I stood rooted to the ground outside the principal’s office, my heart pounding like a frantic drum in my chest. Sweat prickled my palms, and my head spun as if I had just stepped off a dizzying carousel. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the other boys-Shawn, Vincent, and Ivan-standing beside me, their faces masks of emotionless stone.

Teachers drifted past us in the staff room, their glares sharp as daggers. I tried to steady my breathing, to appear as cool and collected as the others, but inside, panic clawed at my chest. How could I convince the principal I was innocent? Would he or the discipline master even listen to my explanation? Would they believe it wasn’t me who started the fight? The questions circled in my mind like vultures.

“If only I hadn’t punched Shawn in the face,” I whispered to myself, regret washing over me like a cold tide. I wished I had controlled myself then.

As I waited, my mind replayed the incident in vivid detail. I had only gone to my friend’s class to return his chemistry textbook. He was not there, but my worst fears were confirmed when I saw the three infamous boys-Shawn, Vincent, and Ivan-lounging at the back of the classroom like a pack of wolves.

I turned to leave, hoping to avoid trouble, when a deep, menacing voice sliced through the air.

“Pretty boy, are you afraid of us? You’re such a coward,” Ivan sneered.

I froze. “What’s your problem?” I stuttered, trying to keep my voice steady.

Ivan strode over, grabbing my collar so tightly I could feel his knuckles pressing into my skin. “Of course it matters to us when a disgusting boy like you comes into our class,” he spat.

Anger flared inside me, hot and uncontrollable. I shoved his hand away, my patience snapping like a brittle twig. Suddenly, Shawn lunged at me, pounding his fist into my chest. Rage surged through my veins, blinding me. Before I knew it, my fist connected with Shawn’s face.

The next moment, the discipline master appeared, his eyes blazing with fury. “Go in now!” he barked, his voice thunderous.

Inside the principal’s office, a row of canes with varying thicknesses lay ominously on the desk, like instruments of doom. Even the tough guys began fidgeting, locking and unlocking their fingers, anxiety etched across their faces. Surprisingly, the sight of the canes did not overwhelm me. Instead, I felt strangely calm, as if I had already accepted my fate.

Shawn was the first to be caned. He bent over the table, trembling. The principal raised the cane high, then brought it down with a swift, merciless crack. Shawn’s scream pierced the air, raw and desperate, echoing off the office walls. Vincent and Ivan gripped their hands so tightly their knuckles turned ghostly white. I could not help but let out a snort of laughter when I saw a single teardrop streak down Shawn’s face.

Soon it was my turn. As I bent over the table, a strange determination settled over me. I clenched my jaw, vowing not to scream or cry. The first stroke of the cane landed on my buttocks, a bolt of pain shooting through me. The office fell into a deafening silence. The three boys stared at me in disbelief, as if I had performed some impossible feat.

But inside, I was crumbling. The pain was nothing compared to the regret gnawing at my heart. If only I had controlled myself. If only I had walked away. That moment of anger had cost me more than I could have imagined.

• Stadium was roaring—fans screaming, some even crying.

• Waves of emotions ran through the crowd.

• I stood on the pitch, eyes on the crescent moon in the night sky.

• That night, I truly felt on top of the world.

• Flashback begins...

P1 – The Beginning

• Picked for school’s NSG B-Division football team as an injury substitute.

• Knew I had to prove myself.

• Set a personal goal to make it to the starting 11 by the finals (if we qualified).

P2 – Struggling to Fit In

• Wasn't well known or respected in the team.

• Failed to meet team’s expectations.

• Coach seemed disappointed; confidence hit rock bottom.

P3 – Turning Point

• Decided to take control of the situation.

• Adopted a disciplined mindset – “arrive first, leave last.”

• Trained hard, stayed focused, and put in extra work.

P4 – First Breakthrough

• Coach acknowledged my dedication and gave me a shot in the quarterfinals.

• Scored 2 goals, assisted 1 – named Man of the Match.

• Coach promised to start me in the semis.

P5 – Building Momentum

• Gave another strong performance in the semifinals.

• Confidence skyrocketed, form peaked.

• One match away from achieving my dream.

P6 – The Finals Begin

• Finals day: tense and high-pressure.

• Trailed 0-2 by halftime.

• Stayed calm and focused—scored off a set piece, sparking hope.

P7 – The Comeback Intensifies

• Team’s morale lifted after my goal.

• Scored another with a header from a corner.

• Chose not to celebrate—ran back to restart quickly.

P8 – The Decisive Moment

• In 90+3 stoppage time, saw one last chance.

• Had space for a shot and my hat-trick—but noticed teammate in a better position.

