Category: Life

7 Must Reads For Booklovers

This list contains everything, from whodunnits to rom-coms to classics. Basically, this list contains heaven for book lovers

1. The Hate You Give (Angie Thomas)

This book is literally all you need to read to understand the topic “BLACK LIVES MATTER”. It follows the story of a black girl, Starr Carter, who sees her best friend being killed in front of her by a white police officer, just for being black. This has a huge impact on a life, not only as a black girl but also as a human. This book is all about her realisation of the difference it makes to be black in society, and also follows her journey of how she protests against not only her best friend’s murder but also the murder of many other innocent black people.

2. The ‘To All The Boys’ trilogy (Jenny Han)

This series follows the life of a simple and shy girl Lara Jean, who’s life turns upside down the when the secret letters to all her crushes get sent out. Wait. It gets even more crazy when one of the guys she sent the letter to, Peter Kavinsky (a.k.a the ‘It’ guy of the school), insists on having a fake relationship with her to make his Ex jealous and to cover up Lara Jean’s existing crush. However, what starts out as an agreement turns into more. That’s all I am telling you right now. The rest you’ll have to read yourself in this YA trilogy. BTW, you might have also watched it’s movie on Netflix, but as true bookworms know, it’s always more fun in the book 😉.

3. Magpie Murders (Anthony Horowitz)

This novel show the life of Susan Ryeland, and editor for Cloverleaf books, who has a very simple and boring life. However, things take a mysterious turn when one of her authors, Alan Conway, suddenly suicides. Well, everybody thinks its a suicide, I mean there is a letter too. But something rubs Susan the wrong way, and she starts investigating the death. What makes this novel even more interesting to read that it has a whole other books inside it. Yes! you heard that right. To solve the mystery of the death, Susan reads Alan’s last novel, ‘Magpie Murders’, the last installment in the fictional Atticus Pund series. This book really gives you a run for your money, ‘cuase it’s got a twisty and capturing plot.

4. Moonflower Murders (Anthony Horowitz)

This novel is a sequel to Magpie Murders. Life is now well for Susan. She runs a hotel in Crete with her long-term boyfriend Andreas. However, things take an interesting turn when an elderly couple comes to her, asking her to find their missing daughter. The request is unusual, but what’s even weirder is when they think that her disappearance is related to one of Alan Conway’s old books, “Atticus Pund Takes The Case”.ONce again, Susan is driven back to her old life to find the missing woman, and once again, we read another novel inside this novel. Every discovery in the storyline is very sudden and unexpected and will surely glue the reader to the book.

5. Rebecca (Daphne de Maurier)

This book is a well known classic by the legendary writer Daphne de Maurier. It follows the journey of a shy and introverted lady’s maid – whose name is not revealed in the whole book so we will be referring to her as the 2nd Mrs de Winter – who falls in love with a wealthy new widower Max de Winter on a trip to Monte Carlo. They marry each other in a few days and when the new bride goes to Manderly (Max’s home), she faces many challenges like the mysterious housekeeper Mrs Danvers and the fear of not being loved by her husband anymore. All I can say is that the root of all the problems in the 2nd Mrs de Winter is Max’s first dead wife, Rebecca. The novel is a bit boring at first, but if is worth it, ’cause towards the end of it, it becomes damn interesting.

6. The Robert Langdon series (Dan Brown)

The books in this series are (in chronological order) Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, Inferno and Origin. Apart from the mystery, these books are actually very educational as they tell you a lot about science, art and religion. All the books of this series are quite captivating and knowledgeable. The main character is Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbology professor (I wish that was a real profession 🙁) always gets roped into some or the other mystery that is related to art or symbols. Although The Da Vinci Code is the most popular from the series, all the other books are also quite good.

AND LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST

7. The Hunger Games Trilogy (Suzanne Collins)

This series is like my ABSOLUTE favorite. It follows the life of a teenage girl, Katniss Everdeen, who lives in District 12 in Panem, a country that rose from the ruins of North America. Every year, the Hunger Games are held in the Capitol (capital city of Panem), where a male and female tribute (between ages 12-18) from each of the 12 districts are put into an arena to fight and kill each other. The last tribute alive is crowned the winner. I know. Cruel right ? Well, in the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss is also a part of this bloodbath. All through these books, we follow Katniss on her journey as she tries not to be just a piece in the Capitol’s games, while battling her personal life of poverty and trying to take care of her family and being a part of a VERY complex love triangle. I am telling you, you will never regret reading these books.

