Read the responses to this week’s Write to Win prompt, and choose the answer you like most using this form.
Aries: As a young person who studies intensively, I find the most difficult rule to follow is the one against being late. There are so many factors that contribute to staying up late – studying for an important test the next day, pulling an all-nighter to meet deadlines or being glued to the screen of a captivating new television series. All of these ruin my overall sleep quality. The problem is, I still have to wake up at 7am to get ready for school. Sometimes, I encounter traffic congestion, making rushing a normal part of my commute. Teachers often use punctuality as one of the criteria to assess whether an adolescent is a good student. “Am I a good student at all?” I often wonder. However, I also believe that being punctual does not reflect my overall studying ability. Following this rule is really challenging.
Taurus: Don’t get me wrong, having the privilege to go outside school to eat during lunch is something I am grateful for. But banning takeaway in the process simply makes this particular school rule feel like a half-baked solution to not having a proper canteen. I understand that takeaway comes with unnecessary waste and goes against the goals of my school to become a sustainable institution. However, many student-athlete training sessions take place during lunch. Having this rule in place forces students to resort to eating small snacks instead, which are not usually nutritious enough to sustain them throughout the day. Furthermore, this is infeasible for me, as I need extra energy for training. Hence, I find this rule so difficult to follow. Given the recent shift towards more environmentally friendly takeaway boxes and utensils, I hope my school will reconsider its approach to this issue.
Cancer: Silence might be golden – but in school, it’s the hardest kind of treasure to keep. Teenagers carry entire universes in their minds, orbiting with wild ideas, unspoken dreams and stories powerful enough to reshape the world. Creativity doesn’t wait politely for permission. When a teacher says, “Silence, class!” it also echoes with quieter commands: “Don’t question”, “Don’t dream too loud”, “Don’t be different”. We learn to stay within the lines, sketching our thoughts in the margins instead of on the canvas. Teenagers are not rebellious simply for the sake of defiance – we speak out because we want to be heard. The hardest rule to follow isn’t silence itself – it’s pretending our thoughts fit neatly inside the frame someone else built for us. In our prime, when our minds are loudest and our spirits most alive, we are meant to speak, to challenge, to create – not to stay quiet.
Leo: One of the most difficult rules to follow at my school is the requirement to change out of our physical education (PE) uniforms before and after school, as we cannot wear them in public. This rule presents several challenges. Firstly, changing in and out of PE uniforms can be time-consuming, especially during busy mornings or after a tiring PE class when we just want to head home quickly. The school’s changing facilities can get crowded, making the process stressful and rushed. Additionally, carrying extra clothes adds weight to our already heavy school bags, which is inconvenient. Forgetting to bring a change of clothes can also lead to embarrassment or disciplinary action, adding pressure. While the rule aims to maintain a neat appearance, it feels impractical for students with packed schedules, making it one of the hardest to follow consistently.
Libra: The most difficult rule to follow in school is not talking in class or during assembly. Although talking may interrupt a lesson, I find it hard to resist the urge to share my thoughts out loud when they come to mind. I may restrain myself from talking at that moment, but when I try to remember the interesting things I wanted to say at a later time, there is a good chance I have already forgotten them. Once a student starts talking, others join in, and this is a situation where it is even harder for me to restrain my speech and laughter. A teacher may stop us from talking in the classroom, but in an assembly, it is almost impossible, as talking and laughing are contagious. This is why I think the rule is the most difficult to follow in school.
Capricorn: Gossip, drama and shunning people – these are some of the most common issues in every school, and the hardest ones to avoid. There is a school rule to follow here: respect everyone at all times. Very few people do. That’s because everyone’s different. Some people may seem odd enough to others to the point where others will laugh whenever they do something “weird”. These people are often shunned. This common behaviour, of shutting others out, is horrible. It makes people feel insecure and ashamed of themselves. Respecting each other is the most often broken school rule. It’s because we’re all desperate to fit in, even if we don’t know it.
