By Saniya Iqbal

Hello. Looking at my picture here, you must be wondering who I am, and why I have taken over this page. If you read last month’s Thursday Connectors you would already know that I am going to be hosting Youth Connectors this summer, while Thursday Connectors takes a holiday.

But first, let me tell you a bit more about myself.

My name is Saniya Iqbal and I’m currently studying for my A levels. I chose to do Biology, English Literature and Philosophy and am aspiring to become a teacher. I find great joy in sharing my knowledge with my two elder brothers, like a know-it-all. So, I decided the best profession for me has to be a teacher. I believe and hope my pupils will appreciate my intellect more than my bros do!

However, I’m not doing Youth Connectors to teach you. Farzana would never forgive me for doing that! I’m here to bring a fresh set of perspectives, thoughts and news about the contemporary lives of young people like myself. Living in Barking and Dagenham, we youth get bad press these days. This isn’t fair. We’re not all a part of gangs doing things that are immoral. In fact, many of us are extremely creative and love doing arts and writing stuff. The thing is, apart from our studies at school, colleges or Unis, we don’t really get much affordable access to the world of arts and community-run projects to be a part of. If there were more free art classes or writing workshops tailored for kids and young adults, I’m certain many of us would join up and have creative, healthy places to be.  A big thank you, Pen To Print and Madeleine at Write On! for giving me this special opportunity to experience being an Editor and bring you ‘Youth Connectors.’

We’re in the middle of  the examinations season. It’s also hay fever season. A time when our allergies erupt and go nuts, bothering us in the examination halls. It’s the season where we’re reaching boiling point in our heads with decisions about our futures. There are many deadlines and so much to think about and do.

As I’m editing this page, I have my biology notes on my bed, my fingers writing this article on my laptop and my upcoming philosophy exam in my head, which is keeping me awake at night, as it’s hard!

I know my fellow students  will relate. I won’t  tire you with talk of boring schools and our hard work, though. Instead, I’m bringing you things that touch on other pressures of our lives.

I’ve been connecting with the youth at my school and around London and even further afield, to share creativity reflecting their feelings about the trends and the pressures we face in this age of mad consumerism.

But, before I share these Connectors with you, here’s my take on how I see things:

Though ‘Conspicuous Consumption’ was a thing of the 1920s, it seems to have had a resurgence in the 2020s. Instead of the hedonistic upper class, it seems to be the teens who have adopted this trait. Matcha, Matcha, Matcha. This grassy delicacy has taken over my life, along with many others my age. Like the Jazz age, there is a fast-paced movement of evolution in the things that are trending. It’s almost too fast to keep up with. So the pursuit of happiness is entirely futile. With new trends coming, there are new definitions of happiness, so happiness becomes an unattainable desire. Really and truly, no one feels fulfilled until they have it all, which, of course, is impossible.

Despite these issues, I myself am a victim of this hedonistic consumption. It’s part of my routine to go out for matcha with my friends or cousins at least twice a week. Along with this, my cousin and I have  recently indulged in the overpriced squishmallow outbreak. Now I’m looking to get my hands on the notorious TikTok sensation Labubu. So, you could say I’m  a hypocrite, but I like to think not. Society has  has developed to make us want what others have. It’s part of the nature of growing up.

In recent times, Labubu has taken over like a pandemic, making availability very low. People are taking advantage of this and causing complete chaos, so much so, the original retailers have had to draw back on selling in the UK. Resellers are selling Labubus for ridiculous prices; some are more than double the original. As a society, we’re so easily manipulated by media that we’re willing to pay these extortionate prices to ‘fit in’ with the latest trends.

I myself have bought a fake Labubu; we teens call these ‘Lafufus’, whilst I wait for stocks to revive to get my hands on a real one. I recall laughing my head off when it arrived because the head was lopsided! But I dressed it up in Ferrari merch and began to love it because it collided with my passion of F1.

Enough from me now and on to our Connectors:

My first is from Sara, age 11, who lives in Doha with her mum and sister. She sent in this picture of her Labubu and wrote how she thinks it is special to her. And no, I’m not jealous at all. I’m fuming!

Hello, Sara. Let’s connect.

Plaster, My Soft Joy

Love my new plaster-coloured Labubu that I got on Eid. It’s so elegant and unique!

My mum and sister went through a lot just to find it, which makes it truly special.

The soft shade suits me perfectly and feels so comfortable to wear.

It makes me feel connected to the celebration and wrapped in their love.

Every time I see it, I remember their effort and the joy of that Eid morning.

Here’s a picture of my Labubu the day I opened it:

© Sara Asghar Shehzad, 2025

*****

My second Connector is a picture from Hamza, age nine, who lives in Ilford. Hello, Hamza. Let’s connect.

This is a picture of his dream car. I believe a Bugatti is everyone’s dream car. Great choice, Hamza!

