By Emily Ni (20S03C), Rachel Leong (20A01A), Megan Soh (20A01B), and Mah Xiao Yu (20A01B)

Bet You Didn’t Know was a column featured for Raffles Press’ Teachers’ Day 2019 Print Edition.

NAME: MR GERALD CHOO
DEPARTMENT: SCIENCE (CHEMISTRY) 

Chemistry, Japanese, and baking? These three endeavours may seem disparate, but Mr Choo enjoys them all.

When did you start learning Japanese and what made you decide to start learning it?

I started when I was 13, when I was given the option to do Japanese for the O Levels. It was the Japanese boom during my era, and I wanted to watch dramas without the subtitles! I’m not a “weeaboo” or an “otaku” though—I’m not a huge anime or subculture fan.

Why did you decide to go to Tokyo for university (when English is not the medium of instruction)?

Well, there were two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to maintain my Japanese skills even after the A Levels. Furthermore, it was exciting to be in the capital of the country, and Tokyo also offered a new perspective compared to the traditional United Kingdom/United States route. My time spent there was brilliant—I don’t regret it.

What kind of challenges did you face in Japan? 

The language was hard and technical but became easier after about one or two years. In fact, after my first math lecture in university, I came out of the theatre and broke down. I had to call one of my friends, who told me to snap out of it since I was already there. Thinking back, I’m still really grateful for that friend.

The cultural differences were also hard to get used to. Singapore is an individualistic society, but in Japan there is a sense of the group above the self. I struggled with this notion because I wanted to assimilate into the culture but also retain my own identity, and I had to deal with some instances where I was expected to conform. 

There was also subtle racism—or xenophobia—because I was a foreigner. This could be because Japan is very racially homogeneous. After this, I was more aware of how minorities in Singapore feel, though I cannot say I understand completely due to the different context and experiences.

A little bird told me you were good at technical things for Raffles Players—where and how did you pick that up?

I learnt much of it from an ex-student in 2016. She was really good at building things, and I picked up some skills from working with her. Other than that, I think it’s just instinct, probably from tinkering with gadgets in my childhood. I was very curious as a child—I was fascinated by lightbulbs, and I would take apart the three-pin plugs and put them back together, hoping no exploding happened [nervous laughter].

What are your hobbies outside of school?

I like to bake, and I cook too. This was largely influenced by my mother, and I make a really good New York cheesecake, banana bread, and carrot cake (not the Chinese kind). Sadly, I don’t really do it nowadays because it makes me fat [laughs] Okay, not because of that, but I haven’t had the time to bake. I’m a firm believer that if you want to do something well, it must be done with the heart.

NAME: MR SARALN NG UDOMKICHDECHA
DEPARTMENT: ARTS (HISTORY) 

Mr Saraln’s Mandarin ordeal has not dampened his love of languages—he tries to learn as many as he can!

What prompted your move to Singapore?

My parents think that the education here is good, compared to in Bangkok. My dad wanted my siblings and me—I have two siblings—to be able to speak English and Mandarin in addition to Thai, and he thought that Singapore is a good place for this. I think it was quite a radical decision for him to do that. So he just sent my siblings and me to Singapore. Of course, [my parents] did not accompany us. They had to stay back—stay put—to work, to send us the money, to sponsor us, to support us financially.

Was it difficult to adapt to the Singaporean culture? What were some of the struggles you faced?

As a child, I wasn’t so conscious about the cultural differences. And I think, as a child, it’s easier to mix around with my peers. The differences were not so distinct. But I remember the most challenging thing was to pick up the languages. Because of the language barrier, I was dropped three academic years. So I was older than my peers by three years. So picking up the languages was quite tough. I had to learn English. I had learnt some English in Bangkok, but we don’t use it on a regular basis, so I couldn’t quite speak it. Mandarin, I had to pick up from scratch. It was really tough. I can remember my first Chinese lesson, in primary school, the teacher had to offer to help me write the 作文 (composition) because I didn’t even know how to write basic words. So, looking back, that was quite a crazy idea.

But, thankfully, my sister (who’s one year older than me) is quite focused in her studies, so she had a good influence on me and my brother. We tried to follow her in studying hard, and we mugged really hard to catch up with our peers. And thankfully we did; we caught up. [Learning the languages] was challenging all the way until P6, Sec 1. But it could be done, catching up, [even if] it took a few years.

And food! Some dishes I found rather strange back then. Like mee rebus—I thought it was absolutely gross. But what I really loved was roti prata. It’s so good; I always looked forward to having it. My brother and I stayed with a local family, who provided meals for us—three meals a day. They would get roti prata every Sunday, so I looked forward to Sunday for that super good stuff.

Of course, the homesickness was terrible. In fact, I think I took more than ten years to get over homesickness. It’s really tough. It’s particularly acute when I have to return to Singapore from Bangkok, after each holiday. But also, as much as it was acute, the good experiences were more than the misery. I would say, [on the] whole, we were very privileged to be in Singapore, to come here for a good education. 

I think what makes it not too difficult for me is that I’m an ethnic Chinese, so I do see the importance of learning Chinese. And it’s not so difficult to—I would say—assimilate into the Chinese community. Because [our] features and all [are similar], my friends don’t really treat me like an outsider.

If you weren’t teaching in Singapore, what do you think you’d be doing?

I would love to be a Christian missionary in Thailand and have a closer study of the Bible. I think it’d be cool to study more about the scriptures and share the faith with my fellow Thais. A majority of them are not Christian, so they do not have access to the faith.

Do you have any interests your students probably wouldn’t know about?

I discovered my love for languages back in university, particularly Southeast Asian languages. So I picked up Bahasa Indonesia and some Vietnamese. Why Southeast Asian languages? Partly because I was a Southeast Asian Studies major, so I had to specialise in one other Southeast Asian language. So I took Bahasa for two and a half years. No regrets, I absolutely enjoyed it. And through learning those languages, [I] increased my interest in the region. And I enjoy seeing the similarities between the languages that I learn, such as the similar vocabulary of Thai and Bahasa Indonesia. For instance, “bahasa” (as in, Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Indonesia) which means “language” is similar to the Thai word for “language,” “phasa” (ภาษา), which has a similar root word from Sanskrit. And the more I learn, the more I find that I’m appreciating Thai through learning Bahasa. So that’s really awesome.

And I kind of overestimated myself—I thought I was very good at languages—so I picked up Vietnamese as well. It was kind of insane to study two languages at the same time. But it was immensely fun and enjoyable. I remember looking forward to waking up every day, just trying to learn these two languages. And it kept me going. Vietnamese is really cool. I studied Mandarin, [and] there are plenty of similar words between Vietnamese and Mandarin. For example, “history” in Mandarin is “lì shǐ” (历史), and in Vietnamese it’s “lịch sử”. So there are a lot of similarities that I see. That’s really fun.

Are there any languages you would be interested in learning?

In Southeast Asia, I think, Khmer. Because the root of Thai language came from Khmer, so there’d be a lot of similarities. If I were more adventurous, I’d try Burmese because the linguistic family is totally different from Thai, so that would be more challenging for me to learn. I guess if I wanted to learn more about the Bible, the language to learn would be Hebrew, or Greek. But I don’t think that’ll be anytime soon. [laughs] Let me finish the whole Bible first.

Why did you decide to teach? 

This came to me when I was in university. I had a different ambition before that. I wanted to join the MFA because I had some interest in current affairs. But later on, in university, when I became more mature, I found that my temperament was not so suitable for the making of a foreign service officer. I think I’m more laidback, not so competitive. Not so combative. So I think I wouldn’t survive there, if I were to ever make it into MFA in the first place. So I started looking into other possible paths and teaching was the one and only path I could see myself pursuing in the long run. And also, at that time I was getting my citizenship, so teaching as a career in Singapore was very viable.

Teaching is my first career and Raffles is my first posting. As I mentioned I was dropped 3 years and I served NS for 2 years, so I was slightly older when I entered the workforce. Technically, I entered the workforce when I was 28. So I’m considered quite a latecomer as compared to my peers, especially the [women]. But I think it’s a luxury that my parents could sponsor me and allow me the time to pursue what I liked. And I think with that time and some maturity, it helped me to make decisions more carefully.

Just curious—were you from Raffles?

Yes, for six years. From 2004 to 2009. [I’m teaching here now] because of the central posting by MOE. It’s coincidental that I’m back here. It was a big surprise for me as well. I’m happy to be teaching here now, in my second year of teaching.

Is there any advice you’d like to give to foreign scholars in Raffles?

I guess one practical way of combating homesickness is to keep yourself occupied. And I guess life in RI will ensure that you are sufficiently occupied, or even more—overwhelmingly occupied. [laughs] So yes, keep yourself occupied, but of course, turn to someone when you feel that it’s taking a toll on your emotional well-being.

NAME: DR SALLY NG
DEPARTMENT: SCIENCE (CHEMISTRY) 

Dr Ng appreciates the little things that we often take for granted.

How was life different in your homeland? Do you think living there has shaped your perspectives in Singapore and vice versa?

Life back in Jakarta was a lot more restrictive and inconvenient. As far as I could remember, it’s unsafe to do a lot of things on your own, for example: taking public transport, going out alone, etc. Coming from Jakarta made me appreciate a lot of “usual” practices in Singapore, such as commuting anywhere on your own, leaving your belongings unattended to chope seats, etc. One can only do such things if it’s safe enough to do so, I suppose.

Was it hard to adapt to Singaporean culture? What were some of the struggles you faced and memorable experiences you had here?

Personally, I found that I [had] no issue assimilating into Singapore and Singaporean culture. I speak Mandarin fluently, so I had it easier than many of my friends who [couldn’t] speak Mandarin. I do, though, find it hard to speak English—I took a good three months to be able to converse in English. In Indonesia, I [learned] everything in Indonesian. One funny experience [I had] was when I was attending [an] organic chemistry lesson and the lecturer said “potassium”. I couldn’t locate it in the [periodic] table because there’s no such element in [the] Indonesian language. In Indonesia, we [call] “potassium” differently. It’s “kalium”, which starts with the letter “k”. But [everything] went okay eventually. Now if you ask me to talk about chemistry in [the] Indonesian language, I don’t think I can anymore!

Do you visit your homeland often? Do you miss it?

Not really. I go back to Jakarta occasionally, but only for events. I do miss my friends and the food, but perhaps not the place. My experience in Jakarta hasn’t been a pleasant one. [I] was in Jakarta during the racial riot[s] in 1998. Since then, I told myself that I’d leave the country for good one day.

Do you have any interesting hobbies?

I used to be a competitive figure skater till the age of 15. I still love skating, but I don’t really do it anymore. Getting old!

Is there any hobby you would like to pick up?

Knitting or cooking maybe?

Please tell us more about your doctorate.

To be very honest, I didn’t set out to do a PhD degree. At that time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do after [my] undergraduate studies, and my final year project supervisor convinced me to do graduate studies in organic chemistry, particularly gold chemistry (organogold chemistry), as he thinks that I have the potential. So I did. Looking back, I am glad that I did my postgraduate degree because it was then that I found my passion in teaching. I mentored numerous undergraduate and master’s degree students, [and] taught as a teaching assistant in university, both in tutorials and in the lab. Through that, I finally [knew] what I wanted to do in life.

By Gabrielle Ng (20A01E) and Valerie Tan (20A01E)

Just Joined was a column featured for Raffles Press’ Teachers’ Day 2019 Print Edition.

NAME: MS ESTHER LEE 
DEPARTMENT: ARTS (LITERATURE)

Ms Lee gets her kicks from books—and from Muay Thai too!

What inspired you to become a teacher?

[takes a breath] Wow, okay, that’s a really difficult question. I wish I could be one of those teachers who could honestly say they’ve always dreamt of being a teacher, but that’s not really me. I think I have several inspirations.

