Essay Writing Competition

Building our Nation: The Youth Perspective

We are children today, but leaders tomorrow. We are known to be the next in line. The things we do will determine what we will become. We are in the process of learning, exploring and understanding the condition of our Nation. Our realizations today will be our actions in the future. We are aware of the problems and have ideas for the solution, but we are subject to act.
We need to focus on what’s important from what’s pointless. Health is one big foundation of everyone’s life. Being successful and not being healthy leads to failure. The value of health will be recognized later in life. We pay the consequences not before our mistakes but after.

Being physically fit gives a lot of opportunities. It widens our choices and opens door for a better life. Being healthy also gives benefits. It empowers and multiplies the abilities. It allows to do more and to reach beyond the limitation.

Treat the body as a treasure, a fragile machine or a gift. If a healthy body fades, it can never be brought back by modern medication. What you will accomplish in the future will depend on your physical condition. Once your body breaks down, all that you’ve accomplished will go down as well. You can never enjoy success if you’re too weak to do so. A responsible individual knows how to give importance to one self.

The best machine is managed by the best operator - a strong mind for a strong body. Education is the top important priority of the youth. The intelligence that we improve today is the light that will brighten our Nation in the future. Enhancing the mind of the youth will boost up the development of our Nation. The youth should know how to accomplish this goal. Walk with the wise and soon will be like one. I have three pointers of how to develop our intelligence.

First, find the best place to study. I went to the finest school I can afford. My surroundings have a big influence in my life. When I enrolled at STI College I was completely changed. I started to be like the other students, how they talk, they think, and they act. They’ve given me a chance to take an examination for TESTDA scholarship for Customer Care Service Training. I got the scholarship and was trained last vacation. My experience and training ground grew wider. I learned to be confident to express myself and helped me perform better - as an Assistant Editor of our school publication. I committed myself with my environment to open the eyes of others. This school gave me a lot of areas to consider where I can develop my potential and choose my desired field. The school is the training ground.

Second, look for a coach. I’m being trained by the professors and the senior students. Without counsels plans go wrong, having advisers will lead to success. In this process, they passed me their beliefs and goals, abilities and discipline. It required me to swallow my pride and my fears to be corrected, instructed and supported. Respect is in the nature of love and not fear. Without respect, youth can’t easily be disciplined. I began to strive for the same goal, celebrate for their success and believe with them. We act as one. (Which our Nation needs-unity)

Last is to have the desire and energy to practice, practice and more practice. Intelligence has an expiration date. My fellow youth must know that learning should be done like breathing. Taking in as much as we can, pushing ourselves to our best and grabbing all the chances to improve our skills. The application of all the things we learn is one great exercise. Brain can be treated like a muscle but developing is through using it. Experience costs but you can never buy it. Exploring how we implore our knowledge and how we stretch, gives it strength to reach out more. Practice builds the ability to the nearest perfection.

The youth is naturally aggressive – negatively or positively. The energy drifts us to try and alter the condition of our country. Learning feeds the curiosity but never satisfies. The youth has the eagerness and excitement to enter the real world. We carry bright new ideas and plans for changing, developing and building our Nation. Our passion to change what seemed to us is wrong with the society, will lead us to the heart of service. We volunteer to speak out and shout to the government and to the people what needs to be changed. Our striking opinions yearn for action. This fresh desire of the youth can wash away the stain of corruption, greed for authority and the twisted motives of the dictatorial leaders. Corruption destroyed all that other good leaders had built. This is not a good example for us, but it continues.

Some leaders of our nation today still don’t know the heart to serve. They lack dedication and love for their job. As a young citizen, I believe that leadership is not about position but influence, not about glory but service and not about rules but relationship. Building our Nation requires honest and dedicated leaders. People who sacrifices are giving more than taking. They do not view their responsibilities as an obligation – must do. Leaders should know the right path to pursue. The youth are followers and we want to follow the righteous leaders. We learn from our teachers or parents and adapt their technique in leadership and guidance. Our goal must be, to serve and not to be served. Rewards must come last. One nation should have one goal to lead the country in harmony.

We are aware of what changes that needs to be done. We have the chance to help build our Nation and it is by deciding wisely today. Build ourselves first, before influencing others and then, unite with others to achieve one goal. The great success of a nation depends on the developments that started small but strong and slow but sure. We must avoid contradicting, manipulating and judging each other. It leads to negative atmosphere for everyone, both old and young people - harsh words stir up the anger.

Above all, we must know to whom we bow our heads. Man can never create anything alone and can never be successful without the blessing, mercy and grace of the Creator. A man without faith is a waif, one who leads to nowhere – can pull a nation down with him.