Elaborating the perfect ending to a book is one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of writing. Authors ought to balance closure, emotional impact, and put together the pieces of the puzzle to leave readers satisfied and inspired. Thus, a question that remains is how do they manage to do all this? Well, here are some factors that impact on the author’s choices to plan their vision of an ideal ending:
1. Choosing the Right Type of Ending
Complete Endings:
In this model, writers tie the conclusion back to the beginning, providing a sense of cohesion.
Plot Twist Endings:
A sudden, unexpected, and shocking revelation can leave a lasting impression.
Open Endings:
On the other hand, in this model, readers are invited to speculate about unresolved elements, encouraging deeper thought and engagement.
However, deciding the right type of ending is only one part of an enormous planning and arrangement process. 
2. Emphasizing Emotional Shock
A strong ending evokes emotions such as joy, gratitude, sadness, despair or hope, leaving a lasting impression on readers. The goal should be to create something impactful that stays with the reader for days, weeks or even months. The challenge is to hook them from the beginning, so that they empathize with the story and by the end are shocked to the point of dropping their jaws, satisfied to the point of breaking into a beautiful smile, sad to the point of crying or speculating to the point of recommending it to several people.
3. Thematic Consistency and Avoiding Predictability
Endings should address major conflicts and character arcs, but they must do so while also aligning with the story’s themes. Of course, loose ends can be neatly tied up or left intentionally unresolved, depending on the tone of the narrative. In addition, foreshadowing can help bring previous elements into the present moment, creating a sense of cohesion and depth. However, readers appreciate originality, thus the foreshadowing needs to be implemented carefully, and must not be generic or predictable.
4. Refinement and Revision Many successful endings are not decided in one shot, they are the result of extensive revision. Authors often test their conclusions with "beta" readers and refine based on feedback to ensure clarity, emotional impact, and consistency. After combining these elements, from various reflections, analyses, many drafts, writing and reading, several mind-blowing endings emerge and thanks to this combination we have that desire to read one book after another.

As the year comes to a close, it is an opportunity to reflect not only on our academic achievements but also on the lessons we learned beyond the school classrooms. These lessons have helped shape us into more well-rounded individuals. While textbooks do provide us with extensive knowledge, real-life experiences teach us how to apply that knowledge and develop important life skills that will last us a lifetime and that we will never forget!
One example of such a lesson can be found in the Duke of Edinburgh expedition. It provides invaluable skills that many will carry forward. The expedition involves hiking across challenging terrain, navigating through trails, and managing basic survival tasks like setting up a camp site and cooking with limited resources. These hands-on experiences teach participants how to adapt to unexpected situations, work together as a team, and maintain a positive attitude even when conditions are not ideal. Beyond just practical outdoor skills, the Duke of Edinburgh expedition emphasized resilience and perseverance, key qualities that will help students face challenges in all areas of life in the future.
Another important lesson outside the classroom comes through volunteering and community service projects. Many students spent time helping the community through their social projects, funding for local shelters, food banks etc. These experiences provide students with a close look at the issues affecting their communities, fostering empathy and a sense of social responsibility. Volunteering teaches valuable organizational skills, as students work in teams, plan events, and must communicate effectively to make their efforts count and ensure all is executed smoothly. It is a lovely initiative to participate in such things, and these experiences teach us more than we can possibly imagine.
Extracurricular activities also offered lessons in leadership, creativity, and collaboration. For example, those involved in the student council gained experience in leadership and decision-making, learning how to represent their peers, organize school events, and collaborate with staff and administrators. Similarly, students in the drama club, music and art groups, such as choir or the school play, enhanced their ability of creativelyd expressing themselves. These activities allowed students to explore their passions and develop confidence in their abilities, skills that go far beyond academic success and play a critical role in personal growth.
As the school year wraps up, it is clear that the lessons learned outside the classroom are just as important as those learned inside. These experiences help students develop essential life skills—resilience, leadership, teamwork, and empathy, that will serve them well in the years to come. Whether through outdoor expeditions, community service, extracurricular involvement, or sports, these lessons have shaped students in ways that textbooks, worksheets and tests cannot. As they move forward, they will carry these lessons with them, ready to tackle whatever challenges come their way! So, until next year—when we will continue to learn and grow both inside and outside St. Paul’s!

It is often easier to turn our eyes away from uncomfortable truths in life and not acknowledge actions, decisions, or consequences affecting others. Human nature would take us down the path of least resistance, and it would always be easier to shift blame to others or circumstances. Avoidance, however, has significant costs. It erodes trust, delays growth, and inhibits us from being better versions of ourselves. Eventually, we face pivotal moments where we must confront our mistakes, take responsibility, and choose to change. While challenging, these moments are crucial for transformation.

