Ricky Peng, G10

I’ve just returned from my winter vacation, and found out about the importance of keeping things in order.

During the holiday, my daily schedule was filled with phone calls with my friends and having fun. I had no time to clean my bedroom; or perhaps deep down, I chose to ignore the clutter because no one likes to do the chores. In Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women,” the March sisters too deferred their chores until the disorder became overwhelming. I had a similar experience.

Every day when I woke up, I started to contact my friends. We had so much fun together that time swiftly slipped away.

When I went to bed, it’s already midnight. Soon, my head began to spin, and my body felt fatigued. So just I lay on my bed and did nothing.

Then it suddenly occurred to me that I was surrounded by chaos. Clothes lay strewn across every surface, from the bed to the chairs and even the floor. Among the scattered apparel, remnants of snacks, used tissues, and other debris were visible. My desk looked like it’s been deserted for a long time. The dust had piled up and it smelled somewhat musty.

The smell of the bed nauseated me. I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted the room to be clean!

I got off my bed and decided to restore order. But, I didn’t know where I should begin.

Then I stopped fretting over it and just began to take action. I started with the floor.

I picked up the rubbish and swept the floor. Tidying up and sweeping slowly but surely brought clarity to my cluttered thoughts. As I cleaned the garbage and dust from the room, it felt as though a weight was lifted from my mind. I felt satisfied, fresh and energetic.

Sometimes we get lost in social media or spend too much time around others. Then we forget who we really are and what we really want. Carving out moments for introspection and household chores, such as tidying up one’s living space, can serve as a healthy antidote to busy social life.