My Passion: MUSIC

My music journey started when I was six years old. The first instrument that I play is the piano. I first started playing the piano when I saw my brother, Nathan, being taught to play the piano by his tutor. When he finished his piano lesson, I tried to copy what my brother had played earlier, and I roughly was able to emulate him. So, now, I can say that I learned the piano autodidact, but my piano skill is not as good as before since I have stopped practicing for five years.

In that five years, I did not stop playing music. Instead, I tried playing another instrument, the guitar. I first started playing the guitar when I saw one of my seniors in my church was able to lead the music with his guitar. His guitar skill was magnificent, so my mother asked him to teach me how to play the guitar so I could play it in my church next time. I was happy that he agreed. He taught me chords and some strumming patterns. Now, I am able to play my guitar well in church, and I also try to learn how to play guitar by picking. I can say that I am a slow learner in playing music, but I enjoy learning and practicing the instruments.

English over Local Language?

English has become the most used language globally today, with many people around the world using it as their day-to-day language. Even school nowadays seems to focus more on teaching the English language rather than the local language. I cannot deny how important people need to be fluent in English. However, we still do need to learn and conserve our local language as well.

As I mentioned, people need to be fluent in English or at least learn the English language. Looking at how the world is growing, English has dominated the languages around the world. Countries that do not speak English even started to use them as the world's number one language is English. And why so? Simple, it will be easier for them to communicate with people from other countries. It also helps people to apply for a job in another country and help businesses to interact with other countries.

Nonetheless, the local language is still an important language to keep. Our local language is our country's identity. Therefore, we need to protect our local language by teaching it to the next generations and using it daily to speak to local people. In this way, we can be sure that we can preserve our local language even when we are fluent in English.

In conclusion, I believe that English and the local language are both just as important. Therefore, it is best to learn both languages so we can maintain our local language as it is our country’s identity, and be fluent in English at the same time as it connects people from different countries. 

United Nations Day

United Nations Day, also well known as UN day shows a symbol of hope for global unity. United Nations Day is an annual commemorative day, reflecting the official creation of the United Nations on 24th October 1945. It is an official day to appreciate the diversity of cultures, religions, and languages all over the world. The theme for UN day 2022 is broadly about “End Racism. Build Peace.”

On this day, countries come together to spread ideas of peace and harmony among people from different origins. We celebrate this day as a reminder of the importance of diversity, cooperative spirit, equality, peace, human rights, and unity. The main aim of this day was to encourage cooperation between all the governments of the world after the failure of the League of Nations. In other terms, it was an attempt to prevent another war like World War II from starting. 

In certain places, parades are organized to bring people from various countries together in happiness. People may be invited to share their favourite meal with friends and relatives from other countries in other places as well. In schools, they usually arrange special events on this day to raise awareness of the importance of the UN's mission. It is explained to students why it is important to value diversity. They learn about diverse cultures and how people from around the world may live in harmony.

During this day, the junior high school students, and teachers at our school, Mutiara Harapan, participated in commemorating this wonderful day. The event took place at the Junior High School building, where everyone attended the event had the chance to experience the diversity of many different countries that had been chosen beforehand. 

Since I was not able to attend and participate in this wonderful event due to competition, it is a shame I could not get to experience the diversity of different countries held at the school. But based on the documentation that my friend took during the event I can see that everyone eagerly participates in this event. They present the country’s food, culture, and even iconic items. One thing that I would add to this event is that they can add a small competition such as speeches or story-telling about the importance of this day.

Some people think that teenagers should concentrate on all subjects at school. Others believe that teenagers should focus on the subject they are best at or they are most interested in. To what extent do you agree?

When someone asks, “what is your favourite subject?” People will start saying the subjects that they are best at. But does that mean they should focus on those subjects and forget the others? In my opinion, concentrating on all lessons is very important for their future as it gives them more fundamental knowledge.

