Secondary Class S3c, age 15 (English third year)
Essays in class, 40 minutes, written by (in alphabetical order):

Andrea Auer, Benjamin Wiederkehr, Christoph Anghern, Corin Ehmann, Claudia Egli, Justin Böni, Lucille Zeller, Madeleine Näf, Michael Meier, Nicolas Willemin, Nora Lindström, Patrick Krienbhühl, Rebekka Vogler, Stefan Messmer, Tabea Birkhäuser.

"Read the following quotes, choose one that appeals to you and express your thoughts."

- Better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness.
- A victory always finds hundreds of fathers, but defeat is an orphan.
- Truth is the cry of all, but the game of the few.
- Solitude is a kind of freedom.
- Freedom is the right to do whatever the law permits.
- Things do not change - we change.
- Experience is a good teacher, but the bills are terrible at times.
- When your heart speaks, take good notes.
- Be wiser than other people if you can, but don't tell them so.
- I can resist everything except temptation.
- The love of money is the root of all evil.
- He, who chooses his own path, needs not map.
- The stupid neither forgive nor forget, the naive forgive and forget, the wise forgive but do not forget.
- Fame is a mask that eats the face.
- I forget what I was taught. I only remember what I've learnt.
- You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
- Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.
- A pessmist is a man who looks both ways before crossing a one-way street.
- Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.
- Everything is funny as long as it is happening to someone else.

SOLITUDE IS A KIND OF FREEDOM

When I hear this proverb I think about the Tuaregs in the desert. Before the Arabs came with the trucks and cars, the Tuaregs had a life in freedom. They lived a solitary life but they were free, free in the big wide desert under the sun! I think this is the real freedom.
I'm glad to be alone. It can be at home, in the forest or anywhere. Sometimes I take a pencil and a piece of paper, go out of the house and go for a walk. Then a little bit later I sit down on the ground and listen to the birds and the other animals from the forest. Maybe I paint a tree, or I sit there and think about myself, or my life.
I think solitude is suitable for my type. My zodiac sign is "fish" and I like to be alone. I never will stand in the centre, because there I don't feel well. I always think I might want to be in the centre, but then one minute later I don't want to be there. Yes, I know it's difficult but I can't discribe this in detail.
Sometimes I want to go to Africa or the Mongolian desert, because for me the desert is a symbol of freedom. I would go there alon, only with a tent and something to eat. I would climb up a high rock and see over this wonderful view. And maybe I can understand the people who live in the desert, as these people love the solitude and so do I.

FRIENDS ARE THE FAMILY WE CHOOSE FOR OURSELVES !!!

I liked this proverb, because I think it's true! I can choose my friends myself. I mustn't have a friend I can't like. I have many friends, but some of them are not really good friends! Some speak about me, and say: "I hate her...",etc. and when I speak later with these people, they say to me: "I like you very much!"
I don't need this sort of freinds!
For example M.! She was a very good friend of mine, but suddenly she didn't call me and she found new friends! I was very angry!
Now she sometimes is full of drugs. I don't know exactly what it is, but I know that she eats pills. Once she was on LSD! But only once, I hope so! Every weekend she wants to go to trance-parties. There she is on pills! I think so! Every time M. says: "I'm only on pills at parties". But I don't believe her.
If she doesn't change friends, she will be in trouble! More and more. Her friends are not really like a family. I hope she will come with us again, and not eat this chemical drug!
MY FRIENDS REALLY ARE A FAMILY!

TRUTH IS THE CRY OF ALL, BUT THE GAME OF THE FEW.

I think I can use this proverb for sports.
An example: In a football game everybody wants fair play because they want to win the game. But during the game nobody uses the rules of the game and someone makes a mistake.
I think this is the problem of many people in the world. I think the same proverbs one can use for the business or the sport example is near to this saying. A salesman who sells CDs, would like to sell as many CDs as possible and he hates the people, who take CDs from the friends and later at home copy the them, because the salesman wants to earn as much money as he can. But when the salesman would like to have a new CD himself, he asks his friend for a CD, that he wants. When the salesman is at home and he copies CD and it doesn't disturb him, because it isn't his money, that he loses! But when he is in his shop, he wants that everybody buys the CDs there.

THINGS DO NOT CHANGE - WE CHANGE !