• Passed—he scored. The stadium erupted.

P9 – Glory and Realisation

• Final whistle—complete comeback.

• Fell to my knees, overwhelmed.

• Coach praised me: “You’ve become the heart of this team.”

• Felt deep pride—I had earned it through grit.

P10 – The Legacy Begins

• Match transformed everything—no longer just a player.

• Named captain the following year.

• Became a mentor to juniors, promoting discipline and unity.

P11 – Reflection

• Years later, still walk past the same pitch with pride.

• Realised football taught me more than sport—resilience, teamwork, leadership.

• Being “on top of the world” was about rising through struggle.

• And it all began with one choice—to never give up.

2) Was a noob who always die especially from my brother when playing as enemies that he find it boring to play with me.

3) I was criticised by my teammates a lot. But I still never gave up and continued playing the game. I would also watch how my brother controls the keyboard and mouse, repeatedly play the tutorials as well to train with robots on my aiming and improved day by day.

4) Until one day when at the end of the game, the scoreboard showed my name bolded. I was the MVP of the game where I finally got more kills than my brother and even killed him more than he killed me.

5) I love to laugh at and hear my brother complaining whenever he was killed by me. My dad also praised me by comparing how I played last time versus now. I carried many rounds in the game which made my brother decide to add me into his clan to play clan games.

6) Was on top of the world as I get to experience how my brother felt bullying me in game and get revenge on him.

7) I thought about how my determination made me who I am today and how that day was the best day I have ever felt in my life.

P1: i am the head of my school band. I have organised many performances for my school , for  charity and community events.

P2: My teacher pulled me aside to inform me that we will be performing for the old folks home.

P3: Motivated to make this performance on par if not better then all the others as i knew this would be the last performance i organise before I graduate

P4: During our normal band training my teacher dropped a bombshell on me. Our drummer, the most important component of this performance, pulled out due to family reasons.

P5: My secondary 1 junior Johnny Wick came to me and volunteered to substitute and I accepted his offer.

P6: The performance went better then i expected and Johnny did very well in the performance despite having little training . But his commitment lead him to success

P7: As i look back i relished i had made the right decision in letting him perform.

Didn’t think much of it until a major life event occurred . Life suddenly changed — felt like the world turned upside down. Faced emotional pain I’d never experienced before. That moment led me to discover my own hidden strength.

P2: Age 13 when parents called me into the living room. Told me they were getting a divorce. Room felt cold, silent, full of tension. Shocked, heartbroken, couldn’t believe it. Everything I believed about “family” felt shattered.

P3: Became withdrawn — stopped talking to friends. Struggled to focus at school, grades dropped. Spent a lot of time alone in my room. Felt demented and inundate. Had to split time between two homes. Life felt out of control

P4: One day, looked in the mirror and felt tired of being disconsolate. Realised I couldn’t control my parents’ choices. Decided to take control of my own life. Wanted to become stronger, healthier, more focused. Made a promise to work on becoming a better version of myself

P5: Started exercising daily — running, push-ups, stretches. Slowly felt stronger and more energised. Focused more on schoolwork, studied harder. Grades began to improve over time. Felt proud of small wins and personal progress.

P6: After a year or two, felt mentally and physically stronger. Build a routine that helped bring stability. Relationships with both parents improved individually. Felt more in control of my emotions and future. Found peace in focusing on myself and my goals

P7: Learned that pain can lead to growth. Realised I had more resilience than I thought. Hard experiences can bring out inner strength. Now proud of how far I’ve come. Understand that strength isn’t about avoiding pain — it’s about rising through it

2) my CCA sat down and we waited anxiously to be called to the tuning room, which would be where we would have our final practice before performing, tension was high.

3) feeling worried, I quicky tried recalling the notes I play, but to my horror, I couldn't recall anything. Dread filled me as the situation dawned on me. I start doubting myself and start recalling all the hard work I've put in

4) finally called to the tuning room, feel like my life is over. we practice difficult parts one final time before the conductor gave us a pep talk. Ended the speech by asking us to cheer

4) the last minute chaos, frantic tuning and nervous chatter faded. His final words repeated in my head. My palms were still clammy, but something inside had shifted. The callouses I've gotten from practicing, the late nights I spent worrying about this day, the moments I almost gave up, it all brought me here. And suddenly, the fear wasn’t so loud.

5)The clock rang and we walked to the performance hall. I didn’t feel brave, not really. But I felt ready, ready to go on stage with the people I’d rehearsed with for months, ready to share the music we’d poured everything into. They announced our school and we start playing. I held my breath as we went over difficult parts of the songs, my feet tapping the ground steadily, keeping track of the tempo, my heartbeat ringing in my ear .

