ONLINE EDITION

GERMAN SWISS INTERNATIONAL/19 APRIL 2012/ISSUE 04

The Common Room

How time flies! This year has gone by in the blink of an eye, and we present to you our fourth and final issue of The Common Room this academic year.

This issue rounds up a few of the highlights we have had in school lately, and gets you excited about Summer break too. We hope to go out with a bang, so this month’s issue is packed with exciting interviews, reviews and summer recipes.

With end-of-year exams are fast approaching, students here at GSIS will no doubt be working hard for the next couple of months. We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone best of luck for their exams and thank everyone who has supported us throughout the making of this newspaper. We cannot wait to be back next year with yet another round of students, who never fail to bring new ideas to the table and work towards making this paper the best that it can be.

Letter from the Editor Samantha Chow

GET THIS SUMMER’S HOTTEST RECIPES! Check out these quick and easy recipes for summer snacks. on page 10.

HEAD STUDENT ELECTIONS Head to page 6 or our exclusive interviews with our head student candidates. Who will you be voting for?

CATWALK FOR A CAUSE. GSIS’s Community Involvement Group puts on a fashion show and raises $20,000 for charity.

The   day   kicked  off  with   a   junior   girls   hockey  match,  where   GSIS   school   houses   Dragon   and   Tiger  competed.   Both   teams   made   daring   attempts   to  penetrate   the   each   other’s   defence,   but   despite   their  tremendous   effort,   the   game   ultimately   ended   in   a  draw.   The   skills   of   the   two   teams   were   so   equally  matched   that  even  penalty   shots   could   not  settle   the  tie.  

Girls’   football   was   up   next,   where   Dragon   and   Tiger  met  face   to   face  once   again.  Dragon   dominated  most  parts   of   the   game,   but   though   there   were   many  attempted   shots   at   the   goal,   the   teams   struggled   to  actually   score.   After   full   time,   the   match   had   to   be  decided  by  penalties  yet  again.  In  a  turn  of  events,  the  Tigers   managed   to   turn   their   fate   around,   winning  numerous   penalty   shots   and  making  them  this   year’s  girls’  football  winning  team.

While  the  girls  took  a  break,  the  boys  got  ready  to  get  down  to  business  in  the  senior  boys’  hockey  final.  This  year,  Phoenix   and  Dragon  battled   it  out  for   the   gold.  The  clashing  of  the  hockey  sticks,  the  whacking  of  the  ball   and  the   shrill   sounds   of   the   whistle  made   this   a  game   full   of   suspense.   In   the   end,   the   Phoenixes  slayed   the   Dragons,   rising   as   the   superior   mythical  flying  bird.

Senior   girls’   hockey,   junior   boys’   football   and   senior  boys’   football   followed   and   the   champions   of   the  school  were   crowned.  It   seemed   to   be   Dragon’s   year,  as   they  managed  to  swoop  down   into  the  finals  for  all  games.   In   senior   girls’   hockey,   Dragons   won   against  Lion.  As   a   devoted   Lion,  Mr   Wong  played   alongside  the  Lion  girls  while  wearing  his  notorious  lion  

costume.   It   looks   like   Mr  Wong   has   found   his   true  calling  (besides   teaching,  of   course)   in   hockey,   as   he  impressed   students   and   his   fellow   teachers   alike  which   his   professional   dribbling   skills.   Even   though  Dragons   got   the   better   of   the   Lions,   Mr   Wong   still  managed  to  get  the  whole  school  on  it’s  feet.

Next   up:   junior   boys’   football.   It   was   Tiger   versus  Dragon   and   after   an   intense   match   of   football,   the  agile   Tiger   players   emerged   victorious.   Dragons,  however,   had   better   luck   in   the   senior   boys’   football  match.  Dragon  boys  were   up  against  Phoenix  boys   in  the  final  and  everyone  really  played  their  hearts  out.  It  was   a  thrilling  match,  but  Dragon  ultimately   claimed  their  victory,  winning  by  just  one  penalty.

Specials  thank  to  Mr  Munt,  Mr  Lai  and  Mrs  Wymond  for   organising   and   refereeing   the   matches,   and  congratulations   to   all   players   who   participated,  regardless  of  whether  they  won  or  lost.