Firstly, my JC Literature teacher. She was really good: she was caring, inspirational… Oh no, I’m using the word given to me, that’s bad! [laughter] But she really epitomised what it means to be a caring teacher—someone who was interested, authentically, in her students’ lives. And I think she served as a model for me to understand what a teacher could be. I mean, I wanted to be like her, so here I am!

Another inspiration would be my dad, who was an English teacher. So I grew up knowing what a teacher’s private life is like. I really admired the way he would talk about students openly and share it with our family, and he would also mention the funny moments that happened in class. I guess it was fun to see from that perspective. I think he embodied what teaching requires, which is to keep learning. So he was always reading, and encouraging my brother and I to read. I think it’s a lifestyle I can imagine myself in, for at least this period of time.

Then at which point in your life did you finally decide to be a teacher?

At the point where I had to find a job [smiles]. It’s very practical, but I think being a teacher teacher presents that possibility of a work-life balance. I think a lot of teachers would laugh at this.  But there’s the fact that I actually get holidays! I think really helps to keep me sane. And also, because my dad was a teacher, he could take us on holidays during that period. So teaching seemed like a pretty practical job. At the same time, it’s also an idealistic job because I can make a change in someone else’s life… [trails off; confesses] Okay, sometimes, really, I say this only half-believing in it. I guess that’s because it’s quite an abstract concept; I can’t really expect to change my students? But I do think every interaction I have with someone—not necessarily a student—is always an opportunity to make a little change.

If you hadn’t become a teacher, what would you want to be and why?

[jokingly complains] You’re asking me all the tough questions! [laughter]

This is genuinely such a hard question, but maybe I might have been a librarian? Because I like being around books, and sometimes talking to people is really tiring. So I like the company of things that don’t talk to me, at least not audibly. Audio books aren’t really my thing. I have some friends who are librarians as well; they seem to have such a fun life!

What’s something unexpected about being a teacher that you’ve learnt?

Hmmmm. I went into teaching without expectations. I mentioned I went in from a very practical perspective, so I tried not to have any expectations to prevent myself from feeling disappointed [laughter]. 

What’s your favourite part of teaching Lit?

The responses I get from students! 

I get, like, lots of hilarious responses—I have to keep from laughing sometimes. But I’m also very impressed by the ideas I’ve never considered, which some of y’all give me in class!  Especially with unseen poetry. Very often, a poem is meant to be read from or takes into account the reader’s perspective. Because you’re only given this chunk of text (at least for the A Levels), a lot of it is open to interpretation and how you choose to read it given your own experiences.

Do you prefer the poetry section or book section?

Definitely the poetry. It’s always a surprise, and I enjoy that! I like being surprised. [smiles]

If Lit was an animal, what animal would it be and why?

Definitely a cat. Come on.

Because a cat does not belong to anyone, and I think Lit doesn’t belong to anyone. A cat chooses who its person or human is, and even after choosing it is still temperamental. I think Lit also presents that kind of temperamental aspect: sometimes you get the poem, sometimes you don’t; sometimes you like a book at a certain point in your life, and then when you grow up and read it again, you’re like, what kind of fool!, or, was I a fool for enjoying, like… Looking for Alaska?

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Oh, hm. Depends on my mood really.

But a routine I’ve picked up recently is to spend my Saturdays at yoga. Then after that I’ll sit down somewhere for coffee and read a book. And that’s my Saturday morning! Or if I’m feeling adventurous I might go for Muay Thai. [adds] Also, if I’m feeling angsty.

In my free time (not necessarily just the weekends) or when I’m commuting, I like listening to music. One of my favourite bands is The National. Have you ever listened to their music? It might be a bit depressing, but there’s a certain quality to that music where, even in its melancholy and depressing… feel? It makes me feel understood, if that makes sense. Also, the melodies are quite catchy. The singer has such a nice voice; it’s very distinctive, this low baritone that’s very soothing. But he’s always singing about heartbreak, and the perils of suburban life.

Do you have any book recommendations?

[excitedly] Sure! 

I recently reread The Catcher in the Rye. The protagonist is so whiny. I used to really identify with him when I first read it at 16 years old. I think this book also has some sentimental value to me because it was a gift from my brother. I remember reading it and being like, yes! The world is so horrible, why can’t we be young forever? But reading it as someone who’s slightly grown up, I found that he’s insufferable. A bit like Joan (Note: protagonist of Saint Joan, a text Ms Lee currently teaches in class), very whiny.

I think there were also some quotes about art that were quite startling. I didn’t remember them when I was reading it at 16, but now I do. There’s this one that I can paraphrase for you. It’s about how he’s dating a girl called Sally, and she’s talking about art, but he feels that she’s really pretentious. And I thought that, yeah, people who tend to enjoy the arts can come across as pretentious sometimes, so I guess I feel a bit like I could have been Sally.

What genres of books or music do you enjoy the most?

Books by women? I know Catcher in the Rye isn’t the best example, and it’s kind of misogynistic, like that Sally example I gave. But I generally tend towards reading female writers.  

My favourite poet is Mary Oliver. There’s something very transcendental about her poetry. She talks about the natural world in a way that makes me sit up and look out of the window, and observe the birds flying past and even the flowers; the way the light falls on them and they interact with space… I think poetry that is powerful should move you to do that. 

Oh, actually, I have another book recommendation! Have you ever read anything by Sally Rooney? She’s an up-and-coming writer, quite young—two years older than me, I think. 

Why did you choose to teach Lit as opposed to other subjects?

Because it’s the only subject that makes sense… [laughter] Okay, I’m kidding, don’t use this! (Note: she later agreed to leaving this in.)

I think it presents a side of humanity that the other Humanities subjects don’t quite get at. And I enjoy Lit for the beauty of language. I mean, with GP, it’s great because it’s about communicating clearly. But sometimes, you need the layers of meaning; ideas that are aesthetic and don’t necessarily have to be about politics or the environment. I also like how Lit is very introspective, and forces me to think about how I view my relationships with other people and with the world at large.

Lastly, how has your overall experience teaching in RI been like so far?

I think I enjoy being here, teaching all of you. I think I prefer teaching older students compared to secondary school… I like teaching at JC level. I feel like I can connect with my students at a different level, I think, more personally. And I think y’all are more mature, mature enough to understand some ideas that I wouldn’t be able to discuss with a younger audience.

NAME: MR LEE KAH HOW
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS

Mr Lee has a wide range of interests from diving to breakdancing, and likens teaching to a theatre performance.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

I personally thought it would be very fun and meaningful, so it was a job that I had a lot of information about. Like, every student typically has the most access to teaching as a particular profession as compared to any other job. Also, of course, it was a job that I had the privilege of being under the care of very nurturing teachers—to name a few, Ms Huang Sijian from Hwa Chong Institution and Mr Lee You Zhang from Nanyang Primary School. They were two form teachers who really looked out for me, made sure I grew up in a proper manner, and spent time coaching me on some of the subject matter. So they helped clarify or amend my teaching philosophy.

You notice there are actually a lot of factors. Beyond the typical, “oh I was inspired by a teacher”, I thought it was quite fun, there were also familial factors like my dad, who really wanted to be a teacher, so that also influenced my choice to some degree. My brother also wanted to be a teacher, so now he’s happily in the Economic Development Board. There was also a rebellious element, right? My teachers all told me “Don’t be a teacher, you’ll regret it”. I think a part of me thought I wouldn’t regret it. And that’s why I’m here.

The “teaching philosophy” you talked about, what does that refer to?

Every teacher has their own value system—what they think teaching is about. It’s a very meta thing. They are some ideals and beliefs that guide the way they behave. Some teachers might be very rules-driven, so they feel a moral imperative to ensure that everyone abides by the rules because these rules serve as the stability of any society. Which might be why you find some teachers really dogmatic about particular behavioural elements. Then there are other people who are not that particular about rules, like myself. I tend to appeal to the students’ understanding of the spirit of the rules. So I do encourage bending some rules within reasonable limits. Like, some of my students happily eat in class, and I’m like, as long as you keep the place clean and tidy, that’s not an issue. In terms of attendance, if you’re slightly late on a few occasions, I write it off. These are things that I let go of, because I believe in helping people understand why and how they should behave rather than saying we should do this because this is the way it should be.

If you hadn’t become a teacher, what would you want to be and why?

I’m a very greedy person. Either that or I’m just interested in too many things. I’m gonna list, like, five of the top things that I’m still doing and would have done if I weren’t a teacher. I’d start my own business, but it wouldn’t be a traditional business. It would involve a lot of freelancing.

1. Freelance diving instructor. I’m a rescue diver; I’ve done about 30–40 dives to date. The next step forward is to clear my Divemaster course, then clear my instructor course. Scuba diving. I see lots of fishes, tiny creatures known as nudibranch. They’re like sea slugs. Very cute. Very furry. You learn to appreciate the world a lot more; there’s a lot more to see underwater than on land. You learn to control and manage your own fears. I hated the water, but through diving, staring at the calm fish, you start to breathe and become calmer. And suddenly you hear nothing but the sound of the ocean. Which is very peaceful and quiet, and I hope more people can get to see it.
2. Breakdance instructor! Word has been out. To be honest, I was very apprehensive because that conflicted with my professional ethos, right? Most people think it’s a very paikia sport. Either way, I’ve been doing it since I was a JC student, so it’s something I’ve quite enjoyed. Most people think it’s about spinning on your heads, but there’s a lot more to it. Right now I volunteer under Bethesda Care Services on Saturdays. I’m part of a team called Elevate the Streets, a group of passionate Bboys (breakdancers) who teach dance to reach out to youth at risk. Even for PW, I did it with Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home as a JC kid. I’ve been doing it for quite a while. I like dancing. It’s very fun. People should let loose and learn to appreciate movement more.
3. Open my own cafe! Very corny dream. I like it as a creative space. everyone likes a cup of coffee where they can relax and unwind and do nice things. Barista course is in the works, probably December break when I’m finally done with my school responsibilities, we’ll see. but those are more of pipe dreams.
4. Along the creative element, freelance graphic designing. I [designed] my own crew logo, I [designed] my logo for my dad’s business. I like drawing things, I like photography. Anything freelance art would be very fun. I’ve done it for a few friends for their own nonprofit groups, among many things. Making pretty things is very important to me.
5. Finally—it’s more of an Econs thing—helping SMEs transform. So, improving their digital presence. It’s no surprise that we are very slow, especially for uncles and aunties running their own business. They’re not sure how to move forward, my parents are one of them. I think the younger generation like us is more in tune with tech, and have an obligation to ensure that this tech transfer happens on an equitable level. It can be very simple acts like helping the elderly know how to use EZ-Link cards, which happens already with the Youth Corps. Or helping businesses have a web presence, get on Google Maps, have their own website, have their own ecommerce platform, so mama shops can be just as competitive as the bigger players. So everyone leads better lives—I think that’s very important for me. (Yes! That is the [Econs] question [the Year 5s] have done! Which surprises me, because some Raffles students have not been to mama shops. Some from my class. And it shocked me. To the core. I was like, “Your homework is to go to a mama shop this weekend.”)

How did you get interested in so many different things?

I’m greedy. This has not ended yet.

So I grew up in a bicycle shop. It’s a very humble family background thing. So my parents went through a few transformations and business models. It was a toy shop, it was a bubble tea shop during the bubble tea craze, then the bubble tea bubble popped. (Yes. I love that pun, it should totally be included.) Then it resumed being a bicycle shop, and it is shaky. My dad was a property agent before all these, so of course the housing bubble also popped. So it moved from lots of bubbles to not so bubbly parts of life, and I got to see quite a lot in the process as a child. My dad was quite adamant against letting us students do much of the business stuff, but even from a young age like JC, we did their Facebook business page, their own website, all that stuff, and I think that’s when I saw potential. Even for students to get involved in a very practical and productive fashion, digital transformation is not out of reach, and I think everyone in Raffles has a good grasp of the tools and expertise.

