After Argentina beat Hong Kong 49-7, I thought our players' morale would be shattered, and it would affect their performance in the coming games.

I was totally wrong. Hong Kong beat South Korea 19-12 to show that they had reorganised their strategy and learned from their mistakes.

I admire the Hong Kong team because they never gave up after losing their first match.

Whatever the situation, we should not easily surrender as something good may come out if we continue to work hard.

Grace Fung

TWGHs Lui Yun Choy Memorial College

Family is best

Most of us have a family, but do we treasure our parents, brothers and sisters?

Many teenagers think that their family members are nosy and annoying, so they have frequent arguments with them.

Some youngsters even refuse to talk to their parents.

But, please remember this: only your family will stand by you when you need help, while others may betray or ignore you.

Your family cares about you.

Bonnie Lam Hiu-tong

Our Lady of the Rosary College

Freedom call

Freedom is extremely important to teenagers.

They want to be independent and hope that their parents would give them that freedom.

But some parents want to control their children.

If the teenagers have no freedom, they will be unhappy.

But young people should learn to use their freedom wisely. Otherwise, they will be in trouble.

Chiang Man-hin

Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College

Teen responsibility

I listened to a radio programme about a Secondary Three student who got a mobile phone bill that cost thousands of dollars.

She didn't want to sell her expensive bags to pay the bill and she never regretted what she did.

I think the girl is very irresponsible. She is ruining her life and her parents must be heartbroken.

Some Hong Kong teenagers don't realise that their parents work very hard to make a living.

On the other hand, there are parents who overprotect their children. They never scold their children when they do something wrong.

Parents should teach their children to distinguish right from wrong.

Kay Suen

Pentecostal Lam Hon Kwong School

A wonderful life

I recently took part in a voluntary programme to help the elderly.

When I visited the elderly, they were really excited. We talked for about half an hour.

During our conversation, I learned that they lead a wonderful life. They go to the elderly centre to take a course and have made many new friends.

At the end of the visit, I gave them a small gift. They were very happy. I felt very satisfied when they smiled at me. It was a wonderful experience.

Ng Wing-yee

Kit Sam Lam Bing Yim Secondary School

Uniform debate

Most primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong require students to wear uniforms.

Some students disapprove of this.

They say all uniforms look alike and are not attractive. I disagree.

If students wore casual clothes to school, they would have spend a lot of money to keep up with the trends.

There are only summer and winter uniforms, so students only need a few of each.

It's easier to identify students if they are wearing uniforms and they also behave better in public.

Uniforms encourage discipline among students. They will also have an increased sense of belonging to their school.

Students should wear uniforms. This will not only save money but also help build their character.

Fung King-yee

Spend more time with children

It is normal that mothers spend more time with their children than their fathers.

Fathers are usually the breadwinner so they have to work late.

Many working fathers prefer to watch television rather than check their children's homework.

But such an attitude could put a strain on their relationship with their children.

I think working fathers should try to spend the holidays with their children to build family harmony.

Hui Sin-ki

Our Lady of the Rosary College

Happy to serve the elderly

We organised an activity to help the elderly on March 30, which was our school's Service Day.

We assembled at the school that day and brought two bags containing daily necessities to the elderly.

When we entered a flat in Shun Lee Estate, a woman greeted us warmly.

She was enthusiastic, and we talked and became very friendly.

Before the visit, I thought the elderly were troublesome.

Now I've realised that they are knowledgeable and have a lot to teach us.

They are very optimistic, too. As we left the flat, the woman smiled happily.

I hope to visit her again.

Li Kok-yee

Shun Lee Catholic Secondary School

Lead a healthy lifestyle

Some air travellers may be affected by deadly blood clots in their legs.

This condition has been linked to economy-class passengers who are unable to stretch their legs to reduce the risk of blood clotting.

I think some people's lifestyle poses serious health hazards. It has been found that computer addicts or office workers who are seated for long periods can also suffer from blood clots.

People who don't exercise and have poor eating habits can fall victim to various diseases.

It's important to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Eugenia Chui

Scary encounter with monkeys

I went to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Sha Tin with my parents and some of my relatives recently.

Walking up the hill, we saw a lot of monkeys.

Suddenly, a big monkey jumped down from a tree and grabbed some of our food.

We were very scared and angry, but we couldn't do anything.

I hope the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will take action to reduce the number of monkeys in the area.

Shirley Ho Suet-wa

Jockey Club Ti-I College