Sports

by Alvina Kwok

Inter-house Finals Wrap-Up Adrenaline. Cheers.  And  Mr  Wong.  All these things made for the 2012 inter-house finals that kept us on the edges of our seats.

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The Rugby Sevens 2012

As  very  non-­‐mainstream  Hong  Kong-­‐ers,  my  friend  and  I  went  to  the  Sevens  to  support  the  All  Blacks  of  New  Zealand.  We  therefore  had  a  very  good  reason  to  remain  glued  to  our  seats  throughout  the  entire  competition,  because  as  always,  the  All  Blacks  waltzed  into  the  Einals.

“Now  it’s  time  for  the  IRB  Rugby  Sevens  Cup  Finals!  New  Zealand  versus  Fiji!”  The  commentator’s  voice  boomed  as  the  All  Blacks  and  the  Fijian  team  ran  onto  the  lush  green  Eield  that  was  lit  up  by  glaring  lights.  

Cheers  erupted  in  the  stadium.  “Fiji!”  cried  our  neighbours.  “Kiwi!”  screamed  my  friend  and  I.  We  were  just  about  to  start  an  argument  with  our  neighbours  when  a  whistle  signalled  the  start  of  the  grand  Einals.

What  a  game!  We  cheered,  we  cried,  we  turned  into  people  who  threw  paper  airplanes  into  

the  Eield  in  an  attempt  to  undermine  the  Fijian  team  by  tripping  their  players.  After  much  desperation  from  the  All  Blacks,  and  us,  the  younger,  faster  and  much  more  organized  Fijian  team  took  it  home  this  year.

“See?  Fiji  won!”  said  the  Fijian  fan  behind  me  with  a  smirk  on  her  face.  “They  were  just  lucky.  The  All  Blacks  will  win  it  back  next  year!”  I  retorted.

In  the  end,  everyone  in  my  just  enjoyed  the  Eireworks  that  illuminated  the  night  sky.  Who  cares  about  the  scores  or  which  teams  people  support?  To  be  honest,  does  it  really  matter  which  team  wins?  What  makes  the  Sevens  so  popular  is  that  it  is  a  time  when  people  can  dress  up,  stuff  themselves  with  food,  scream  their  lungs  out  and  have  fun  with  a  stand  full  of  strangers  who  they  would  get  to  know  over  the  course  of  the  three-­‐day  competition.

Sports

by Michelle Ng

The  Rugby  Sevens  is  the  biggest  sporting  event  in  Hong  Kong,  probably  because  we  don’t  get  many  big  sporting  events  here.  The  reason?  Let’s  just  say  that  sports  are  not  Hong  Kong’s  forte.  However,  our  supposedly  subpar  local  team  kicked  off  the  series  with  quite  a  surprise.  They  actually  won  every  single  game  in  the  preliminaries.

This  has  garnered  much  attention,  nearly  as  much  attention  as  when  our  football  team  of  30  year  olds  beat  the  Japan’s  team  of  teens  in  the  2009  East  Asian  Games.  Due  to  this  impressive  feat,  all  sorts  of  Hong  Kong-­‐ers,  including  my  grandmother  who  spent  most  of  the  game  trying  to  locate  the  ball,  tuned  in  to  watch  the  games  on  TV.  

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Name: Samantha Chow

Age: 17

Class: 12B

Position: Editor

Favourite things: Writing, traveling & cooking

Name: DIsha Daswaney

Age: 16

Class: 12B

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Dancing, dim sum & Vogue

ABOUT US

Name: Anjali Bery

Age: 14

Class: 10B

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Listening to music, reading, photography & painting

Verve 2012 was, in my opinion, the largest event the school has organised this academic year. A school charity fashion show, the event raised a significant amount of $20,000, which will be distributed to the charities Bridge to China Charitable Foundation, ORBIS, Somaly Mam Foundation and St. James Settlement. I, having attended several rehearsals, can say that from a backstage perspective, the planning of Verve was not an easy road. But the show really pulled itself together to be an extravagant fashion show. There was even a red carpet laid out in the undercover playground to add a touch of glitz and glamour.