Other things like diving I did when I was doing an internship with the Asian Development Bank in Manila. Before becoming a teacher, I felt obliged to do as many things as I could—part of the teaching philosophy thing again. So when I come to meet my students, I can say even though I’m quite young, I’ve tried many things, and whatever you want to pursue or achieve, let me help you take the first step.

So you did all of this to inspire your students?

No, not really, it’s more of a selfish thing. I like these things. It just so happens that I can help give them some advice if they want to pursue any of these things.

What’s something unexpected about being a teacher that you’ve learnt?

I found that the most surprising element is that it’s a lot more performatory than we expect. I think a lot of students don’t realise it. Performatory in the sense that teachers have to put on a persona and maintain a certain energy level—no different from you watching a play. There must be certain highs and lows, climaxes that are pre-planned, points of audience engagement. In fact, my favourite teaching philosophy is experimental theatre, where there’s no fixed, concrete block, and it changes based on interactions with the audience. I did not think of teaching this way before; it just so happened that I’m a very bored person, and I realised that most students are also very bored, and they want to be entertained, that this whole teaching approach has changed. Kind of surprising, but at the same time, it seemed very intuitive.

What’s your favourite part of teaching Econs?

Even though the core elements are static—so the syllabus hasn’t changed very much in the past 30 years or so—every day I can comfortably incorporate examples. (Which is why [the Year 5s] went through the torture of my Grab question [in the CT]! It is my brainchild. Among other things.) The examples are live, industries are changing, we’re encountering new phenomena. So the challenge for Economics is: while keeping to the core principles and subject matter, how do we adapt is such that we can help students make sense of the world? I see that as the fundamental challenge.

So you can bring Marvel in to teach financial economies of scale and how they auction off the rights of certain characters to ensure survival. Economics is still well and alive, and we can learn to understand very fundamental shifts in what’s happening in the world today. If students, through Economics, can have a better understanding of how the battle between Disney Plus and Netflix plays out in terms of non-price competition, product differentiation, and stuff like that—yes, can see the haunting smiles on people’s faces—then I think we have succeeded, independent of your grades. Just having a good idea of how the world works.

My favourite lesson was actually completely unrelated to the lesson material, when students asked me abt how to use collateral to explain the 2008 financial crisis. You saw collateral as a term in your CT, right? A lot of people couldn’t understand that collateral is linked to financial EOS, so I took that as an opportunity to explain a lot more. That’s my favourite part—every day I add something, pull them back and show them that Econs is alive. People get excited, and I feel like I did something meaningful.

If Econs was an animal, what animal would it be and why?

This is an Econs joke—it’s animal spirits, haha. But only Econs teachers will understand this. It’s about base passions and how people act on impulse.

I would say it’s a cat. Because it’s accorded social status and prestige—remember the Egyptian times? When we worshipped cats. Even today, we see Econs as a subject that promises pragmatic value, that you can get good jobs if you study Economics. But at the same time it’s something we don’t understand! We don’t understand cats and we still worship them anyway, even though they do the weirdest and strangest stuff beyond our expectations like squirming in boxes and being absolutely irrational when we try to pretend that cats are perfectly rational and worthy of worship. I think it’s a great parallel. It’s certainly not a dog; it’s not the most obedient subject. It proves us wrong time and time again, but we still believe in it. Just like cats.

Is it true that Econs promises pragmatic value, or is it just a myth?

It’s a myth. It’s like any other bubble in Economics. It’s severely overrated. there are certain predefined paths, and maybe people conflate finance and Economics, so they assume an Economics major is a great way to earn money. But truth be told, if you’re not flexible or nimble on your feet, whatever major you’re in there’s no future.

By Ruchira Ramaswamy (20S03A) and Clara Shen (20A01A)

If I Wasn’t a Teacher was a column featured for Raffles Press’ Teachers’ Day 2019 Print Edition.

NAME: MS JESSLYNN GOH
DEPARTMENT: ARTS (HISTORY) 

If Ms Goh wasn’t a teacher… forget about it, she would still want to be one.

Tell us about your dream job!

Believe it or not, teaching is actually my dream job, something that I aspired to since a very young age. As I got older, I had some doubts, but with encouragement from friends and family… here I am!

How long have you been teaching?

Eight months! I started in January [this year].

What about teaching makes it your dream job?

Many different factors. One is having the privilege to be inspired by many good teachers out there—primary school, secondary school and even in JC. I recognise how significantly a teacher can make a difference in individual lives. That was something I hoped I could do for the next generation of young people, if I could have the chance.

Tell us about some of the doubts and challenges you’ve faced in your teaching journey.

There were friends who said it was going to be a very stressful job, very demanding physically, mentally, emotionally. And you don’t get that work-life balance, that’s what I hear a lot. Some people also said you only can travel during school holidays, and that’s the peak season of travelling, the prices go up. For example, you cannot travel in April to see the sakuras in Japan. And those things made me think a lot harder about whether I wanted to go into teaching, whether these sacrifices I’m going to make will be worth it. As I thought long and hard about it, I realised these are small sacrifices to make, and the opportunity that I get to interact with young students like you is not something that everybody gets. So I would like to seize the opportunity while I can, when I’m still young and have the energy. And I hope that this energy can sustain me through the years. It’s something that I see myself doing long-term. 

Do you find that what those people told you was true? 

Travelling—yes, but I’m not very affected by that [as] we still get our own breaks. Stress—yes, but I’ve learned after speaking to friends who are in different industries—some of them are in finance, some of them are in social work, some doing government policies—I realised that you can’t run away from stress.

Stress can come in different forms. The stresses that we face are different, and I can decide how I want to respond to it. Some stress that I face would be how to make tutorials more engaging and meaningful instead of doing the routine things, right? Because it would be very easy to repeat every week, do the same thing, so it wouldn’t be meaningful. I wouldn’t call that stress. I consider it a meaningful challenge, a meaningful endeavour for both myself and students.

 Take us through a day in your life as a teacher.

My day begins at 6 o’clock. I reach school around 7.10 am. But school starts at 7.40 am right? So you must be wondering what I’m doing. During these 30 mins, I like to consolidate my thoughts, just what am I going to do today.  Just have a rough overview: so today I’m meeting these 3 classes, so what will I be doing in each class—just to prepare myself. If it’s a chill day, I’ll just settle down and get into the zone. If I’m not tutoring or lecturing, sometimes I will sit in [on] my colleagues’ lessons to observe how they do certain things, are there some good practices that I can incorporate in my own classes. And then once lessons end, I have CCA: dragonboating. Sometimes I join them in the water but most of the time I’m down for land training when they’re at the gym. Officially, sometimes I [attend] some courses. If not I’ll just go back and relax, watch some TV. Or I’ll stay back in school and think about what I’m going to do tomorrow. Like I’m going to meet 3A later, so that’s my last lesson of the day. But I won’t go back [home] straight away. I will think: What am I going to do next week, while things are still fresh in my mind. Plan out roughly what’s going to happen next.

Has there been a moment where you’ve thought this was the wrong decision for you?

Not yet. But I feel that as a new teacher there are many ways in which I can still improve and learn. So I’m taking this chance to learn from many experienced and very good teachers in RI.

What advice do you have for students to follow in your tracks or follow their own passions?

 Don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Find out what you’re passionate about and go and pursue it even though not many people have gone there before. Don’t be afraid to try new things. And I feel that that’s something very important because many of us get pressured by what society deems as “good” or “better”. So don’t put so much emphasis on that. Find out what you’re really passionate about and run with it.

NAME: MRS WONG SEOK HUI
DEPARTMENT: SCIENCE (BIOLOGY) 

Mrs Wong doesn’t have a dream job, but she knows what the ingredients are.

What is your dream job?

I don’t really have a dream job. I just didn’t start out having something in my mind that I really wanted to do. I did go through different choices. When I was in school, I did triple science. I wanted to be a doctor [so] I applied for it. I got accepted into an overseas medical college but my parents didn’t want me to go so… life sucks, we look for new things to do. I did Biology, and along the way had a taste of different things. I did undergraduate research before the honours. I did the honours project… I thought—research is fun, but life-long? Maybe not.

So I went and I did something completely different from the sciences and [academia]. I actually was with Suntec for a while, where I organised exhibitions. A colourful part of my life, it actually was very very good exposure. But there were things about being in an industry like that that I didn’t really like.

Could you elaborate on what research you undertook?

I did biochemistry, that was when I was in Year 3, I think? So I spent about 2 years doing research and writing up a paper at the end.

 Why did you end up choosing teaching as your profession?

As you’ve seen, I’ve gone around and done different things. I like interaction with people, that was what actually made research seem like it was not something I’d want to do, life-long. I still like being in the [academic line]. No matter how you see it, there’s politics everywhere. I think the environment in school is still a little bit more… what’s the word for that… cleaner?

Yeah. And of course, the objective is something that I can identify with as you can put some meaning to the work that you’re doing.

How long have you been teaching?

10 years.

What does the average day in your life as a teacher look like?

 Depends on the timetable. If I don’t have a first class, first thing I’ll do is get my perk-me-up, which is tea from the canteen [laughs]. Then get back to the staff room and look at lessons for the day… some lesson prep. We also have department meetings, which happen on a weekly basis. We go to class, we have lunch or brunch—whatever you call it – depending on whenever our break is and the timetable. There’s marking, there’s vetting of materials, preparing of materials for lessons like worksheets and stuff, reviewing the lecture slides if you’re lecturing. 

What are some of the most rewarding things about being a teacher?

I think it’s just seeing how the students have grown. Two years is very short, but it is also a time where you do see quite a lot of changes in students. Not that they have to be model students, not that they started out with problems—you know, seeing a good change lah…it makes it feel like it’s worth it. Of course that comes with building connections with the students.

Has there been a moment where you thought that ‘this job is not for me’?

[There have] been moments where the job has been overwhelming. A teacher has to wear many hats. The moment I started having my own family, it did get quite heavy…so there were thoughts of that…

What allowed you to overcome that challenge?

It’s a stage of my life that I think I needed to go through, and many people will need to go through. We just have to manage our commitments. It doesn’t mean that if I change the job, it’s not going to happen. With any job there will be challenges that you have to deal with.

What advice do you have for students who are following their passions, or for those who have a similar dilemma about what to pursue in the future?

I always say: go and find out what you’re getting yourself into. Because it’s very easy to have a false idea of what you would like to do. At the academic level, you may like a particular subject, you may like to study something. And you tell yourself that as a result of this, you would like to do this job. But what does this job really entail? It may not be the same as what you imagined. Find out, I think that’s the best.

You’d mentioned that you didn’t really have a dream job. But are you now able to come up with a definition of what that might be?

Something that you can put meaning to, something you don’t mind investing energy in… and something that you can see yourself doing long-term.  

NAME: MRS LYDIA TAN
DEPARTMENT: KNOWLEDGE SKILLS

If Mrs Tan wasn’t a teacher, she would be a social worker.  

What is your dream job? 

When I was young, my parents [wanted me] to be a doctor. But my actual dream job is to become a social worker.

What makes it your dream job? 

Being able to extend help, to share with others that there is still hope no matter how dire the situation is. Most of the time, they are locked into their own circumstances and they think there is no hope left. But that isn’t the case. 

Why did you choose teaching as your profession? 

Despite always wanting to become a social worker, I chose to join teaching because I could become a social worker in disguise under the name of a teacher. Actually, when I went for my first interview with MOE to become a teacher, I asked to teach at a Normal Tech school because [I believe] it is the same calling and passion as doing social work.

What does the average day in your life as a teacher look like? 

It will always start with a hearty breakfast. Then it will be “showtime” for every lesson. I believe that Project Work is a craft, which I share with students in a way that the craft becomes easier to grasp. Other than lessons, there are consultations. Again, it is about honing the craft—teaching and guiding them especially in areas [that] they are not getting. There is a lot of planning of lessons and consultations involved. 

What are some of the most rewarding things about being a teacher? 