© Hamza Ghaffar, 2025

*****

My third Connector offers deep reflection and made me feel very guilty for spending too much on unnecessary things. It’s from Maryam Jabbar, age 15, from East Ham.

Hello, Maryam. Let’s connect.

A Change Of Heart

Squishmallows, those squishy, fluffy plushies, have my heart. I love them. All my wishlists for birthdays and Eids have this breed of cuddly toy in bold capital letters.

I am obsessed with how cute they look. My pet cat is also cute. He was cuter when he was a kitten. But he doesn’t like cuddling up to me any more. He doesn’t like being picked up and stroked and is so moody!

Indulging in my own craziness over Squishmallows is soothing to me. I can cuddle and hold and even throw them on my bed and use them as sleep buddies as much as I like. They have no moody outbursts and  no say in any matter. That makes them adorable.

But the thing now is that they have a new cow one at the toy shop. Two of my friends already bought it. It’s pink and soft and when you turn it inside out it turns into a milk bottle. I’ve been asking my parents for it but they are firmly saying, “No.” Apparently, I have too many already. And according to my mother, I need to pay more attention to my studies instead of toys which, “You only play with for an hour.”

I guess I agree to an extent. Actually, the other day, while watching the news on the television, I got upset and thought about the less fortunate children in war-torn countries, like Gaza and Syria. How sad it is for them to live like that. Here I am, fixated on getting a new toy which costs £20 when that £20 could feed a hungry child for an entire month somewhere else in this crazy world.

I will delete my wishlist for the cow plushie for now. And make a prayer for all the children in war-torn places instead and, when I save up enough for it, I may just donate it so another young child can have something nice to wear or eat and feel happy for a few moments, at least.

© Maryam Jabbar, 2025

*****

My fourth Connector is from Aisha Ghaffar, who is 13 years old and lives in Ilford. The twist at the end of her writing shocked me and I totally feel her pain.

Hello, Aisha. Let’s connect.

One Day…

Imagine you can have a tiny device you could carry everywhere. A gadget which you could just pull out of your pocket and instantly start playing games and chatting with your friends on it.

A portal to the world of memories where you could pose and take selfies with your friends to document that moment in time.

Infinite filters on snapchat, countless funny stickers and emojis.

A phone!

A legendary device that everyone at school and all my friends have.

One day that will be me, pulling out the best iPhone known to mankind, flexing it to all my friends and family.

One day…

© Aisha Ghaffar, 2025

*****

My next Connector is  Ruby Lydford. Her piece is not so much about trends but I can really feel the pressure and the need to conform in her words.

Hello, Ruby. Let’s connect.

Vacant Rooms

Though I have measured out life in his coffee spoons,
I have ceased to find spaces in vacant rooms.
Yet they entered and called attention to violet hues
in monochromatic paintings I could not presume.
They smelled the heavy, ambrosial perfumes
in an anosmic air that I did not breathe fumes.
While he inhaled hot lavender, mints, savoury, marjoram blooms,
I dreaded the heat of the long afternoons.

I have weaved through crowds of no people in moderation,
Failing time again to escape glib consultation.
Yet they all struck up elegant conversation
in cadences I could not comprehend.
They borrowed novels and sonnets and spoke adoration
in languages I was unable to read despite my fixation.
Once I filled vacant rooms with shallow water in desperation,
Only then could I bathe in no light.

© Ruby Lydford, 2025

*****

My next Connector is  Zaynab Ghaffar, age 16, also from Ilford. She wrote a poetic piece and, because I like to end my stories on notes filled with positive expressions, I decided to share it  here.

Hello, Zaynab. Let’s connect.

Life

Life can sometimes feel like a blur of cyclic routines but when you slow down and look at it through a different perspective, it becomes almost magical. The little things, like the way the flowers flutter in the gentle breeze or the rain pattering smoothly on the roof- start to feel like something out of a movie, almost relaying a cinematic vibe.

Maybe it’s the random feelings of nostalgia and cherishing moments you care about, or that glow in your chest you receive when you make someone smile.

Romanticising life is about seeing beauty in everything, finding magic in the mundane. It makes you appreciate the vast beauty and wonders of the world through a slow time-lapse.

© Zaynab Ghaffar,  June 2025

*****

My final Connector is equally pleasing and full of positive vibes. It’s a drawing from Ethan. His Springtime Flowers is so cute!

© Ethan CS, 2025

*****

Thank you so much for connecting with me and making my editorial debut so easy and pleasant. (I may even reconsider my teaching for a career in journalism now!)

However, please do continue to send me creative pieces for my second Youth Connectors page next month. I’m interested to know all about your hobbies. Tell me your plans for the summer, or even about your best holiday or visit. I’ll be sharing more about my trip to Side and my love for ancient architecture.

See you in July!