3 . HABITS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

As teenagers grow up, they become more independent and start making their own decisions. However, during this period, it can be easy for some of them to form bad habits. These bad habits, if left unchecked, could lead to more serious ones when they become adults. For example, some of them may become involved in tobacco or alcohol-abuse, which can lead to physical and mental health problems. To prevent harmful habits like these from dominating a teenager’s life is essential. They must learn to recognise bad habits early and make appropriate changes.

To change bad habits is never easy, even with many attempts. There is a famous saying based on the philosophy of Aristotle: “We are what we repeatedly do.” In many ways, our lifestyle is the sum of choices we have made. We make a choice to do something, and then we repeat it over and over again. Soon that choice becomes automatic and forms a habit that is much harder to change. The good news is that we can change, if we understand how habits work.

According to modern psychology, we must first learn about the “habit cycle”, which works like this:

*Firstly, there is a “cue”, an action, event, or situation that acts as a signal to do something.

*Secondly, there is a “routine” , the regular action you take in response to the cue.

*Thirdly, there is the “reward”, the good thing or feeling we get from the routine.

For example, when we feel unhappy (cue), we eat lots of unhealthy snacks (routine), which makes us feel happy (reward). The reward makes us much more likely to continue the cycle, and the bad habit of relying on unhealthy snacks is formed.

To facilitate a positive change in our bad habits, we must first examine our bad habit cycles and then try to adapt them. We can do this by combining the information from our habit cycles with our own positive ideas. For example, we could try to replace a negative routine with something more positive. So, when we feel unhappy again(cue), rather than eat snacks, we could listen to some of our favourite music instead(routine), which will make us feel relaxed (reward). Aside from changing bad habits, we can also use the habit cycle to create good habits. For example, when we come to an escalator(cue), our normal routine is to ride it, but we could change this routine into something more positive by taking the stairs instead.

Many of us try to change bad habits quickly, and if we are not successful straight away, we often become pessimistic and give up. In fact, the most successful way to change is not suddenly, but over a period of time. As the Chinese philosopher Lao Zi wrote, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” One step seems small, but it is essential. To reach the goal of change, a person must show some discipline and repeatedly take many small steps. After all, it is not easy to break bad habits.

For young people, there is plenty of time to change bad habits. However, there is no “magic pill” or delete button that will help you; you have to think about your bad habits and decide on some changes. You have the power to build a happy and healthy life full of good habits!

As teenagers grow up, they become more independent and start making their own decisions. However, during this period, it can be easy   ______ some of them to form bad habits. These bad habits, if ______ (leave) unchecked, could lead to more serious ones when they become adults. ______ (change) bad habits is never easy, even with many attempts. The good news is that we can change our bad habits if we understand ______ habits work. To facilitate ______ positive change in our bad habits, we must first examine our bad habit cycles and then try to adapt them.

We can do this by ______ (combine) the information from our habit cycles with our own positive ideas. We can also use the habit cycle ______ (create) good habits. Many of us try to change bad habits quickly, and if we are not successful straight away, we often become pessimistic and give up. In fact, the most successful way to change is not suddenly, ______ over a period of time. To reach the goal of change, a person must ______ (repeated) take many small steps. Young people have the power ______ (build) a happy and healthy life full of good habits!

9 . As the latest crop of students pen their undergraduate application form and weigh up their options, it may be worth considering just now the point, purpose and value of a degree has changed and what Generation Z need to consider as they start the third stage of their educational journey.

Millennials were told that if you did well in school, got a decent degree, you would be set up for life. But that promise has been found wanting. As degrees became universal, they became devalued. Education was no longer a secure route of social mobility. Today, 28 percent of graduates in the UK are in non- graduate roles, a percentage which is double the average among OECD countries.

This is not to say that there is no point in getting a degree, but rather stress that a degree is not for everyone, that the switch from classroom to lecture hall is not an inevitable one and that other options are available.

Thankfully, there are signs that this is already happening, with Generation Z seeking to learn from their millennial predecessors (前辈), even if parents and teachers tend to be still set in the degree mindset. Employers have long seen the advantages of hiring school leavers who often prove themselves to be more committed and loyal employees than graduates. Many too are seeing the advantages of cancelling a degree requirement for certain roles.

Regardless, it is unlikely that Generation Z will be done with education at 18 or 21; they will need to be constantly up-skilling throughout their career to stay employable. It has been estimated that this generation, due to the pressures of technology, the wish for personal fulfillment and desire for diversity, will work for 17 different employers over the course of their working life and have five different careers. Education, and not just knowledge gained on campus, will be a core part of Generation Z’s career trajectory (轨道).

Older generations often talk about their degree in the present and personal tense: “I am a geographer” or “I am a classist”. Their sons or daughters would never say such a thing; it’s as if they already know that their degree won’t define them in the same way.

How do learning habits influence learning results? It’s useful and necessary to discuss learning habits. There is a famous     1     (say) “Good habits lead to good endings”, which shows the importance of habits.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” also     2     (show) a healthy everyday habit helps to build up our body. Thus, good learning habits can help us gain great learning results, high scores and abundant knowledge     3     (include)．At first, learning habits form our ways of thinking and attitude     4     the content of our learning.     5     (obvious), a good habit can help us to speed up to reach our destinations. As we can see, developing a good habit is so important that I would like to introduce one kind of good learning habits—keeping     6     learning diary every day. We can start the habit by     7     (write) a learning summary and remember to record something impressive and meaningful. Keep it in mind,     8     gradually we will gain this good learning habit and benefit from it.

What’s     9     (much), I find out that I still have some bad learning habits     10     well. I can only concentrate on reading for a short time, and I will conquer this problem by spending more efforts on concentration practice.

I believe that through my efforts, I can gain good learning results by having good habits.