13 Things I Learnt About Life As I Turned 13

Officially becoming a teenager is one of the greatest things in a child’s life. It feels as though you are cool. But alongside this coolness, also comes a sense of responsibility and a maturity in one’s nature. So today, I would like to share the 13 things that I learnt about life as I turned 13:

1. Don’t let others define you               

☆ I have seen many people in my life that will put labels on you and try to change you for their own needs, but always listen to yourself and act wisely.

2. Be Positive

☆ Because it’s always better to look on the sunny side of everything.

3. It’s ok to take a break                       

☆ When you are feeling stressed by work or studies or anything for that matter, just take a short break and chill for sometime. This will help you get your focus back as well as put your mind at peace.

4. Always think with a calm mind       

☆ Whenever you are feeling agitated or irritated, just take a chill pill. It is very important to be calm if you want to grow in life.

5. Don’t take decisions in a haste         

☆ Decisions taken in haste and panic usually result in regretful situations. This is because when you are making them, you are not actually thinking but just trying to find a fast solution to your problem just to finish it, and not thinking about its consequences. Therefore, always remember to take decisions with a calm and composed mind.

6. Don’t try to always please others

☆ When you go out of your way just to make other people happy, you unknowingly get mentally exhausted and tired over a period of time. In the process, you also start losing your original self.

7. Everything has a limit

☆ Excess of anything is bad. Everything has a limit and capacity. Remember yours and stay within it.

8. Take out time for yourself

☆ Every day, try to take out at least half an hour for yourself when you can do whatever you like. This will provide you happiness and peace from the every day work and hustle.

9. Appreciate the little things in life

☆ Remember to always appreciate the small things in life, like catching your favorite show on time or eating a very good meal, that bring you happiness. It will help you realize how fortunate you are as well as teach you the importance of the little things in life.

10. Never give up

☆ Never ever give up. Whatever it is, you can make through it. And there are always people on the way to help you reach your goal, so don’t think that you are alone.

11. Live in the present

☆ Always remember to live in the present; don’t think too much about the future or about the past. The present is the only time when you have the power to actually do or change something. It is a gift.

12. Face your weaknesses

☆ Don’t run away from your weaknesses and failures, instead face them. The more you run away from them, the more they will keep on coming behind you and troubling you. So, face them and try to improve upon them.

And the most important of them all :

13. ENJOY LIFE

The Joy Of Finishing Exams

So, recently, I finished my mid-terms and I remembered the joy I used to feel when Lockdown wasn’t there. Hearing the bell that indicates that the last exam is over, was like music to any students’ ears. The feeling of joy, relief and freedom during that time was felt by each student in their own way.

Although I don’t mind online classes that much, I still missed hearing the sound of those joyous screams from mine as well as other classes that came just as soon as the bell rang. And even though some of our invigilators would give us half-hour lectures about the consequences of our screaming, there was nothing that could stop us. Seeing the happiness on our faces, I think the teachers also let us be a bit wildly happy for one day.

I remember, after the last exam was over, the corridors outside our classrooms would be no less than a railway station platform packed with students. And at the canteen, the situation would be even worse. The canteen was flooded with children as if that place was the only one that could provide them food. And for me, at home, it would be heaven. I would watch watch my favorite shows and eat my favorite foods half the day and spend time with my friends in the other half.

All of this sounds like once upon a time….. Ah! Those were the days..

Harry Potter- A Special Part Of My Childhood

Harry Potter- the magical wizard who took our hearts with him while flying on his ‘Firebolt’ broomstick. Almost every child who likes reading books knows and has read about the adventures of this skinny wizard and his 2 best friends’ adventures. From finding the Philosopher’s stone to winning the Triwizard Tournament and defeating the powerful dark wizard Voldemort, Harry Potter has gone on many many adventures alongside his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, two people who stood with him and believed him no matter what.