6) performance over, as we turned towards the audience, it was like time was in slow motion and for a moment all I could hear was just my own breathing. the audience starting clapping and I relished in the moment, feeling unstoppable upon accomplishing the thing that had been causing so much stress to all of us and realizing all of our hard work paid off

7) waited anxiously for the next few days. Eventually, we were told we got distinction. Everyone was joyous, celebrating and taking a group photo to mark the occasion

8) Learned that confidence wasn’t about being flawless, it was about trusting in myself and the group. I learned that growth comes from embracing the challenges, not avoiding them.

Para 1 - I had always been a type to second- guess myself but that day, something gave me the assurance that I did made the right decision!

Para 2 - it was during my march holidays of my secondary 4 year, my friends and I were facing a huge decision about our future. Whether to risk it or not.

P3 - my friends all were talking about signing up for extra math tutoring which is the standard choice for students who are aiming for high grades. But I was a bit unsure, I had been struggling with the subject, I was stuck between pushing through and trying something different.

P4 - That noon, I had a choice to make, either to join the tutoring or signing up for a creative writing course. My friends thought I was crazy. Would I regret choosing the unconventional path?

P5 - I signed up for the writing course. No matter what my friends said My friend said, I felt a strange sense of relief. For the first time, I was not following the other, I was making my own choice.

P6 - As the days and weeks passed by, I found myself improving in the writing class. I gained confidence and realized I had made the right decision for me. Looking back now, I can see how that one choice made my future in an unexpected way.

P7 - In the end, I learned that sometimes, the best decisions cannot be the easy ones. Taking risks will make you step out of your comfort zone that will eventually lead you to surprising and rewarding results.

P1: Looking at the photo of me and my team hosting an event few months ago, I recalled back what happened at that time.

P2: I was appointed to lead a team but I thought that I am an introverted person and afraid that I will not lead the team well.

P3: My team was appointed to plan and host an event to spread kindness. My team brainstormed and came up with a booth with games for people to play and win prizes.

P4: We prepared the items needed and have dry runs before the actual event. I was excited that being able to have an impact by hosting an event but also anxious that the event will not went well.

P5: The day when the event started, my teammates and I were busy and occupied to operate the event, I was worried that I will messed up the event. There was a small problem that some the prizes were not enough for the people so we readjust the prizes that the people get to resolve the prize shortage problem.

P6: Event went well eventually and we were able to carry on and end the event smoothly. I felt a sense of relief after the event.

P7: Through this incident I felt more confident on leading a team, realised that I am stronger than I thought, and proud of what I have done. Know that I need to push myself more so that I can not only overcome my challenges but also benefit from it.

• My room, flooded with achievements.

• My file, filled with numerous awards.

• My grades, exceeding my parents’ expectations.

• My life was in an exhilarating whirl.

• This was all due to that one key decision I made a year ago that determined the life I had today.

P2

• Ever since I was young, I had always been someone who continuously tried to receive recognition from my peers and friends.

• They usually overlooked my work and always appreciated the work of my friends.

• To ensure my reputation was maintained, I remained friends with them to continue trying to receive recognition.

• Despite years of trying in secondary school, I was always seen as a shadow between the 4 of us.

P3

• On one fateful day, I received an award for my incredible work in a robotics competition, which I participated in along with other students.

• Although I felt that sense of achievement, my peers and my 3 friends, instead of congratulating me, made fun of me.

• They called me a ‘nerd’ and said I didn’t fit in and wasn’t cool.

P4

• Eventually, I had enough of them constantly making fun of me and pulling me down just to make themselves feel better.

• I was tired of my friends and peers using me as a joke just to get laughter out of me.

• Things took a turn when they went too far with their jokes and made it extremely personal.

• I reached my boiling point—I vented out my anger, screamed at them, and stopped being friends with them.

P5

• Although things seemed complicated at first, with most students not talking to me as I wasn’t in the ‘cool group’ anymore,

• I somehow stumbled upon a few real friends as I learnt how to live freely in school, without judgement or being made fun of.

• Fortunately, things took a turn for the good.

• I not only made real friendships, but friends who didn’t judge my actions and supported me through my path of improvement and learning to become better.

P6

• Fast forward a couple of months, I was excelling in everything I was doing.

• Robotics, studies, even forging new friendships—my life suddenly felt different.

• The once scared and socially awkward person, vulnerable to judgement and disrespect, was now someone strong, resilient, confident, and socially confident too.

P7

• This key decision made me realise I shouldn’t have wasted my precious time—time that could’ve been used to build myself—on people who didn’t appreciate me.