The most rewarding is not [about] seeing them get an A but it is to see that some students have really picked up skills that I know will benefit them for life. Students will come back and tell me how the skills they have learnt from PW stayed with them no matter what they end up majoring in. 

Has there been a moment where you’ve thought “I want to quit?”

Perhaps when it gets very draining. But this moment normally comes and goes very quickly. I still think teaching is a very meaningful job.

Tell us about one of the passions in your life. 

I enjoy serving the community. For the past few years, I have been volunteering and helping out with parenting classes for young parents. When helping others in their journey, I believe it reflects on me as a parent as well as how I parent the students that I see.

What advice do you have for students in following their dreams? 

Don’t lose hope. As cliched as it sounds, really do keep going even if you may not be able to realise your dream at this point of time. Whatever circumstances you go through, take it as a learning experience to make you stronger and better so that you are ready to embrace and fulfil your dream when the time comes. 

Would you say being a teacher is your dream job? 

I still have a little hope that I can become a social worker in the future. Maybe when I retire [laughs]. But I really do enjoy interacting with students because it makes me feel young. It allows me to get to know the lives of students better and help them in their thinking with regard to PW. Maybe along the way, I can inspire some hope in students as well. I fuse social work and teaching together, so perhaps I am living my dream job right now. 

By Jerome Tay (20S06Q), Rachael Koh (20S07C), and Kelly Leong (20S07C)

If I Wasn’t a Teacher was a column featured for Raffles Press’ Teachers’ Day 2019 Print Edition.

NAME: MR KOH SAY YONG
DEPARTMENT: PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE) 

If Mr Koh wasn’t a teacher, he would probably be cooking up a storm in the kitchen and composing his own songs.

Many think of PE teachers as tall, athletic and muscular. Possessing physical abilities in a multitude of sports, Mr Koh is all that and more. He graduated from the Science faculty of Biology in NUS, and has always had his eyes set on teaching physical education. As tenacious as a volleyball spike, he pursued his post-grad in PE and began teaching in Raffles Institution in 1993. 

Aside from being a PE teacher, Mr Koh enjoys cooking on the side. Now that’s all fine, but what’s even better is that this small interest of his eventually manifested in the most surprising way. In a move of calculated risk and following passions, Mr Koh and his colleague, another PE teacher from RI, started their very own restaurant, along Duke Road in Bukit Timah. 

“Before we took over, it was originally a light shop. Renovating and revamping the place was hard work,” he tells us as he reminisces how the journey was like for him in 1996 with a glazed-over look in his eyes. The restaurant was lovingly named “Nomads”, in honour of the PE-teachers-turned-chefs who were constantly travelling to new destinations themselves. 

“We served mainly Western cuisine,” Mr Koh recalls, “like pasta, pizza, steak and beer.” He added, matter-of-factly, that they tossed their own pizza. At this point, the authors were in awe of Mr Koh’s professionalism and had an unexplainable craving for a good ol’ Pepperoni ‘za. 

So how did Mr Koh’s few years of teaching help in his career of running a restaurant? While Mr Koh and his co-worker manned the kitchens, whipping up plates of delightful food, guests were served largely by some of Mr Koh’s ex-students—JC graduates, or cheap labour, waiting for their university application results. All in all, it sounded like a very homely place for a meal.

Unfortunately, the restaurant was sold to a customer just two years later. Mr Koh returned back to teaching PE with greater gusto. The story doesn’t end here though, because Mr Koh is multi-layered: aside from his interest in cooking, he also dabbles in music. 

Having been musically inclined since his youth, Mr Koh has performed for audiences in school and for the public. For a salary of $50, he did a one-man gig at Lau Pa Sat for an hour, singing and playing his guitar. In recent years, he has performed in school, and is self-taught in the ukulele. 

“It’s not intrusive, but soft if you play it well,” he says, as we urge him to play us a piece. He does so with little to no hesitation, and we are soon enraptured by the melodic and soulful tune that he chose. It’s a quaint song dedicated to his two daughters, whom he enjoys spending time with, and features a series of string-plucking and chord-strumming.

What this means is that Mr Koh is not only an athlete, but also an accomplished chef and musician. With such diverse skills, we wonder why Mr Koh did not continue his restaurant career, or branch off to become a local artiste. The answer is simple: he just enjoys what he does here, in our humble school.

 “The enthusiasm comes from the students,” he grins, before adding that “I do, I do love my job.” 

(Find Mr Koh’s song by scanning the QR code below!)

NAME: MR GAVIN SWEE
DEPARTMENT: ARTS (HISTORY)

Don’t be surprised if Mr Swee becomes your History professor one day!

A name commonly heard around school is Mr Gavin Swee’s, who has a reputation for being both a great history tutor and a funny, charismatic person. Mr Swee had actually started teaching immediately after graduating from university, with RI being the second school he has taught at.

He has always been passionate about history, so much so that he had entertained thoughts of majoring in Law after being accepted into said faculty, but ended up majoring in History and East Asian Studies during his undergraduate days. He enjoys telling the stories and experiences of people, with particular interests in telling the stories of Chinese living all around the world. One might even call him RI’s very own bard! 

During his free pockets of time in university, Mr Swee took on a whole host of responsibilities: from being a member of the residential life committee that looks after well, residential life on campus, to working in dining and catering, Mr Swee had certainly amassed a variety of life experiences prior to joining the teaching force. 

Of course, some of his proudest moments come from his time teaching. He recalls guiding a boy in a previous school who was academically unmotivated. With Mr Swee’s encouragement, nagging and helping him taste small successes, the boy managed to get into the polytechnic foundation programme, and is currently in his second year. He tells us, rather solemnly, that “it [was] a huge achievement for someone who doesn’t come endowed with what many Rafflesians do.”

Of course, he also enjoys his current position as a tutor for the Humanities Programme (HP). He tells us that watching students grow is something only teaching can provide him. 

Externally, Mr Swee has ties with the UOB Citi Chinese Orchestra. In fact, he does corporate social management for the group, which involves updating their facebook page, media publicity, and conducting interviews with radio stations. For one of the orchestra’s concerts, Mr Swee managed to obtain extensive publicity, and got hordes of large news agencies covering the event, and even went on-air on Symphony 92.4 and 95.8FM for interviews. Do consider hiring Mr Swee in the future if you require a shoutout of this magnitude!

As a hobby, Mr Swee enjoys a swim in the pool, where he is “alone with his thoughts”, leaving time and room for introspection in the tranquility of the water. He often emerges with “a to-do list, or new lesson plans” and is re-energised for work; he also adds on, quite accurately, that he prefers swimming to other exercises as he doesn’t like the sensation of sweat. 

When asked where he sees himself in ten years, Mr Swee pauses. He seems deep in thought, almost as deep as the pool where the interview was held. Eventually, he confesses that he is not sure. What he knows is that it is likely to be in the school system, doing more to guide newer colleagues. The future is uncertain, and Mr Swee might find himself the opportunity to further his studies and teach at the undergraduate level in a decade, as he currently desires. There, in a university, he has greater freedom to decide how to teach, what to teach, and how much to teach, which is restricted here in RI.

While he does not enjoy every aspect of teaching, to him, this job is deeply meaningful and satisfying. “Of course, RI students are great to teach too.” 

NAME: MS VICTORIA GALVEZ
DEPARTMENT: KNOWLEDGE SKILLS

If you want to know all about wet markets, Ms Galvez is the one to talk to.

In Singapore’s STEM-dominated job market, students and adults alike are familiar with aspirations of becoming doctors or engineers. Others, like entrepreneurs and lawyers, are fairly common too. What is uncommon, however, is Ms Galvez’s dream job—to be an anthropologist. 

Ms Galvez has a long and accomplished academic background in this field. From her Bachelor’s degree (which she completed with a minor in Gender Studies) to her Master’s Degree for her major, Sociology, to her interest in anthropology, Ms Galvez is someone who truly enjoys knowledge and academia.

You might be wondering, ‘How did such an accomplished academic end up here?’ (Read: Intellectual) Well, Ms Galvez has actually been in the teaching scene for almost a decade, and refers to teaching as her ‘second love’. She started as a teaching assistant as a part of her Master’s scholarship, where she taught tutorials, before moving on to a two year stint at The Learning Lab, teaching anything from PSLE level English to JC level GP, and eventually settling for a job with MOE. Yup, she might have been your tuition teacher once!

Of course, teaching is not the only job Ms Galvez has had. The highlight of her career, in our humble opinion, is her work in Bedok Wet Market. 

That’s right. The Wet Market. Ms Galvez’s dedication to academia, combined with her interest in these disappearing spaces in Singapore, has led her to base her masters thesis on Singapore’s  disappearing wet markets.

She spent three years working at fish stalls in that very wet market just to understand its dynamics. The first few months were rough, as she recalls getting scolded by both customers and stall owners in a variety of ways. Learning the ropes of selling fish was not easy, but she quickly adapted and can now name and sell fish fluently in Hokkien. She also had to wake up in the early hours of the morning (3am!) if she wanted to speak to the hawkers as they prepare for their day, as the crowing of the rooster brings customers, leaving no time for idle chatter. She even tells stories of stall rivalry (good ol’ monopolistic competition), and how she had to work around not giving away trade secrets. 

Even after her three years there, Ms Galvez returns every Chinese New Year to the wet market to help sell fish. In her words, “A good researcher should ideally never just be sucking data from the research community and never contributing back.” Something we can all take inspiration from indeed. 

Volunteerism seems to be an important aspect in her life. Ms Galvez can be found distributing food to the working class living in one room rental flats, and has a history of being a missionary in Cambodia before her career in MOE.

On the side, Ms Galvez also pursues music, enjoys theatre, and travels to places that are replete with untold stories—she recently travelled to Germany to participate in a tour guided by refugees to hear the voices of a marginalised group. She also mentions plans of ‘anime tourism’ during her next trip to Japan. 

Indeed, teaching may never hold as great a torch to Ms Galvez’s old flame: being an anthropologist. It is as many have said: you never forget your first love. The study of people and their behaviour is very much still a part of her life; it manifests in the way she speaks and interacts and thinks about GP issues. Yet, her love for the community brought Ms Galvez into the teaching scene. Through translating the things that she has learnt from her experiences to the classroom, she hopes to give students bite-sized knowledge that can, in turn, be translated into values and social action.

By Ng Jing Ting (20A13A) and Ng Ziqin (20S03H)

Raffles Reads is a new column which aims to promote reading culture among Singaporean students. The books, reviewed by Raffles Press writers, have been provided courtesy of Times Reads.

At least Harry Potter had the Dursleys, but How to Make Friends With the Dark’s orphaned protagonist has no one. 

Going into Kathleen Glasgow’s How to Make Friends With the Dark, we weren’t very sure what to expect. The novel’s description on Goodreads paints it as an emotional commentary on loss, but the novel’s opening chapters give off a very typical coming-of-age vibe. In a way, it is a little bit of both. 

Set in Mesa Luna, Arizona, this YA novel goes beyond exploring the usual perils of American teenagehood. It deals with aspects of teenage life that most teenagers will (thankfully) never have to grapple with. At the same time, it manages to touch on relatable teenage problems: friendship, overbearing parents, and discovering that your crush is a ginormous prick.

The novel is split into three parts—Before, After, and Now—with the After portion making up the bulk of the story. 

In Before, we are introduced to Tiger Tolliver, a sheltered 17-year-old who lives with her doting (if slightly over-protective) mother. While life is far from perfect, her problems seem mundane: paying the rent on time, her weird thrift-shop clothing, feeling less beautiful than the other girls in her grade, and getting her mom to let her go to the Memorial Days Dance with her crush, Kai Henderson. 

Like nearly every teenage girl in the universe, Tiger has a complicated relationship with her mother. Tensions between them finally come to a head when Mom buys her a hideous dress, described by Tiger to be “a cross between Laura Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie and Isabel Archer in Portrait of a Lady”, for the dance. 

Personally, we don’t see why that’s a bad thing. 

