Cassia sentiment

Author: Su Jie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-09-01
Features: In the dawn of the 21st century, Hong Kong is embracing new challenges as a fresh Special Administrative Region of China. Her future leaders—today's youth in Hong Kong—are living, preparing themselves, and measuring their identities and values. This book describes the heartwarming journey of a mainland girl who moves to Hong Kong and adapts to her new environment in simple yet engaging prose. Her anxieties, helplessness, and shyness, as well as the difficulties and amusing incidents she faces, are all vividly portrayed here. You can see her growth, share her failures and successes, and glimpse the vibrant youth years and unique joys and sorrows of Hong Kong teenagers.
Excerpt: Most ordinary couples in Hong Kong usually go shopping, watch movies, or visit famous spots like Victoria Peak and Stanley. On Valentine's Day, they give flowers and chocolates. However, teenage couples have a slightly different way of dating. They don’t have enough money to go to fancy places or shop. Their parents are also strict, limiting their time out. Added to the pressure of homework and exams, they are often too busy to go out. Instead, they prefer calling each other at home, hanging out at their partners’ places, or even studying together in libraries or study rooms. More ambitious couples might also study and help each other.
Dating is like driving a boat—it requires mutual support. Teenage love often carries a sense of reliance and companionship. As long as they are happy together, everything else seems unnecessary. Teenage relationships are often very childish, filled with frequent arguments.
“A and B fought again today. Look, A is crying and yelling in the hallway, and B doesn’t know what to do.”
“Marital disputes are settled in the same bed. What’s the big deal?”
“Does fighting bring people closer?”
Indeed, teenage relationships in school are often marked by arguments because everyone is immature and still growing. Differences in opinions and personalities are common causes. Sometimes, these conflicts bring frustration and anxiety, even affecting studies.
“A life is like a romantic riddle, or a beautiful yet tragic misunderstanding,” wrote a girl in her diary after breaking up. Teenage romance is always memorable. With innocent hearts, they try their best, but young feelings are fickle. Unfamiliar with the world, they have different paths and personalities, making it hard to know who truly suits whom. Breakups are common.
An article once said that life is incomplete without dating before the age of 20. Yet, only about 4-5% of teenage relationships succeed in becoming marriages. Breakups seem inevitable for young lovers. A classmate and his girlfriend dated for ten years, from freshman year to graduation, without breaking up—a rare case in the world. But even they faced the end of their relationship.
A boy wrote: “Actually, you can try drinking milk tea, and even lemon tea. If you don’t go to the old places, how will new ones come?”
Unsurprisingly, several classmates ended their relationships over the phone. Since we often strengthen bonds through phone calls while dating, the end of the relationship also comes here. When a close relationship can no longer continue, meeting face-to-face only adds awkwardness. Over the phone, only voices are heard, not expressions. The person asking for a breakup won’t soften when they see the other’s hurt, and the one being dumped can hide their sadness, maintaining dignity. After saying what needs to be said and hearing what needs to be heard, a simple “bye-bye” ends the relationship.
Fortunately, there’s the invention of the phone. Otherwise, breakups would be a face-to-face challenge.