by Lex-xis (16S03M)
Photos courtesy of Raffles Archives and Museum

DPM Tharman speaking to students of Raffles Institution in the Albert Hong Hall.

On 22 February 2016, Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam addressed the Year 2-4 students as well as guests from other schools as part of the annually-organized National Affairs Lecture Series. In his lecture, entitled ‘Becoming an Innovative Society’, DPM Tharman covered the growing need for Singapore to become an innovative yet still inclusive society, and offered insights into how we as a nation might go about achieving these goals.

DPM Tharman started the lecture with an observation of how our world as Singaporeans is very different from when Singapore first came to be half a century ago, but at the same time very similar in many aspects. While widespread poverty and unemployment have become problems of the past, the fundamental values that guide us, such as meritocracy, have remained constant.

In the past, Singapore had a large advantage over other developing countries in the region due to our better skilled labour force. However, as emerging markets such as China and India catch up in terms of skills and level of education, Singapore no longer has that same comfortable advantage. Additionally, technological advancements in recent years has brought about much more intelligent, nimble, and softer machines that have the ability to analyse data and spot trends as efficiently as humans — perhaps, even more so.

Hence, it is no longer good enough for Singaporeans to merely be skilled in the most basic sense of the term — we have to be innovative. Innovation, as DPM Tharman put it, is about creating new value with a ‘special touch’, and not just value-adding to what already exists. But if we are to become a truly innovative society, Singaporeans should not rely on a few individuals or firms for innovation, but should be engaged as individuals themselves in a continuous process of innovation that starts from a young age, beginning with our education system.

In order to innovate, Singaporeans need to first have a strong sense of themselves as individuals, and must want to do things differently in their own unique way, and not just be an indistinct part of a collective. Naturally, this does not seem to go together with the image of a cohesive society since innovation seems to emphasise individualism and every man for him or herself.

However, DPM Tharman believes that an innovative society and an inclusive one are not mutually exclusive, as long as Singaporeans respect everyone else. Citing Switzerland and Japan as examples of societies brimming with innovation yet still remaining remarkably inclusive socially, he highlighted that Singapore will need to improve its social culture to instill a sense of respect for mastery in every field of work — whether blue or white collar — if we are to achieve the same level of innovative success as these countries.

DPM Tharman also emphasized the importance of Singaporeans being willing and able to learn throughout life, and not just in school, as the traditional belief that merely going through the education system and graduating means that one is set for life no longer holds. He shared that his experience as a student was just the start of his learning, since most of what he knows and actively applies in his work was acquired on the job. Hence in addition to actual learning, Singaporeans also need to develop the skill of learning throughout life.

As students, we should try to have as many diverse experiences outside the classroom as possible, such as in our CCAs or even in simple activities like playing sports with our neighbours. DPM Tharman believes that interacting with others helps develop the creative mind as we are exposed to new ways of thinking that may be different from what we are used to, and at the same time will also help us learn to interact with others comfortably and respectfully.

DPM Tharman visiting the Raffles Archives and Museum.

He urged the audience to start creating a culture of questioning, experimenting, and being willing to fail, as we cannot dream of being innovative without accepting failure. He cited that most innovative firms encourage their employees to try new methods and test new theories even though there was a possibility of failure, as only through repeated experimentation and failure may we eventually discover a new method of looking at an existing problem.

Finally, he highlighted the need for students to marry the theoretical and the practical by learning through doing things and not just from the Internet. As proven by neuroscience studies, the skills attained by repeating doing something stays in our minds for a much longer time than what we ‘mug’.

To conclude his speech, DPM Tharman reemphasized the importance of Singapore managing the tension between innovation and inclusiveness, and that people must grow up learning what their strengths and weaknesses are, but also recognize and appreciate the strengths the unique strengths of others that we may not necessarily possess ourselves. Thus, his vision for an innovative, new Singapore is one of mutual respect and humility in learning.

By Liew Ai Xin (16A01A), Md Khairillah (16A01B), Melissa Choi (16S06B), Qiu Kexin (16A13A), Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Khin Yadanar Oo (17A13A), Nicole Doyle (17A01A) and Nerissa Loe (17A13A)
Photos courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society

The Batch of 2015 sing the Institution Anthem before receiving their results

When Mr Tan Boon Poh, Discipline Master, asked the Batch of 2015 if they wanted their results, he received nothing less than a resounding “No!”, out of a mix of anxiety and fear at facing up to the results of that exam they took exactly three months ago.

Their protests went unheeded, but their worries too were unfounded. Unfolding the results for A Levels 2015, Mr Chan revealed exemplary results, with exceptional results for General Paper, and an all-round improvement being registered in comparison to last year’s results. In the words of Senior Deputy Principal Mr Magendiran, this event was indeed a ‘cause for celebration.’

In his exhortation to the J3s, Mr Chan said, “on behalf of all the teachers, wished the best of luck to the Batch of 2016.” In true Rafflesian fashion, the Institution Anthem wafted through the hall as the J3s sung it for perhaps the last time. But even if they had left Raffles officially, Mr Chan reminded them: “Once a Rafflesian, always a Rafflesian.” On that note, the CTs began giving out the certificates to the students amidst much anxiety and fanfare.

Some students were exuberant, having seen their efforts over the past few months come to fruition

To many, the results came as a welcome relief as they rejoiced with their batchmates. (This reporter saw a male student thump his fist in joy, then immediately transit into groaning about returning to National Service.) For many, this moment was the culmination of years of hard graft dedicated to academic pursuits. Speaking to their teachers who had guided them through the entire process, we witnessed students bowing to their teachers, with others expressing their gratitude effusively with tears of joy and laughter.

Speaking to parents waiting eagerly at the Indoor Sports Hall, we witnessed, first-hand, evocations of the support that they had rendered to their children throughout this journey. One parent offered a touching remark about her child: “I told her that I hope I will remain true to what I said, that we love her regardless.” Another parent was decidedly more cheeky. When asked whether or not he had plans for his child, he quipped: “I don’t have plans for him. I hope he has plans for himself though!”

The results also gave Rafflesians an opportunity to catch up with old friends

One of the students we interviewed who had not done as well as he had hoped offered a more circumspect perspective, noting:

There are a lot of things going on: NS, scholarship, job applications and internships. I think when we were Y6s, we thought that this would be a nerve-wracking time, but life goes on beyond this one result.

Not forgetting the teachers who have invested so much in the students

We at Raffles Press concur, and would like to wish the Batch of 2015 the best in all their future endeavours.

By Liew Ai Xin (16A01A), Md Khairillah (16A01B), Melissa Choi (16S06B), Qiu Kexin (16A13A), Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Khin Yadanar Oo (17A13A), Nicole Doyle (17A01A) and Nerissa Loe (17A13A)
Photos courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society

The hall in the immediate post-release buzz

From the moment the first numbers graced the big screen in the hall, it became evident that this was going to be a promising A-Levels result release. Overall, the cohort has done brilliantly, with 739 of our students achieving at least 5 distinctions in their subjects. Additionally, 66% of the batch achieved at least 3 H2 distinctions (compared to 64% for the class of 2015), with 55% getting distinctions in all 4 of their H2 subjects. 344 students (28%) succeeded in getting a perfect University Admissions Score (UAS) of 90, while the mean UAS remained high at 85 points out of 90.

The number of students who achieved 5 or more distinctions

With regard to individual subjects, the cohort attained stellar results overall in Chemistry, Economics, Biology, Mathematics and Literature in English – for each of these subjects, roughly 3 in 4 students scored a distinction. The batch’s performance in Geography and Physics was also commendable, with approximately 7 in 10 of each subject’s takers attaining a distinction. Additionally, History maintained its distinction rate of 60%. Most notably, the batch broke the 50% distinctions benchmark for General Paper with an outstanding 56% of distinctions, a record which left one GP teacher in particular ‘exhilarated’ at the results.

The number of distinctions achieved in each subject across the cohort. (Note: 7.5 denotes a 75% distinction rate.)

In all, the performances were outstanding once again, in line with a Rafflesian tradition of excelling. The batch of 2015 has certainly done the school proud with their hard work and results. Raffles Press would like to congratulate the seniors for their outstanding efforts.

Year-on-Year Comparison

Class of 2015

• 55% scored 4 H2 Distinctions in all four subjects.
• 66% scored 3 H2 distinctions.
• 56% scored Distinctions in General Paper

• 344 students (28%) achieved a perfect University Admission Score of 90
  205 achieved distinctions in all subjects offered
• 3 in 4 students scored Distinctions for Chemistry, Economics, Biology, Mathematics and Literature in English
• 70% Distinctions for Geography, Physics
• 60% Distinctions for History

• 9 Distinctions: 4 Students
• At least 8 Distinctions: 89 Students
• At least 7 Distinctions: 284 Students
• At least 6 Distinctions: 530 Students
• At least 5 Distinctions: 739 Students
• Total candidature: 1,229

Class of 2014

• 50% scored all H2 Distinctions
• 64% scored 3 H2 Distinctions
• 48% scored Distinctions in General Paper

• 337 students (26%) achieved a perfect University Admission Score of 90
• 162 achieved distinctions in all subjects offered

• 8 in 10 students scored Distinctions for Biology, KI and Literature
• 7 in 10 students scored Distinctions for Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics and Physics
• 6 in 10 students scored Distinctions for Economics and History

• 9 Distinctions: 2 Students
• At least 8 Distinctions: 52 Students
• At least 7 Distinctions: 278 Students
• At least 6 Distinctions: 542 Distinctions
• At least 5 Distinctions: 739 Students
• Total candidature: 1,261

By Md Khairillah (16A01B), Melissa Choi (16S06B), Kristal Ng (16S07C), Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Khin Yadanar Oo (17A13A) and Nicole Doyle (17A01A)
Photos courtesy of Chang Po Chun (16S03K) and Guan Xin (17S06B) of the Raffles Photographic Society

This is Part 1 of our 2016 A Levels Student Feature.

The A Levels capture the cognitive aspect of a Rafflesian’s education, but there is so much more to the Rafflesian experience than just academics. Ensconced in the Innovation Centre on the day of the results, we at Raffles Press had the opportunity to interview some truly noteworthy Rafflesians and find out their stories. The first part of our feature features advice from Rafflesians who’ve mastered the art of balancing between a seemingly limitless amount of commitments.

Elisa Yukie Yokoyama

Many of you may know Yukie (15S03A) as the national sailor, who clinched the gold medal in the recently concluded SEA games. Unsurprisingly, Yukie started Sailing at the age of 9, and has been on the national team since the age of 11.

She jokes that she can even be considered a ‘full-time sailor, half-time student’. Sailing has taught her life lessons of responsibility, independence, and resilience, because ‘if you give up, you’ll just be stuck in the middle of the sea.’ For Yukie, the importance of time management was learnt amidst the sea of academics and CCA. she learned the importance of time management amidst the sea of academics and CCA. In J1, she often had trainings up to four times a week, where she would return home at around 8.30-9pm. She cut down on her trainings in J2, and in the 5 months leading up to A Levels, concentrated solely on her studies.

Surprisingly for Yukie, sailing and academics complemented each other. Sailing was a ‘good break from studying’; and studying, a respite from battling the waves. Her tight schedule bestowed upon her a greater sense of urgency to do work, because it then became clear that time was limited and needed to be spent productively. Not many may know of Yukie’s other passions: she took H1 Geography at JC and is keen to pursue Environmental Science at University. While she remains undecided on pursuing Sailing as a career, she is currently aiming to qualify for the Rio Olympics.

Beyond the personal development Sailing has offered her, she also recognises that Sailing is not a solo sport — you can’t excel by yourself. A case in point would be the Junior Boat Optimist competition, where Singapore managed to do well because they were a strong team. Yukie believes that all her achievements are based on the whole team — the sparring, coaches, and teammate pushing her. On that note, Yukie would like to thank her classmates, batchmates, coach, family for their continued support throughout her six years in the Raffles family.

Her advice to future batches? Be disciplined and plan your time well, prioritise what you want to do every week. Be determined and resilient. A levels may be very intense, but just hang on there. Also, she believes that consistency is key to studies. “Do your work as fast as you can so it doesn’t pile up. You will never get the load off.”

Samantha Neubronner

JC life is packed for most of us, but this was especially so for Samantha Neubronner (15S03Q) in Year 6. A national sailor, she took part in the SEA games in Year 6, even clinching the 420 Women’s Gold medal in the 2015 SEA games. “It made my whole school experience more interesting,” she confesses, admitting to having spent a lot of time training. The pressure was especially on her last year, with the competitions happening at home.

Despite this, Samantha learned to manage her time between school and sport.  In fact, she notes that sailing pushed her to make better of use for her time and made her treasure whatever free time she had. As the A Levels neared, Samantha also made a conscious effort to prioritize her studies over her other pursuits

Samantha names her teachers and classmates among those who supported her through the intense A level period. Interestingly enough, Samantha also gave thanks to the people who studied beside her in the school library. “When you’re in the library, somehow seeing the other people there makes you feel like you’re not alone, like a whole Raffles family,” she points out.

Her advice for Year 6s is to start early and not to be disheartened. “I didn’t do well for CT1, as [my sailing competition] was right before that, but I kept trying and it eventually worked out.”