Not taking responsibility leads to self-victimizing cycles, which are difficult to break. A failure to meet a deadline may be blamed on lack of communication or unplanned setbacks, which fail to address the real issues of poor preparation or time management. Likewise, in personal relationships, conflicts escalate when individuals do not take responsibility in misunderstandings or hurtful actions. In fact, as time goes on, this behavior erodes trust and destroys relationships. Trust, once broken, is very hard to regain, and this avoidance reinforces the divide.

However, these moments of crisis-losing an opportunity, damaging a treasured relationship, or just plain failing-can become wake-up calls. In an instant, such experiences take us to a place of pause, reflection, and accounting for our actions. Forcing us to stop deflecting and take responsibility, perhaps this is an opportunity for growth and connection.

Personal accountability is not about guilt or self-punishment; it is an act of empowerment. Owning our mistakes requires a kind of courage, but it also builds integrity and earns respect. For instance, leaders who admit that they made a mistake and make amends often earn trust and loyalty. Transparency showcases honesty and serves as a beacon of commitment to growing personally and collectively.

On an individual basis, accountability means learning from experiences, making relevant changes, and not repeating the same mistake again and again. It transforms setbacks into stepping stones and failures into opportunities of resilience and progress.

Accountability develops through reflective practice-a truthful appraisal of our actions and choices, and their consequences. This requires humility and the admission of failings. Rather than finding excuses, we should seek feedback from others to understand wider perspectives. Such insights would help us to understand blind spots and guide constructive improvement.

Taking responsibility means, in practice, making amends, rooting out the causes, and working on improvement. Not least of all is forgiving oneself. Accountability is about progress, not perfection. Self compassion will help us in growth toward mobility free of the dead weight of past mistakes.

But while exposing our flaws is scary, it's also transformational. Moments of truth allow us to break through shame and align our actions with values, repair broken trust, and achieve personal growth. Accountability reveals not only where we've gone wrong but also where we might rise stronger. It shows us that failure isn't an ending but a chapter in the bigger story of growing and recovering.

In embracing personal responsibility, we find the power to rewrite our story-a story of integrity, of progress, and of deep connectivity.

​Have you ever experienced a moment of truth? Life is constantly testing us, and putting us in positions where the decisions we make can change everything. In sports, one of the greatest challenges a player could face is dealing with injuries that could determine the rest of their future. These moments break down athletes both mentally and physically, testing their resilience and endurance in these hard times. But it also leaves athletes a choice to make: they can sit out, recover and get better, they can try and continue playing despite the injury, or they can simply give up.

Derrick Rose is a 36-year old former professional American basketball player; his journey through the NBA has been significant, as he achieved remarkable highs, but also experienced tragic lows. From winning the MVP award at just 22, to enduring several devastating injuries throughout his career. Regardless of the challenges, Rose held his head high, determined to exceed and to get better everyday.

The NBA 2010 – 2011 season was when Rose truly made a name for himself in basketball history, when he became the youngest player to win the NBA MVP award. However, all that glory soon came to an end when in the opening of the 2012 playoffs, Rose tore his ACL in his left knee. This injury did not only raise concern about the outcome of the Bulls, but also raised questions on if Rose was ever going to be able to get back to his MVP form, as recovery was uncertain. Rose saw his prime year pass by, as he was off the court for the whole of that season. Although this incident was shattering to Rose both mentally and physically, Rose fought to get better: “I just keep telling myself, ‘You're going to get through this.’ It’s about trusting the process and understanding that setbacks are just a part of the journey.” Alongside his torn ACL, Rose fought through many more injuries throughout his career. Rose suffered from a torn meniscus, surgeries and much more… But the question remained: “could he ever return to MVP form?”

Nearly 6 years after his torn ACL, Rose redeemed himself, surprising the crowd as he dropped 50 points in a game against the Utah Jazz, his very first 50-point game. In this moment of truth, after years of falling and getting back up, Rose finally proved to himself and to the world that he was in fact capable of returning to his form. After the game, Rose was emotional and cried as he told interviewers that this was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

The story of Derrick Rose, shows how if you truly want something and keep on going even whilst encountering challenges along the way, you will get there. Which is why it is important to always be resilient and never give up.

To end on his words: “Everything happens for a reason, I come here and I work my hardest everyday, and the last couple of years I’ve been looking for an opportunity to go out there and play the way that I normally play.” – Derrick Rose

July 14th of 1789 was when one of the most iconic conflicts of the French revolution occurred: the Storming of the Bastille. The Bastille, an old fortress and a state prison since 1659, was a symbol of the monarchical cruelty present during the reign of King Louis XVI and the French disliked its corruption and inequality. The Parisians also feared the King was planning on arresting the National Assembly and overruling the streets of Paris. Following by the economic hardship faced by the French and their anger and distrust towards the monarchy, the Bastille Saint-Antoine was invaded and encircled by Parisians. A standing image of the monarchy’s abuse of power it fell due to the rage amongst the ordinary people of Paris, making this the turning point and start of the French Revolution.

