The Grade 11 students of USAIS have been working tirelessly on this magazine for two academic terms. Alongside the many writing tasks required for their Writing subject, they also carry a heavy academic load from other subjects across all three language programs—Khmer, English, and Chinese. Many spend long evenings studying and force themselves to wake up early each morning, all in the hope that, in a few short months, this respected institution will award them a diploma.
That diploma, however, is not an ending but a gateway—to the greater demands of university life, and eventually to the responsibilities of a future career. Like these students, young people around the world face the same daily struggle: whether to get out of bed and prepare for school or surrender to exhaustion and keep sleeping. Either choice comes with consequences.
It is undeniably difficult.
When life becomes this demanding, both our physical health and mental well-being are placed at risk. In today’s broken and fast-paced world, frustration and stress come easily. Patience has become a fading value, while self-centeredness is increasingly common. Under modern standards of excellence, it is all too easy to feel overwhelmed and lose our sense of balance, our mind, and our life.
Teachers share this pressure, though in different forms and at different levels. Many of us work tirelessly and carry our struggles in silence. The endless paperwork, digital tasks such as portfolios, constant noise, and the weight of personal and family responsibilities often push us to the edge of exhaustion and threaten our peace of mind.
Despite how difficult it is, we continue to move forward. We press on because we must. Film director Woody Allen once remarked in Annie Hall that life can be divided into two groups—the horrible and the miserable—and suggested that being miserable is, in a strange way, something to be thankful for. While I partially understand his perspective, such a view can feel bleak.
Life can indeed feel heavy, even unforgiving at times. People suffer in different ways, and hardship is unavoidable. Yet, I respectfully disagree with the idea that suffering is all there is. Even in the darkest circumstances, there is always the possibility of hope, a silver lining. Every prisoner holds the chance of freedom, and every person can look forward to liberation—no matter how miserable or horrible their situation may seem.
So if life truly has categories, I would add one more to Allen’s list: not just the miserable or the horrible, but the admirable—those who endure hardship, seek hope, and continue to believe in freedom despite it all.
I cannot help but think of the many admirable individuals around us today. One example is Nick Vujicic, a motivational speaker from Australia who was born without limbs. He has openly shared that, in his younger years, he struggled deeply and even reached a point where he considered ending his life. Through the love and support of his mother and family, however, he found the strength to rise above his struggles and confront life with courage. Today, he is one of the most sought-after speakers in the world, has written nine books, and lives a fulfilling life with his wife and four children.
Of course, his challenges did not simply disappear. While Woody Allen might place someone like him in the “horrible” category, I would firmly place Nick in the admirable one—or perhaps, if we must use those terms, in the “horrible yet admirable” category.
Life itself is a test, and one day we will all march toward our final graduation. Some will fail the trial and never leave the cell, while others will be granted parole.When that moment arrives, I hope we finish strong and earn our own admirable badge. On a personal note, surviving even a single day can feel difficult. I do not always know what tomorrow holds. But one thing remains certain for me: I place my trust in God, believing that He knows far better than I do. I strive to live with gratitude, no matter the circumstances, because I trust that the God I know and look up to, will never leave me nor forsake me.
For G11 Magazine, Editorial- From the Teacher’s Desk
