When we make new friends, we should not say bad things about our old friends.

We should always remember those who have helped us during tough times.

So, like you say 'no' to bullying, say 'no' to gossiping.

Ikra Gulzar, California School

Power of music

When people talk about music these days, they usually talk about Canto-pop or western music. They rarely discuss Chinese music which has a long, rich tradition.

Not many people nowadays learn to play Chinese musical instruments. This may be because of a lack of awareness among the locals.

I know the City Hall and the Cultural Centre host some excellent Chinese music concerts. If students have any spare time, they can go to these shows and gain a better understanding of traditional Chinese music.

Music, whether it is Canto-pop, Chinese, western, or any other type, has its unique qualities and is a good way to relax.

Niki Lam, Hang Seng School of Commerce

Time to expand your horizons

Teenagers can make more friends by participating in voluntary work. Through community activities, they can meet different kinds of people, such as orphans, the elderly and the disabled.

Participants can also cultivate their social awareness and learn to be nice to others.

Some elderly people like to share their experiences with youngsters and this can be very interesting.

Volunteers who organise fund-raising activities can learn to co-operate with others and enhance their leadership and communication skills. Some teenagers say doing social work is time-consuming. I strongly disagree. A short visit or even a telephone call can help people who feel lonely.

Teenagers should be able to strike a balance between their school work and extra-curricular activities. It is all about self-discipline.

They should do their best to help the needy. I strongly encourage teenagers to participate in social work.

Koey Lee, The Chinese Foundation Secondary School

Think of the hungry, don't waste food

A buffet is a popular way to feed a large number of people who help themselves to the food laid out on the table. They can eat as much as they want at a fixed price.

Many hotels and restaurants offer buffets because it is an excellent way to save money. But it leads to massive food wastage.

Eateries have to produce huge amounts of food to satisfy their customers who serve themselves a lot more than they can actually eat.

The leftovers are usually thrown away, rather than sent to a charity, due to various reasons such as transportation.

The world food crisis is becoming more serious due to a shortage of farmland, overfishing, extreme weather and wars. We should change our wasteful eating habits. We cannot waste food while millions of people around the world are dying of starvation.

Karen Man