if you listen to the same song repeatedly? There is totally no doubt that everything becomes boring if it continuously happens or is done without any change. Similarly, when the same work is done all the time, life becomes a dull one, which is neither challenging nor happy. Therefore, play is also necessary for people in addition to work which they have to do to fulfill their basic needs; food, clothes and shelter.

The more work people feel loaded with, the more tension and worries they have got. Like an engine found in a machine, it becomes hotter when it is used continuously for a long time. Then, it will stop working finally. Likewise, people are living things who are made up of blood, flesh, cells, tissues etc. As a result, their bodies become tired or exhausted when they work for a long time. To give their bodies a rest, people go to bed and sleep. However, people are not like robots, so it needs to put their mind at rest. Through play which is done for amusement rather than work, worries, anxiety and tension they have become less serious because they have got a chance to do what they love to do as a change. After that play, they can work and solve the problems more successfully than ever before because their minds are clear and fresh. In the same way, students had better not study without a pause for a long time. The longer they study,  the less their brains work. When their brains get tired, their studying is not totally effective. Therefore, they have to give rest not only to their body but also to their mind. Throwing themselves down onto the bed and listening to music is a good kind of play they should do. In addition, traveling together with family of friends is also a good kind of play that all people should do.

In conclusion, the most important thing to get a work done is the fresh mind and body. It is not how long somebody works, but the concentration that counts. Any good concentration cannot be got if they work all the time without any play. The work they do becomes a dull one because they feel bored with it as it lasts longer. Eventually, their life itself becomes a dull one, which is not challenging and fascinating anymore. All work and no play just makes a dull life.

Htet Zaw Htoo 

Money cannot buy true friends (HZH)

Money cannot buy true friends

            When it comes to money, most of the people have optimistic thoughts. Money is regarded as one of the most important things. A saying goes that money is the second god. It is, however, doubtful that money is powerful enough to name 'a second god'. Especially, in the case of true friends, it is interesting to wonder if money can make true friends or not.

              First of all, it argues for the idea that money cannot buy true friends because a friend in need is a friend indeed. There are many fair-weather friends, who stay close to us and befriend us only when have money. A true friend always stands with us even when we are poor as a church mouse. There is a famous story in Buddhism regarding fake friends. There once lived a boy who was born a silver spoon in his mouth. His well-to-do parents did not educate him because they thought that he could live without any worry about money till his last breath. When both of his parents passed away, he did not manage to do anything well and spent money like water with his friends. Finally, he lost all his property. His fake friends left him alone and finally he became a beggar. To make a long story short, he died of hunger alone in the forest. Therefore, it is clearly obvious that money cannot buy true friends.

           The argument in favor against the idea that money cannot buy true friends is that money is the resource of anything to be done and friend is not an exception. It is blindingly obvious that money can solve most of the problems and create opportunities too. Likewise, we can get many friends out of money. Among them, we can wisely choose who are really true friends. Without money, a person is less likely to find friends and thus finding true friends is less possible than a person with money.

          Taking everything into account, there is no doubt that money cannot buy true friends. However, it does not totally mean that we do not need to find money to get friends. Money, at its best value, is a good servant. As a result, the more money we have, the more friends it can create. All in all, I think that what we should do best is to decide wisely ourselves which friend is true or which one is fake.

Htet Zaw Htoo