Write a letter to your friend to share the electives you have learnt.
Dear Chris,
How are you? It’s been a long time since I sent you the last letter. I hope things are going on well.
Well, I’m already in my second year of studying in the senior forms and this year is WAY HARDER than last year as I’ve got many more assignments to hand in and things I’m studying are getting more difficult. At the most tiring and frustrating times, how much I wish I were with you in the States. Luckily, English lessons are still as fun as ever, being my ultimate motivation to press on.
Like how I shared with you last time, we study English through different electives and get to touch on various aspects, some being interesting and others useful. We’ve only come across “short stories”, “debating” and “workplace communication” for now and they already have me anticipating the next electives to come as each one has their own charm and uniqueness! Yet, we’ve got three electives only!
I must say that the short stories elective is the most enjoyable one for me among the three. I mean, who can resist reading all those realistic stories in lesson, in which you laugh along to lame jokes the characters share, feel the protagonist’s pain and even hold your breath sensing the danger edging closer bit by bit? It’s not just about how I could read so many stories in just a short period of time but also about how I got to write my OWN story. Come on, can you imagine it? The setting, the personality of characters, the dialogues, the climax and those hidden symbols…all designed by your own self! And we got to read others’ work too. Doesn’t the whole elective sound wonderful? Maybe, when you come back to Hong Kong next time, I’ll let you appreciate my masterpiece!
Although the short stories elective is fun, it doesn’t mean the other two aren’t. To be honest, I didn’t have much expectation on the workplace communication elective as the name itself seemed boring. But to my surprise, it turns out to be pretty useful, and is in fact the most practical elective. In the elective, we learn about different skills we need in particular jobs or when we wish to pursue a certain career. We’ve explored many job requirements, qualifications and even daily routines of occupations. These have given me a more concrete idea of what it’s going to be like when I apply for a job and helped me get myself ready before it’s too late. I’ve even learned to write important documents like minutes and agendas — such skills being acquired before I work are hopefully going to come in handy in future. Like what you see, this elective’s got me better prepared for the things to come…definitely not an elective to be missed!
The debating elective also gives me some inspirations. You know clearly how introverted I am, and public speaking is certainly not my cup of tea. But in this elective I actually had a break-through! I took part in a DEBATE. Well, not a real one actually, but realistic enough to have me being nervous as hell. Yet, I found it much easier after our teacher taught us how to present our arguments clearly and in an objective manner, along with supporting figures to make the whole speech persuasive. I also bore in mind the importance of pauses and body language that show how confident we are. These all made the debate less challenging and daunting. And through debating over controversial topics, I’ve realized how the same issue could stir up different emotions and that there may not be a definite right or wrong answer to each question. This elective has inspired me to think critically when touching upon different issues.
As you can see, I also have fun and meaningful lessons here in Hong Kong. You aren’t the only one finding joy in learning, man. It would be great if you can share with me your life in the States. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Cheers,
Pat
2017-18 5C
Chong Mei Sze