It’s a new school year in Singapore. And to ease students into the rigour of academics and co-curricular activities, my school decided to take all 8th graders on a visit to Bird Paradise.

Normally, I don’t do this, but I thought I would do something different. I have previously gained $30 worth of supermarket vouchers by diligently participating in a personal finance forum for six months.

I decided to buy snacks and tidbits for my charges. Specifically, two boxes of each offering showcased in the picture below:

Actually, my school provides class bonding funds, so I can claim my expenses from the finance department. But I wanted to pay for these snacks out of my own pocket. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not performing charity, but I wanted to experience something akin to warm-glow altruism. You know, feeling good because I am doing something to make my students happy.

Because mark my words, I have been a teacher long enough to know that my students will forget 99% of what I painstakingly try to teach them. But I foresee that some of them will remember my treat for years to come. That’s just the way the teenage mind is wired.

And this is how Sensei intends to improve his TSR this year.