Some teenagers prefer to focus on one or two subjects they enjoy or are good at. There is nothing wrong with that. I can say that they could get perfect scores in those subjects. People that focus on the lessons that they are best at could outdo those who concentrate on all fields. They could even join competitions or Olympiads as they put an extra focus on that subject than the others. However, they would be able to outdo other teenagers just on that certain subject.

On the other hand, I would say that focusing on all subjects is more important. School exams test you in all fields. If you only focus on one or two lessons and fail on the others, you will get a terrible score in the final report. It is better to at least study a bit of each subject every day. You will also gain an in-depth understanding and easier to learn those subjects since most of the lessons are related to each other. In that way, you might at most get good scores on all the subjects and a smaller possibility to fail on most of the subjects.

In conclusion, I think it is more important to concentrate on all the subjects rather than just one or two. It is better to maintain a score of nine or eight in all lessons rather than getting a ten in one and five in the others. If there are subjects that they are interested in, it is better to put an extra focus on that subject but still concentrate on the other lessons so they will not get left out.

Family Time Day

Holidays celebrate important moments such as victories, religious remembrances, and other personal events. Holidays are important to build a stronger bond in our community. If I could create a new holiday, it would be “Family Time Day.” I believe that many countries already have holidays that connect us one with another, but I think that my day will create a better relationship among their families. In this article, I will be giving reasons why and how the holiday is going to be celebrated.

First, this day is going to be celebrated every month. Looking at the number of broken families around the world, this day would be a good opportunity for them to improve their relationships. Out of billions of people, there are over millions of children who would probably live without their father or mother. 

During this day, every family must go to at least one place where they can spend their time together with their whole family. It will be mandatory for every member of the family to join. However, those that lived far from their families could participate through phone calls to join the fun. The togetherness they spend during the day should be posted through social media created especially for this day. By that, other people will also be motivated to spend time with their family.

Nevertheless, this holiday will consume a lot of time since this holiday going to be celebrated each month. Another difficulty, this day is pretty heavy to implement because we are not sure if every family is convinced enough to spend their time together during this holiday. Therefore, the government will also help to share information about this holiday, and the community is expected to motivate each other.

In conclusion, I believe this "Family Time Day" will help people to cherish the moments of their life with their loved ones. Hopefully, through this holiday, people can build stronger relationships among their families and hopefully this day could cope with the problems that people have with their families.

Writing Magazine Article: Is Latest Technology Important?

Written by: Nico Piere Simarmata

In a world filled with millions or even billions of people, technology has developed rapidly and has affected society and the economy. Technology has become a functional tool to connect two or more things and make many things simple in our lives. However, this leads to the question should young people get all new technologies.

The Internet of Things(IoT) is a large web that connects many objects to other people and things. IoT will be able to send and receive any information data. However, it looks like the developers are not being responsible for customers' privacy and security. They might use the data and sell it to other people for money. This action has led many people to refuse on getting connected devices. As the data shows that 47% of people refuse to buy due to privacy and security concerns.

Regardless of how many people are hesitant to buy connected devices, there are still people that would buy them. These people are divided into three groups. The first group is called "early adopters," this group of people is those who care too much about their social status. They love the sensation of having the product before others. Then there is this other group that also wants to have the product before others but with professional intentions. Then there is the last group called "normal," this group of people is those who buy based on their needs. They prefer to observe the product from other people's reviews or experiences before buying it.

Now to answer the question of whether should young people get all new technologies, it goes back to everyone's opinion and situation. Young people will need to think about which group are they in and how important is it for them. They will still need to be careful that their data might be exposed.

In conclusion, being up-to-date with the latest version of technologies is important. But don't waste your money when it is not necessary for you and be responsible for managing personal information.

Are smartphones made for communication only?

“Photography has always depended on technology, and every change in technology change has affected the history of photography, but the smartphone, in its nature, is a device that is not for photography. It’s a device that is for communication.” Henry Jacobson, a photographer, and filmmaker tells TIME. This statement can be false, but at some point, it can be true. Smartphones have been greatly evolved up to this time.