Although the quality of the designs featured in the show was inconsistent, two collections in particular caught my attention. Designed by Amalia Kroch and Lea Custodis, both collections featured spring/summer 2012 trends.

by Disha Daswaney

cutting-edge“ ”

AMALIA KROCH

With their tribal patterns and bold colours, the collection’s pieces were eye-catching and had a distinct flair. An outfit that was especially catered towards our age group was a white tribal top and a simple pair of shorts. While a royal blue and yellow tribal dress showed a more daring side of the collection, an evening high-low gown added elegance, as the fabric flowed beautifully on the runway.

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goldthreaded

embroidery

I was thrilled to see a sneak peak of this year’s Abercrombie & Fitch collection. Their classic tube dresses can be worn at any occasion and we are thoroughly excited for their new store which will be opening soon in the heart of Central.

LEA CUSTODIS nature-inspired“ ”

From a couture perspective, however, the show was disappointing. Fortunately, there was one very talented couture designer that made up for things.

NAOKO TSURUTA

exquisite“ ”

We here at The Common Room would like to congratulate everyone who was involved with putting together Verve 2012, an event that we will always be proud of.

hand painted detailing

most detailed design

Incorporating floral patterns and accessories, Lea Custodis’ collection showcased a mixture of simple and complex designs, which were gorgeous at both ends of the spectrum. Her short-sleeved baby pink dress was made of a sheer fabric, which created a graceful train. But the outfit of a corset paired with a double-layered floral dress had the most detail of any student designer’s pieces on that night by far. It was obvious that much care and consideration went into the creation of this outfit.

Incorporating floral patterns and accessories, Lea Custodis’ collection showcased a mixture of simple and complex designs, which were gorgeous at both ends of the spectrum. Her short-sleeved baby pink dress was made of a sheer fabric, which created a graceful train. But the outfit of a corset paired with a double-layered floral dress had the most detail of any student designer’s pieces on that night by far. It was obvious that much care and consideration went into the creation of this outfit.

Naoko Tsuruta took my breath away with her kimono chic brand that featured a range of exquisite designs. The most striking of her designs was an orange kimono with gold threaded embroidery and hand painted detailing. Another interesting ensemble was a pair of shorts teamed with a cropped red tube top and a satin jacket. The shorts caught my attention immediately because of the multi-coloured threaded embroidery.

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What  makes  you  stand  out  from  the  rest?I don’t make promises or statements that I don’t keep or hold my word to. I believe that all of the ideas I have listed during my speech can be achieved. I am an enthusiastic student and take pride in activities that I choose to uptake, not to mention I am all-rounded with several commitments outside of school as well as in school.

What  do  you  hope  to  achieve  by  the  end  of  your  term?All of my goals I listed in my speech! Most important ly to me is the introduction of recycling vending machines, as the

Cleaning Houseby Hilaire Wong and Nicole Chong

After a plethora of posters were plastered all over school grounds, speeches were heard, witty slogans conjured up and Facebook fan pages made, we were left with the challenging task of deciding which box to tick on the ballot sheet when voting day came.

environment and climate change are such prominent issues of today. The possibility of the school recycling 100% of all packaging from drinks consumed whilst potentially reducing the price for students is an exciting prospect for me.

What  super  power  would  you  want  to  possess  and  why?I have always thrived to be an all-rounded individual and if I were granted of a super power, I believe it would tip the balance. If I had to choose though, I would want the ability to immediately know what people think about you. It would be quite helpful to see what people think of my first impression.

What  makes  you  stand  out  from  the  rest?Every candidate has really good ideas and thoughts on how the school should be changed but I think that I am approachable and that I would really try to make sure that all ideas even if they are crazy will be at least considered. Also I think that having been at this school since kindergarten has made it easier for me to see where the school needs to be improved for both junior and senior students.

What  do  you  hope  to  achieve  by  the  end  of  your  term?  Seeing as most of the school will be under construction next year my main goal would be to make improvements

to the upper building. I really want to achieve all the goals and ideas that I presented to all the classes I visited and the ones that I listed on my Facebook page. I also want to make sure that if students have any ideas that they are heard and that they will be implemented as soon as possible so that everyone feels like they have a say in the improvement of the school.

What  super  power  would  you  want  to  possess  and  why?I would want the ability to absorb other superpowers so that I could use all the superpowers known.

