Page 17 - kaleidoscope 2024 - 20.3.25

GROUP 1
– JUNIOR MIDDLE 1

First Runner-Up:
YONG YOONG KHANG

Class: 1 Xiao

Write a story about affordable, and not spoil me with some pricey brand like Apple or Samsung which I thought

was irrelevant as long as it meant me getting a device. To my absolute disbelief, which
the day you got your probably wouldn’t surprise you, they brought me to a “vivo” electronics store and bought
me a phone. The phone, which to them was not that unaffordable, felt like a thing that made
first SMARTPHONE. the time of life come true. However, after looking at the price, I was baffled as I was looking
at a RM2499 price tag. I told my parents that I was sorry if I ever made them feel the need to
spoil me with “exquisite” gifts like this. Being the most modest and loving parents they were,
they said, “Treat this as a present for working hard and achieving good grades”. I embraced
them with my hands immediately and said, “Thank you!”
Today in this very society, almost everyone has a smartphone. It is just a small,
convenient and compact version of a laptop or computer. Growing up, I have always longed
for a device that truly belonged to me. The reason behind it would be because almost my I do not think kids should have devices like those that I used to wish for. I think that
entire friend group had devices and I felt left out. My friends would just come up to me this generation should have the opportunity to focus on more relevant things in life like
on a random day and asked me for my social media account so that they could keep in sports, grades, helping with chores and many more. I would also tell kids that the idea or
touch with me during the holidays. I would just keep my mouth shut until they could not be concept of phones being the only thing that made them feel “alive” or “happy” in life is
bothered to ask me anymore as I thought that it would be embarrassing if I revealed the untrue and assure them when they feel that physical activities are not beneficial. That being
truth of me not having a social media account. This was not the crux of the issue though, said, I, of course, hope their parents do not take drastic measures to just keep children from
I wasn’t bothered by this as much as the fact that my friends flex on me after getting new phones.
phones and then even have the audacity to say, “ Where’s yours?”.
Phones are like a “double-edged sword” as they could help in various activities, but
they could also come back to bite you. This was my version of the story “The day you got
I ended up having to force myself through a gruelling journey that some people
would call “profanity”. The time when I really could not take it anymore was when I first your first smartphone”. What is yours?GR
stepped into a high school classroom, everyone had their phones neatly placed on their
table and I really felt that I was the odd one out of everybody. Even more frustrating was
when the former teacher of our classroom began asking for anyone without a phone. Being
the immature kid I was, I of course raised my hand as quickly as sliding and I found out that
only another student and I raised our hands. That was also when I found out why my brother
says that I am “tremendously gullible”.

After school, being the desperate kid I was, I may have told my
parents about this “major” issue. My parents, being the most diligent,
devoted and caring parents on planet earth, decided that I needed a
new phone. I, for one, was of course happy and excited. My parents?
Not so much, they were worried about my future with a device but were
also obliged to make my prolonged wish a reality. I wasn’t that locked in
on the brand though, I just hoped my parents would choose something

14 ......... English Essay Writing Competition English Essay Writing Competition ......... 15