As many of you readers know, the Harry Potter series taught us to imagine, taught us to believe, made us realize that anything can happen and the most important of all, taught us friendship. Being an orphan, all Harry Potter had for a family was his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and his cousin Dudley, all of whom treated him like a servant and an outcast. But when Harry came to Hogwarts, he found his real family- the smart Hermione Granger, the brave Ron Weasley, the wise Professor Albus Dumbledore and his extended family of the sweet and welcoming family of the Weasleys. Molly Weasley was like a mother to Harry that he never had; she cared for him as if he were his own son, so much so that her boggart was of that of her family AS WELL AS Harry dead. The Wealseys, despite of their weak financial conditions, took care of Harry as if he were if their own.

For me, reading Harry Potters adventures was like going on them with him and his whole gang. I felt bad when Fred Weasley, the Murauders and many other people died, and I felt overjoyed when Harry won the Battle of Hogwarts.

I feel that we all owe a BIG THANKS to J.K Rowling for making mine along with many other children’s childhood so very special. And finally, A VERY VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR BELOVED WIZARD, HARRY POTTER.

Harry’s ‘Lightening Scar’ shaped brownies made by me

The Fault In Our Stars

Ah! The ‘Fault In Our Stars’, a book that explained Love in all the right ways. For those who don’t know, ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ is a book and also a movie that tells about the life of Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16-year old cancer patient who falls in love with Augustus Waters (a.k.a Gus), a cancer survivor.

Hazel, having lung cancer couldn’t exert a lot and was very sick. She sat at home all day binge-watching TV shows and didn’t even have any friends. Upon her Mom’s advice Hazel forcibly goes to a Support Group for child cancer patients. There, she meets the ever-charming, ever-sweet Augustus Waters, an 18-year old Cancer survivor (Augustus had osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer due to which he had to get one of his legs amputated). Although Hazel did fall for Gus, she still wanted to be ‘just friends’ with him as she referred to herself as a ‘grenade’, and believed that when she died, she would hurt the people she loved and the people who loved her, therefore making everyone sad and miserable. Although Gus agrees to being just friends, he knows deep down that both he and Hazel love each other.

When Hazel and Gus go to Amsterdam to meet their favorite author, Gus tells Hazel some news that shocks her to the core. Read the book or watch the movie to find out what happens in Hazels’s life.

All throughout the book, the same lessons and facts about life are shown again and again-“Pain demands to be felt”. This fact about life is something that we can’t ignore. To quote Jim Hopper from Stranger Things (A Netflix Series), “Make mistakes, learn from ’em, and when life hurts you – because it will – remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you’re out of that cave.”. The message that the author is trying to convey in this book is that ‘Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional’. It shows that if you have pain inside you, it isn’t wrong. But it is very important to acknowledge this pain and to move on and start from a fresh page. Also, to quote Augustus Waters, “You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you.”.

Lastly, I would really like to thank John Green for writing such an amazing book and for teaching us these important truths about life.

Gratitude

With everyone sitting at home quarantined due to the ongoing pandemic, I’m sure many people would have got time to sit and reflect on their lives. I did so too. Many a times I would thank God that I had a roof over my head,  food on my plate and that I still lived a happy and comfortable life in these challenging times. We all think that we don’t have this or we don’t have that, but be grateful that you at least have that much. So many people had to depend on Government shelters for food and stay during this lockdown. Think about the people who live on sidewalks and who depend on leftover food from trashcans. Give gratitude every time you see someone living on the sidewalk or begging for food. In fact, why only give gratitude on such things, thank God every time something good happens to you.

I think the best way to show your gratitude is by keeping a small notebook on your bedside table, in which you can write at least 5 things that you were grateful for each day. This can be done in the night before sleeping. I hope this article inspires you to start your own little “Gratitude Notebook”.😊

Don’t Loose Tears

Why cry upon the death of someone
Who was so very dear,
Their time has come and they have gone  
But their soul will always be near.

Why cry upon a broken heart,
If you were meant to be, he would be here.

Why cry upon a betrayal 
Of an untruthful soul, 
Fight back strongly with no fear.

Why cry upon failure,
Take it as a stepping stone
To make your vision clear. 

Why cry upon hard work,
Remember,
In the end a sweet fruit will it bear.