As we bid adieu to Natasha Brown and Dominic Lang with heavy hearts, we are reminded of all that they have achieved as head students. They have made German Swiss a better place with new microwaves, a student committee that has organised numerous food, music and sporting events this year, and even refurbished Common Room (we’re referring to the actual room here). As they leave German Swiss to continue their education in university, the time has come for two new students to take their places.

During campaign week, we interviewed our ESD head student candidates to find out what they’re made of.

CANDIDATE: SPENCER NICHOLAS

CANDIDATE: JULIA ZSCHIESCHE

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What   makes   you   stand   out   from   the  rest?I am the only candidate who is on the student committee this year and I think I stand out because of the unique experiences I have had. I also think I am the most approachable candidate as I am actively involved with many school activities and events.

What  super  power  would  you  want  to  possess  and  why?I would like to be able to fly, partly because I love to play basketball and it would give me such an unfair advantage. But more importantly, it must feel so good to be free in the air, unbound by the weight of gravity.

What  makes  you  stand  out  from  the  rest?My ideas are ambitious and realistic, not just the obvious. Neither are my ideas fantastical, costly and frankly unachievable.

What  do  you  hope  to  achieve  by  the  end  of  your  term?I hope to have a revised Student Committee, a much more defined, focused and effective organisation, up and running, giving the

whole student body the chance to vote and have a say about school decisions. The revamped SC will also give senior students the chance to take part in leadership responsibilities in school.

What  super  power  would  you  want  to  possess  and  why?The ability to be at many places at once, so I could be in class and be playing football or something at the same time.

CANDIDATE: JAMES CHE

CANDIDATE: ON TIM TANG

CANDIDATE: BRIAN YIM

What  makes  you  stand  out  from  the  rest?I think I stand out in the sense that I don’t currently consider myself a powerful figure, unlike the other candidates who already have roles in school. As I’ve said before, it is a little difficult for some people to express their views if they’re not friends with those in leadership roles. As one of these people, it has made me realise the importance of listening to the vox populi.

What  do  you  hope  to  achieve  by  the  end  of  your  term?If I do become Head Girl, I hope to hold at

Name: Hilaire Wong

Age: 15

Class: 10D

Position: Writer

Enjoys: Movie nights, barbeques & smores

Name: Michelle Ng

Age: 16

Class: 11D

Position: Writer and cartoonist

Favourite things: Books, debates & manga

ABOUT US

Name: Nicole Chong

Age: 14

Class: 10B

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Horror movies & summer afternoons on the beach

least one school dance by the end of the year – that’s the biggest target. In a non-tangible sense though, I want everyone to experience a general and sustained increase in happiness in their school lives.

What  super  power  would  you  want  to  possess  and  why?I would want to be able to hear other people’s thoughts – that way it would be so easy for me to know what students want!

This allows me to know what goes on around the school and know everyone's thoughts.

What  do  you  hope  to  achieve  by  the  end  of  your  term?I want to increase the students’ sense of belonging to our school by increasing school spirit. I also want to improve relations between the German and international stream. Ultimately, I hope that everyone is happy to be part of the GSIS community and if I get elected, I will do whatever I can to make ideas come true.

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Name: Emma Keoy

Age: 14

Class: 10C

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Theme parks, cotton candy & making pancakes

ABOUT US

Name: Anya Petersohn

Age: 15

Class: 11D

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Writing, walking my dog, travelling & reading

Name: Amanda Sin

Age: 14

Class: 10D

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Debating, the number 42 & ‘The Princess Bride’

THANK YOUR TEACHERS

A Tribute to GSIS Faculty

by Samantha Chow

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.  - Henry Adams

It’s that time of the year when school’s out and summer’s in! Here at German Swiss, we are very fortunate to be surrounded by teachers who are always willing to lend a helping hand when we need it. To our dedicated German Swiss teachers, The Common Room would like to thank all of you for your tremendous efforts and to express the gratitude which we owe to you.

historyenglish

art

economicsgerman

biology chemistryphysics chinese

computingdrama

french

There are three good reasons to be a teacher - June, July, and August. 

In an attempt to capture how we think our teachers feel about teaching at GSIS, here are two quotes that we thought were fitting.