• If they don’t see my value, it’s better to seek others who do.

• This quote changed my life entirely, as I looked back at the past with pride in how far I came.

P1 – Quoted “Fear is an instinct of living beings, and courage is a hymn of humanity.” Never understood it—until the day I went skydiving as a child.

P2 – During a cloudy vacation afternoon in Fiji, we learned safety procedures and signed a waiver. My excitement slowly turned into growing anxiety.

P3 – Inside the helicopter, my heart raced. The world below shrank, then vanished into clouds. My mind went blank.

P4 – Coach checked on me as others jumped. I trembled, overwhelmed by fear and pressure. Only the sound of my heartbeat and the propellers remained.

P5 – I was the last. Frozen in fear, torn between voices in my head. Finally jumped. Wind roared past. Opened my eyes to a breathtaking view.

P6 – Landed safely. Looked up to see the clouds had cleared. The once gray sky was now bright and open—reflecting my own emotional shift.

P7 – Realised I was the youngest to complete the dive. Understood at last: courage isn’t having no fear, but overcoming it. The quote made sense now.

P1: Loves coding. Talks about it a lot but has no confidence when coding whatsoever.

P2: Instructor mentions offhandedly that some visitors from [name] company were going to come and scout out students from the other class. Pushed to the back of my mind since didn’t involve me.

P3: A week passes and I’ve completely forgotten about the visitors. Now doing group project with classmates. Excited since I’m doing something I haven’t before and without needing to listen to the instructors instructions.

P4: While working, I notice my teammate struggling with an issue and help them solve it. I suddenly hear a hum of approval from behind me and realise that one of the company employees was watching. Feels embarrassed, somewhat humiliated.

P5: Employee complements me. I’m shocked but proud of myself. Classmates notice and start coming to me for help. A little overwhelmed but happy to help.

P6: Sometimes, you need someone to believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself.

P2: A sense of fear of being judge by others and doubt myself as I kept thinking I would not be good enough for the drama production team.

P3: confuse if my decision was bad or good. The need to seek help from others to give me advices.almost gave up at a point until I truly realse.

P4: After seeking help from others for advice I finally realised that I want to be part of the schools drama team, not be bother too much about others judging me

P5: Finally satisfied with my decision and learn something memorable during the period of time.

P6: Though the choice that I made wasn’t easy, the uncertainty taught me more about myself than whwt others think about me.

2) I felt a heavy cloud over my heart, weighing me down.

3) The news hit me, and I started crying like I was drowning in an ocean of tears.

P2 - A week later, just two days before the show, my best friend, who had signed up to play a piano duet with me, fell sick. She begged me to perform the piece alone. I froze.

P3 - The thought of sitting alone on that piano bench, under everyone’s gaze, made my stomach twist. I told her I’d think about it, but in my mind, I was already planning to say no.

P4 - That night, I sat in front of the piano at home, staring at the keys. I played through the song slowly. Then again. Each time, my fingers felt steadier. A small part of me started to wonder if maybe I could actually do it.

P5 - The day of the show arrived. My heart pounded as my name was called. I sat down at the piano, hands slightly shaking. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before playing the first note.

P6 - The room was quiet except for the music. I made one or two tiny mistakes, but no one seemed to notice. When I finished, there was a moment of silence. Then clapping. Smiling faces. Some even cheered.

P7 - As I walked off the stage, I felt light and proud. I had done something I thought I could never do. I realised I was much stronger than I had previously thought.

P2: orientation
The activities were hard and tiring. I didn’t know anyone. I felt alone and thought about quitting. Nothing about it seemed fun.

P3: rising action
One day, a senior helped me during practice. They were kind and patient. That small moment gave me hope. I decided to try harder.

P4: climax
Slowly, I improved. I started to enjoy the activities. I made new friends. Each session felt better than the last.

P5: resolution
Soon, I looked forward to CCA. I joined in fully and had fun. I felt proud of my progress. I didn’t want to miss any more sessions.

P6: Reflection
Looking back, I had changed a lot. I had grown more confident. I found joy in something I once disliked.

P7: Conclusion
I’m glad I stayed. I learned that first impressions can be wrong. Sometimes, the best things come when we least expect them.

P2: On the first day of secondary school, coming into BLS, being exposed to what all the different CCAs had to offer and making a decision to choose my CCA. Additionally, my mother had forced me into putting band as my first choice

P3: Once i got my choices, I saw that i actually got into band and I started to dread it, never enjoying CCA .

P4: I started to skip CCA every now and then. But during the days near SYF, I started to participate in it again. After the SYF experience, I saw the light in the darkness and started gaining some interest in band.

