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No silly season

With final exams over for the semester, I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. The very thought of being free from worry, stress and responsibility during my three-week winter holiday in Hong Kong is exhilarating. I will be able to sleep until noon, meet with my friends every day and laze around to my heart's content. In short, I can do whatever I want.

Or can I? With rights come responsibilities. As far as I'm concerned, the two are inextricably intertwined. Thus, I find myself bewildered by those who marry expecting someone else to pick up the tab, those who purchase expensive luxuries despite a failing business, and those who treat a relationship like some kind of sick reality show.

Of course, to be fair, the majority of the population is responsible to a degree. However, we all have our moments of weakness, particularly during the adolescent years. Often, we may forget our responsibilities in the face of temptation. Thus schoolwork is left untouched if a party invitation beckons.

Public service announcements about drunk driving and safe sex are ignored or forgotten when the seductive allure of desire gush through adrenaline-pumped veins. Acts of vandalism in public areas are committed amidst boisterous holiday festivities.

Trust is the fundamental force that solidifies the relationship between rights and responsibility. You trust that your rights are protected. In turn, you are trusted to fulfil your responsibilities.

We acted in good faith during the July 1 protests. Upholding our right to congregate and voice our opinions freely, we simultaneously fulfilled our obligation to do so in a peaceful and orderly manner.

This holiday season, we have been trusted by the authorities to respect public property.

Our right to celebrate in the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve is bound to a collective duty to ensure that sculptures and trees, no longer covered by protective wrap, remain undamaged by the break of day.

Such a social contract is not to be taken lightly. Trust, once broken, does not mend easily.

If you honour your side of the bargain and are trusted to fly with unclipped wings, the weight of your load shall feel light, buoyed by an uplifted spirit.

Ms Yeung is a student at the University of Pennsylvania

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