When your entire class has done their homework, you might be thinking:

To get to know the faculty better, we interviewed a handful of teachers to find out how the school year was for them. We tried to get to as many teachers as we could, but with teachers’ hectic schedules, it can be hard to track them down! As for the many teachers that we were not able to interview in time, we sincerely apologise, but hope that this article still finds its way to you.

For the other 99% of the time, you’re probably thinking this instead:

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Mr Cameron

What has been the most memorable part of this school year for you?

THE COMMON ROOM ASKS...

“Listening to Chris Lin’s rap songs in class. And Tai Hung’s thought of the days. I mean, he’s a man that needs time to think of these thoughts, you know? They don’t just come.”

Mr Moon“For me, definitely getting the B Grade footy team to the final of the HKSSF Cup. They were by far the best football team I have coached here at German Swiss in like the seven years I’ve been here. They were amazing; they had no ego whatsoever, real team players and they played some really good football as well. And also, the thing that I really, really like about it is that it’s the most integrated thing, possibly in the school, cos’ we’ve got six GSD players and five ESD players. So totally, it’s as 50:50 as you can be in an odd numbered team. They were just brilliant. So yeah, getting the B graders through to the final, the semi-final in particular. They battered the opposition.”

“Getting to the point with my Year 11s where they felt comfortable about their oral exams.”

“My favourite part about teaching at German Swiss is always the students, and I’m not just saying that. Most teachers I’ve talked to say that’s the best part.”

“Memorable would probably be... the Year 7 camp, I quite liked that. I liked the long hikes, being with the children, I liked to see them come out in the morning, sort of really like with their morning faces, so cute.”

“It’s teaching because I wasn’t here for GSIS Idol or the model things. I missed teaching. I miss not having been able to prepare you as I would have liked to, but you’re going to be fine. I’m hopeful.”

“Seeing Year 11 leave. That was very memorable. Memorable in a good way? No, you’ve got me there. I think you’d have to settle for watching Year 11 leave. Watching them leave for study leave.”

Name: Hilaire Wong

Age: 15

Class: 10D

Position: Writer

Enjoys: Movie nights, barbeques & smores

Name: Michelle Ng

Age: 16

Class: 11D

Position: Writer and cartoonist

Favourite things: Books, debates & manga

ABOUT US

Name: Nicole Chong

Age: 14

Class: 10B

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Horror movies & summer afternoons on the beach

Herr McNallyMs Schuurman

Frau HaywardMr Moore

Frau Silva

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Name: Melanie Schmeelke

Age: 16

Class: 11D

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Writing, reading, watching movies

Name: Alvina Kwok

Age: 16

Class: 11C

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Books, stationery & mint chocolate ice cream

ABOUT US

Name: Lili Dekker

Age: 16

Class: 11B

Position: Writer & Cartoonist

Favourite things: Writing, reading, filming & 80s movies

summer recipesby emma keoy and anjali bery

A gooey twist on the classic campfire treat!

You will need:

1 bag of marshmallowsGraham cracker squaresPeanut butter

1. Spread 1 teaspoon of peanut butter onto each graham cracker.2. Put a marshmallow on top of the peanut butter and place a second piece of graham cracker to top it off. 3. Microwave the s’mores on HIGH for 10 to 15 seconds until the marshmallows begin to melt. Serve warm!

Peanut S’mores

Summer Fruit SaladFruit lover? Try this:

You will need:

2/3 cup orange juice1/3 cup lemon juice1/3 cup brown sugar1/2 teaspoon grated

orange zest1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups cubed pineapple2 cups sliced strawberries3 sliced kiwi1 cup seedless grapes

1. Boil orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar and orange zest in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened. 2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.

3. Layer the fruit in a large bowl and pour the cooled sauce over the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

adapted from www.allrecipes.com

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Name: Emma Keoy

Age: 14

Class: 10C

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Theme parks, cotton candy & making pancakes

ABOUT US

Name: Anya Petersohn

Age: 15

Class: 11D

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Writing, walking my dog, travelling & reading

Name: Amanda Sin

Age: 14

Class: 10D

Position: Writer

Favourite things: Debating, the number 42 & ‘The Princess Bride’

1. Stir boiling water into Jell-O mix for 2 minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in frozen lemonade concentrate and refrigerate for 15 minutes (or until slightly thickened).2. Mash raspberries with fork and add to Jell-O mixture, along with whipped cream. Whisk together until well blended.3. Cover and freeze for 4 hours until solid. Let stand in room temperature for 15 minutes before serving!