As the dissatisfaction of the people grew in June of 1791, King Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, and their children intended on fleeing towards the small town of Varennes-en-Argonne. King Louis XVI was discontent with the revolution and its attacks towards the Catholic Church, making him plan to flee on 20-21 of June 1791. However, the royal family was arrested in the town of Verennes, forcing them to turn back to Paris. This was a pivotal moment for the French Revolution, asserting that King Louis XVI could not be trusted along with his lack of credibility as a constitutional monarch. This was when the citizens of France began to demand a French Republic.

King Louis XVI was convicted of high treason and during his trial, no one voted “not guilty”, however multiple deputies refrained. Finally, they condemned him to death by guillotine. On 21st January 1793 he was executed on Place de lá Révolution in Paris, finally turning the longstanding French Monarchy on to a Republic. This is seen as a critical juncture in French and European history, impacting and leading to many future alterations of the political and social structure of France. Nine months after his death, Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France and King Louis’s wife, encountered her own death.

As a breaking point amongst the whole world, there are many perspectives towards the event. On one hand, it symbolized the end of the thousand-year era of the monarchy in France and the beginning of democracy in the nation, despite the fact that King Louis would not be the last king. To others, it represented amoral bloodshed amongst the land of France and the uncontrollable new rule of violence, even to those who supported the revolution. Despite the debatable reactions, the revolution and the execution of King Louis was a moment of truth towards the republic and termination of the monarchy.

One of the most influential moments of truth in architecture was when its fundamental relation with materiality was presented. The Crystal Palace, a construction which seemed as large as the entire planet (563 metres long and 124 metres wide), did something unexpected: it was built with the use of iron at an unprecedented scale and glass as a giant glasshouse. However, this wasn’t the most impactful action. The Crystal Palace, an idea of Prince Albert and the Royal Society of Arts, took nine months to build and was planned especially for the Great Exhibition (1851) in London's Hyde Park. The exhibition included art and inventions from over 25 different countries. Opened by Queen Victoria, the exhibition attracted six million people in six months. 

The Crystal Palace, built primarily of glass and iron, had suffered from years of wear and tear. Although it had been an architectural marvel when it was constructed for the Great Exhibition, maintaining such an enormous glass structure proved costly and difficult over time. The building was not as structurally sound as it once had been, and the repairs were increasingly expensive. Thus, after the Great Exhibition, the Crystal Palace was moved to a site in Sydenham Hill, South London, in 1854, where it became a constant attraction and served as an establishment for exhibitions, concerts, and other events.

Over the decades, its original purpose as a showcase of industrial innovations progress became less relevant, and the building struggled to keep the same pace with new, ​more modern activities and technologies. With time the exhibition hall became outdated, and its large size made it difficult to find other purposes for the building. Unfortunately, in November 1936 a catastrophic fire destroyed the Crystal Palace, making it the final, tragic truth of its existence: it turned into a monument of a past era. The great vision that once symbolized human progress was consumed by flames, leaving behind only memories. The legacy of the Crystal Palace is still alive indeed, not in its physical form, but in the lessons about the fragility of how the most ambitious human creations and all great achievements are ultimately impermanent and unstable.

Life is full of moments that define us, and often these pivotal moments come in the form of decisions. These decisions unnoticeably shape the course of our future, and they can occur at times when we least expect them. The “moment of truth” refers to those moments when a person stands at crossroads, forced to choose a path that can possibly alter everything about their life, values, and identity.

Crucial decisions, which can make or break our futures,  can appear in many forms. It might be the choice to end a toxic relationship, move to a new city, change careers, or take a risk on an opportunity that feels both thrilling and petrifying. These decisions challenge us to step out of our comfort zone, often requiring for us to take a deep dive into self-reflection of our own selves. The moment of truth is a test of courage, conviction, and the willingness to embrace uncertainty as best as you can.

One of the most powerful life-changing decisions come when people face their deepest fears, which they never thought capable of confronting. For some, it might be the decision to pursue their dream against the odds, knowing well the probabilities of failing. For others, it might be about choosing to let go of what no longer serves them, whether that’s an unhealthy relationship, a job that drains them, or a self-limiting belief that holds them back. After all, it is expected that our interests and opinions alter over time. The key to these moments lies in the ability to recognize when we are required to make a change, and the strength to take action, despite the harsh risks which can be involved.
What makes these decisions so significant is their ability to unlock something deeper within us. Life-changing decisions force us to confront our values, priorities, and deepest desires. They indirectly test our commitment to personal growth and our willingness to live as we wish. That is why, when your parents tell you to have good judgement, you should listen! And as you build up a sense of moral judgement, you will unfortunately fail and make mistakes, but you will also grow, learn and develop vital resilience skills.
Ultimately, the moment of truth is a reminder that life is, in fact, full of endless possibilities. While we may not always be able to predict what these moments will look like, we can trust that they will shape the trajectory of our lives and perhaps, even define who we become.​