Posts

My Favorite Dessert

My favorite dessert is mango sticky rice, a traditional Thai dessert that is sweet, creamy, and absolutely delicious. It consists of three simple parts: ripe mangoes, sweet coconut rice, and a drizzle of coconut sauce. The mangoes are juicy and sweet, with a bright golden color that looks very tempting. The sticky rice is cooked in coconut milk and sugar, making it soft and fragrant. When you take a bite of mango and a bite of rice together, the flavors blend perfectly, creating a taste that is both rich and refreshing. I first tried this dessert on a family trip to Thailand, and I fell in love with it immediately. Now, my mom makes it at home sometimes, and it always brings back happy memories of that trip. Mango sticky rice is the perfect treat for any occasion.
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The Importance of Breakfast

Breakfast is often called “the most important meal of the day”, and it is indeed true. Eating a healthy breakfast can provide us with the energy we need to start a busy day. It can improve our concentration and memory, helping us perform better in study and work. Skipping breakfast, on the other hand, can lead to low blood sugar, fatigue, and even affect our health in the long run. A healthy breakfast should include a variety of nutrients, such as whole grains, protein, and fruits. For example, a bowl of oatmeal with milk and a banana, or a sandwich with eggs and vegetables is a great choice. We should develop the good habit of eating breakfast every day.
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The Joy of Making Homemade Lemonade

Making homemade lemonade on hot summer days is a refreshing tradition. I squeeze fresh lemons (my fingers always end up sticky!), add sugar and cold water, and stir until it’s sweet and tangy. Sometimes I add mint leaves for extra flavor. My friends and I sell lemonade at a stand in my driveway, and we donate the money to a local animal shelter. Last summer, we raised over $200, and we used it to buy food for the shelter’s dogs and cats. Homemade lemonade tastes way better than the store-bought kind—it’s fresh, sweet, and full of love. Selling lemonade isn’t just about making money—it’s about spending time with friends and helping animals in need.
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The Quiet Violence of Normative Design

Design is not neutral; it encodes assumptions about the “default” user. When staircases are the only option, they exclude wheelchair users. When voice assistants struggle with accents, they marginalize non-native speakers. This is normative design—design that centers one type of body, ability, or culture as standard, rendering others as inconvenient afterthoughts. This quiet violence lies in its passive exclusion, framing accessibility as a special accommodation rather than a fundamental right. Inclusive design flips this script, starting from the margins and designing for the full range of human diversity. It recognizes that what works for the most excluded often creates a better experience for everyone.
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Why Urban Community Gardens Matter

Urban community gardens are small green havens that make cities feel like home. Last year, I joined one near my apartment—we rent small plots to grow veggies, herbs, or flowers. I planted tomatoes and basil, and every weekend I water them, pull weeds, and chat with other gardeners. Mrs. Gonzalez, who’s been gardening there for 10 years, taught me how to keep bugs away without chemicals. By summer, I was harvesting enough tomatoes to share with neighbors. These gardens don’t just grow food; they grow connections. Kids learn where veggies come from, seniors share stories, and strangers become friends over a handful of fresh mint. They prove that even in concrete jungles, we can nurture nature—and each other.
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The Value of Learning a Traditional Instrument

Learning to play the erhu, a traditional Chinese string instrument, has been a journey of connection to my heritage. My grandpa taught me how to hold the instrument and pluck the strings, and he told me stories about how the erhu was used in ancient folk music. At first, the sounds I made were scratchy and off-key, but I practiced every day. Now, I can play simple folk songs, and I even performed at my school’s cultural festival. Playing the erhu isn’t just about music—it’s about honoring my family’s culture. It’s a reminder that traditional instruments carry the stories of our ancestors, and we have a responsibility to keep those stories alive.
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Why Urban Community Gardens Matter

Urban community gardens are small green havens that make cities feel like home. Last year, I joined one near my apartment—we rent small plots to grow veggies, herbs, or flowers. I planted tomatoes and basil, and every weekend I water them, pull weeds, and chat with other gardeners. Mrs. Gonzalez, who’s been gardening there for 10 years, taught me how to keep bugs away without chemicals. By summer, I was harvesting enough tomatoes to share with neighbors. These gardens don’t just grow food; they grow connections. Kids learn where veggies come from, seniors share stories, and strangers become friends over a handful of fresh mint. They prove that even in concrete jungles, we can nurture nature—and each other.
Read more