Upset, Tiger has a very explosive, very public phone conversation with her mother in the school cafeteria. Later in the same day, right after Tiger’s first kiss with Kai, Kai receives a call. He’s the one who breaks the terrible news to Tiger that her mother is dead. 

All of this happens within the first 40 pages. We almost get whiplash from how quickly Kathleen Glasgow genre-switches from the mundane to the melancholic.

In After, Tiger is left to deal with the crippling guilt of her last words to her mom being “Why can’t you ever just leave me alone?”. Because she has no known living relatives, Tiger becomes a ward of the state and must learn to navigate the thorny Arizona foster care system alone, all while coping with the grief of losing her mother. Talk about depressing.

The theme of abusive parent-child relationships is one that is explored in great detail. Many of the foster kids Tiger meets have parents who have been deemed incapable of caring for their children due to abusive tendencies or neglect. Apart from Thaddeus, the jaded, street-savvy boy whose stepfather stomped on his back and broke it and who never healed right, one of the other characters is a boy whose drug addict father left him on top of a car when he was a newborn, causing him to fall off, while another is a ten-year-old girl who lived in a cardboard refrigerator box with her sister, scavenging leftover hotdogs from the trash for sustenance. 

That these kids’ parents have mistreated them calls into question the state’s basic assumption that blood is thicker than water. It proves, at the very least, that blood relations are no guarantee that a child will be well cared for. Yet, the state holds familial ties above all others in terms of who an orphaned child is to be released to, dogmatic in its refusal to allow even family friends to take in a child in spite of evidence of being able to provide a loving home for her. This links back to another theme featured prominently in the book: that the US foster care system (or at the very least, the Arizonian foster care system) is, well, terrible.

Despite the fact that the Cake (Tiger’s friend) is willing to give Tiger a home, the case worker is unwilling to release Tiger to her friend’s family because they aren’t blood relatives.

Cake starts to cry. “You can’t just take her. She’s like my sister.”

Her mom, Rhonda, spits, “This is ridiculous. This child’s mother has died, and she should be with us.”

This bureaucratic inflexibility makes what is already a trying time even more difficult for Tiger. Instead of being with familiar people who care about her, she is thrust into a brand new living environment, forced to adapt to strange new rules imposed by foster parents who lock refrigerators and make the kids go to bed at 8 pm, as well as the other foster kids who are jaded by years of being kicked around from one foster family to another like empty drink cans. There are a few bright spots in this bleak narrative, truly wonderful foster parents like Lala, but it is made clear to us that they tend to be the exception, not the norm.

All my parents, Leonard had said. How many has he had? How many more locked refrigerators and cups of too-warm milk and plates of boiled meat am I going to have before this is all over and I’m… what? Spit out on the sidewalk? Eighteen, with a dented pink suitcase and… nothing?

When Tiger finally exits the foster care system, it is due to the revelation that she has a secret blood relative. While Tiger’s first meeting with Shayna is characterised by hostility and apprehension, Shayna’s valuable assertiveness is soon apparent as she confronts an ornery landlord and Tiger’s school bullies, threatening blackmail and her wrath. In short, she is the perfect guardian—protective, suave and worldly, with a touch of Kat Stratford’s signature sassiness. 

Yet for all these feats of bravery it is evident that Shayna is uncomfortable and manifestly inadequate in her new caregiving role. At 20, Shayna is barely out of her teens herself but must now assume the mantle of guardianship over Tiger. She demonstrates the qualities of a child unable to live by herself, calling into question her ability to care for Tiger in the way a capable mother would.

Shayna’s attempts at responsibility are frequently thwarted by her own flippancy and Tiger’s scepticism. In light of this, the caregiver-ward relationship between them is frequently inverted, with Tiger assuming the role of the responsible adult. 

There are times when it feels like any one of the plot points in How To Make Friends With the Dark could have functioned in its own right as the plot of a whole other story. In any other novel, the presence of so many twists could have felt like there was too much happening too quickly, but here the heightened drama somehow worked. Language-wise, the use of present tense lends itself well to the story, making it feel like the reader is living the story with Tiger as she is telling it, almost like a stream of consciousness. Certain chapters, written in second person, also help to underscore the out-of-body feelings that Tiger is experiencing as she feels increasingly detached from her life. 

Glasgow’s writing style is very metaphor and imagery based, with the image of Tiger as the ‘girl bug’ being the most evocative. Other interesting features: Tiger’s use of hashtags to underscore certain emotions or thoughts, and the labelling of each new chapter with the number of days, hours, and minutes that Tiger’s mother has been dead for, which helps further the image of Tiger as a grieving daughter.

Your mind races, because you don’t know what to expect, because there isn’t a manual for death, though you are really, really starting to wish there were. What did they call those starter books for little kids a long time ago? Primers. There should be primers for death, so you could connect all the dots, like shock to sadness to ashes to sadness to shock to alone. #dyingfordummies #deathmanual #aprimerforpain

A prime example exhibiting both Glasgow’s use of second person and the characteristic hashtags

As conclusions go, the book’s ending is rather trite—Tiger finally finds her happy ending, reuniting with Shayna settling into a routine of grief support group meetings at Eugene Field. This presentation of happiness comes across as rather simplistic contrived when juxtaposed to the dark twists that came before. Nonetheless, it is commendable that How to Make Friends With the Dark makes a concerted effort to engage in social commentary, which it executes with painful accuracy and impartiality. It paints a cheerful picture of recovery while accepting that there are individuals who will take months, years, or even a lifetime to recover from the grief caused by the death of a loved one. Tiger’s silent musings about the family situations of her new schoolmates pays tribute to the thousands of children from abusive households who are swallowed up into the bowels of the US foster care system, only to be spat out unceremoniously when they turn 18. 

Overall, How to Make Friends With the Dark offers readers a heartbreaking take on the foster care system and one girl’s personal journey through grief. If Tiger’s uphill climb towards recovery and self-forgiveness served any purpose, it drives home an important message: In your darkest hour, remember to let the light in. And if you can’t?

You simply must learn how to make friends with the dark. 

Enjoyed the review? Raffles Press is giving away one copy of How To Make Friends With the Dark! Simply subscribe to our mailing list and fill in this form for a chance to win.

By Val Yeo (20S03O), Gabrielle Ng (20A01E), and Jermaine Wong (20S03R)

When students filed into the PAC slightly before 1 pm on Saturday, 3rd of August, the anticipation was thick in the air, eagerly filling the front seats to be as close to the stage as possible. After all, only 100 students were given this rare opportunity to see so many well-known public figures in one place, in close proximity. And when 1 pm rolled around and the emcee came out on stage to introduce the first speaker, the audience cheered with enthusiasm, keenly waiting what the day had to offer. 

1. CAI YIN ZHOU

Geylang. Many continue to associate the neighborhood with good food and its red-light district, but Mr Cai Yinzhou’s social enterprise, Citizen Adventures, is working to change that. Growing up in Geylang, Mr Cai spent much of his free time in the district’s back alleys, playing badminton with his neighbors, Bangladeshi workers who lived only several minutes away from Mr Cai’s childhood home. As Mr Cai developed a kinship with these men, he soon learned the nature of their living arrangements: eight of them shared a single bedroom and a common toilet. Many had also made huge sacrifices when moving to Singapore in the hopes of securing their families a better future.

Barsha was one of them. He and his twin brother would have been the first doctors in their village if they had not dropped out of medical school. The pair made the difficult decision of moving to Singapore to work as electricians after their father had a stroke. 

Most migrant workers have similar stories to tell. They have hopes, ambitions, passions––just like any other human being. Yet, as Mr Cai pointed out, Singaporeans often forget to look “beyond their transactional value, [to] see them as humans and as equals.”  

Mr Cai continued to play badminton with his companions amidst rising tensions between locals and migrant workers in the aftermath of the 2013 Little India riots. Back alleys were lit, liquor control zones erected, lamp posts installed with surveillance cameras; still, their small coterie of friends gathered, unfazed, until one day, the police arrived. 

“Why were you playing badminton with them?” They asked. “These people cannot gather in groups in back alleys.” 

The back alley badminton rallies had to come to an end soon after, but Mr Cai was determined to continue meeting up with the workers. This began with Majulah Belanja (“Onward, To Treat”), an annual branch session organised by Geylang Adventures in 2015 and 2016 at a migrant worker dormitory, which saw locals and migrant workers team up to cook and enjoy the local dishes they prepared together. Other ventures included guided tours through Geylang that would allow non-residents to see it as a “social ecosystem” with a vibrant culture and people. 

Another of the organization’s better-known initiatives is Back Alley Barbers, which provides free haircuts for migrant workers––Barsha received Mr Cai’s very first haircut––and other groups such as nursing home residents and the rental flat community.

Ending off his speech, Mr Cai prompted, “What is the society that we want to create?” Indeed, all of us wield the power to change our society––for the better, if only we choose to take action now.”

2. EDDIE KOH

Next, one of our very own General Paper (GP) teachers, Mr Eddie Koh, took the stage.  The audience was not to be fooled by his initial lighthearted surprise at the formality of the stage setup, for he soon immersed the theatre in deep contemplation with his next comment: that “all of us are mysteries, unconsciously looking for something.” The unprepared audience was left very consciously mystified, ourselves included.

Upon later clarification with Mr Koh, he further explained that: “Human persons are mysteries, and we spend our [entire lifetimes] trying to unpack our purpose, to forge a life that is meaningful to ourselves.”  As a teacher, he considered himself to be a privileged recipient of many stories, which has humbled him. “Still, each of us is fighting a battle that few people know about”, and hence, the stories below lightly delve into the human mysteries that Mr Koh mentions.

Much like the organised structure in a GP essay—more of a wistful dream than a reality for most teachers—Mr Koh systematically segmented his talk into three separate stories that were very real and relevant. 

The first was about a former student.  Mr Koh recounted how he had casually recommended a film to a secondary school class, only for certain evocative parts of the film to prompt a student to privately divulge her haunting tale of familial sexual abuse to him.  

The ending of this student’s tale was a reconciliatory one, with the student mustering the courage to approach trusted adults around her and have the abusive family member removed from her home.  

What had touched Mr Koh enough to share this story with over a hundred people that day was, however, not his former students’ mere retelling of the abuse.  

It was instead the depth of her thought and torment, in that while she wished to protect her own personal dignity, as any rational human would, she was conflicted by her unwavering devotion to her family and struggle not to dishonour them.

The second story was one about a GP essay, which almost induced joking groans from the student audience if not for the deeply pensive atmosphere that the previous account had created. Mr Koh had noticed patches of ink smudges on the essay, which was unusual for an otherwise neat student.  

Upon asking the student about it, Mr Koh realised her mother suffered from a certain mental illness and would have sporadic outbursts, where her erratic behaviour ranged from smashing plates to the ground to threatening to jump from their apartment window.  

To protect her mother, the student stayed in the kitchen to complete her essays despite the mayhem, her own helpless tears thus smudging the patches of ink.  

Mr Koh remarked that in this simple yet poignant act of keeping vigil for her mother while she battled a mental war, the student had also displayed remarkable devotion to her mother.

He also spoke of the student’s palpable depth of dignity and perseverance to submit her assignment on time despite the calamity she was facing at home.  

Mr Koh’s steadfast work ethic of punctuality had also been influenced by this particular student, as he shared: “My student understood the integrity of handing up her work on time, [and] taught me what integrity is about.”  

This forever changed him, and still evokes inevitable frustration in him when students submit work late with poor reasons provided.  In his own words, “That one student of mine could offer them a lesson I could never communicate.”

The third and last story concerned a former teaching colleague in another school.  Her departure from their workplace was, however, where this story started.  

She had gone to take care of her son, Sebastien, who has cerebral palsy.  In Mr Koh’s words, her journey with Sebastien was as if she had boarded a plane planning to reach a certain destination but landing on another instead, one that was unfamiliar and where she was trapped for life.  

