FOR fresh graduates, 2008 was supposed to be a year full of promise.

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Don't stress out. Stay fit and alert.

Yes, recession is a time for deep thoughts and evaluation. Since there is much spare time do come online to give your opinions and help make Singapore a better place.

Even though economists are predicting a lower inflation in 2009, I do not believe prices of goods and services will be reduced. A bowl of noodles has gone up from $2.50 to $3.50 in hawker centers and more than that in food courts. Most food and basic necessities have gone up at least 20 to 30 percent. For example, a toilet paper roll has gone up fro $3.80 to $4.30. Hawkers and vendors are unlikely to drop prices once they have have been increased.

This article is very 'unhealthy'. We should not be encouraging our young graduates to chill and relax in times of recession! Instead, they should be encouraged to lower their expectations and look for other kind of jobs, including part-time, contract or even those that does not require a degree, to gain experience and help lessen the burden of their parents. How can we continue to encourage our young generation to continue to chill and relax and act like spoilt brats when many of them are already going for 2-3 months of overseas holiday before joining the workforce?!

The attitude of the writer, Fiona Chan, sounds very impractical, and her last paragraph sums it all up: "Instead of working 60-hour weeks for a bigger pay packet that will not materialise next year, a good resolution for the New Year could be to simply spend more time with loved ones and be content with what we have. "

I think many people would simply like to spend more time with loved ones and be contented with what we have. But during a big recession, what we have may not even be sufficient to support our families, especially for those who are unemployed.

And, it's no longer about working long hours for a bigger pay packet. It's about having no choice but to work longer hours in order to complete additional work that's left behind by those who have been retrenched. Of course, we can all opt to work shorter hours even if we can't complete the heavier workload, provided that we are ready to give employers the excuse to axe us.

I believe most graduates will not stoop low to doing contract or part time jobs. They do have high expectations of themselves. You must understand they have survived 15 years of education to get a scroll. In their world, the crisis will end in 2009.

"Instead of working 60-hour weeks for a bigger pay packet that will not materialise next year, a good resolution for the New Year could be to simply spend more time with loved ones and be content with what we have."

More like pple will work more than 60 hour weeks just to stay in the job.. which is even worse..

Make the most out of this recession to give our young and next generation that hardwork is needed for survival....and then they will treasure better what the parents have been giving them or caring for them....the hardhips their parents went through during their times.....this kind of environment is real....that no book can ever teach....that will equip our young to be better ready and upgeared for future recessions....in the cycle of the economies....let these lessons be learnt with our young building more in their hunger pangs for themselves, their families and our country.

come up with a scheme for the hawker stalls in the food courts, hawker centres.....to employ our young....let them learn and polish up with a good attitude towards service....learn the ropes of life....get the dirt, grease and be able to go home and cook a good meal for their parents....and increase the rapport....
subsidise this scheme....and keep our food industry abuzz....yet....building up our young.....
let the students who are in secondary 2 onwards to have attachments ot the hawker stallls.....they can learn a lot and grow.....I am sure....many running the stalls can help them....including the speaking of dialects, building up relationship with the Ah Gong and Ah Mahs before they leave the scene, and let these young adapt.....no different if they end up in a different country speaking other languages....let them assimilate....and not forgetting the entrepeneurialship they can also learn from some of the hawkers who are young....educated and taking this as a business to learn......the challenges in this industry.....other than making a living....

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