Tan Yeong Cherng Daniel

If you wanted to sum up Tan Yeong Cherng Daniel’s (15S06P) JC experience in a word, it would probably be ‘hectic’. As a member of both volleyball and Bridge Club, he managed a terrific balancing act of representing the school on both fronts. Every week, he would complete all his school work on non-training days to keep up with his studies. “You don’t really need to study that much during term time,” he remarks.

When A-Levels came around however, it was a different story altogether. He recounted his experiences of studying until the library closed, where time lost meaning outside of the number of papers he managed to complete. He was especially grateful for the friends who studied alongside him during the exam period. “It’s positive peer pressure- when your friends are studying, it makes you want to study too.”

Still, he concluded that JC was one of the best experiences of his life, and that it was his CCA friends who remained close to him after their graduation. His advice to Year 6s in sports? “Enjoy your season first, then focus on studies. But don’t forget your basics, basics are very important.”

Justin Tan Tse

Looking at Justin Tan Tse’s academic commitments alongside his co-curricular ones can be quite daunting. Besides taking two H3s (and thus 13 units), Justin was also a member of the floorball school team and in his spare time, even found the opportunity to start a programme to tutor weaker students over at the Y1-4 side.

When asked about what inspired him to commit to volunteer work in spite of his many commitments, Justin locates his inspiration in his stint as a peer support leader in the Y1-4 side, even accompanying some of his Year 2 juniors in the Malaysian Montage programme. Through his extensive interaction with juniors, Justin was inspired by the enthusiasm and drive they displayed. For him as a senior, he felt ‘a certain obligation to help these students stretch their potential.’ Even now, his Year 5 juniors are carrying on Justin’s legacy, and in fact his program has managed to help weaker students excel in their studies.

Justin’s story is even more impressive when one looks at his CCA journey in Y5-6. Despite having no prior experience in floorball, Justin entered floorball and worked gruellingly hard, eventually making it to the school team in Y6. His readiness to face challenges is evident even now in his career of choice: professing an interest in the police force, Justin is attracted to the dynamism of the job that features different challenges everyday. ‘Work,’ he notes with a laugh should be where ‘we do something useful for the community and somewhere with exciting new experiences.’

Concealed behind his many accomplishments is also a mind that is very much self-directed in planning his academic and non-academic commitments. Justin would advise his juniors to set up their own personal plans on how to improve and to be very clear of the syllabus requirements when studying. Self-directed learning ‘is very important for people who want to go beyond.’ This includes knowing what will happen in the year ahead, and knowing what do in the year ahead.

Justin wishes to thank his Civics Tutor Miss Stacy Tan for taking the time to talk individually to her students to understand them more, making school a much more warmer place for him.

Raffles Press would like to wish them the best in their future endeavours!

By Md Khairillah (16A01B), Melissa Choi (16S06B), Kristal Ng (16S07C), Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Khin Yadanar Oo (17A13A) and Nicole Doyle (17A01A)
Photos courtesy of Chang Po Chun (16S03K) and Guan Xin (17S06B) of the Raffles Photographic Society

The second part of our Student Feature takes a look at Rafflesians who’ve looked beyond the edifice of Raffles to serve the larger community.

Rachel Koh Qi Qian

Many of us want to give back to our communities, and Rachel Koh Qi Qian (15SO7C), shows us exactly how one student can play their part. As a member of the Interact Club as well as the ISLE enrichment programme, she was inspired since Secondary 2 in RGS to serve the community, and professed her ‘passion for service’.

“I like to be involved in a lot of service-based projects,” she said, and her actions certainly mirror her words. Besides travelling to Laos with ISLE and participating in weekly tutoring for primary school students from disadvantaged backgrounds, Rachel went the extra mile establish her very own project contribute to the community. She and two of her friends initiated the Golden Page project, collaborating with the school and the HDB to improve the living conditions of the elderly. Believing “that the most important part of service is to pull people in, so that we can make a greater impact,” she expanded the project to increase the volunteer pool, and liaised with Senior Activity Centres in order to organize events that brought smiles to the elderly’s faces. In the course of a year, Golden Pages recruited the help of over 150 volunteers, helped over 100 elderly people, and improved 23 homes. To her, it “really was the highlight of [her] JC life.”

Rachel found JC life to be very academically driven. In order to make it more meaningful, she believed in dedicating her free time to the community around her and making use of the opportunities and resources available in Raffles. For example, the school provided grants for her project, for which Rachel was very grateful.  Now that she’s moved on from Raffles, Rachel faces the challenge of continuing and improving her project without the school’s assistance. Never one to be discouraged, she intends to shift her project’s focus to helping some of the elderly living in rental flats, so as to improve their living conditions.

In terms of her academic life, Rachel found that there were three major pillars of support which she valued: her parents, teachers and classmates. She emphasised the support of her class, as the sense of camaraderie amongst them during the difficult A level period was vital to helping her through her stress. She mentioned that her best friend was a major source as support, and stressed the importance of having a study group and strong friendships to fall back on. JC life may have a strong focus on studying, but another crucial part of it is for her was in making friends and the experiences they shared.

Rachel hopes that others will “grab hold of the opportunities out there, not to let the results define them, and to pursue their passions.” For the future, she hopes to adopt a flexible mindset and seek the path that life leads her on.

Kavya Sivakumar

Besides being involved in the Ecological Literacy enrichment programme (EcoLit), Kavya Sivakumar (15S03O) was part of two CCAs that she was deeply passionate about, the Biology Society and Guitar. Though she professed that her time in RI was not the most exciting, Kavya felt that she “got to try out a lot of new stuff which gave me a broader perspective of what it feels like to grow up”.

For EcoLit, Kavya shared that she found meaning in her time in the programme. For her book writing project, some of her friends and her went down to Labrador Park and wrote a story about a little girl going through the park and finding different pieces of maps in an effort to reach out to the younger generation. In the future, Kavya wishes to study medicine since Biology was her favourite subject in school. She enjoys reading and learning about biology, appreciating how “everything about the human body was very fascinating”. Adding on to her interest in biology is the ‘human touch’ in medicine, and the ability to personally impact someone’s life.

Her advice to juniors would be to try out something new and ensure that “your life doesn’t revolve around academics”. Kavya also encouraged us juniors to find out where our passion lie and academics-wise, she quips: ‘Just pay attention in class… and don’t sleep in lectures”.

Lee Wan Xin Ailica

Ailica (15S03E) found her passion in serving the community, the environment, and in Geography. Her diverse interests led her to pursue Girl Guides, Interact Club, Habitat for Humanity, and to continue on with the Future Problem Solving Programme she was first exposed to in Secondary 1.

In her stints of community service at the hospice, prison service, and Meet-the-People’s Session, she came to realise that service cannot always be viewed through rose-tinted glasses. In reality, it did not always amount to ‘a warm and fuzzy feeling’, given the amount of work and dedication it required. The real challenge, therefore, lay in sustaining her passion to serve. This caused her to take an occasional step back, to pause and reflect. She also found that having teammates who were equally passionate about a cause helped to spur her on.

Ailica understands that to many, ‘the first step into service may always the hardest.’ However, once students establish a regular schedule for service, following through with it would be much easier. Hence, she managed to overcome her initial reservations by capitalising on ‘sudden bursts (of passion)’ to find an organisation to work with and dedicated, like-minded friends who became a trusty source of support for her.

Regarding her future plans, she hopes to give back to the community, by going into public service, in particular, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) or the Ministry of National Development (MND).

When asked if she had any advice for her juniors, she purported that as long as they focus on one thing at a time, and give it 100% of their attention, they will be able to find meaning in the things you do and eventually discover their passions. Like many Rafflesians who take up countless commitments, she had to make trade-offs in balancing them all, in terms of sleep and personal time. Still, she feels that these sacrifices were worth it and has no regrets.

All that said, she would like to thank her parents. Amidst her numerous commitments, they were ‘always there for her’, to provide for her basic and emotional needs, and such unconditional displays of love were pivotal to maintaining her morale. She recognises that unfortunately, ‘we don’t show gratitude to (our families) often enough.’ She is also grateful for her friends, who have given her much support, and her teachers, who ‘went beyond academics’ to show concern for their individual development and struggles.

While the JC period is definitely more trying as compared to her secondary school experience, Ailica firmly believes that ‘if we push ourselves hard enough, when we look back at our JC experience, we will indubitably feel fulfilled.

Shermaine Ng

For Shermaine Ng, service was something especially meaningful in Raffles. Starting her volunteering journey in Year 1-4 at Clementi Family service centres, Shermaine went on to organize a workshop called ‘Imagining Possibilities’ for primary school students to cultivate empathy and emotional awareness in younger students. For her personally, that workshop reflects what volunteering is to her- about empathy, and the importance of trying to put other people’s intentions before your own and understanding others so that you can communicate better and understand each other better.

When asked about what she would want to say to her juniors, Shermaine points out that we should take the time to appreciate the environment in Raffles, where the school is willing to support us in so many ways and where the self-driven nature of Rafflesians serves as a powerful motivating force for us. For J2s, she laughs while saying: ‘Don’t forget to do your tutorials!’

Shermaine also would like to thank for her family for their unconditional support in helping her and her Chemistry teacher Mr Lincoln Quek especially for always being willing to offer her consultations to help her out when she faced difficulties in Chemistry.

Currently Shermaine is interning at Raffles Hospital and intending to pursue a course in Occupational Therapy in university.

By Md Khairillah (16A01B), Melissa Choi (16S06B), Kristal Ng (16S07C), Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Khin Yadanar Oo (17A13A) and Nicole Doyle (17A01A)
Photos courtesy of Chang Po Chun (16S03K), Cheng Zimin (16S03B) and Guan Xin (17S06B) of the Raffles Photographic Society

The final part of our Student Feature series features Rafflesians who’ve invested significant time in their Rafflesian experience exploring their personal interests, off the beaten track.

Paul Keh Sze Keat

Upon speaking to Paul (15S03A), his passion for Geography and his dedication to Scouts, his CCA, become immediately evident. He claimed that his interest in these two intimately related fields was sparked at a very young age but his six years in Raffles was when he was given the resources to eagerly and actively pursue them.

Opting to study Geography as a RA subject in Year 3 and 4, Paul was deeply appreciative the opportunities he got in his stint in Geography RA, including overseas trips to further enrich his knowledge on geographical issues. The fact that most think his favourite discipline is “just about rocks” distresses Paul and he vehemently insists that Geography is misunderstood. To him, the subject is more concerned with people, space and the intricate relationship between those two entities. This appreciation inspired him to compete with the Geography National Team in 2014 and to pick the H3 Geopolitics module in J2.

As a veteran Scout, Paul dedicated himself to training his juniors. Seeing young minds grow was, he said, immensely fulfilling and heartwarming, and the reason why he stuck with Scouts for 10 years and counting. Because he truly believed in the mission of nurturing the next generation to step up and serve, he and his team also embarked on an eight month project to set up a Scouts Unit in Crest Secondary School. Their efforts enriched the lives of the underprivileged students in that school. Paul was recognized for his leadership, skills and resilience in 2014, when he was awarded the prestigious President Scout Award, the highest award that can be accorded to a Venture Scout.

When prodded for advice he would like to share with juniors, Paul noted that “[he] didn’t have straight As all the way.” While he admits that ‘he was quite all over the place’, Paul opines that a student ‘just has to understand that all it takes is consistent work, understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly having a plan and starting early.’

Looking forward, Paul intends to study Geopolitics or International Relations in university, with the goal of eventually pursuing a career in public service.

Arel Chua Cher Wei

When asked about himself, Arel Chua (15S03N) professed an appreciation for challenges. This is precisely why Boys Brigade, his CCA, meant so much to him. While the commitment level of his CCA was undoubtedly high, it also gifted him with numerous opportunities to step outside of his comfort zone and become a more disciplined, principled individual. Arel served in the company from 2014 – 2015 as a Primer, attaining the rank of Senior Cadet Lieutenant, and was also awarded the President’s Award in 2015, the highest award possible for a Primer. When asked whom he would like to thank, Arel credited his success to everyone who was there for him during his Boys Brigade journey. He was especially grateful for his seniors, who were endless sources of inspiration and always came back to Raffles Institution to impart their knowledge.

CCA aside, Arel also sought to challenge himself academically. He pursued his interest in Biology by studying Biology as RA subject, dedicating his Monday mornings to Biology Olympiad training and representing the school in the competition. Indeed, Arel harbours medical school aspirations and recognises that many Rafflesians do as well. What he sincerely hopes for is that those who have set their minds on Medicine pursue it as a degree and vocation if and only if they feel that helping people in this way is their calling and not for other reasons such as money and fame.

One of the most simple but profoundly relevant pieces of advice shared by Arel was to “not forget those around [us]”. In our mad dash to the finishing line that is the A levels, the fact that our batchmates, seniors, juniors and even teachers, can be struggling as well can slip our mind. “Watch out for them,” Arel said, because they too, like you, could use a little bit of encouragement.

Joyce Er Hui Ling

A resolute independence was what characterized Joyce Er Hui Ling’s Rafflesian experience, echoed by her advice to juniors, which would be to ‘start charting your own journey, instead of drifting from deadline to mandatory deadlines.’