I disagree with this statement. Nowadays, many smartphones have cameras. Instead, there are only a few smartphones that don’t have cameras. Back then, smartphones without cameras are popular, but they are used for calling, chatting, or playing snack games only. We can’t deny the fact that smartphones developed from time to time. There is nothing wrong with providing a camera on a smartphone. Moreover, smartphones with cameras can be easier to bring rather than bringing an actual camera everywhere. Smartphone cameras are more portable to take pictures compared to a camera as well.

However, for some reason, I agree with this statement. Back then, photography might be rare and memorable, and you might want to look at it twice. But now, I’m pretty sure we have our smartphones full of pictures that we don’t even look back on after a year. If you were to ask me, I don’t think those random homework pictures or your friend sleeping can be called photography because photography should be a form of art. Besides, the editing apps are way more attractive than the original picture taken by the smartphone. Compared to real cameras, smartphones have less camera quality as their main focus is not on the camera. So, I would agree that smartphones are used for communication.

For some people, smartphone camera quality is enough to take good pictures, but will that be enough for photographers? I wonder, will photography still be a form of art in the upcoming years? Or will there be smartphones that have better camera quality compared to an actual camera? Are smartphones made for communications only or not? What do you think?

IT ISN’T JUSTIFIED TO KEEP WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY

Written by Nico Piere Simarmata

       Wild animals are living things just like humans. How would you feel if you were locked in a cage for the rest of your life? How would you perceive if people come to see you as an exhibition, then walked away? This issue has been a very controversial topic around the world. Wild animals should not be caged, they should be living in their habitats. In my opinion, wild animals shouldn’t be kept in captivity because people are making them suffer unnecessarily, using them for entertainment, and taking them away from their natural habitats.

First of all, keeping wild animals in captivity makes them suffer unnecessarily. I agreed that some zoos are well at taking care of them. But some zoos don’t, they do not provide the best care for the wild animals. A zoo is a place for the captivity of animals. However, this is not the purpose of some zoos. The zoo is supposed to be a facility in which the animals are taken care of.

Second, zoos used wild animals for entertainment against their will. Visiting zoos gives an unconscious message that it’s okay to use animals for their wants. However, it implicates their freedom or quality of life. There might be a counterpoint that says zoos are a good tool for our education. The reality is that zoos are deficient in education. People do not go to zoos for educational reasons. They simply go to be entertained by those animals. I believe we agree that it’s the reason most people come to the zoo.

Lastly, they are taking them away from their natural habitats. Wild animals belong in their natural habitats. People violate their natural rights by taking them into captivity. Although, the study showed that more than 80% of the mammal species lived longer in captivity. But it showed that elephants have longer life spans in the wild than the captivity. These also affect their survival skills because wild animals are trained to survive in the wild and hunt for food. We destroy the natural cycle by interrupting its food cycle.

In conclusion, Animals shouldn’t be kept in captivity. Because it’s making them suffer unnecessarily, making them entertainment, and taking them away from their natural habitats. Wild animals need freedom as well. They have the skills to survive in the wild. It’s better to accommodate wild animals that don’t have a house rather than to hunt animals to be kept in captivity.

Memories of Contentment

NICO PIERE SIMARMATA

         Summer vacation is one of the best holidays of the year. In the summer of 2015, my family and I went to Yogyakarta and Bali to spend our two weeks holiday. I was ten years old at that time. We did many fun things together and experienced the worst attitude of my brother and me every time my mom went shopping which I regret now.

Our first destination was on Monday in Yogyakarta. We arrived there in the early morning because we left Jakarta last night by train. We had our breakfast at the train station, we drank warm tea and bought some bread to dip. A few hours after, we are looking for a hotel to take a rest. My mom and dad lay in the bed. While my brother and I just went to the hotel lobby to reach the WIFI and play video games. In the evening we took our dinner in the restaurant near the hotel, then we went to Malioboro. It is the name of the street, but this street is known as a shopping street. That was when my brother and I felt bored because we spent 4 hours walking following my mom. Walking here and there makes my whole body restless and in pain. We went back to the hotel around 11 p.m. and took a rest. I was hoping that it will be the last time we went to go for shopping.

