Love

Written by Grace Pow
 
According to Cambridge Dictionary, ‘slasher’ means ‘killer’. In recent years, it also refers to someone who works for a few jobs at the same time but each with a different role. The term derives from the slanting line (/) of the punctuation mark. In Marci Alboher’ book, One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success, he uses slashes to introduce multiple careers and identities, such as a designer/blogger/KOL.
 
In the last few years, youngsters love to seek out new experiences and focus on work-life balance. So a lot of them have become slashers. To achieve their aspirations, they prefer to choose their own jobs, working hours and even companies or employers. Actually, some people of our generations also took up several jobs when they were young. But the main reason was to reduce their financial burden. Owing to changes in contemporary society, some retirees still love to dedicate themselves to various commitments even when they are not working full-time anymore.
 
The two ‘slasher’ generations usually play several roles. They enjoy new experiences and accept challenges. Winnie was a very experienced secondary school teacher who loved to communicate with students. After her retirement, she hopes she can continue to teach. Knowing that some underprivileged children need academic support, Winnie provides them with free tuition. She also interacts with solitary senior citizens who suffer from emotional illnesses by referrals from an elderly centre. During the pandemic, Winnie talks to them on the phone to ease their anxiety. To enhance her communication skills, she attended a training course on how to interact with people who need emotional support.
 
In the past, retirement means the end of one’s active working life. But it can be a new chapter of one’s life now because we can have a chance to learn and enjoy new experiences. Being a slasher is indeed a challenge as we have to take up two or more responsibilities at the same time. On the other hand, we can certainly gain a sense of satisfaction if we manage our time well.