A student of the Humanities Programme, Joyce also helmed this very journal as the Raffles Press Chair in 2015 alongside taking H3 Art, which formed the bulk of her commitments. In her capacity as Raffles Press Chair, Joyce explored the whole gamut of journalistic experiences: from interviewing prominent ex-Rafflesians for the school’s print magazines to running the Raffles Press website. In fact, she notes with a touch of playfulness, one of her most memorable experiences in Press was being an interviewer for last year’s A Level coverage as opposed to being in an interview now. Student journalism, for her meant having to speak people everywhere in the school, showing to her the power of journalism to make connection amongst many different communities.

Giving her own take on the Raffles Experience, Joyce notes that what defined Raffles culture was a drive towards excellence and towards putting yourself to high standards in whatever field of study or commitment, something that for her was an important takeaway.

When asked who she would like to thank, Joyce highlighted her friends in the small art community in Raffles as well as her teachers, Mr Chia, Ms Ng and Ms Ang who were both incredibly responsible and incredibly invested in her welfare. Other teachers who impacted her greatly included her Press Teacher Mr Caleb Liu, her subject teachers (among whom were the ex and current HP heads Mr Jamie Reeves and Ms Lye Su Lin), and her LBA mentors for making her multifaceted and thoroughly inspiring JC journey possible.

To her juniors, her final words are to ‘try to explore and step outside of the Raffles environment, but also to figure out your own priorities rather than have your priorities being dictated by others.’

Tan Siah Yong

Based on his academic record, Tan Siah Yong (15SO6J) may seem like the studious type, and his achievements in the Math Olympiad are certainly testament to his dedication and talent. But Math went beyond the competitive boundaries of the Olympiad, as he found during his time as the chairperson of Math Club. Math Olympiad took up a significant amount of his time, yet Siah Yong devoted the rest of it to discovering the enjoyable side of Math in the Math Club.

He recalls that his time in the Math Olympiad in Years 1-4 was tough, and decided to reinvent the Math Club during his time as its chairperson. Introducing a variety of new strategies such as organising math-inspired games and an innovative CCA trial which involved cake cutting, he managed to break down the perception of Math Club as a serious and boring CCA, opening its doors to people who were interested in learning more about mathematics.

Despite his Math-centric background, Siah Yong also has a variety of artistic hobbies such as drawing and writing (he was briefly a member of Writer’s Guild). He would like to explore Computer Science in university, which he hopes will give him a shot at data analysis post-university. Hoping to study in the US, he also wishes to pursue his interest in the game industry, combining his interests with his goals for the future.

His advice for Year 6s is to not worry too much, but also to start studying for subject beforehand. “Read through the material,” he advises, admitting to dozing off in lectures, “at least know roughly what’s going on, so that you’ll be able to go through the tutorials and keep up. Then you can put it aside until the exams come.”

Hana Luisa Binte Yaacob

For Hana, one of the highlight of her Rafflesian experience was her time in the Art Club. In her capacity as an EXCO member, she organized modules for her fellow members and strove to create an inclusive an open community where members talked amongst themselves and shared in their common experiences which included their annual school exhibition. Hana personally as a very visual person imagined stories as pictures in her head, and in that art for her as an opportunity to express her ideas and share her stories.

When asked about what she would want to say to her juniors, she candidly notes that no one should spend all their time studying, because that leads to a point in which a student can no longer absorb information meaningfully. Meaningful and balanced apportioning of time, for studies, friends and family was for her something important in her A Levels journey. Spending time within the quiet and serene parts of the school and studying or just hanging out with friends were for Hana among the best experiences she had in Raffles.

Hana expresses special appreciation for her History teachers Mr Michael Rollason and Ms Lynette Lim for all the fun she had in their lessons, and for being incredibly caring and dedicated.

As a final word to her juniors, she chirps, ‘Don’t over study, and always remember to take care of yourself along the way.’

Jovi Tan Yit Long

Jovi (15A01B) has always had an avid interest in Theatre, though it did not always start out that way. He admitted that he started out in Theatre wanting to be in the limelight, but in JC, refined his passion by exploring niche areas and selecting a specific direction. For instance, as scriptwriter and director of a play by The Humanities Initiative, he had to bring out strengths in his actors and raise awareness about a social issue — things that were not explicitly in his job scope.

Working on a play on human trafficking enabled him to directly experience the greater purpose behind the Arts. It was then that the realisation that theatre does not exist in isolation dawned upon him. “Well-performed art can actually be used to do something social in nature.” From a distant issue to Singaporeans, human trafficking was transformed into a very real cause. He went through the whole process of research, interviewing organisations such as EmancipAsia, and eventually produced four individual monologues to bring across a message on the human suffering caused by illegal trafficking.

Apart from his passion in Theatre as evinced by his participation in Raffles Players, he took HELM and KI in the Humanities Programme, and is interested in public service, which led him to apply for a PSC scholarship. He holds big dreams for the future, to set aside enough money to start his own theatre company. As for any advice for juniors, he kept it simple: “Just sleep enough! If you sleep by 12 every day, you’ll be fine.”

He would like to thank all his teachers, friends, and family members, who have been very encouraging through this trying period. In particular, he would like to thank his teachers in the Humanities Programme for their wisdom and dedication. Referring to the stressful A Level preparations, he notes, “You won’t be able to do this on your own. It’s a lot easier with friends and teachers helping you out.”

Raffles Press would like to wish the Batch of 2015 the best of luck in all their future undertakings!

by Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Samuel Loh (16A01A), Hari Kope (16S06H)

Photo: StatusWhatsappIo

The relevance of marriage, one of society’s most sanctified and cherished of institutions, is often left unquestioned and taken for granted. In the first of many to come, the inaugural installment of the Hodge Lodge Debate Series, held in conjunction with this year’s International Women’s Day on 8 March, walked members of a captivated audience along the fine line between a marriage of love, or as proposition speaker Ashish Kumar puts it, modern-day sexual slavery.

Organized by the Raffles Debaters, the Series seeks to raise awareness of critical perspectives and foster an acute sensitivity to pressing, real world problems — all through a battle of wits and words. Four seasoned debaters were invited to debate the motion “This House regrets the institution of marriage.” The proposition bench was represented by Ashish, a recent Cambridge Law graduate and best speaker of the 2015 World Universities Debating Championships, and Rebecca Tan, who completed her education at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies and has since been coaching the debate teams of various secondary schools, such as Raffles Girls’ School. Their opposing number comprised Adil Hakeem, who in 2012 was awarded the President’s Scholarship and now studies at Yale University, and Dr. Vernie Oliveiro, a civil servant, Harvard alumnus, and an active member of AWARE. After the debate, Dr. Oliveiro and Vanessa Ho, founder of Project X, led a panel discussion on women and modern relationships. Project X is an advocacy group that seeks to protect sex workers in Singapore from abusive behavior.

The night began with an audience vote, and the entry poll showed 70% in favour of the opposition. Faced with these odds, the proposition speakers spoke with expected vigour, determined to persuade the audience otherwise, offering arguments such as how marriage entails crushing societal baggage and creates discrimination against children born out of wedlock. These issues are undeniably relevant in our society. The proposition also brought up the issue of marital rape in more conservative societies, a perspective that is often overlooked through the lens of privilege. We as Singaporeans often forget to think outside of our immediate surroundings, especially forgetting those less easily reached in our ostensibly interconnected world.

The opposition speakers opted for a more emotional approach, bringing up marriage as it is viewed by different groups today.  In particular, Dr. Oliviero raised relevant examples about the LGBT community in the United States. She recounted anecdotes of friends and acquaintances for whom marriage stood for belief and a mutual surrendering, remarrying even after bitter divorce, making for a strong case for marriage as an institution representing the triumph of hope and redemption in the face of rising divorce rates.

In the closing reply speeches, Ashish delivered a memorable message to the audience, encouraging them to “think about people who live under the tyranny of society, who have to sign up for an institution they don’t want to.” And indeed, this impassioned appeal seems to hold much water in the context of liberal societies’ struggle against their more conservative counterparts. On subjects such as these, one cannot afford to simply consider the wants and needs of those in liberal societies alone. Ashish’s exhortations were resounding and quite clearly taken to heart, with exit polls reflecting a stunning change in audience sentiments: now, 70% were in favour of the proposition instead.

After the debate came the discussion panel, which provided insight concerning the maltreatment of and discrimination against sex workers in Singapore, as well as issues of gender equality at large. Ms Ho challenged the audience’s assumptions about rape and emphasised the difficulty in speaking out. She discussed her experience working with some sex workers who live in fear of persecution for their occupation, or have to hide the true nature of their employment lest they lose custody of their children. She encouraged people to view sex workers and women whose fates are decided by society’s judgements on their profession with empathy rather than condescension.

The panel then moved into a wider exploration on advocacy. The role of the media was an area of great contention, with passionate interjections from the speakers and the audience alike. The Bechdel Test was raised as an example of identifying female representation in media, in the midst of concerns over the presence of female characters in the movie industry. Mad Max: Fury Road was raised by Adil as a positive example of how women can be portrayed in media, and how its novelty is an indication of the lack of variety in current media roles for women, as any fan of modern cinema should be able to identify. The discussion rounded off with introducing intersectionality, the sociological idea that many traits of social disadvantages can and often do overlap. There was a lively exchange from both ends, creating a charged atmosphere of strong opinions — no doubt an intellectually stimulating experience, no matter which side you were on.

If anything, the enthusiastic and fervently participatory crowd were sure signs that the inaugural Hodge Lodge Debate had gotten Rafflesians to think critically about the world around them: the dramatic shift in audience opinions was remarkable. Experienced debaters were put on the spot with tough and thought-provoking questions from the students and the ensuing discussion was most enlightening. The debate was a great sneak peak into the enriching world of debate and social issues, and Raffles Press strongly recommends future editions of the Series to its readers. 

As part of the Hodge Lodge Debate Series, the Raffles Debaters frequently invites experienced and knowledgeable debaters, both past and present, to discuss pertinent social issues that affect us all. The next Hodge Lodge Debate will be held on 3 May 2016, on the topic of Press Freedom.

by Kristal Ng (16S07C)

Photo by Rafe Ang (16S07C)

To those who know me well, you would know that I spend an inordinate amount of time by myself.  It is no surprise to find me sitting outside my classroom reading a book, scribbling a few notes, or even just staring into space. Perhaps you find this behaviour bizarre, simply discounted as one of my many idiosyncrasies. Perhaps you’ve even stopped to sit beside me, confused as to just why I am here, all alone. To those who have, I have nothing but utmost gratitude (thank you!), but I also have a question: why is being alone a cause for concern? And why do you presume that I don’t want to be alone? 

Granted, as Aristotle said, “Man is by nature a social animal”. Evolution itself has shown that humans were meant to interact – our brains are larger than most mammals of comparable size due to the growth of the neocortex. This is the part of the brain that accommodates the extra functions of language and emotional regulation, empathy and social learning (the ability to transmit ideas and information). It is safe to say that we inherently crave company and thrive in communities. After all, it is through socialisation that we establish relationships as well as develop ourselves as individuals. 

However, someone who eats lunch by themselves, or goes out unaccompanied isn’t necessarily lonely or antisocial. We live in such an interconnected world: we are constantly bombarded by endless notifications of things to do and places to go, even after spending an entire day surrounded by people. Aren’t we entitled to simply not feel like making conversation, or socializing in general?

Perhaps the problem lies in us equating being alone with loneliness. Living in a social environment creates the constant pressure to connect with other people, and the absence of such is such a discomfiting feeling that some people would prefer the physical pain of an electric shock than spend time with themselves. This instinct to socialize is something that is cultivated from young. According to psychotherapist Ross Rosenberg, those with a healthy early childhood felt secure in their world and are thus more comfortable opening up to other people. On the contrary, children without that experience develop coping techniques – the ability to self-soothe – and find comfort in being alone instead. Moreover, it has become increasingly difficult to find space to be alone. Most of the time, the sight of a solitary figure is impetus enough to go up and offer a hand, or a listening ear. In the vein of doing unto others what we want them to do unto us, seeing a person alone and extending a conversation is more than offering mere pleasantry, it is offering rescue.

That being said, it is important to differentiate loneliness from being alone. The former is a feeling of isolation that results from loss, separation or unreciprocated affection. Aloneness on the other hand, is finding freedom in that same isolation, a joy found in being unapologetically yourself. To me, spending time alone is not more than a defense mechanism, but a healthy habit that that I consciously try to cultivate.

Being alone gives our brain a break.  Letting our brain switch off after a long stretch of being “onz” frees us from distractions, and gives ourselves the chance to clear our minds and focus on the task at hand. Completing your math Vectors tutorial or doing up Ionic Equilibria notes gets done a lot faster without having to be conscious of the person beside us. After all, there is simply no need to have company when doing work. Solitude and silence should be a precious thing especially in the cacophony of this world – not something we fashion our lives trying to evade, but something to embrace.

Being alone helps us get in tune with ourselves. The fact that I defined myself by the relationships I had used to be something I struggled with- how competent was I as a daughter, as a student, as a friend? I saw myself as only the roles I played in other people’s lives, and how big a part I played in them, measuring my importance in how much they acknowledged and needed me. By taking time out to be with myself, I learned to recognise other qualities in myself that didn’t come up in the company of others and acknowledge the accomplishments that I had achieved on my own.