I think it is really true, because the things can't change, but we can change. Here an example: You have bought a new car, but after 15 years the car is very old. And you will buy a new car. But the old car is always the same car. It has the same colour, the same make. You think it is bad, but the car is the same as the one you bought 15 years ago. Only you have changed your mind. Because now, 15 years later, you can have more luxury in a new car. But your old car can't change this, But you can change your car. Or when you were a child, you always changed your toys: When you are 3 years old, you liked to have a Teddy, when 7 years old you liked to have a racing-car and 7 years later you liked to have a computer. But the old toys are not bad, but you are older and you don't want a teddy-bear, because you have changed your mind, But your toys are alaways the same.

FRIENDS ARE THE FAMILY WE CHOOSE FOR OURSELVES.

I find the proverb "Friends are the family we choose for ourselves" is true. 2 years ago, it was the first day in the secondary school. I didn't know Corin or Rebekka, but in the 2 years after that they became good friends of mine.
I think a friend must be able to listen. A good friend can be a man or a woman. Sometimes a man is better because some women are jealous. For me a friendship is when I have trust in this person. My best friend is Madeleine. I have her friendship since the second class in primary school. I can speak with her about all kinds of things, and I can go shopping with her. When I have a problem and I can't speak with my parents. Then I might speak with my friend.
A good friend doesn't have to be a person. It can be an animal, too. The animal can't answer a question, but it is in all situations a friend.

SOLITUDE IS A KIND OF FREEDOM.

I think many people, who live in a big city, and work with many other people, must sometimes relax. And then can they go in a park and have a nice day without work.
When I'm in a big city with many people, I feel locked in all the time. And when I'm at home, I must go in my bedroom and read something or listen to the radio. Later I'm relaxed.
Or when I'm in a scoutcamp with many little children, I become nervous. They are really nice, but with the time, they go on the nerves. But when the camp is finished, I must relax one day, and only one day later I miss the children with their stupid questions.
A filmstar or a popstar: when they have a autograph-hour, I think they get nervous with all the shouting and crying people. And they want to really be alone again.
Many times I'm alone at home, but my parents have a special business and so they always work all day. And so I'm alone.
I enjoy it, because after school I'm tired. And so I feel free when I'm alone!

FRIENDS ARE THE FAMILY WE CHOOSE FOR OUSELVES.

It's right that every one chooses the friends themselves, but we can't say: "Hey you are my friend,now", because I think friendship comes with the time. I think, too, that a few of good friends is better than many bad friends. But how can we know which ones are good and which are bad friends? Only after some time we can know that. For me friendship is beautiful, because when you have a friend, which you can trust then you are not so lonely. Then you feel better when you can tell someone your problems or your secrets. I have got a friend in Germany. She is very nice. In the letters I write to her, I can tell her all about my problems. My biggest problem is the distance to her. I miss her so much. But somehow it is good that she does not live here. It's a good feeling to talk to a person who can see the situation from the outside, you now. I miss her also, because she is different than the other friends of mine.
I think that without a friendship nobody can live a nice life.

EVERYTHING IS FUNNY AS LONG AS IT IS HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE ...

I have chosen this quote because it's true and I have this situation every day. When someone is falling down the stairs, I must laugh. I can't say why. But if I see that he has hurt himself, I say: "Sorry!", bacause I really feel sorry for him, and help. Today, P. fell over a bench in the sport lesson. It looked funny and everybody had to laugh, but not him. These stuations are also in the professional sport. In the sport programmeon TV I can see a lot of these accidents, but only 50% are dangerous. In the World Wide Web there are many funny short films, but there are also accidents, that are tragic.
This proberb is for other situations, too. An example: Someone has painted a very good picture and when he has finnisd to paint, he spills the glas with water. I think: " What a pity", but I must smile.
And the last situation for this proverb is, when someone says something embarrassing and becomes red in the face, it's funny.
But I don't want to be this person.

FAME IS A MASK THAT EATS THE FACE.