Sebastien could not speak, and depended on his mother 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  He could potentially choke himself if the tubes that were connected to him were not removed, and taking care of him entailed having to pat him on an exercise ball, clean him up, feed him liquid food, and countless more tasks that anyone else would likely deem as menial.  

Yet, what Mr Koh and Sebastien’s mother saw in him was human beauty and fragility.  

He brought out his mother’s endless devotion as she began to read his every action and word; every twitch of the eye and every soft murmur, meant something in a code of communication between the two that no one else could decipher.  

He reminded Mr Koh of the dignity every person deserves and possesses, even if they are disabled.  

He brought about a sense of bittersweet loss to his mother, where the mere sight of able children frolicking at the playground would bring tears to her weary eyes.  

Her steadfast care despite that deeply humbled Mr Koh.

Every time, simple yet moving incidences like these grow one’s world to become a little deeper and a little bigger, Mr Koh shared.  They leave one, or at least have left him, forever humbled and privileged.    

Mr Koh ended his deeply provoking sharing with a reiteration of the three stories’ common themes: depth, dignity, and devotion.  “Regardless [of the unknown battles we fight], [these three virtues] have redemptive value”—not in a religious sense, but in that “we may experience a renewed sense of purpose in our lives, once we grasp them, or try our best to see them present in our own lives and in that of others”.  

He also shared with us later that in sum, “at the end of the day, the human spirit and its strength and potential should never be limited by age and/or circumstances”. Through this sharing, Mr Koh hoped for all of us to experience this at least once in our lives, so as to “better defend what and who we hold dear”.

With that, Mr Koh then exited the gently contemplative air his ruminative insights had fostered.

3. XIAOMING

“If you want to take a photo later with Nathan Hartono, just be careful because he can be quite cold. I mean, he is Nathan Hard-to-know.” 

Rambunctious giggles erupted throughout the theatre.

Living up to his title as SGAG’s founder, Mr Adrian Ang, better known as Xiaoming, literally stole the stage.  

Having shot to online fame several years ago for his nonchalant albeit very enjoyable jests concerning anything and everything under the Singaporean sun, he was inevitably greeted by a teenage audience teeming with bated anticipation as to what he would tickle our sense of humour with next.  

Notwithstanding his unrivalled ability to make others laugh, the full-time comedian’s journey to fame was not a bed of roses.  

Mr Ang had appealed to his bewildered principal to be retained in his first year of Junior College, with his reason being his unsatisfactory grades and desire to improve at his own pace.  

Like any conservative, archetypal Asian environment, the people around him were understandably apprehensive about his decision. Even Mr Ang himself was not fully confident of his decision, until its butterfly effect came into sight.

In his new JC1 class, Mr Ang chanced upon four fateful friends that would become his closest companions for life.  Amongst them was Mr Karl Mak, his co-founder of SGAG.  

Their memorable experiences, as relayed to us by Mr Ang, were reminiscent of endearing high school tropes.  

He shared that he had once received an abrupt text from a classmate whom he fancied, asking him out for a date later in the afternoon.  Gleefully awaiting his date the whole day, Mr Ang later before realised it was but a prank from his friends, who had used that classmate’s phone to send him the text. His friends’ cheeky endeavours induced much chuckling in second-hand embarrassment, as the audience realised that birds of a feather truly do flock together.

The uninhibited sense of humour Mr Ang developed with these friends grew to be the very foundation of his career.  

Beginning with just one uncertain decision to retain an academic year, Mr Ang’s playful memes relating the joys and grievances of everyday life increasingly resonated with Singaporeans, bringing him the celebrity he enjoys today.

4. NATHAN HARTONO

The next speaker’s time in the spotlight had in fact begun with his humble entrance into the theatre to his audience seat.  The very sight of him roused elated gasps and the muted snapping of discreet pictures by an especially excited few.

Towering over a large majority of the audience members as he strode onto stage, the tangible charisma and confidence of this speaker, as if he was born to be in the limelight, could only point to one person—Mr Nathan Hartono, Singapore’s very own beloved singer and finalist of Sing! China.

“This is out of curiosity but you guys volunteered to be in school on a weekend?” 

Any guise of formality the audience might have expected from Mr Hartono’s status evaporated into an atmosphere of comfortable dialogue with his first line.  A zealous reply of “For you!” from a conspicuously fervent audience member took even Mr Hartono by pleasant surprise.  

The focal point of Mr Hartono’s talk that day was about following one’s impulses.  Of course, not reckless ones, but ones that are seemingly absurd and could yet lead you to heights never explored. 

The very premise of his attendance at TED was an impulse, one that occurred to him upon receiving an invitational text from the organising team of TED.  Thus, Mr Hartono was prepared with neither presentation slides, nor cue cards, or even a clue of the next sentence he would speak.  

Yet, his captivating account of his experience with Sing! China did not fail to impress.

At that time, Mr Hartono was barely fluent in both spoken and written Chinese, and all he knew was to sing.  Like an island, he could barely interact with those around him and could barely express himself.

But the singer-songwriter knew that music was always a part of him.  Having sung in competitions from the mere age of fourteen, it was this innate and fiery passion in him that drove him to “say yes to the complete unknown”.

Mr Hartono remarked that his Sing! China experience was one of the most difficult in his life, even more than his A Level examinations, before humorously retracting the statement to concede that the A Levels were still more onerous.  Despite the trials and tribulations he faced due to the immense language barrier in China, he left without regret as Singapore’s first finalist of the show.

Mr Hartono ended off his stirring speech by reflecting that there is “so much in life” all of us will regret not doing, much more than what we could possibly regret doing, impelling the audience to “do the things that scare and terrify you”.  

Quite literally heeding Mr Hartono’s words, to roaring laughter and stunned gasps of breath, an ambitious audience member then daringly proceeded to ask Mr Hartono out for a cup of coffee—to which Mr Hartono cooly agreed to.

Ending off by blessing the audience with a song, Mr Hartono truly made his speech one to remember, because hey, it’s not everyday you get to listen to Nathan Hartono sing live for you right?

5. SHARIFF ABDULLAH

Up next was Mr Shariff Abdullah, the “Singapore Blade Runner”. His sobriquet came to him after he witnessed his mentor running on “blades”––prosthetic legs. 

Born without a left foot, he faced countless challenges getting around and was bullied as a child. “A lot of my friends pick up stone, throw at me and spit at me [sic],” he recounted. Yet, his motto, “DREAM: Determination, Resilience, Envision, Attitude, Mission”, kept him going––and he hasn’t looked back since.

After completing his primary education, he took on various jobs, first as a Nasi Lemak vendor at his kampong, then as a cleaner, security officer, and now, a bodyguard. His current line of work entails escorting VIPs like the Brunei royal family when they pay Singapore a visit.

However, it wasn’t his day job that earned the title of “Singapore Blade Runner”; this, he coined after he developed a passion for running. Mr Abdullah’s journey as a marathon runner began in 2008, when a skin infection left him no option other than to amputate his left leg. Following the surgery, “something happened to [him] after [he] saw a South African runner on YouTube running without both legs”, and he was inspired to begin training himself. 

Despite his long working hours, Mr Abdullah finds the time to train every day. He explained, “As a marathon runner, I run whether rain or shine; there’s no such thing as no training––no excuses.”

Running the marathon is the true test of ‘DREAM’. From his own experience, “the first 5km looks easy; after 10km…amazing; but…35km? I should be sitting at home eating Roti Prata, not running!” Luckily, things start to look up after the 35 kilometer mark: at “42.195[km], life is changed; I’m happy to be a marathon runner.” 

Having participated in both the Boston Marathon and the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon, Mr Abdullah was invited to take part in the FWD North Pole Marathon last year, along with nine other sponsored athletes. His training regimen involved going to “Snow City for one month doing nothing” in preparation for the extreme cold, before he discovered a more productive method that involved “carrying heavy backpack [and] running on the sand”. 

For Mr Abdullah, the highlight of the expedition was the prospect of seeing polar bears. While the plane and helicopter rides to the North Pole were bumpy, he soon put those “scary” experiences behind him once he began running. Despite facing challenges using his Flex-Run running foot in the snow, his hard work ultimately paid off––in his own words, “I’m quite happy because I got number one doing that.” Yet, one question remained: “Where’s the bear? There’s no bear around me!” 

(Alas, no bears were to be spotted for the remainder of the trip.)

Finally, before exiting stage left––with a prosthetic leg slung casually over his shoulder—Mr Abdullah left us with an important message: never give up. 

6. GAN JIN NI

Ms Gan Jin Ni then graced the stage.  Sporting a turquoise tee with the word Telepod printed on it, her apt attire was a subtle nod to the subject of her talk that morning—how she founded one of Singapore’s very first e-scooter sharing operators, Telepod. 

Humbly joking that the speakers before her had set the bar too high, since she could neither sing nor run marathons with a prosthetic leg, Ms Gan’s down-to-earth and affable demeanour made her formidable nomination for Forbes’ renowned 30 under 30 accolade nearly unexpected.  

The promising entrepreneur stayed true to her homegrown brand by starting off her talk with a succinct introduction to it.  She shared that the main aim of Telepod was to power mobility on the go.  Relying on their own original technology, the team at Telepod had built an entire network of battery kiosks so commuters could swap e-scooter batteries on the go.  Telepod’s six-country reach, spanning across both developed and developing states such as the United States and the Philippines, did not fail to impress the aspiring teenage audience.

Was this Telepod’s original vision, though? “Hell no”, Ms Gan humorously asserted.

“It all started with one little girl’s dream”, Ms Gan quipped. Her desire to spend a shorter time commuting from her home in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur to her gymnastics competitions in the cities sowed the first seeds of her transportation ambitions.  

Thus began Telepod, a company started by Ms Gan and her team to eradicate the ‘last mile’ problem that torments nearly all city goers.  

Much like any entrepreneurial venture, their aforementioned success did not come easy.  Ms Gan took us through photos of a dishevelled team of youths toiling in a singular office unit to code, assemble, develop, and build every single part of their e-scooter brainchild by hand.  

Their hard work eventually came to fruition, earning them a place at a San Francisco conference by famed tech giant Bloomberg as a guest speaker.

Even so, the startup firm had not seen the last of its troubles.  

A later policy by the government regarding unlicensed e-scooter usage undermined their collaboration with and funding by them, posing such a gargantuan obstacle to their business that it almost drove them to return to unassuming 9 to 5 jobs.  

Nonetheless, with their quintessential entrepeneurial wit, they pushed the envelope.  Swappable batteries for e-scooters, instead of the e-scooters themselves, thereby became the new spotlight of Telepod’s business.

“It all started with one little girl’s dream.  And if she could do it, you can too.” Ms Gan’s empowering peroration was accompanied by resounding applause. 

7. FRANCIS CHONG

Next, Mr Francis Chong took the spotlight.  

Being a Physics teacher, it was to everyone’s surprise that his talk that day was not about kinetics, quantum, or any jargon that Arts student like ourselves could conjure.  

It was, in fact, framed around a topic much closer to Mr Chong’s heart and much more within our intellectual capacity—art.

Attempting to define the art Mr Chong shared with us that day would be convenient but unjust, as his style of art dramatically evolved with time.  

Like the classic student finding respite and elation from his mundane school life in easy-to-read comic books, his first artistic ventures took the form of Japanese mangas that many of us still enjoy today.  What made him out from the rest at such a young age was his devotion to the creative pastime, seen in his completion of over four books in the span of his secondary school life.  

Later on in his Junior College years, his aesthetic talent began to manifest itself in the form of realist human portraits, all of which induced instinctive gasps of wondrous admiration from the students present in the audience. 

However, he shared that his mental state was much more than the bed of roses his beautiful artworks would have seemed to be.  Drawing, as a solo activity, left him increasingly empty and dejected.   

Like the tumultuous course of completion of any artwork, his artistic journey was unsurprisingly filled with ebbs and flows.  The then eighteen year-old started to pick himself up after entering National Service and entered the workforce as a Physics teacher, expanding his social circle and even his creative mediums as he started to venture into digital art too.