It also gives us the freedom to do the things we really want to do. Researchers Christopher Long and James Averill characterise solitude as “a state characterized by disengagement from the immediate demands of other people – a state of reduced social inhibition and increased freedom to select one’s mental and physical activities”. Truth be told, taking other people’s opinions into consideration or making compromises to cater to the whole group can be taxing on our emotional and cognitive resources. Taking time to be alone frees up the mental capacity to listen to our own long-term needs, finding satisfaction in simply doing what we know we want to do.

Being alone helps us practise mindfulness. Perhaps some of us might remember the assembly talk by Mr Chan earlier this year about the importance of being alone. What made the greatest impression on me was one key idea, that we should “spend time with yourself, not spend time by yourself”. It is not about cutting yourself off from the world, but carving your own little space in it. Making a choice to be alone is deliberately allowing yourself to step back and take stock of your current thoughts, emotions and surroundings. Many of our decisions come about unconsciously, so being able to pay full attention to what we are thinking and examine just what sets off this thought process and why, enables us to gain a greater consciousness of the way we do things, and how it can be improved on. As we mature into self-aware and well-rounded individuals, it is imperative that we take time to reflect about our own personal growth, if not for our own personal development, then perhaps for our future university admissions. And what better way to do that than in our very own quiet space?

After all, we mustn’t forget the second part of Aristotle’s quote: “…an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human.” Maybe, just maybe, by taking more time to be alone, we can transcend the part of ourselves that make us mere humans, and transform into a truly enlightened version of ourselves – and wouldn’t that be a miracle in itself?

by Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E)
Photos by Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E) and Marvin Tang

The 40 odd of us photowalkers and the team from Logue pose in front of Toa Payoh’s iconic Dragon Playground. (photo by Marvin Tang)

I thought I knew what to expect when I arrived at Toa Payoh two weeks back on 27th February – light chitchat, a tour of photogenic locations, and some photography critiques – but in a pleasant turn of events, The Real Estates ended up being a much richer experience for the 40 or so of us who showed up that Saturday.

Photographer Marvin Tang giving us pointers: “One thing we want to focus on today is what you put in the frame… things you can put into that frame of yours that will tell people more about Toa Payoh, so when you go home with your images, people can see different angles of Toa Payoh instead of just very wide views.”

To be clear, the photowalk certainly wasn’t without photography enthusiasts, having attracted participants like Nigel Gomes, ex vice-chair of Raffles Photographic Society (RPS), and avid photowalker Jaya Suryana, who’s visited many places ranging from MacPherson to Mount Faber to Holland Village. But there were also those like Natalie Diong, who was simply interested to “learn more about [her] country,” and others who’d stumbled upon it on Peatix or Facebook, and thought why not? Everyone did learn at least a thing or two about photography as fine arts photographer Marvin Tang from Logue brought his experienced eye to bear, sharing some tips with us. However, that was but one of the walk’s various aspects, and as we set off, The Real Estates indeed proved to be about more than just photography.

What soon stood out was the insight we were getting into the neighbourhood’s history, as group leader and former chairperson of RPS Gaby Jeyaseelan (RJ 15S06A and current Logue intern) gave us bite-sized glimpses into the Toa Payoh of old. Stopping at the Town Park for instance, we learnt how Toa Payoh’s seen many ‘firsts’ – it pioneered the HDB estate we know today way back in 1964, and is also home to Singapore’s first air-conditioned bus interchange and first MRT station. At the same time, Toa Payoh’s rich history means it’s also home to many ‘lasts’, such as the iconic Dragon Playground we visited. Having stood for nearly 40 years since 1979, it’s one of only four remaining dragon playgrounds, and the last with its sandpit still intact – a truly unique window into our past. As we strolled among the low-rise flats and lorongs, enjoying the trees’ generous shade, we also felt Toa Payoh’s relaxed, ‘kampong’ vibe. Residents leisurely caught up with one another, cats lazed about having siestas – an atmosphere all too rare nowadays in Singapore’s hectic concrete jungle. Walking in the Sensory Garden, we heard singing and the strumming of a guitar, and as we drew closer we saw a quiet, magical scene – under a pavilion some residents were gathered playing chess, laughing and talking, and beside them sat the singer with his guitar, passionately crooning away in a call back to a slower, mellower time.

It’s a common theme in Toa Payoh – past and present side by side, the unique sense that the neighbourhood’s both changing, yet unchanging. As Nigel observed: “You hear a lot of redevelopment taking place there — enblocs, new malls, new buildings popping up — but there’s still a lot of history.” Take one of our photowalk stops for instance, Bugs Bunny Barber. As we learned, it’s been open since 1971 – “eons” as Nigel puts it – and seeing such history still alive today certainly made an impression. I was constantly struck by how small details shared with us on the photowalk could shed new light on familiar things, like the Town Park pavilion – it’s always looked familiar somehow, but I’d never known till The Real Estates that it was once part of the temporary bus interchange. “These little things I think really made the difference for me,” said Natalie of “the history and story” behind each aspect of Toa Payoh, citing discoveries like how the first HDBs were 12 storeys high, or that the unique Y-shaped Block 53 was twice-visited by Queen Elizabeth II. Indeed, as Jean Loo from Logue shares, “[searching] for the essence of a place, we choose to pay homage to the little things, as these little things are the glue that binds a community together.” From Toa Payoh’s unique colours, to the fascinating tidbits of history nestled among its lorongs, discovering those little things certainly helped give the photowalk its richness.

As we walked on, I began to wonder why we so rarely take time to discover our own neighbourhoods. “I guess that’s how you feel when you go to some other place,” Nigel mused, “you always think it has more interesting stories than your own home.” Our experience with The Real Estates has certainly made us more curious though, as we’ve realised how little we know our own neighbourhoods. Novena resident Natalie reflects: “Just the whole history behind the blocks – like who visited it, that they have a special VIP deck on top of the HDB, these things you know? I don’t think I know that much about Novena at all. Maybe they should organise the next one at Novena.” Indeed, asked if he’d go had the photowalk been in his neighbourhood, Nigel says that, “Before this, I don’t think so – ‘I know enough of AMK’ – but now that I think about it, I would probably go (laughs), I’ll probably discover a lot more I never knew.” Indeed, that’s quite likely as Toa Payoh resident Kuek Jinhua can attest to. “It’s interesting,” he says of the photowalk, “exploring the town that I grew up in, there are some parts I didn’t know you can just cut through, that there are some places where the scenery is actually this nice.” He reflects that as a resident, “you would just go to your favourite places, you walk your usual routes, so you perhaps wouldn’t have realised that hey, there are actually so many interesting things.”

Jinhua was also one of three long-time residents who graciously took time out of their Saturday to share about Toa Payoh. Their stories enthralled us, bringing Toa Payoh’s history to life in a vivid yet down-to-earth way. For instance, Jinhua’s playful recollection of his childhood ‘McDonalds’ days’ when he’d breakfast there every weekend was something many of us could connect with, and such small personal stories honestly conveyed the flavour of life in Toa Payoh back then. Peggy at Sin Yip Seng framers’ shared how the business has endured over the years, letting us in on their secret –“price and service both”. As she says, she’s flexible about staying open for a customer who’s coming over, especially nowadays when they can simply call to tell her they’re on their way.  “要赚钱 (want to do business) no need so serious,” she quips wryly, in her warm, knowing tone borne of her 41 years’ experience. At Bugs Bunny Barber, we met Mr. Hamzah who’s seen generations of customers grow up over his four decades there. He recounted how kids were attracted by the shop’s name, and how he once sought a Chinese customer’s help to paint ‘星期五休息’ (‘Friday rest day’) on the door, nice episodes that convey the close sense of community he’s experienced. It may have been called a photowalk, but through those conversations with the residents, we had the privilege of learning about what can’t be seen through any viewfinder –– the history of Toa Payoh as they saw it and their lives as they lived them. Those real interactions, and the “personal dimension” they brought, as Gaby puts it, made the walk all the more unique, fulfilling and worthwhile.

As we exchanged contacts after the walk, it was apparent that our interactions with fellow photowalkers had been meaningful too. It was pleasant to find ourselves meeting people from diverse backgrounds, discovering common interests while hearing new perspectives. From Nigel for instance, I heard how breathtaking yet disappointing it was to see from Tekong airshow jets banking at their lowest overhead – without a camera, and also gained some insight into NS life from him as a senior. Similar conversations unfolded all around, as photowalkers swapped university stories, or discussed photography, and so on. It proved enjoyable for the team too, with Jean sharing that “it was refreshing to be able to engage people offline”, and Gaby saying it was very casual and she “loved talking to the participants, who also brought their own insights and experiences in Toa Payoh.” Admittedly, it wasn’t easy during the walk to balance photography, discovering Toa Payoh, and interacting with fellow walkers: one can’t hold a proper conversation and frame a shot through the viewfinder, and it was sometimes a tough choice between capturing a beautiful moment, or letting it pass to continue a meaningful conversation. Travelling in a group further put dampers on how much wandering we could do, and between photography and conversation, paying attention to the team’s sharings was also difficult sometimes. However, this balancing act highlights how there’s more to appreciate besides the photography, that there’s a different way we can engage with our world – not just from behind a lens, or with a quick snap and post, but a lingering, a worthwhile interaction with the people and places around you.

In fact, interactions also played a big part in how The Real Estates came together. For the design and site, Logue collaborated with ONO Creates, and Sulphur respectively, with close interaction being a key feature throughout – “a lot of brainstorming, communication, critique and creating a strong, streamlined workflow that enables all partners to work together effectively,” as Gaby says. Jing from ONO Creates further shares that one project priority they settled on was that the “final installation must have an interactive element”, and in fact, they’d got on board because they “loved the idea of The Real Estates being an arts project the community can interact with.” As Jing shares: “I think people tend to view design and art as something that’s more for ‘creative’ or ‘cultured’ people – but we hope to slowly change that notion.” Logue also engaged with the neighbourhood: “we designed and planned routes, met community partners, and carried out interviews,” says Gaby. So from conception, to that Saturday, to the installation, human interaction has been central. “It’s always a party,” Jean says, “things are constantly changing and you’re able to bring people together to work on something so fun.”

As the walk wrapped up, one moment stood out – a photowalker had just exchanged contacts with Natalie and was scrolling through her Facebook profile, when she suddenly exclaimed in surprise that they apparently have a mutual friend. As it turns out, that friend was churchmates with one of them, and schoolmates with the other – what a small world indeed, even smaller now with social media. But our small world remains rich in discoveries, as Toa Payoh shows. “On the map it doesn’t look very big, but you can find a lot of things, like the town park, the interesting HDB designs, the Dragon Playground” Jaya reflects. And Singapore may be small, but as Jean says, “its neighbourhoods are full of character, each with a unique identity” and stories to be discovered. What’s interesting, and what The Real Estates shows, is that technology can facilitate this discovery. Too often we engage with technology at the expense of engaging with our world, losing ourselves in our screens, forgetting to interact with the people and places around us. With The Real Estates however, technology and real-world interaction worked together – online platforms helped bring people together for the photowalk itself, where we then engaged with the space and people around us. That experience was in turn further shared with others online, and also through the interactive installation currently up at Toa Payoh HDB Hub. When online and real-life engagement complement each other, we see how meaningful the result can be – discovering a neighbourhood, meeting people from different walks of life – we see how stories and lives can intertwine.

Now that you’ve heard about The Real Estates here online, why not head on down to see their installation for yourself? It’s open 10 to 7pm every day till Friday 25th March, and if you drop by from Fridays to Saturdays, you’ll also be able to chat with members of Logue and hear from them directly about their work. Press invites you to take some time to join them at Toa Payoh HDB Hub, and maybe even at their upcoming photowalk this November, and intertwine your own story with the rich tapestry that is the stories of our lives and neighbourhoods.

In a move almost worthy of an April Fools’ maneuver, Waffle Press announced its acquisition of its officially-sanctioned counterpart, Raffles Press. In a smugly-worded email to Raffles Press’ Head of Monitoring Waffle Press, Waffle Press announced that it will have 95% ownership of Raffles Press with effect from Monday.

The tabby cat outside Manna will retain its 5% share in Raffles Press. It will continue to strictly moderate the website by allowing the publication of all articles, except serious ones.

The organizations used to peacefully coexist side by side, like these waffles. (source)

It became apparent by the end of last year that Waffle Press had contacted Raffles Press directly with this proposal, and a massive sum of money, definitely not as a bribe. It is not clear where the money came from, though it is suspected to be from large advertising revenue from high traffic to the Waffle Press website, supplemented with coins harvested from canteen drains.

The money was accompanied by a hastily scribbled letter on Economics Cafe foolscap, which detailed how Waffle Press writers were disappointed by this newspaper’s “wimpy attempt at an April Fool’s joke” and generously promised to “give [Raffles Press] a skooling [sic]”. They then outlined a plan for a merger/acquisition in a short letter, although this was not taken seriously at the time.

The ramifications of the acquisition will be widespread.

An anonymous J2 who ‘roughly knows’ the bulk of the H2 Economics syllabus noted, ‘A merger of the two organizations would combine the product-differentiating wit of the Waffle with the scale of the incumbent … something … sorry man I think I failed CT1s.’ When Raffles Press called the Economics Department, a teacher said he was too busy choosing demotivational statistics for the CT1 debrief to respond to our queries.

Additionally, the fate of Raffles Press’ existing columns could be in limbo. Dear Aunt Agony would be so laden with sarcasm that it would be useless, potentially resulting in the opening of a second Underground. Inter-House Competitions coverage would be limited to mourning the death of the free T-shirt. 