I think this proverb is true. Not all people can be famous. Many people don't know, that to be famous takes consequences. The consequens aren't all nice and funny. The private life becomes all the time smaller. The newspapers write more negative that positive criticism, because scandals (true or false) are much more interesting to readers than normal things. Many famous people or "stars" don't know how to handle this criticism. Some "stars" fall in a crisis when they arrive at the highest point of their carreer. I remember the soccer player Maradona: he won with this Team in 1986 the world championship and he was the best player at that moment. Four years later the soccer federation found out that he takes doping substances. After that year he consumed heroin. About two years ago he began again to play soccer, but he never was the best soccerplayer again.
In 1986 Maradona didn't get the bad critics and he wanted to be better every time. But doesn't accept himself. That is the reason that he fell in a crisis. The fame ate his face.

FREEDOM IS THE RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER THE LAW PERMITS.

All people want freedom but mankind wants more and more power. I think many people brake the law for their freedom. Most young people think they have freedom when they brake rules or the law. I think you can be free when you go out in the wilderness. When you have nothing to do, then you have freedom. Most people believe that, most of the mankind. But the human has always something to do. He wants to do something, otherwise he becomes bored. When they do what they want, then they feel free. The humans never have freedom. They are "a thing" that must have something to do. I think that's a vicious circle. You want to be free, but you can't be free. You are free when you can do things you want to do.! Children in puberty always want to be free. They don't all do what the the law permits. I think that's a way to become an adult. Freedom is always the best thing that can happen. Do all what you can for freedom. Freedom is the right way to do whatever happens.

BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE, THAN TO CURSE THE DARKNESS.

A girl-friend told me: "In our class a girl has all the class in her hand. Everybody does what she wants. But now many students whisper about her. She is so mean! What can we do? Nobody says to her, what they really think about her, because we are afraid. But we whisper about her so that she doesn't hear, but it's not right. What shall we do?"
"Oh it's a big problem. But I think it's better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness."
"How do you mean that?"
"When you are in a bad situation it's better when you do something , than to be angry about it."
"You wwant to say with this exemple that we must do something? Perhaps tell her what we really think?"
"Yes I think it's better, but I find it's very difficult. When all students stay behind you, you can manage that."
"Okay, thank you for your help. Bye"
"Bye."

EVERYTHING IS FUNNY AS LONG AS IT IS HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE.

FAME IS A MASK THAT EATS THE FACE.

I think many famous people have their face behind a mask. I saw a private photo of Madonna on the TV. She had no make-up and I thought first this is a normal old woman. But it was "Madonna"!
I thought I had a dream.
Many people have many big problems, but they don't want to point them out. Mariah Carey has many problems, too, and she was many times in a special hospital, but she was always a little crazy and happy. Sometimes I have bad marks in school, I am not angry and I take it easy, but I feel that I am very angry inside. Or the same thing when I am older and I must work. I always hope that I find the right job for me.

SOLITUDE IS A KIND OF FREEDOM.

This proverb is very important for me. I need the solitude. Always when I go out with my friends and I can't go with my dog, and then I feel bad. I like to go out with my dog. Only me and my feelings. I think about all things. There are people, who must always be in a park with many people. I hate that, I'm rather alone or with one friend. I need the solitude to think my thoughts. I speak with myself about all things, whatever they are. When I don't do my homework, and I'm going to be nervous, and I m u s t do my homework. Or I can't do anything else, because I'm always thinking about the homework. When I feel bad I must go with my dog and play with him. After that I feel much better, because I don't think about bad things. For me freedom is also much more important, than solitude. I must be able to go and speak whenever I want. I'd like to sing when I want to, I want everything. But there isn't only freedom; I must know my limits. I can't say to my teacher "Fuck you" (excuse me for these two words, I can't find another), I can't just go to a house and take all things away, I'm not a thief! I'd like to have freedom, but I must know my limits. That's not easy. One day I've got my freedom and the next day: nothing. That's not right. I can't believe, that many people haven't got freedom. How do they feel?? I don't know; sometimes I've only got freedom and that's not good. Then the teachers are angry with me, but the friends think it's funny. When I make what they tell me, then I must go away from school. That's why I go with the dog: then I can feel the freedom and I don't have to show the friends in the school what they want to see.
Many people are stars, for example: Robbie Williams, Offspring, Iren Maiden or Marilyn Manson. I think they are very lonely although very many people stay with them. I think all people need a little bit of freedom and solitude. ALL.

INTERESSTING LINKS:
· Biographies
· Oberstufe Hinwil
· penfriends@oshinwil.ch