LIFE has to go on. This cliche was relevant to Beatty Secondary School students in more ways than one yesterday.

The school celebrated Be Yourself Day, as it has been doing for the past few years, but in a controlled manner because of the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak.

As there were Michael Jackson fans mourning the sudden death of the King of Pop, it was no surprise that there were a number of MJ-look alikes.

'We've been fans since young' said Thashini Vanessa, 17.

'I was depressed when he passed away, so this is a way we can remember him.'

To top off her self-styled MJ look, Vanessa curled her hair to get Jackson's trademark cow lick (a signature curl of hair down the forehead).

Vanessa also helped her classmate, Assakhtian, 17, put together a Jackson outfit.

They said they usually come in casual wear for the annual event, but felt this year was an exception.

'It's our last year in the school, so we decided to do something special,' she said. Other students dressed up as their favourite drama serial characters.

Yong Hui Ting, 16, went as as Geum Jandi, from Korean drama Boys Over Flowers.

She helped classmate Bryan Koh, 17, complete his Star Wars character Darth Maul outfit, making a light saber out of foil and a pole.

Teachers joined in the fun too. Mr Eugene Ang, 30, taking a cue from the movie 17 Again put on a councillor's uniform.

'It helped in class bonding,' he said.

Beatty Secondary was one of the first to celebrate Be Yourself Day after schools reopened last week. Others like Yuan Ching Secondary and St Patrick's postponed their Be Yourself Day activities from last week following directives not to have mass gatherings because of the flu outbreak.

Beatty took extra care, scrapping its original plan to have an assembly. Instead, the teachers held an hour's session in classrooms.

Mrs Adel Tay, 31, Beatty's head of the department for pupil welfare, said: 'The lesson held in class was about how the students can be ordinary, and still touch those around them.'

Here's how to join in the fun

SUSPEND uniformity and celebrate creative individuality. That's the spirit of The New Paper's Be Yourself Day.

As the name suggests, students are encouraged to express themselves, leaving their uniforms at home for the day.

It is all for a good cause, as students are also asked to spare a thought for those less fortunate than themselves.

Their donations reach out to 37 charities through the President's Challenge.

The New Paper has been involved in this national fund-raising effort for 10 years, and Be Yourself Day is in its eighth year.

The total amount raised over the last seven years stands at close to $1 million.

Interested schools can visit www.beyourselfday.com.sg or call Ms Chok Huey Jiuan at 63191518 for details.

HanSu-Ying,newsroom intern

This article was first published in The New Paper.