Waffle Press commented that this would not be the end of its series of corporate acquisitions. It plans for the school itself to officially be renamed Waffles Institution. Additionally, it intends to have the Waffle Press logo printed on the paper bags in which Chill waffles are packaged. The cost of the printing will be offset by the selling of confiscated phones and wifi permits.

Current members of Raffles Press voiced concern about the acquisition, citing fears of publishing content ‘totally devoid of facts, and in turn, truth’. They were silenced with a bulk order of Chill waffles.

However, it is with much disappointment that due to an excess of manpower, satire writers Abdul Qayyum (17A01B), Bill Puah (17S06B), and Yeo Jun Wei (17S03B) will be sacked from Press as of Monday. We are sorry you have to find out this way. Our club email is flooded with Waffle Press memos, memes, and videos of outraged meowing.

Despite the flood of pleas and objections, Waffle Press has assured the public that no animals, plants nor humans will be physically hurt in this acquisition.

by Serafina Siow (17A13A)
Additional reporting done by Khin Yadanar Oo (17A13A)

The Cross Country team raring to go.

Finals were bittersweet this year for Raffles Institution’s (RI) Cross Country team, as the participants’ gruelling runs culminated in a second place win for both the Girls’ and Boys’ teams, after VJC and ASCI(I) respectively.

A Division Boys
Tan Chong Qi (16S03P), the pre-race favourite, started out strong but was unable to catch up to Isaac Tan (ACS(I)) who led the race and eventually finished second with a time of 16:26.25. Chester Lee (16S06F) came in after Chong Qi in third place with a time of 16:31.38. Chirag Gupta (16:42.54), Mohammad Shafiq (17:05.89) and Aaron Chan (17:10.04) rounded up the Crossers from RI in the top twenty in 6th, 13th and 14th place respectively.

Team scores were calculated from the timings of the best four runners from each school, and it was a remarkably close fight between RI and ACS(I) for first place in the A Division Title. Unfortunately, RI finished just two points behind ACS(I) and obtained 2nd place. The coach, Joe Goh, said, “The buildup to the race was good and we were in a good position to defend our team title. Yet, our closest rivals VJC and ACS(I) are very strong and the title could go to any team on race day.” He gave credit to ACS(I) for being able to rise to the occasion to clinch the title.

Highly disappointed, Tan Chong Qi lamented, “It hurts… it hurts really bad, when you know the team title was only (two) points away–like just one position higher for any of our four runners (ahead of an ACS runner) would have won us the team title.” With the break in a four year winning streak, Chong Qi was crestfallen but managed to remain upbeat about the future, adding, “in life you win and lose.”

A Division Girls
The A Division girls also performed admirably well – the first runner from RI, Natalie Soh (16S03S), came in 3rd with a timing of 14:51.11 after the the first two runners from VJC. Natalie was followed closely by Nah Yi Xin (16S03S) (14:58.80) in 4nd place and Faye Chiang (15:21.28), coming in fifth. Valerie Lai, fourth runner from Team Raffles, was in 11th place, finishing the race in 16:10.91. In the top 20 was also Amanda Lok (16:28.25) in 15th place. With the points from our top four runners, RI came in second in the A Division Girls’ Title behind VJC.

Coach Goh explained, “The preparation leading up to the race was challenging due to multiple injuries to our key runners (which) forced us to make last minute changes to the team. Even on race day itself, our girls were not at 100% and were still hampered by injuries.”

Staying optimistic nevertheless, Coach Goh commended his team, praising, “I am still happy with the performance of the team as they have put in an enormous amount of effort over the past few months.” Both teams have given their best in the Championships and we at Raffles Press wish them the best in their future competitions.

Team Roster: Boys – Tan Chong Qi; Lee Zhong Kian, Chester; Chirag Gupta; Mohammad Shafiq Anshad; Aaron Chan Siang Joo; Elisha Goh Si Yuan; Vignesh Ravi Baskar; Wong Kwok Ho

Girls – Soh Hann, Natalie; Nah Yi Xin; Chiang Aiting, Faye; Lai Zi Qing, Valerie; Lok Qi Ying Amanda; Chloe Wang Wenyi; Corrie Jireh Teo; Phay Renne

by Noor Adilah (17S06B), Jeanne Tan (17A01B), and Carman Chew (17A01D)

Today marks the end of 3 days worth of Council Elections. Yesterday, we talked to the candidates and the secretaries to clarify some changes to the elections process and the effects they have had on this year’s campaigns. Today, we got in touch with the rest of the student body to learn more about student’s sentiments towards the elections thus far.

The grand elections board, telling you that YOU have a stake!

Just like yesterday, we started off the day with morning interactions. The candidates were relentless in their pursuit of gaining more votes by talking amiably with students in the canteen. They gave out stickers, sweets and even packets of jam to schoolmates while talking about the aims of their campaign, trying to win the hearts and minds of students. There was a constant chorus of ‘Vote For’s and ‘Choose Me’s, setting a lively and charismatic atmosphere in a usually sleepy school canteen. As time went on, the canteen was full of campaigners rushing to talk to as many people as possible, knowing that these moments could make or break future votes.

A candidate gives a voter some merchandise during morning interactions.

This atmosphere did not waver, even after a whole day’s worth of lessons. Most engaging were the speeches at the end of the day, when each candidate had 30-45 seconds to introduce and promote themselves, and a short spontaneous answer segment to a question posed by the elections board. A variety of speeches, not just individual ones but group speeches as well, were given in front of the whole Year 5 batch. After listening to the speeches, voting commenced during civics, and now we wait.

(From left to right) BW04: Chong Jia Xin Eleanor (R32), Jenny Chen (R34), Ho Wei En (R35), Wan Qian Hui Vanessa (R36)

After these few days worth of campaigning and candidacy, the students we spoke to had a lot to say about the general atmosphere surrounding the campaigns. On a whole, the school was aware of the intensive nature of the elections and generally did feel an underlying urgency behind the candidate’s charisma and enthusiasm, but there were various responses towards this atmosphere.

Some students were feeling optimistic about the elections and were excited to see the potential in many candidates. Yeo Jun Wei (17S03B) said that “it’s very exciting because there are so many new faces that are running for leadership in JC… they have a lot of potential and can bring the school to greater heights”.  Another student who wished to stay anonymous said that “the campaigning has been quite hardcore”.

Despite the changes made to the election system this year, many students we interviewed expressed that the elections were still tilted unfairly, in favour of the more popular groups. This was because many felt that the briefness of the campaign period prevented the nominees from having sufficient time to reach out the student body.  “I don’t feel like a lot has happened these two days, especially for the J2s… I didn’t get a lot of interaction with the council elections or the candidates,” said Ma Rui (16S03A). Hidayat Malik (17S06B) expressed his concerns about the fact that the “fun” atmosphere promoted by the candidates, alongside the short, intensive time period of two days worth of exposure, was risky because the students and council can never know when the elections could slip into populism despite the efforts to minimize the popularity vote as a factor.

He Zhou Zhou from HH01, one of the brave JAE students running for council

We also tried to understand how the school views the effectiveness of the campaigns. As can be understood from the previous article, Council is already implementing new strategies and efforts to make sure that the elections can be as effective as possible. Have these efforts come to fruition? Once again, the student body is quite varied in their opinions about this. Nur Umaira (17S06B) believes that the morning interactions have not been effective for her because she does not come to school early – “I don’t know most of the candidates, especially the JAEs … they are usually campaigning in the morning – I don’t get to see them interact with people on a personal basis.” However, most students do believe that the changes allowed for more exposure and better interaction.

We also asked the school population about the fairness of the elections. The biggest concern that came up was whether or not the elections were a ‘popularity contest’. “People are more likely to just vote for the people that they know, and that’s usually just the people who are well-known from previous years,” said a Y5 student, who wished to remain anonymous. On the other hand, there were also people who believed that as long as a candidate showed that they were passionate, people were still as likely to vote for them. Some commented that a longer campaign period would have evened the playing field for people to gain support from the student body. Still, on the whole, most students admitted that the ‘popularity’ element to the elections was unavoidable. “It’s impossible to expect every single person to take the time to evaluate every single candidate,” said Guan Xin (17S06B) commented, “ so it’s expected that some people will just vote for their friends or people that they’ve heard of.” The intrinsic nature of elections, as democratic as they are,  seem to depend on popularity, especially because students vote for genuine ability and commitment, but this can only be judged from personal relationships with the candidates – something that cannot be established within a few days but needs to be cultivated over a much longer period of time.

The general acknowledgement amongst students about the work and devotion put into campaigning, the structures in place, alongside students’ own responses to the campaigning, generated contrasting views about the elections which were unique to different people amongst students. However, a common concern across almost all the candidates was the little information which was afforded to everyone outside of council nominees about the elections process, and general information to do with council regarding its function and purpose. Some might prefer the school being given an overview of the campaign before its start. Almost all students agree that more time needs to be spent on educating the school population regarding elections, to make informed decisions and to clarify doubts.

BW05 going about their morning interactions sweetening people’s’ days

For many of the candidates, campaigning had been an arduous journey that pushed them to the best of their abilities. For some, the speech was the scariest 30 seconds of their life. For others, the morning interactions  really pushed candidates to present the best version of themselves to the school. It was hectic – nominees claimed to have received briefing emails as late as 3 a.m. at night – but the process had still been an enjoyable one and one that definitely challenged them to have even better time management for the work to come.

Although the journey was a tough one, it was comforting to hear that many of the candidates would still strive to make the school a better place regardless of whether they get elected or not. Candidate Vanessa Chong (17S06K) commented that “ for speech today, it could have gone like 200 times better but I tried, I really tried … even if I’m not in, I’m sure [I’ll] do other things with my time and that one of them is bound to help the school.”

by Bay Jia Wei (17S06R), Nadiya Nesseer (17S03B) and Tapasya Singh (17S03C)
Photos by Laura Woo (16S03H) of Raffles Photographic Society

The pressure and anticipation in the stadium was palpable as the Water Polo girls marched out for team introductions. Having attained 9 consecutive victories in the past 9 years, the A-Division Water Polo girls had a lot to live up to as this match would either determine or conclude their streak. Pitted against them on the afternoon of the Water Polo Finals was St Andrew’s Junior College.

At first whistle, both teams swam aggressively towards the center of the pool, with RI gaining quick possession of the ball. A good start to the game, RI executed brilliant and fast-paced, accurate passings, with Brenda Lim (Cap 2) ending the sequence by scoring 5 goals. RI proceeded to lead the first quarter with a score of 8-1. Confident, the RI Water Polo girls sailed through the second quarter easily, finishing with an outstanding 13-1. The goalkeeper from SAJC skillfully deflected a few shots, which the spectators found to be commendable, given the fierce aggression on RI’s part.

Luck, and sheer skill, were on RI’s side that afternoon. The team did not give in to complacency despite the large margin, and continued to give their all during the third quarter. One of the members even had her cap detached from her head, due to the intense tussling, showing both teams’ commitment to the competition. The final quarter of the Water Polo finals saw the opposing team’s desperation as they tried their very best to gain possession of the ball. RI was not about to give in, however. We were close to 20, and the members had their eyes set on that target. The 21st and last goal of the game was secured by Brenda in the remaining few seconds of the game. That concluded the 10th consecutive victory of the RI A-Division Water Polo girls team – a remarkable 19-2.

The result took the team and coach by surprise as they had outplayed themselves. In an interview, Captain Abielle Yeo shared her reflections on the game: “We really did our best in that final, doing way better than we did against the same team in the preliminaries. At the end of the day, that was really why we were so happy, and satisfied.”

Decade Champions!

While the girls had a clear lead from the very first quarter, the boys’ game was a much closer fight. Many more had filed into the stadium to watch the intense match against their opponents, Hwa Chong Institution, and the Rafflesian spirit dominated the stands as the RI Water Polo boys marched out to thunderous cheers.

The game started with Hwa Chong Institution gaining quick possession of the ball. RI soon intercepted a pass and attempted to score a goal but was thwarted by the goalkeeper, resulting in HCI scoring two successive goals within the first quarter. The second quarter started off with RI showing much more attacking éclat, with Finian Koh scoring RI’s first goal of the game. The second quarter ended with a 3-2 score in favour of HCI, the third quarter ending in a similar fashion with HCI in the lead with a 4-3 score.

The final quarter was undoubtedly the most anticipated, as supporters waited with bated breath to see if RI could overcome the disadvantage from the previous quarters. And that they did just that. A series of fast, accurate passes lead to the quarter ending with a 6-6 draw, resulting in a thrilling penalty shootout. With HCI starting on the penalties, everyone was looking at RI goalkeeper Bryan Yip with singular focus. While HCI managed to score the first goal, Bryan skillfully blocked the next two attacks. RI’s victory was cemented by 4 successful penalty shots, and the game ended to a roaring standing ovation in favour of RI with a score of 10-8.

The Victorious RI Water Polo Boys

The win was certainly well-deserved, as the boys’ team work and perseverance were second to none.

It was a hard-fought match, and spectator Ulfahtun Asyiqin (17S03E) told us that she was “very impressed with the performance” as the team “persevered through the tough game and had their efforts pay off”.