P5:After a while of actively participating in events, I started to enjoy it more and additionally i became a leader which made me enjoy my CCA more. Learning new skills and making new friends. While enjoying all those CCA sessions over the years, time flew right past.

P6: Snapping back from my daze, I realised the endless opportunities and how much I actually did enjoy CCA. Realising that it was the best decision I ever made in Secondary School.

Para 2- back in school, i was an average runner and I was backup for a 200m sprint in national school games

Para 3-school made to the finals the eventual person who had to run got injured like a few hours bfr the finals

Para 4- I had to run and didn’t have any prior practice

and thought I was going to lose the finals for my school, doubted my self

Para 5- made it to the track. Nervous anxious, had the entire school beliefs on me.

Para 6 - soon as the gun shot I just sprinted all the way , got 1st place

Para 7 - realised I was much stronger than I thought and really continued to pursue my passion for running

My heart was pounding, threatening to burst from the pressure, my lungs on the verge of collapse. My legs were threatening to snap like twigs, to crumble after every step I took. But I knew I had to push forward, that I could not give up after coming this far. What I didn’t know was that this agony, this hellish torment, would lead to the proudest moment of my life.

The crowd was wild—but I couldn’t hear them.
The night was loud—but all I saw was the moon.

I wasn’t supposed to be here.
I was the backup, the no name

But that night, with the stadium shaking under my boots...

I became the storm.

My mind was all over the place. My heart shattered into many pieces . I could not process what had happened. I walked away with a heavy heart.

Looking at the photo of my team and me hosting the event a few months ago, I feel a quiet rush of pride. The planning, the dedication, and the unspoken pressure pushed us harder than we expected. Yet somehow, through it all, we made it. And in that moment, captured forever, I see more than success, I see the strength we didn’t know we had.

There I stood on the stage, frozen in front of an auditorium full of students.
I didn’t expect this to feel so overwhelming.
The lights were blinding, my palms, sweaty, every word I had rehearsed vanished into thin air. The audience were waiting. I could hear my heartbeat in the pin drop silence.

The wall,like a formidable monster,engulfed me as fear spread throughout my body.The unbearable fear of  height made my heart stop for a moment.My body wanted to escape but my heart urged me to conquer it.What happened next would change my life forever…

At first, NPCC felt like a punishment ,strict drills, loud commands, and aching feet after every training. I used to dread Thursdays. But somewhere between the discipline and teamwork, something changed. And that change led to one of the proudest moments of my life.

What happens on the days my name isn’t mentioned? Why does my heart skip a beat as if I’ve failed completely? Am I only as good as my last grade? Sometimes, I wonder is it really success if it costs my peace? 10 years without fun, eyes locked in with books was that worth it?

“I believe I should do it.”

As I battled the nerves surging through my body, I forced my trembling legs to carry me toward the room—the room that could change the course of my future. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I knew there was no turning back. This was my decision, and no one else's.

I looked up on the board and attentively watched the board. My stomach twisted. I did not want to go for this competition. I was shivering in that warm classroom. I watched the teacher slowly writing the names down. The first name was written down. Fortunately, it was my friend. However, it was not the end yet.

The rays of sunlight shined through my room-reflected away from my countless medals and trophies. My room lit up brightly, revealing the frames of my numerous awards. Yet, somehow they were overlooked and unappreciated a year back. However, these achievements wouldn’t have achieved of it wasn’t for one key decision that I made.

(Pivotal hook. Based on Dharani story)

Stepping in an unknown classroom with people I did not know, feeling like an ugly goose in a pond of white swans. This feeling was so weird. I have many friends but somehow I am in an environment when I know none. I sat down,took out my stationaries  and a writing pad and sat there like a loner reminiscing how I ended up here

Dialogue Hook

"Congratulations! You’re the youngest to reach 8,000 meters in the area!"

I looked up, gazing at the enormous distance from the sky to the ground. A huge sense of relief washed over me, and I took a deep breath. I had never imagined I could be that brave—until that day.

Title: As I looked back, I realised I had made the right decision.’ Write about a time when you felt like this

Hook: Have you ever made a decision that even your close ones questioned but deep down, knew you were right?

I had always been the type to second-guess myself. I would always replay my decisions in my mind and wondering if I had done the right thing. But that day, something was different.

Intrigue/Mystery Hook:

It was never meant to be me.

The class was roaring with excitement as the teacher was preparing to announce a new debate competition that was about to take place in a few days. However, It was not new to me. I was never picked. But, I never complained about it. As an introvert, competitions were my biggest fear. The competition grew closer and closer. However, my world shattered as soon as I heard something that was never supposed to be reality.