In Mr Chong’s own words, it was then that “[he] started to infuse art into his daily life”. 

For a teacher like Mr Chong, this meant his art beginning to extend beyond his own personal life and enriching those around him in school, as he voluntarily illustrated portraits of his graduating classes, RI’s gryphons, and Teachers’ Day celebrations.  

We noted that Mr Chong also courteously presented hand-drawn portraits of guest speakers to them, as thoughtful tokens of appreciation.  

At home, he channelled his inventive talent into domestic efforts of creating a storybook with his two daughters—a significant milestone in Mr Chong’s and perhaps his daughters’ artistic journeys, considering the first piece Mr Chong had ever laid eyes on and aspired to emulate was his own mother’s!

Of course, his unwavering devotion to his craft also merited external recognition.  

His keen eye as a visual artist earned him a feature on Stomp for his ingenious re-imagination of clouds in the Singapore sky as characters, such as the familiar Big Friendly Giant.  

Beyond the local scene, he also clinched several professional accolades, such as a place among the top fifty artists in a 2013 mobile art exhibition, and a frame in local commercial hub Raffles City displaying his Superman versus Batman piece.  

Mr Chong ended his speech by showing us a contrast photo of his remarkably improved attempt at remaking his first ever human portrait.  Even as he exited the stage, his numerous and immaculately presented artworks stayed on the projector screen.  

It was, perhaps, a visual reminder of the artist’s tireless dedication to doing what he loved, and the legacy of his art that may live beyond him.

Conclusion

As the talks came to an end and the students slowly made their way out, it was with renewed vigour and hope in their hearts, a fire fuelled by inspiration from the various stories brought about by the speakers. It was empowering and encouraging, to hear their success stories and the lessons behind them, because if anything, it made them human, like us, and it gave us hope that maybe, one day, we can be like them.

By Ruchira Ramaswamy (20S03A) and Rachael Koh (20S07C)
Photos by Koh Jia Hao (20S06M)

“Healthcare is the toughest of all the sectors, should you decide to venture into entrepreneurship.” 

Professor Lawrence Ho, an accomplished endoscopist cum co-founder of medical robotics company EndoMaster©, put forth his frank opinion as such in his keynote speech, standing at the podium in the Performing Arts Centre. Sharing briefly about his journey as an entrepreneur and the obstacles faced in this industry, he concluded his address by rallying youth to find their passions and innovate. Attendees of the Raffles Business Symposium 2019 applauded him, sitting in anticipation of what was to follow. The theme this year was Healthcare —which has always been applicable to our society, and is more so now than ever, in light of ballooning issues such as ageing populations, and antibiotic resistance. But finding solutions to these problems, and many more, is no piece of cake.

Firstly, it is extremely time consuming. It may take up to 10 years to even see any innovative efforts bear fruit. As a result, the sector sorely lacks investors as they are hesitant to take part in projects with such high stakes. Furthermore, strong evidence is needed to persuade everyone, from investors to customers, that your product is worth it. Even if you manage to push past these odds, get the necessary investors, and have ample research to back up your invention, you may find that while it works theoretically, it does not work in real life! As such, it is extremely difficult to adopt these innovations on a sufficiently large scale.

To allow students to truly understand and experience the entrepreneurial process, students from all schools aged 15-21 years were tasked to come up with a business proposal and plan under the overarching theme of healthcare. After a stringent round of proposal-vetting by the judges, the finalists had been invited to present their ideas.

Not only did the participants in the competition experience what it was like to face these problems, they also had the privilege of gathering insightful comments from the judges, who are veterans in the field of entrepreneurship. Professor Ho, Dr Beng Teck Liang (a leader in the information technology and healthcare sector across the Asia Pacific), as well as Mr Jed Senthil (co-founder of ONEathlete) comprised this illustrious judging panel. 

Two teams from RGS, one from RI, one from SJI and another from ACS had made it into the final round, but who would clinch the honour of having the most comprehensive, compelling, and innovative business plan? Though the judging panel was accepting of the fact that these students are aspiring amateurs, their expectations of the teams were not unambitious. With just 10 minutes on the clock for pitching—inclusive of their product’s distinguishing features, finance, logistics and business execution—as well as five minutes of Q&A to further market their idea, the teams were faced with a daunting task. Intent on challenging the students and stretching their limits, the judges were particularly candid with their comments, both the good and the bad. Undeterred, all the teams put up an admirable defence by being quick on their feet and taking everything in stride. 

The first team to present was Team Officium from SJI. Starting off their pitch with a crisp yet poignant video, they highlighted the national issue that no one is a stranger to—our ageing population, and particularly the struggles of senior citizens with deteriorating health who live alone. This set the stage for them to introduce their mobile application, Carebuddy, which offered affordable elderly care services. Determined to make themselves stand out, they conducted a mini demonstration with a mock-up of their app, and it was no surprise that the judges were impressed by this show of dedication!

Next, we had Team Ancora from RI. Extremely confident from the get go, they began by introducing their problem—the mental health taboo in Singapore. Currently, professional help, such as seeking psychiatrists or counsellors, is stigmatised, and online help may provide unreliable information. Hence, their solution was to develop an application, Psych. They hoped to nip issues like stress in the bud by creating virtual support groups as studies have shown that sharing problems alleviates stress. These groups could be formed either through a common organisation or a common issue. The team did not falter in their confidence as they introduced these features or even during the dreaded Q&A segment, giving compelling answers. It was evident that they had good knowledge of their sphere, and a well-thought-out plan. All their effort paid definitely off when they received glowing compliments from the judges for finding a good angle and niche to work from.  

The third team was Team Chicken Wings from RGS, whose topic was podiatry, or more simply put, medical foot care. Despite Singapore’s imminent issue of an ageing population, podiatry needs are not sufficiently catered to. They proposed a foot care centre, including facilities like a reflexology path and electric foot massages. It would also offer both general treatment and specialised treatment for podiatric cases, which would be run by volunteers trained in basic procedures and a qualified podiatrist respectively. The group, consisting of some of the youngest competitors, had come extremely well prepared with extensive research done on the different costs of running a clinic, wowing the judges with their realistic financial breakdown.

Team Lucentive from ACSI followed, targeting the lack of medical adherence. They proposed an application where doctors can input the patient’s required medical dosage and monitor patients’ compliance through videographic or photographic evidence. This would, hopefully, prevent the relapse of medical conditions. Though they elicited praise for their attention to detail, the team received plenty to constructive criticism to mull over, such as the need to consider funding and launch timeline.  

The final team was Team JCSX2 from RGS, with the project title ‘Ready, Steady, Baby!’. They began with a small and lively skit, humorously capturing the problems a pregnant woman faces, like body aches, frequent contractions, mood swings and inexplicable cravings. This was a welcome and much-needed bit of entertainment to keep everyone perked up for the last presentation of the day. Team JCSX2 strove to empower pregnant women with a maternity belt and an application, named after their project, that would work jointly to give mothers a peace of mind. The maternity belt, made of a flexible lightweight cotton, would track vital health levels of the fetus, while the application would have various functions, such as sending health data to gynecologists and engaging the mothers-to-be with bite-sized information about pregnancy. The team had thoroughly astounded with their attention to detail, further winning over the judges with their inventive introduction. 

As the competition finally drew to an end, the judges stepped out to make their decision, giving the teams and the audience a well-deserved break. Casual chatter broke out as everyone was buzzing with tidbits of information and discussing the novel ideas presented. 

Soon enough, the judges concluded their discussion and returned with the results in their hands. Despite this, the atmosphere in the Performing Arts Centre was relaxed and devoid of tension. This truly embodied the learners’ spirit and open mindset, which Mr Senthil later lauded in his post-competition address. Building up the suspense, he announced the rankings starting with the runners-up: 

• 2nd runners up: Team Ancora from RI 
• 1st runners up: Team JCSX2 from RGS
• Champion: Team Officium from SJI 

Needless to say, the winning team was euphoric and bounded onstage to receive the well-deserved gleaming gold trophy and a cash prize of $400. In a heartwarming display of camaraderie, participants from other school congratulated Team Officium heartily, with excited handshakes and brotherly pats on the back.  

When asked about the most gratifying part about this journey, “Winning, obviously!” was the tongue-in-cheek response that the team had. Amidst giddy laughter, the team members, Mark Chew, Martin Ng, Christian Asher Widjaja, and Joshua Lim, conceded that as friends, working together on their project was equally rewarding. Of course, they had their fair share of challenges leading up to this big win—staying up till 3am to pore over the project, filling out the nitty gritty details of a proposal and deciding their area of focus. “We only came up with this topic, like, a month before,” one of the boys admitted.

By Benjamin Liew (20A03A) and Tay Jing Xuan (20S03C)

Often we are told, as students, to achieve only the best and to be perfect. What does it mean to be perfect, though? Is it straight ‘A’s? Is it playing a 7-minute musical piece flawlessly from beginning to end? Or is it, as what many people think, infallibility and invincibility?

The truth is, if we go with that definition, no one is perfect, nor can they ever be perfect. Our minds are not like machines—we need rest and recuperation, and even machines require maintenance from time to time. So what really is perfection, then? Well, many of us often hyperfixate on a grade or a part of our bodies and beat ourselves up for it. But we fail to realise that academic achievements and appearances do not determine our worth, and that is what ultimately damages our self-esteem and hinders our self-acceptance.

Every person has their own set of unique abilities, personalities, bodies. If we judge everyone by the same standards, wouldn’t it be unfair? Therefore, with that in mind, the Peer Helpers’ Programme set out to spread awareness of mental illnesses, with the main focus being self-esteem and acceptance. Although mental illnesses affect such a significant portion of people, the stigma against it prevents people from speaking up about it or receiving treatment. And as for self-esteem, in the end, perfection is in the eye of the beholder. When one thinks, feels and knows that they are perfect the way they are, despite all their perceived flaws, are they truly perfect.

Booths:

Mental illnesses come in different forms and affect people in dramatically different ways. Having some awareness of them is thus a good way to help people around you who may be suffering from them.

Just outside the canteen, there were booths and posters set up to explain the symptoms of various mental illnesses. Examples included Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, as well as facts to dispel myths about these illnesses and ways to help sufferers. One booth talked about schizophrenia and its symptoms, with colourful and detailed infographics about its causes and myths. The posters were certainly enough to gain some basic knowledge about the illness, given how widely misunderstood it is (even prompting books to be written about it, like the award-winning The Sound of Sch by Danielle Lim).

Another booth explained more about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), laying out brochures and specially designed, eye-catching cards for students to pick up. It focused on a particular phrase many are guilty of saying off-handedly: “I’m just very OCD”, an association made between sufferers of OCD and people who are particular about cleanliness or neatness. Because such stereotypical myths can be hurtful to actual sufferers of OCD, awareness has to be raised about this mental illness. This booth has done well in achieving that purpose.

One particular booth drew the attention of many students—the “Stress-less” booth, in front of which a large inflatable pool filled with emoji cushions, balls and plushies was placed. In a competitive environment such as our school, it is a guarantee that stress levels can climb dangerously high if students do not know how to deal with it safely. This is why Peer Helpers set up a highly interactive booth to teach people about tips to relieve stress while they lounge in the pool with friends, even including statistics on the sources of stress (mostly school, where they are “pressured to do well academically”).

And that’s not all. For this year’s MHAW, Peer Helper’s Programme collaborated with Raffles Community Advocates to set up a booth too. With postcards and post-its lined up neatly on the table, the booth aimed to raise awareness about the stigma surrounding mental illness and share stories from various sufferers of mental illness. Too often people afflicted with a mental illness shun treatment for fear of being associated with a disorder, and more see their illness as a sign of weakness. Even more receive negativity from and are ignored by their peers, which further exacerbates their condition. As such, the booth played an important role in helping students understand the difficulties sufferers face, and thus helped to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

The main highlight of the booths was the “Be-You-Tiful” booth. A full-body mirror—the Positivity Mirror—was placed next to the booth, and on its surface were yellow post-its with compliments written all over it. The purpose of this booth was to spread awareness about anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder arising from unhealthy body image and the desire to find control in one’s life. With the proliferation of unhealthy stereotypes and an increasingly toxic environment promoting unattainable “ideal” body types in the media today, more people find their bodies unsatisfactory. However, as the booth advocates, our bodies are perfect the way they are.