By Nicole Tan (16A13A), interviews by Noor Adilah (17S06B)

Photographs by Terence Tan (16S06C)

There was just one thing on the minds of all 20 footballers as they stepped onto the VJC pitch on Monday—that they had to beat opponent Yishun JC by a minimum of 8 goals in order to qualify for a spot in Round 2. These odds seem daunting to most – especially since many within the team were injured – yet as Christoph Chong (17S03K) put it, “they never believed that they couldn’t make it”. 

This determined spirit triumphed within just the first minute of kickoff, when Tan Teck Ann (16S07B) drove in the first goal of the game, with the second goal by Edward Quah (16S05A) coming in only a minute after. The fiery start was kept up with a strong attacking stance that kept the ball in the opponents’ end of the field, and the team managed a third goal by Jonathan Chua (16S06D) just before halftime.

With five goals to go, in the words of team captain Ashwin Unnithan (16S06I), “passion and determination outweighed any doubt” and in the second half the boys only fought with more intensity to score their fourth goal, and then the fifth by Hiep (16S06D). A free kick by YJC was foiled by a save by keeper Zachary Wan (16S06Q).

As the clocked ticked down the last 10 minutes of the match, tensions grew thicker, but the team didn’t waste their chances, never hesitated to take every opportunity they had, and eventually wrested the final three goals away from YJC to bring the match to a high close. Everyone at the stadium could tell, as teacher in-charge Mr Lawrence Sunderaj’s could, how much “the boys played their hearts out and fought to the end”. The team’s astounding 8-0 victory secures their well-deserved spot in Round 2.

All the best to our football boys in the quarter finals!

The team celebrating after their win.

by Bill Puah (17S06B), Deborah Lee (17A01D) and Noor Adilah (17S06B)

After a gruelling round of heats, several teams from Raffles Canoeing qualified for the finals held at MacRitchie Reservoir in the Boys K4 1000m & 500m, as well as the Girls K2 1000m and K4 1000m and 500m events. Although the weather was gloomy, the atmosphere certainly wasn’t, as throngs of school supporters crowded on the banks of the reservoir, ready to cheer on their school teams to victory.

The Raffles Canoeists were anticipating strong competition; experienced peers from other schools (including ACSI, SAJC and HCJC) have been competing since secondary school, unlike most of the representatives from our school who have had little over a year’s worth of experience. Some Year 5s who competed in the heats had only 2 months of training before the competition, and in the words of the RJC Canoeing coach, Ms Cheryl Tay, “(for them to have the spirit) to be up against people who have been paddling for 6 years is admirable.”

Truth be told, the competition didn’t begin the moment their paddles touched the waters at the starting line, but rather, when intensive preparation for the season began. From persevering through exhausting land trainings to improve physical fitness to weathering intense water trainings of both long and short-distance paddling, every ounce of effort put in by the Raffles Canoeists was reflected in their 6.30am training sessions spent at MacRitchie Reservoir during the December holidays. It was a competition against themselves.

The scenery at Macritchie compliments a backdrop of heated competition.

When asked what the source of his motivation was, Boys’ Captain Quek Seng Leong (16S03D) replied, “the thought that our teammates are waiting ashore to see us do our best — we just want to try our best to not disappoint.”

Equipped with these valuable elements of determination and support, the teams from Raffles Canoeing put up a brave fight against their seasoned counterparts. The K2 1000m Girls team eventually clinched a commendable 4th placing, a sweet resolution to the months of hard work that they had put in.

What was most notable about their finals was not the team’s desire to bring home a trophy, but rather the sense of solidarity displayed amongst each member of Raffles Canoeing. Seng Leong also mentioned, “Results don’t matter, only trying our best. Compared to a year ago, we have become better. While the results may not be exceptional,(we believe) future batches will improve, and it’ll only get better.” Similarly, Girls’ Captain Tan Yun Yee (16S06D) believes that “Results may be important, but they don’t show the many struggles and setbacks our team overcame, the memories made, and the special bonds we share with each other. Canoeing is more than just a CCA, we are a family – and I’m very proud of us all.”

To them, winning was not of utmost priority – the experience of learning from the journey and supporting each other as a team was. The fulfilment gleaned from today’s competitions is something that will stand as irreplaceable and invaluable for a long time. When asked if she had any words for the Raffles Canoeing Team, coach Ms Cheryl Tay firmly answered, “I’m very proud of them.”

Raffles Canoeing after a tiring day of intense competitions (credits to Raffles Canoeing).

TEAMS:

Boys K4 1000m & K4 500m: Shehabuddin, Arif (16S06H); Goh Zhong Lin, Lennon (16S07B); Yeo, Jun Ren Jerry Jay (16S03H); Liu, Jia Rui (16S06D)

Girls K2 1000m: Chua Pei Fen, Athena (16S06O); Tan Sze Rui, Megan (16S03J)

Girls K4 1000m: Quah Dingxin, Nadine (16S07D); Mak Ka Yean, Alicia (17S07A); Tan Yun Yee (16S06D); Tan Li Ling, Andrea Athanasia (16S03O)

Girls K4 500m: Quah Dingxin, Nadine (16S07D); Chua Pei Fen, Athena (16S06O); Tan Sze Rui, Megan (16S03J); Tan Li Ling, Andrea Athanasia (16S03O)

By: Isabel Siow (16S03I) and Tasha Palani (16S03P)

Dear Rafflesians,
Remember being asked about your worst Project Work experiences last year?

Our sincerest apologies for dredging up those memories again. However, with the end of the school term and the resultant closure of the Project Work (PW) nightmare we’d all love to forget, it is high time that we reflect on this journey that we have carried each other through. We have collected the following accounts from a variety of batch mates who were happy to share their stories with us! We sincerely hope that this article will provide an appropriate finale for your PW trials and, at the same time, provide some useful pointers for the next few batches of candidates to come.

When it came down to summarizing the PW experience, our survey brought up a few choice words, the most apt comparison of which was that of “a never-ending marathon”. We have found this especially true during the last few months of our journey where the gruelling rehearsals in preparation for oral presentation ate up the better part of our afternoons. However, it is surprising to note that most share the sentiment that the worst part was not the heavy workload but instead the stress that built up as the (wrong part of the) hourglass filled with sand. With frayed nerves and the threat of losing that highly-coveted A grade looming over candidates, friction between group members bubbled over to the surface and brought out the worst in the majority of them.  Frustrations increased in groups with half-hearted group members or those not pulling their weight, making group sessions all the more unpleasant. One frustrated candidate stated that “not everyone was self-motivated to work so we had to keep prompting each other… or else absolutely nothing would get done,” a sentiment that aptly encapsulates that of most other members stuck with uncooperative or disinterested groupmates. A fun fact for the remaining survivors: amusingly, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board has suggested a reasonable recommended time of 60–75 hours, assuming an average of 2.5 hours per week, to be dedicated to this subject. All those who have been through the arduous Project Work journey with us know that it would be a good week if we could get away with even five times that.

Photo: Android

Furthermore, PW, to many, seems to be an inherently unfair process. Some groups are simply blessed with many diligent and dedicated group members while others are forced to pull the weight of less earnest members in their group. In what has been described to be “dysfunctional” groups, the hardworking members had to take on the additional workload of their uncooperative group mates in order to secure the desired grade. Instead of the ideal situation where group members worked together to overcome difficulties, many group’s dynamics played out where one or two dominant members took on the burden of writing the report for the entire group while the remainder of the members sat back and relaxed.

“In a sense, PW is done in a very ‘ends justifies the means’ way, and this compromises the process, which I didn’t like,” states on of our survey respondents. “Let’s be real – there are groups that fake their survey results, etc,” she goes on to add. And in many instances throughout the Project Work journey where this view holds true. Many groups went on to modify the responses in their interview transcript when their interviewee did not say what they intended for them to. This was done largely out of necessity as an appropriate response is always needed in order to build the solid written report required for an A in the subject.

Some reasonably point out that achieving creativity at the risk of potentially jeopardizing one’s academic future is not an ideal situation – so many factors prevent students from reaching our full potential. Admittedly, this is mainly due to the sad truth that most would strive to do anything that will ensure them their grade, including conforming to the ‘model way of doing things’ in order to grab their A, yet in the process, lose out on vital creative learning experiences. For example, some teachers discreetly advised us on how to tweak our reports to fit the mould of the ideal report or piece of evaluation. Surely, they only want the best for their students — but just in terms of tangible takeaways like result slips. However, the inherent need to strive to fit the mould of a model answer defeats the entire purpose of attempting to provide students to engage in ‘creative application of synthesized knowledge’. The strains that the workload of this puts on J1 students, may sometimes result in less than ideal results, and this is potentially a flaw of PW as a graded A Level subject.

Photo: MEDP

However despite all the negativity associated with PW, some say that there is still a silver lining. The greatest redeeming factor of the subject is perhaps the amazingly dedicated teachers who have sacrificed sleep and combatted stress to journey alongside us as we fought the battle that is Project Work. Some teachers were sweet angels from the get-go, gently encouraging us through the difficult times. “Mr Chris is a beast!” said one student, “Thanks for tolerating our nonsense throughout the year.” In contrast, other teachers were painfully brutal at the start of the year as we handed up work of lower quality than expected of us for vetting, leading us to fear them and the entire Project Work process in relation. However, as the months passed, many came to realise in hindsight that perhaps the harsh reprimands were exactly what the unfocused, careless students we were in the beginning had needed, and grew to love their teachers for it. One student revealed, “To be perfectly honest at the start of the year we were really terrified but as the year went on you’ve really helped us with our projects. Thanks for being the best PW teacher we could have hoped for.”

Another of the sweetest takeaways from the Project Work journey is the new friends that some of us have gained. “The best part of the PW experience for me was … the togetherness I suppose, helping each other out, covering for our mistakes, making suggestions, getting to know people [better].” Even those with tough Project Work groups did not walk away from the entire experience empty handed. Some acknowledge the thought of PW as an ‘oddly enriching experience’, despite the stress that came with it. “I felt like I could take on the world after working with my [difficult] group mates,” answered one of our respondents.

We would like to proceed to give a word of advice to next year’s batch of students who will have to sit through the Project Work module. Many of you would have heard horror stories from your seniors of the onslaught of pain and suffering that this subject brings with it. Take all these accounts with a pinch of salt. It is inevitable for a sprinkling of groups to be cursed with poor dynamics or skiving group members, but when we surveyed the ‘16 batch of students, we found a large majority who actually enjoyed their Project Work experience. It seems, as with many other situations, those who are satisfied are quiet with their praise while the disgruntled and unhappy among us are quick and loud in their complaints. Perhaps this explains why you hear more accounts depicting Project Work as a horrible monstrosity as opposed to those painting it in a more favourable light. While it is true that the the sheer volume of work that has to be put in to create a presentable portfolio is at times enough to induce fainting spells, there are still a number of redeemable qualities in Project Work, features that on hindsight make the journey all worth it. The Project Work module might be a pain, but it does not look like it is going away any time soon. So we might as well make the best of it – when you are assigned your groups next year, don’t be so quick to cringe and shy away. Give it a chance. You might find it not quite so bad after all.

Our fellow ‘16 batchmates, the year-long module that has routinely kept us up past all reasonable hours of the night and into the wee hours of the morning; diligently spending the better part of the afternoons on scripts and slides; wasting a ridiculous amount of paper on drafts has finally come to an end. And on this note, so has our article. The Project Work module has been a necessary hurdle for batches after batches of junior college students. Just as it has been for your seniors, this module has, for the past year, made up a large part of your school life. For those of you who thoroughly enjoyed this year’s journey, you are the lucky ones. I am sure the friendships you have formed within your group will only grow from here on. For those of you who experienced hell on earth, the suffering is over now; you have made it through. The struggle has made you stronger. With all that said and done, in the end, be it a beautiful ride through fields of roses with rainbows and glitter dancing through the air or a Lovecraftian nightmare from the darkest depths of your imaginations, this subject would undeniably have made an impact on you too for better or for worse.

by Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Joan Ang (17A01B), Alex Tan (16S03B), Pictures by Guan Xin

The first thing one noticed about Dr Peter Tan was how little he corresponded to one’s pre-conceived image of a linguist: he was decked out in a lemon-yellow long-sleeved shirt and bright salmon-pink pants, his hair tamed in a bun, a smart bow tie crisply completing the look.

Dr Peter Tan, stylo-milo.

This unexpected flamboyance was, on second thought, not out of place in a talk about the importance and relevance of style in language: “Style over substance, or style as substance?”. At the heart of this presentation, which opened this year’s ELL Symposium, was the idea that style is not merely a linguistic matter; it pervades many other aspects of our daily lives.

Dr Tan, a lecturer at the National University of Singapore, began by discussing the binary opposition of style and thought. Some writers and philosophers have suggested that style is a form of thought subject to adornment, enhanced with a beauty as dressy as Dr Tan’s sartorial choice. For example, Ernest Hemingway’s plain, blunt writing style is reflected in the plain grammatical structure of his sentences and the sparse use of adjectives. In contrast, Oscar Wilde’s prose brims with the dandyish and the fanciful because it delights in the frequent use of metaphors and surprising expressions.

Others think that style is inseparable from thought, being part of the way we choose to express ourselves. Our choice of words can radically affect the conveyed mood. Whether we say “I am going to cut my fingernails” or “I am about to excise the excess keratin off the ends of my distal phalanges” surely represents a marked divide in tone.