Why cry upon destiny,
Slowly you will see  
Spring has come, making the Winter disappear.


                  ~Aahana Jain

WOMAN EMPOWERMENT

When we think of women empowerment, all that comes to our mind are pictures of women protesting and shouting slogans. But there is more to women empowerment than just protests and rallies. Most people just ignore these protests and think its a waste of time and energy. But have you ever thought why these women protest? Have you ever stopped and even heard what the protest is about before shaping an opinion about it? Think ! The women must be protesting only because they are not getting what they deserved after requesting silently. If their demands are still not met, they have all the right to raise their voice. It should be the self-realized duty of every individual to treat a woman with respect and dignity. If they still don’t get the respect they deserve, its very sad considering that in our country women are also believed to be goddesses.

But everywhere the situation is not like that. Many offices and organisations are being started by women or have them on important posts. Now the only job for women isn’t only teaching at schools. Women can now also be found in challenging jobs like police, defense, aviation, businesses etc. Although it took a lot of struggle, women have earned their respect in the society and are forging ahead towards making the world a better place to live in for everybody and there is nothing we can or should do to stop them. After all, it’s only a woman who can mange the house, look after her kids and husband AND still have a respectable job.

Although, it is not only the working women who deserve respect. Taking care of the house and family is in itself a very challenging job. It’s like having a job and not getting paid for it. But still women work selflessly in making the house a good and peaceful place to live in physically and mentally. A man can still leave his job saying that he is retiring, but a woman never leaves or retires from her job as a hardworking housewife. Therefore, even if a woman doesn’t work, she still deserves the same respect as a working woman.

So, as an individual, it is our duty to respect each and every woman globally.

WHO AM I ?

Hello everybody. I am Aahana Jain and I am a middle school student. I am 12 years old and a soon to be 8th grader. I have a loving family, 2 awesome best friends and a normal life. I study in Delhi Public School, Bopal in Ahmedabad. I love Harry Potter, Cole Sprouse is my favourite actor and I am a huge fan of Taylor Swift so respect to any Swifties reading this. I wear specs and I am somewhat of a nerd . I like the way I am and am proud to be me.

WHAT IS A PERFECT PERSON ?

When one thinks of a perfect person, everybody has a different opinion. According to some people in this world (like those snobby kids at school who think they own the place), a perfect person is someone who likes the music that is the most popular, eats only the food that keeps one thin and has the perfect body. If you think that the things listed above are the key to being perfect, you are WRONG. A perfect person is one who is their own self and not one who does what everyone does just because they think its cool. If you do so, you are just like a robot. Being perfect is not about losing your individuality , it means being different and being you. If somebody calls you weird for talking or being like this just tell them that you might not be be perfect but you are for sure a limited edition or just tell them this

THAT’S HOW YOU DO IT

” Being different isn’t a bad thing.It means that you are brave enough to be yourself.”

– Luna Lovegood

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS MOST TEENS ASK THEMSELVES:

AM I TOO FAT ?

This is a question most girls ask themselves in front of the mirror. don’t worry. there is no problem in being healthy. It matters what you are on the inside rather than how you look on the outside. Take Libby from Holding Up The Universe(an awesome book written by Jennifer Niven); she wore what she wanted to wear and even tried out for the dance team despite of her being obese. She didn’t care what people thought of her and that was what made her special.

ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT ME ?

I used to ask myself this question every time someone in my class would look at me and start talking. after sometime I realized that it was not true. Same goes for everyone who ask themselves this question. It is not necessary that somebody is talking about you; they might just generally be looking at you. It depends on how you take it. And even if they are talking about you, who cares?!. Your whole life cannot change just by a single person’s opinion. So chill and enjoy the pleasures of life

HOW DO I STOP THE BULLYING ?

I used to be constantly bullied by a group of kids at my school. But the key of not making people bully you is to ignore them. Once you stop paying attention to their taunts, they will eventually get fed up and leave you alone. Don’t fuss over them and revert back to them . If you are getting troubled by them, you are giving them satisfaction and this satisfaction will make them tease you even more. So as I said earlier, the key to stop the bullying is to ignore. Start ignoring, and you will see the magic happen.