The day after tomorrow, we went to a traditional market in the morning. There were traditional clothes, toys, jewelry, and a traditional performance too near the market. Guess what? It’s another day of shopping! Thankfully, it’s not as bad as before because my mom bought me a toy to keep me shut. Later, we watched the traditional performance. We took a few pictures using the traditional costumes before we leave. In the afternoon we went to the airport to go to Bali. We had our flight at 2 p.m. and arrived at around 4 p.m. We went looking for a hotel. I was amazed when we are on our way. There are many beaches that we passed, and there are many tourists too. Sadly, we were too tired to enjoy the beach that day, so we went straight to the hotel to rest.

The following day, I woke up very early because my mom told me that we are going to the beach that I saw the other day. We had breakfast in the hotel and went to Sanur Beach. My brother and I played with the sand. We built castles and buried each other in the sand. There are white crabs that are very small, like the size of an ant. It makes me want to get out of the sand when it was my turn to get buried. I almost got a sunburn because I forgot to put lotion on my body. We took a break to get some lunch near the beach. In the afternoon, we went to another beach that is called Kuta Beach. It was a half-hour trip from Sanur Beach. This time I didn’t forget to put lotion on my body. My brother and I were swimming while my mom went shopping and my dad is watching us. We tried to learn to surf there. I manage to surf well by just learning it for 15 minutes. We spent all our time playing in the water, making all of our fingers wrinkled.

The best part is on our last day. We went to Mandala Suci Wenara Wana or also known as Ubud Monkey Forest. It is the sanctuary and natural habitat of the Balinese long-tailed macaque. There are many monkeys or macaques all over the area. I enjoyed feeding them with small bananas. It feels satisfying when they can catch the bananas. We also went to Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural park. There are many big rocks as we walk toward the end, where we can see the huge Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue. We also went to the theatre to watch the Bali traditional drama. Since it was our last day there, we had to enjoy every last thing that we did.

These are the memories that I will always have with me. I think I will never forget this summer holiday because this is the time I can spend most of my time with my family. I hope one day we can go there again.

The Factory

Writtern by: Nico Piere Simarmata

I found my way over to the fence's hole. It's encroached upon by vines and leaves. This is one of the several entrances to Gillette Platinum, an abandoned factory in the woods that my friends and I frequently visit. I strain to keep from slipping as I walk down the path to the factory, which is covered with brown leaves.

All of the trees had lost their leaves by this point, allowing me to see further down the trail. I arrive at my location, an empty parking lot hidden away in the woods, and take a seat. From behind the woods, the parking lot begins to be seen. It's cluttered with broken glass and empty beer bottles left by drunken youths. There are electrical poles every few meters, their cables broken and flowing in the wind.  I'm in a lifeless, urban jungle, sitting in an empty parking lot surrounded by withered trees. This place was once bustling with activity, but it is now mostly deserted.

Everything is visible from this viewpoint. From where I sit, the rooftops of five abandoned buildings form an urban skyline. Where a building previously stood, a bulldozer now stands. The sun is starting to set, casting a bright light through the windows of the buildings. The sky is a combination of oranges and reds that looks like something out of a Helen Frankenthaler painting. The purple clouds appear unmoving as if they are waiting for the sun to set before sleeping.

I'm currently back in the parking lot again. I could leave the factory anytime by going a few hundred meters into the fence’s hole, but the scenery here is too appealing to leave. The arrival of humans in this factory makes the natural scene look far more real. I sit another few meters and admire the lovely landscape that nature and people have created. If the sun never sets, I would have stayed here longer and enjoyed every detail of the factory.