Without seeming to endorse either position, Dr Tan then showed how style is used to perform one’s identity and sense of belonging to a group. In Singapore, the use of Singlish (otherwise known as “local Singapore English”) might be used to signal informality, camaraderie and membership to a local community. On the other end of the spectrum is a more standard form of English (“international Singapore English”), which, if spoken, could signify educational attainment, authority, and distance.

Dr Gwee compares common Singlish phrases, what they appear to mean, and what they actually mean.

Yet things are not that black-and-white, because most Singaporeans code-switch easily between local and international Singapore English, injecting fragments of Singlish and other languages into sentences otherwise grammatically correct under the auspices of standard English. This indeterminate position of Singlish as a language was a thread seamlessly picked up by poet and literary critic Dr Gwee Li Sui in his talk, “So Speak Singlish Good or Not?”. Dr Gwee convincingly argued that Singlish, contrary to popular belief, cannot simply be classified as a variety of English. Singlish is unique in that it is heavily dependent on many languages for its meaning. For example, the phrases “buay tahan” and “go and die lah” are both only understandable in Singlish — the former is a mishmash of Hokkien and Malay words that gives it the meaning of “intolerable”, and the latter is an exclamation to chase an annoying person away, rather than a literal command to commit suicide.

Given this open-endedness, Singlish might appear indefinable. But not so — Dr Gwee, from years of accumulated experience in speaking and thinking reflexively about the language, distilled its distinctive traits into a neat list, explaining its delightful wit and nuanced grammar. Singlish is full of satirical banter and strange, humorous logic, as phrases like “ali baba” (“to steal, as if spiriting away”) and “blur like sotong” (“clueless, in a daze”) show. Perhaps more impressively, the use of end particles in Singlish is very complex, hinting at the speaker’s intended meaning by a combination of diction and intonation. “If they only know how to use ‘lah’, they’re probably angmoh,” joked Dr Gwee to uproars of laughter in the Performing Arts Centre.

Students attempt to absorb Dr Gwee’s talk better by eating their words.

The important thing, Dr Gwee concluded, was to treat English and Singlish as two differing specimens of language, in both of which we can overtly aim to enhance our competence. Indeed, Singlish is often treated in official governmental discourse as a corrupting influence, a mangled and ugly form of English, and in the words of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, “a handicap we must not wish on Singaporeans”. But Singlish deserves to be treated with its own dignity, to be celebrated as an integral part of what it means to be Singaporean: “No one’s English improves by speaking Singlish less, and no one’s English deteriorates by speaking Singlish more,” said Dr Gwee.

While both Dr Tan and Dr Gwee’s presentations doubtless offered stimulating food for thought, there were mixed feelings on the ground with regard to Dr Tan’s talk. “Some of the stuff has been taught in our ELL curriculum, so it was a useful recap,” said Andrea Low (16A01A). Studies cited by Dr Tan, such as that of Labov and Trudgill, were also already familiar to much of the audience. While the presentation brought refreshing ideas to those less familiar with the academic theories presented, it still came across as rather dry and academic to the non-ELL students in the audience, as it focused mainly on theoretical frameworks. Nevertheless, Dr Tan provided a new angle from which to view stylistic choices in language usage.

In contrast, the audience warmed more easily to Dr Gwee’s sharing, as he brought to bear a very personal examination of the quirks of Singlish. The immediate relatability of the presentation facilitated their appreciation of Dr Gwee’s points, delivered in a down-to-earth manner without losing their punch or panache. This time, while the points covered in the talk were somewhat less directly relevant to the ELL curriculum, the ELL students felt that they were able to get a better grasp of the development of language, specifically that of Singlish, through the talk which gave them useful concrete examples of the evolution of language over time.

A thought-provoking Q&A session.

The Q&A segment that followed was dominated by questions about the nuances of Singlish’s creation and evolution. An especially perceptive commentator noted that Singlish contains very few Tamil words, compared to words from languages with a larger number of speakers, such as Malay and Hokkien. Dr Gwee replied to this by acknowledging the disparity in word origins, but also noted that this said less about potential discrimination within the language than about the demographic of its users.

The most noteworthy moment arrived when a teacher from another school, seemingly courting controversy, interrupted a student’s question and commented that Dr Gwee’s talk was an apology for Singlish, which “three-quarters of the students here do not understand”. She raised the view, prevalent in Singapore, that Singlish downplays the importance of English. The auditorium, was visibly provoked into tremors of buzzing. Evidently, this was the very notion that Dr Gwee had aimed to challenge and subvert through his speech.

Queried about this hastily conceived comment, Dr Gwee responded, “It’s a perspective. It’s the reason why Singlish was demonized for so long. It had its day in the sun. It didn’t work the way we wanted it to, so let’s take another route. I think it’s been proven that you can’t kill Singlish. Why still want to go down that path? I think it deserves a life that has been denied it for so long.” We think Dr Gwee hit the nail on the head: Singlish, in the context of language, has a life of its own, and can no longer be simply dismissed as a ‘bad’ offshoot of Standard English.

In a nutshell, Dr Tan hopes that his talk will make ELL students “a little bit more conscious of the things they say”, and realize that style is more than an issue of language, affecting the way we choose to behave and dress ourselves. For Dr Gwee, his wish is that students will “keep on speaking proper English but at the same time learn to enjoy Singlish”. “Language is a complex entity. Students should recognize that they are part of the life of the language, and whether it survives, whether it thrives or whether it ends, depends very much on the way they treat it … Language is very fluid, but it is also very easily damaged,” he said.

Thus did the symposium end, and Dr Gwee wrapped up his talk with this message that spoke to all in the auditorium: to continue the study of ELL, to develop and maintain the awareness of our usage of the language, all “steady pom pee pee”.

By Bay Jia Wei (17S06R), Bill Puah (17S06B), Catherine Zou (17A01B)

What exactly is a student journalist?

The term seems straightforward, but its definition is complex. One could conjecture that it is someone who is well-read, inquisitive, perceptive, nosy or verbose; or maybe, it is simply someone observant enough to wonder about their school experiences. We weren’t sure, either, what to expect arriving in LT3 for the Pressing Ahead symposium on 9 April 2016 – and this uncertainty was the crux of the programme. As the first ever conference of different Press clubs, the anticipated outcomes and learning remained as great, and somewhat suspenseful, unknowns.

Pictured: the participants of the event, the first of its kind to take place.

Such was our initial impression of Pressing Ahead: a workshop-cum-sharing-session held by Raffles Press that catered to the journalism clubs of tertiary institutions in Singapore, including MJC, VJC, RI, ACJC, ACS(I) and CJC. After an opening speech by Press Chairperson Karen Cuison (16A01D),  we were divided into groups with a diverse mix of students from the institutions present, made to mingle, and then made to have a sharing session for everyone to learn more about the different schools present. This was followed by a fruitful discussion within each group under the broad guiding theme of “Accessibility in Writing”. To answer the core journalistic questions of “What is accessible writing?” and “What makes a good article idea?”, a broad spectrum of articles, about topics ranging from food critique to concerts, were critiqued together by the participants for this segment of Pressing Ahead.

The event enabled journalists to better understand the different CCA structures as shaped by school culture.

Though all present were members of student journalism clubs, the diversity of experiences was striking. Each CCA had its own unique quirks, while each journalist within the CCA offered a different and unique view of their CCA and their role in it. The recently-established Press of VJC, for instance, stood out for the sheer dedication and determination of its founders who single-handedly undertook the task of submitting proposals, recruiting members and organising sessions. It was striking that two student journalists could effect change in setting up a system for more to participate.

These individuals are in fact still exploring ways and strategies to form the backbone and culture of the club through experimental structures, article styles and publicity initiatives. As student journalists, they explore and use a range of styles,  forms and article types to report on events in school. For example,  ACJC’s online website, maniAC, has a strong culture of personal articles on the schooling experience, often publishing articles such as those about students’ reflections on education and identity. On the other hand, MJC’s work has much to do with the dissemination of their biannual Musings publications, which is a crystallisation of articles on key events within the school and advice for students. What was made clear to us was the simple but elusive truth that there was no one type of Press. Individual writers and their articles direct a general path for Press clubs, each of which is characterised by their members’ unique opinions.

Yet, despite the differences between the stylistic and structural organisation of Press clubs, there still exists distinct similarities between the student journalists in terms of our experiences, traits and beliefs.

For instance, strike a conversation with any student journalist, and more often than not you will realise our extreme fondness for having opinions. Student journalism is founded upon and led by perspectives, a driving force that came out strongly during our discussions on the role of our respective journalistic societies. Even in event coverage, an aspect that formed the bulk of most clubs, student journalists strive to add value to an event by sharing relatable insights, rather than simply running through a mechanical series of happenings. One of our participants described this process as “writing from an angle” – as journalists, we aspire to look deeper and further, and to articulate these opinions coherently.

One, too, could liken this process to travelling on a road: it is not without unexpected road closures or red lights. These often come in the form of restrictions that may be placed on the content of articles, something which many participants lamented over. However, as our Press teacher in-charge, Mr Patrick Wong, put it, “We are the school press, not the alternative press.” What this means is that, as student journalists, we are obligated to self-regulate commentary on sensitive topics, and be wary of the tangible effects our words can possibly have on readers. Through the conference, one of the strategies we discovered was to put a positive spin on contentious article ideas, such that our pieces remain “life-giving” to the school on the whole, which may well be a core purpose of student journalistic societies. It is not about shunning opposition, but wielding the word in a manner that will grant ourselves the favourable green light.

These insights aside, the most memorable part of the day was ultimately the inter-school sharing sessions, through which we were exposed to different writing styles and CCA structures. It was clear, however, that no matter hardcopy or online, personal or events-based, student journalist societies have the same goal: to document and capture particular moments in the daily lives of their members.

Additionally, by the end of the day, Pressing Ahead had matured into a platform that elucidated student journalism’s boundless potential for all participants present. During the event’s conclusion, Justin Lim (16A01B), Overall In-Charge of Pressing Ahead, raised his belief that this event “might just be the first step in establishing connections… and perhaps be a platform for the sharing of experiences and the creation of ideas,” impressing upon us journalists the multitude of future collaborative possibilities that were available, despite the earlier uncertainty about the identity of Singapore’s collective student journalism society.

Indeed, perhaps the most comforting aspect of the conference would have been the quiet mutual understanding reached between the participants when we realised, then, in the LT, that there could not possibly exist a grand set of axioms that can encapsulate what it means to be a student journalist. After all, student journalism is our own construct to create. Participants attested to the fact that it is a diverse and rewarding pursuit, that anyone with the willingness to can join and shape. Perhaps, given further opportunities and time, student journalism can transcend the boundaries of our schools’ publications; perhaps there can be chances for inter-school journalistic collaborations. At the close of such discussions, amidst new questions or changing circumstances, we are determined to press ahead.

by Bay Jia Wei (17S06R)
Photos by Nadya Ang (16S03D) of Raffles Photographic Society

Watching a game of fierce and determining ricochets proved to be an intense experience for those who gathered to witness the Table Tennis finals on the 22nd of April. One could hardly imagine the degree of tension felt by the RI A-Division paddlers who faced immense pressure, given their track record of consecutive victories for the last 3 years. Furthermore, both teams were up against formidable opponents of the Table Tennis scene – Hwa Chong Institution for the girls, and Nanyang Junior College for the boys.

For those amongst us who are not well-acquainted with the sport, here goes a brief explanation: teams play 5 matches, and the title is given to the team who first wins 3 matches.

Focus on the ball.

Perhaps the most hypnotic of the many movements in Table Tennis is the service. It is a swift motion, executed with extreme focus, that starts off a rally where seconds and millimetres matter. Every fist pump for a tough point secured was the result of trained accuracy and agility. Despite losing the first match, the RI A-Division girls kept their cool and played on, eventually claiming the championship by winning the next three matches. In an interview with the Captain of the girls’ team, Li Jiaxin (16S07D) mentioned that this was part of their strategy and she was glad that it turned out well. She was also proud of her team members who played excellently, by “putting in all [their] effort and doing [their] best”.

Hard-earned satisfaction.

The RI A-Division boys saw fiercer competition, with both teams playing out all 5 matches. It was difficult to keep track of the fast-paced scoring and many games were won by narrow margins. Nanyang Junior College proved to be a worthy opponent, taking our A-Division boys right to the end with a 2-2 tie by the fourth match. The mood was high-strung and both schools engaged in impassioned school cheers to motivate the players. Interestingly, however, the cheers quietened down whenever service was about to begin or when an intense rally was in progress. The unspoken understanding that the players needed the space for extreme concentration was heartening. The final singles match was a neat conclusion for the RI A-Division boys amidst heightened tension, where games were convincingly won by distinct margins. Mr Chan Joon Kiat, the teacher in-charge for RI Y5-6 Table Tennis, was impressed by the “strength of the fighting spirit” which he thought was a determining factor in contributing to the eventual 3-2 victory.

Concluding the event with medals and trophies.

Alongside the stellar performance seen, some lessons surfaced during the game, when one of the RI A-Division boys leapt onto the table to let out a victory cry after winning an intensely-fought match. An RI teacher, Mr Se Kuan Pin, commented that such an action reflected a disappointing “lack of sportsmanship”, to which the RI Table Tennis team declined to comment. Mr Se’s comments would perhaps be a reminder that amidst our quests for victory, we ought not to let the cry of success overshadow the subtle voice of sportsmanship, and that we ought to remember to treat others with respect and dignity. And because none of us are infallible, we should also understand and forgive the instances in which we forget to be so.