Ice cubes1 cup orange juice1/3 cup tonic water1 teaspoon lemon juice

Fill a glass with ice cubes, pour in the orange juice, tonic water and lemon juice. Stir and enjoy!

Hate overpriced cinema popcorn? Make your own with:

1/2 cup butter1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Caramel Popcorn

Raspberry Sorbet

You will need:

1 cup boiling water1 pack raspberry Jell-O mix1 can frozen lemonade concentrate3 cups fresh raspberries

Love ice-cream, but think it’s too fattening? Sorbets are just as delish!

Orange FizzMake a boring glass of orange juice taste fun and fizzy like summer!

1. Pop the kernels and salt very slightly.2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, syrup and butter. Stir until well combined, then boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. 3. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and mix thoroughly. Leave out to cool for caramel to harden.

1/2 cup corn kernels 1 cup packed brown sugar1/2 cup light corn syrup

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Tough as Nails?THE IRON LADY

by Amanda Sin

This  sharp  comment  was  made  by  no  other  than  Margaret  Thatcher,  the  longest  serving  British  Prime  Minister  in  the  20th  Century.  The  ?ilm  titled  The  Iron  Lady,  which  is  a  nickname  given  to  Lady  Thatcher  by  a  Soviet  journalist  in  the  early  80s,  is  an  Oscar-­‐nominated  piece  of  work  that  involves  a  poignant  look  into  a  great  leader’s  rise  and  fall.  The  ?ilm  begins  circa  2008,  when  an  elderly  Lady  Thatcher  goes  out  alone  to  buy  some  milk.  The  ?ilm  progresses  to  depict  her  battle  with  dementia  as  she  reminisces  about  her  youth  and  talks  to  her  husband,  whom  the  audience  knows  has  been  dead  for  a  number  of  years.  We  are  then  taken  through  a  series  of  ?lashbacks  that  show  her  struggles  to  gain  a  seat  in  the  male-­‐dominated  House  of  Commons  and  her  decision  to  stand  for  Conservative  Party  Leader.  We  also  see  how  she  expertly  dealt  with  the  Brixton  Riots,  the  Miners  Strike  and  the  Falklands  War,  and  despite  all  this,  was  ultimately  forced  to  resign  from  her  position  due  to  a  loss  of  support  from  her  cabinet  members.

Whether  you  are  a  history  a?icionado  or  just  looking  for  a  thought-­‐provoking  ?ilm,  The  Iron  Lady  is  a  must  see.  It  is  evident  why  Meryl  Streep  was  nominated  for  Best  Actress.  She  manages  to  portray  all  facets  of  Lady  Thatcher’s  character,  from  her  resolute  stance  on  resolving  economic  crises  to  her  internal  turmoil  over  whether  acting  on  behalf  of  the  “greater  good”  should  take  priority  over  her  family  life.  The  Iron  Lady  is  also  very  well  directed.  

The  series  of  ?lashbacks  is  disrupted  by  interruptions  by  other  characters,  bringing  Lady  Thatcher  back  to  the  present  and  making  the  audience  sympathetic  towards  the  frail  elderly  lady,  despite  her  no  nonsense  stance  in  politics.  The  pace  of  the  ?ilm  is  very  steady  and  the  momentum  continues  to  build  until  it  reaches  a  climax  when  she  is  forced  to  resign,  marking  the  beginning  of  her  fall  from  power.  In  my  opinion,  the  aim  of  the  ?ilm  was  

successfully  reached–  acclaimed  director  Phyllida  Lloyd  has  managed  to  create  a  character  that  is  removed  from  political  agenda  and  prejudice  and  that  we  can  empathise  with.  As  time  progresses  in  the  ?ilm,  you  not  only  feel  saddened  by  how  such  a  strong  woman  is  forced  

to  bow  to  society’s  wishes,  but  you  also  feel  in  awe  that  a  woman  from  such  humble  beginnings  can  rise  to  such  grand  heights.