TEAMS:
Girls:
Tian Jing Yi (17A03A), Linda Zeng Zi Yue (17S06M), Lim Ye Xuen (17S06S), Sophia Gan Song-Hui (17S06H), Geraldine Lee Boon Sim (17S06O), Wu Wenshan (17S03P), Li Jia Xin (16S07D), Kwok Qian Yi (16S06F)

Boys:
Lu Jing Guang (17S06D), Tan Wei Lun Julian (17S05A), Sean Pang Jia Le (17S03C), Yin Jing Yuan (16S06C), Yang Chenye (16S06R), Yap Heng Kai (16S06I), Tan Rong Jun Daryl (16S03K), Goh Shao Feng Ryan (16S03K), Lim Jin Jie (16S06C), Wong Yu Cong (16S03M)

This article is Part 1 of our Presidential Candidate Feature. More information about the candidates for President and House Captains can be found here.

By Nicole Doyle (17A01A), Marilyn Kang (17A01B) and Yeo Jun Wei (17S03B); Photos courtesy of Students’ Council

It’s that time of the year again, when white walls around school become filled with tidbits of information and faces we will come to familiarize ourselves with. This year’s Presidential Candidates for the Students’ Council have been reaching out to the school through their many posters and videos, which can be viewed in the canteen. With voting about to be held this coming Wednesday, the candidates have been hard at work on their campaigns.

This year, Raffles Press will be covering the Council Presidential Elections in a two-part article series. We hope that these articles can equip students with a better impression of just who and what they will be voting for in order to make informed choices during voting. This first half of the series aims to feature some preliminary questions that will give insights into the quirky and personal side of each candidate, with questions carefully curated by us here at Press.

Without further ado, we present your Presidential Candidates for the 36th Student Council!

The Presidential Elects, from left to right: Fatima Siddiqui (17S03I), See Chung Yi (17S06F) and Joyce Chan (17A13A).

1. Are you a hunter or a gatherer?

Fatima Siddiqui (FS): I’d think I’m more of a gatherer. I understand gathering to be a slower process, which is reflective of my focus on developing long-term relationships and nurturing each individual above and beyond the task at hand. Besides, I don’t like the violence that comes to mind when I think of hunting!

Chung Yi (CY): Who says we can’t be both? Humankind leapt forth from the cesspools of primitivity through the acquiring of hunter-gatherer skills. Both the ability to hunt, which is to be resourceful, to be able to think on the fly and to look for new, innovative methods to solve problems, and the ability to gather, which is to plan ahead, to save for a rainy day and to be prepared for all possible desirable/undesirable outcomes, were important for survival back then, and are important in today’s day and age. I would be a hunter-gatherer, both prepared for the expected, and ready to tackle the unexpected.

Joyce Chan (JC): A hunter. I enjoy challenging myself, to constantly improve myself and seek new experiences.

2. What’s your favourite quote?

FS: “Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibilities, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” – Shel Silverstein

CY: “Hold on to what makes you feel, don’t let go, it’s what makes you real” – without passion, life would be a mistake. We’re all driven by something, be it by service, by music, by academics, by sports, etcetera etcetera. Without a motivation, life becomes colourless and uninteresting, so it’s important to me to live for something – and that’s for me that’s friends, family and music.

JC: “When everything seems to be going against you, just remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”

Besides my interest for aviation, this quote really serves as a reminder that when faced with tough times, we’ll always be able to come out on the other side, stronger than before.

3. What stationery item would you want to be?

JC: I’d be a coloured marker. A coloured marker can be used for many things: to pick out details on a page filled with words, in a piece of artwork, for little children to make scribbles with, or to just make notes a little less boring. Like a marker, I’d like to think of myself as a detail-oriented person. Also, I have a wide range of interests, and would like to gain as many new experiences as possible to make the most of my life. Lastly, I believe in colouring up and bringing fun into both our own and others’ lives. \0/

CY: I would be a pencil. There’s the somewhat overused pun on “lead” (haha.), but more importantly, a pencil is a vessel for creation, is a means through which art, stories, and beauty are made. The pencil can create content that inspires, that brings people together, that helps to forge new paths. And though some might say the pencil can be worn out, it doesn’t take much for it to be resharpened, to refocus, for it to continue serving and inspiring the greater good.

FS: Reinforcement rings! (Those little things we can stick on after punching holes in a piece of paper to make sure we don’t end up tearing the page as we repeatedly flip through files.) Over time, it’s not uncommon to see a lot of people burning out and like the reinforcement rings, I hope to be able to keep those around me going, supporting them through the tough times. Yes, it involves staying strong and keeping morales up when everyone else may be on the down low, but an intact file with untorn pages and happy team with satisfied individuals at the end of it is more than worth it!

4. Would you rather be a dog or a cat?

FS: I’d rather be a cat. I really admire how composed and self-respecting cats are as they walk around calmly. Sure, they don’t seem as bubbly or friendly as dogs, but in their quiet demeanour, they can provide a lot of comfort, like when they come over and rub themselves on your legs. I won’t complain about the claws that come with being a cat either; it’s always good to have some back-up if the situation gets dire and out-of-hand!

JC: I’d rather be a dog. Generally, a dog can take naps and go about just like cats do, but much like how a dog shares close bonds with their owners, I personally enjoy forging close relationships with the people around me. However that’s not to say that I enjoy being commanded and controlled by someone; rather that I would go the lengths to be the best that I can be for the people around me. (Though being able to climb a tree would be useful.)

CY: I would rather be a cat. Cats exhibit a special kind of introversion, an introversion that is self-aware and self-reflexive. Yes, dogs have boundless energy, and that’s always a good trait to have – unbridled enthusiasm. However, certain situations call for being able to step back and take a look at the big picture, to reconsider and plan the next best course of action. Cats will sometimes slow down, and I suppose that they take this time to think about where life will next take them, and where they will next take their lives and the lives of others. And of course, after careful thinking, they spring to action with enthusiasm and vigour. This is akin to who I am, I do not rush into things, I carefully consider what would be the next best step to take, and when time calls for it, I too, will spring to action, with a smile on my face and energy to spare :)

5. Would you rather be in the majority or the minority?
CY: It sounds like a cop-out answer, but it honestly depends on the situation. It’s less of an issue of being in the majority or the minority, and more of whether the stand you take is morally and ethically right or wrong. Sometimes the right decision might not be the most popular decision, and you know what? That’s OK! So long as what you do is good and just, there is no problem with being in the minority.

FS: I’d rather be in the minority actually. In some ways, I’m already in the minority, for instance, in terms of race or because I wasn’t born in Singapore. To me, being part of the minority has always meant having a unique perspective that would be valuable to others around me if only I had to courage to share it. Granted, it isn’t a bed of roses when your needs and situation aren’t well understood and you have to be the one speaking out for that small group of (sometimes forgotten) people, but pushing yourself out of your comfort zone makes for very meaningful experiences. The steeper the mountain, the harder the climb, the better the view I guess!

JC: Depends on the context; if it’s in terms of race, I probably can’t change much, but I would probably stand with whichever I share my beliefs with/stand for.

6. Name one controversial belief that you have.
CY: That cats are better than dogs. (Sorry dog lovers. I would love dogs more if not for the fact that I was bitten by a dog once and never bitten by a cat. Bad childhood memories.)

FS: Many people go in with the hopes of doing a lot of good, but one belief I hold on to is trying to do as little harm as possible. It’s not that I don’t believe in doing good — I, too, have ideas for how we can make the school a happier place in our term in Council — but I feel that sometimes a lot of harm is done along the way. Be it arguments in teams over minor details and perfection, or people burning out because we’re trying to do just too much good, these are all forms of “harm” that I hope to be able to minimise. It’s controversial because it does involve compromising on how much good we can do, and some might feel that the best way to do as little harm as possible is to do nothing at all. To me though, it’s about maximising “net” good by minimising the “harm” along the way.

JC: Exercise is fun.

7. What’s your pet peeve?

FS: Formatting! Such as unjustified font changes in a document, or things not being aligned properly. I like things neat and presentable so messy documents with many different fonts or inconsistent font types and sizes are definitely my pet peeve.

CY: Dogs.

Just kidding. My pet peeve comes from my time in the Chinese Orchestra – when people don’t play with the right attitude. Music should be about release and the painting of a picture, the portraying of a story, a display of powerful emotion. If one doesn’t put his/her heart into his music (or generally into the things he’s invested in), then it becomes difficult to put an entire piece of music together, for a project to be carried through to the end.

JC: A pet peeve I have would probably be when people dirty the tables and don’t clean up (like sticky blobs of stuff that leave marks on tables). Usually I wouldn’t sit down and use it till I’ve gotten something and wiped it away.

8. Have you ever given up on a dream before? If so, why?
CY: Never. Dreams that have yet to be achieved are merely success stories delayed. Don’t give up on your dreams, because as cliche as it sounds, they’re what drive you to be the best you can be.

FS: Back in primary school, I had a dream of writing in Urdu (my mother tongue) digest magazines in Pakistan. I really love my mother tongue and used to spend a lot of time reading books and poetry, and spending way more effort than rational on my compositions. It was actually my grandmother’s sister who read a lot of these magazines that suggested I send some of my stories in. Back then, I was really excited about the idea, but apprehensive about the quality of my writing and so decided to wait it out. But as I grew older, more things competed for my time and I stopped spending as much time on writing so my standard somewhat stagnated. Perhaps there is still a chance that someday I will do what I set out to, but I think deep down I have given up on the dream because my stories are somewhat still at primary school level haha! It would have been cute and quite a dream to fulfil then, but now, not quite so.

JC: So far, I haven’t given up on any dreams before, but I might have to give up on the dream of becoming a pilot, because I’m not sure if I’ll grow enough to meet the height requirement. :(

9. Describe your prison escape plan.
JC: The first step would probably to plan the escape destination, and route to the destination, perhaps collude with some people outside of prison to rendezvous somewhere outside the prison before we make a getaway on a vehicle. Next would be to establish a “habit” (for example, spending extremely long times in the toilet or something) so that on the actual day of escape (e.g. through the toilet window? Assuming it’s large enough for a person to fit through), nobody would really suspect anything until they actually realize I’m gone. While doing so, I’d probably go around observing the degree of security on various areas in order to plan the safest route where I would least likely get spotted, and collect items I would possibly need (e.g. extra food from mealtimes or something). And when everything’s ready, pick a suitable time based on the observations gathered and make a run for it.

If all else fails, pretending that I lost my way or learning ninjutsu would be good. \0/

CY: Never have I invested much thought into a prison escape plan, possibly because I am a law-abiding citizen and I don’t intend to go to jail. However, in the unlikely event that this happens, the plan would roughly involve a spoon from the prison cafeteria, a tarpaulin or cover that blends in with the ground, and a lot of digging. A lot, of digging.

FS: Oh dear, why am I in prison! I think I’m more likely to just stay in prison than to try and escape. Anywho, if I did try, I think my escape plan would involve being a good inmate and remaining on cordial terms with the officers and wardens so I can observe them and their procedures carefully. No system is perfect, and enough observation of the situation from different viewpoints (by sticking with the wardens, or as an inmate) will eventually reveal the crucial flaw that will allow me to escape. It’ll be a quiet escape – no one will notice until they come around as usual, and that is when they will find a thank you note from me, for the instrumental role they didn’t even realise they were playing in my escape.

10. What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?
JC: The hardest thing I’d ever done was probably going to the airport to send off a really close friend of mine who was moving overseas for an indefinite amount of time.

CY: In recent memory, this interview.

Again, just kidding :) (but really, where do you get these questions from?). The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was to come to terms with having to give up Chinese Orchestra as a CCA upon joining Council. Chinese Orchestra has been and always will be big part of my life, but in wanting to devote my time and energy towards service to the school and my friends, I knew that I would not be able to commit fully to Chinese Orchestra (CO). However, thanks to the support of my friends in and out of CO, I realised that though you can take the person out of CO, you can never take CO out of the person. Music will always be a part of me, the friends I’ve made in CO, I’ll never forget, and this made it easier for me to come to terms with my decision. Knowing that my friends support me motivates me to devote my time to Council and to the wider community, and reaffirms my decision.

FS: Scolding one of my nephews when he was putting both himself and his younger brother in danger. The two of them were staying with my family for a couple of months at one point, and we happened to be doing some rewiring of computers and printers. Excited to somehow be a part of the activity, the older nephew kept running in and out of the room, with the younger one following suit. Despite repeated reminders not to do so, he did not listen and eventually ended up tripping over a wire, jerking the entire printer forward. I managed to put my leg out in time to stop the printer from falling onto him. But the situation was really too close for comfort – a split second later and I don’t even want to imagine what could’ve happened. I really had to make it very clear to my nephew that actions have consequences, and that instructions need to be heeded despite how he cried as he was being reprimanded. I really love him, which made it painful to see him in tears and to be the cause of it, but it was something that had to be done.

This concludes the first half of our coverage of the 36th Student Council’s Presidential elections! Look out for the next article, where we will dig deeper into each candidate’s plans and visions for Council.