What  I  loved  the  most  about  The  Iron  Lady  is  that  I  learned  that  even  great  people  have  souls.  Despite  her  unwavering,  aquiline  stare,  Lady  Thatcher  is  a  person  who  has  done  nothing  but  tried  to  work  towards  a  better  world.  She  is  nothing  but  the  prime  example  of  a  person  who  has  dedicated  her  life  to  serve  her  nation.  In  the  end,  we  

realize  that  despite  her  harsh  policies  and  sharp  tongue,  Margaret  Thatcher  tried  her  best  to  work  for  Great  Britain’s  “greater  good”.  Whether  her  endeavours  succeeded  or  not  is  up  for  you  to  decide,  but  it  is  indisputable  that  her  mere  attempt  to  do  so  will  instill  a  sense  of  respect  and  compassion  in  you  for  her.

The  ?inal  word:  Regardless  of  your  political  stance,  The  Iron  Lady  is  sure  to  touch  you  somehow.  

“If you want something said,

ask a man.If you want

something done, ask a woman.”

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YOU ASKED:Dear Annie,Every year, my parents and I have the same argument. As always, they are insisting that I do something that they deem worthwhile over my summer holiday by getting and internship or attending summer school. All I want to do is relax... chill with friends, watch movies, stuff like that, you know? They say that this year I must be “serious” and they will arrange plans for me if I fail to come up with any of

my own. What can I do? It’s not that I’m lazy or a bad student, I just want to enjoy my summer vacation.

Stressed is desserts spelt backwards

ANNIE ANSWERS Dear SIDSB, I’ve been in your situation before. Haven’t we all? It’s natural for you to want more control over how you spend your vacation time. But you must not forget the value in gaining work experience and broadening your horizons before university. Instead of arguing with your parents, suggest a compromise. Given that the summer break is approximately eight weeks long, you could agree to engage yourself in enriching activities, that you choose yourself, for one month. In return, ask that you be allowed to spend the remaining four weeks as you wish. Your parents will approve of the way you spend your holiday, while you still get the chance to try out new things and have some time for relaxing.

Much love, Annie

ANNIE ANSWERS

Annie answers your questions in our advice column. Ask Annie on our website, www.thecommonroomnewspaper.webs.com,under the ‘Ask Annie’ section for the chance of getting your question answered.

by Anonymous

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YOU ASKED:Dear Annie,My friends and I love to go shopping when we hang out. I always feel embarrassed, though, because I have a tighter budget than most of them. At least that’s definitely what it feels like when I see them shop in bulk without considering the price tags, while I feel judged for only trying things on then not buying much. Money has been tight in my family

recently, so it wouldn’t be right to ask for more pocketmoney. How do I stop feeling ashamed in front of my friends, keep my wardrobe updated, yet not spend too much?

-The wannabe Becky Bloomwood

ANNIE ANSWERS Dear TWBB,The silver lining of your circumstance may not be apparent at the moment, but you are essentially getting a lesson on how to manage your money, something that will come in handy later on in life. Your true friends should not mind that you have less to spend anyways. I know you may feel embarrassed to tell them that you need to cut back, so a way to resolve this is to suggest other activities which are more inexpensive, like giving each other manicures, making your own face masks or bowling. Don’t be tempted to buy all things on sale, either. In the hype of a discount, you might end up buying something you don’t actually need or even want. You can also try surfing the internet, where you will find a plethora of ideas on how you can breathe new life into old clothes, so make sure you take advantage of this free information to update your wardrobe. Lastly, just always remember that your belongings do not determine who you really are. As Dr Seuss said, “Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter”.Stay beautiful, Annie

YOU ASKED:Dear Annie,I’m in Year Eleven and I’m really worried about the day

when we’ll find out our IGCSE results. Any advice on how to ease the anxiety?

-Mr Worrywart

ANNIE ANSWERS Dear Mr Worrywart,The prospect of getting your results back, especially since this is the first time you have ever taken a public exam, can be understandably daunting, but there is no reason why the fear should consume you. No amount of worrying now will change the outcome, and as long as you earnestly feel like you have done your best, you need not feel scared. It seems easier said than done, but try doing things to take your mind off this day – go on a trip, read a book, anything to make you feel more relaxed. You deserve it! Best of luck,Annie

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