The Positivity Mirror initiative was a success, with students taking photos of themselves in the mirror and some adding on to the post-it compliments on the mirror. The mirror was not restricted to the one in the canteen—the toilet mirror in the canteen was not spared from post-it compliments as well.

What we see on social media—from photos of celebrities, supermodels and Instagram influencers to even your own friends—may not be entirely true. Here are instances of Photoshop working its sorcery on one too many magazine spreads and apps that help add abs to your body or curves to your hips. Even if there isn’t any editing involved in the pictures, there are so many body types out there that do not fit the supermodel body.

And that’s alright, because in the end, you are your own type of perfect.

Talks:

MHAW also had its fair share of inspiring personal testimonies, a few of which we had the privilege of attending. 

Speakers such as Ms Susan Ong (a member of a peer learning initiative to help others with mental illnesses) shared about the support and love from the people around her that helped her get through her difficult journey of depression, with friends and family being key to her recovery. As someone who had also suffered from depression in the past, speaker Mr Amos Tan offered an interesting take on his own struggles, calling it a ‘blessing in disguise’ that piqued his interest in mental health and sparked his passion for helping others struggling through the same arduous journey. He also opened up regarding the difficulties he faced in seeking help, and drawing from this experience, stated with conviction, “Seeking help is not something that should be stigmatised.”

Finally, Huang Huan Yuan, an alumnus of Raffles Institution, returned to shed some light on her struggles with an eating disorder. Speaking as someone who had experienced the struggle first-hand, she gave tips to those who might be wrestling with a similar issue. She encouraged them to write a journal to express their thoughts, and do meaningful things for others to improve their own mental well-being. These tips were further extended to those who wanted to help and support anyone struggling with eating disorders—proactively seeking these people out first to offer support, and avoiding ‘trigger’ topics such as food or going on diets. 

She also reaffirmed Ms Ong’s emphasis on finding a network of support to get through the ordeal. “As teenagers,” she added with a knowing glint in her eyes, “emotions get out of hand very fast. Emotional management is very important. Research has shown that just having someone there for you is very helpful for you when going through tough times, no matter how introverted you are.” 

Wrapping up her sharing, she touched on the topic of advocacy and changing of perceptions towards the mentally ill. Raising the idea of a ‘ripple effect’, she encouraged students to reach out and advocate for a change in the perceptions towards the mentally ill, whether it be through social media sharing or simply bringing the topic up in casual conversation. Finally, in an impactful ‘call to arms’ to those in their teenage years (us!), Huan Yuan passionately asserted, “This is the age at which people should start learning about mental illness. Many mental illnesses start around this age, and we are in the age group where we start to become young adults—we are going to drive the future of society.” 

Conclusion:

Mental Health Awareness Week offered much food for thought for us Rafflesians. With its interactive booths, insightful information and inspiring talks, suffice it to say that MHAW was indeed a success—the total number of students who stopped by the booths and attended the talks is testament to that. If you weren’t aware of the activities that took place in school during MHAW, it’s still not too late to hop onto the internet and do some of your own research about mental health, or talk to your close friends about the topic. The lack of awareness regarding mental illness is a real problem especially among youths our age, and being part of the demographic most affected by it, it is about time we really paid attention to it. Being aware of the issue is a good first step, but we could, perhaps, do more in the fight against flawed perceptions. Every one of us has a stake in this fight—we are, after all, all im’perfect.

By Ng Ziqin (20S03H)

The growing love affair between the modern viewer and the comic book film is no secret. And with superhero films like Iron Man (2008), Wonder Woman (2017), Black Panther (2018), not to mention all four Avengers movies consistently topping the box office, this trend looks set to stay. At the same time, the moral palates of modern audiences are becoming increasingly nuanced. It is no longer sufficient to throw the protagonist a cape, give him a toothpaste-commercial smile, and tell the audience, ‘Look, there’s your hero. Root for him.’ No, as the box office successes of ‘antihero’ protagonists Deadpool (2016) and Venom (2018) have proven, contemporary cinemagoers believe themselves to be more sophisticated than that. The contemporary cinemagoer craves complexity, shunning the traditional hero protagonist in favour of the more morally ambiguous, more ‘relatable’ antihero. 

Joker may only be the latest in what has been a long line of highly profitable comic book films, yet it is also the first of its kind. It is the logical conclusion of the modern cinemagoer’s twin obsessions with the comic book film genre and relatable protagonists: a comic book film featuring a villain protagonist, one who receives no redemption by the end of the film.

After the disappointment that was Suicide Squad (2016), which featured the Joker for a mere fraction of its 2h 17min runtime despite teasing otherwise in the trailer, Joker feels almost like it could be an apology letter to the fans. But is it a good one? 

WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS FOR JOKER (2019) AHEAD.

Like the quintessential comic book film, Joker uses fiction to take a stand on what is non-fiction, highlighting pertinent societal issues affecting today’s world—widening socioeconomic inequality, civil unrest, and society’s treatment of the mentally ill. 

Gotham City, plagued by problems ranging from ‘super rats’ to the shutting down of welfare services, set against a backdrop of growing public discontentment towards ivory-tower elites, feels almost like it could be any city in our world. In fact, socioeconomic inequality and the class divide featured prominently in the local headlines last year, becoming buzzwords in Singapore with the publication of This Is What Inequality Looks Like and findings from a OnePeople.sg survey which revealed that almost half of 1,036 respondents felt that income inequality was most likely to cause a social divide in Singapore, above race and religion. Back in the world of Joker, Mayor-hopeful Thomas Wayne is portrayed as a privileged, out-of-touch politician who casually dismisses the struggling citizens of Gotham as ‘clowns’. “Maybe you don’t realise it, but I’m your only hope,” he says at one point while delivering an address on television. Even knowing who he is (the father of Bruce Wayne, the eventual Batman), there is something about Wayne’s smugness that leaves a foul taste in the audience’s mouth. While the Wayne Corporation rakes in big bucks, funding is cut for social services, which is what causes Arthur Fleck, the man who becomes the Joker, to lose access to the medication he takes to manage his uncontrollable laughter. “They don’t give a sh*t about people like you, Arthur,” the social worker says. “And they really don’t give a sh*t about people like me either.” While it is the Joker’s actions which serve as a catalyst for the resulting social unrest seen later on in the film, it is hard to argue that the seeds of chaos and resentment were not already sown much earlier by Gotham’s class divide. 

Society’s mistreatment of Arthur as a mentally-ill man is also uncomfortably familiar. The opening minutes of the film set the tone for the kind of movie that this is going to be, when Arthur is harassed at work by a mob of teenage thugs who steal his sign, make him chase them down a busy street to get it back, and then corner and beat him up in an alley. On a bus, he is told off by a passenger for playing ‘peek-a-boo’ with her child. When this triggers his uncontrollable laughter and he apologetically hands her a card explaining his condition, she reads it and reacts with disgust. He gets battered on a train by three businessmen on a train when they think he is laughing at their expense, prompting him to shoot them. “Is it real, or is it some sort of clown thing?” one of the policemen who come round to investigate the shooting asks about Arthur’s laughter, echoing the kinds of remarks that people with mental illness often hear from people who believe that mental illnesses “are not real”. Arthur’s circumstances become even more heartbreakingly tragic when you realise that his condition was likely caused by the abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend as a child. 

The Joker is easily one of DC’s most compelling villains, and the events of Joker spin him a believable, satisfying backstory, painting him as a sympathetic figure to be empathised with. Despite the horrific acts he commits in the later part of the film, a small part of the viewer can’t help but continue to see him as the boy whose “purpose was to bring laughter and joy into this cold, dark world”. Joker makes you question the Joker’s villain status: what makes a villain like the Joker fundamentally different from an anti-hero like Deadpool? What makes an assassin like Wade Wilson any better of a man than Arthur Fleck? Can any part of the blame for the Joker’s killing rampage be laid at the door of the society which has “treated him like trash”?

Yet, Joker also offers up clues that the film we are watching is heavily coloured by Arthur’s perspective and cannot be taken entirely at face value. Arthur is shown to be an unreliable narrator, most memorably in the scene where he shows up in the living room of the female neighbour whom he met earlier in the lift. For a large part of the film, we see Arthur having meaningful interactions with the neighbour—in his flat, at the comedy club, on the street—and are led to believe that the two are in a romantic relationship. However, the confusion and fear on the woman’s face when he shows up in her flat tells otherwise. “Your name’s Arthur, right?” she asks, sounding terrified, revealing that their interaction in the lift was the last time she saw Arthur. She has no idea who he is, and Arthur was actually alone the whole time in all the sequences featuring the two of them together. This casts doubt on Arthur’s credibility, causing the audience to wonder what else he might be hiding from us. Did the people he hurt really deserve it as much as he has led us to believe they did? How much of what we see in Joker is real and how much of it is a mere figment of Arthur’s imagination?

And ultimately, that seems to be one of Arthur’s biggest problems: his inability to tell the difference between a person and a persona. Arthur is shattered when his idol, comedian Murray Franklin, mocks him on his show, when that was all Arthur ever dreamed of. But when we see Murray Franklin in the dressing room with Arthur later on in the movie, the former appears to be very down-to-earth and nothing at all like his biting on-stage persona, making it clear that his derision of Arthur was simply business, show business. Yet, Arthur seems to take this as a personal betrayal from his idol, unable to see the difference between Murray Franklin the TV host and Murray Franklin the man. Arthur’s other problem is his need for someone to love him, his desperate desire to please the people around him and endear himself to them. This might be the crux of the issue: he cares about other people too much. At first glance, that might seem to be a positive trait, but one of the hallmarks of the Greek genre of tragedy was the hamartia, or fatal flaw. The hamartia was often a positive characteristic which, when taken to the extreme, led to the hero’s downfall. The subtle nod to antiquity makes the Joker’s downward spiral even more satisfying of a tragic origin story.

“You know what’s funny? You know what really makes me laugh? I used to think that my life was a tragedy but now I realise, it’s a f***ng comedy.”

Say what you will about Joker’s gratuitous violence and its controversially sympathetic portrayal of a conscienceless mass murderer; you can’t deny that it is a very ‘pretty’ film. In contrast to the gritty, washed-out colours of the DCEU films, Joker has opted for a vivid primary colour palette that makes the reds, blues, and yellows pop against the sea of grey and black that is Gotham City. Incidentally, these were also the colours that made up the Joker’s final costume. Colour also seemed to serve a narrative purpose here: the protagonist’s outfits started out dull and got brighter as the film progressed, moving in the opposite direction from the film’s tone, which only got bleaker and bleaker. 

While most would agree that no one could ever top Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight (2008), Joaquin Phoenix’s performance was certainly commendable and it was clear that Phoenix took cues from Ledger’s Joker in ways beyond the stringy green hair. The Joker’s characteristic nihilism really shone through in Phoenix’s portrayal, staying true to what makes the Joker, well, the Joker. 

“All of you, the system who knows so much, you decide what’s right or wrong the same way you decide what’s funny or not.”

In classic Joker unpredictability, the film was unafraid to subvert the audience’s expectations. On the scene-level, this played out in little subversions such as Arthur unexpectedly sparing his coworker and fellow clown Gary, when the audience fully expected him to only pretend to let the dwarf go and then knife him in the back once the man thought he was safe. I will be the first to admit that I sat on the edge of my seat, heart pounding in my chest during that scene, waiting for a knife that never came. Arthur’s reasoning for the move? “You were one of the ones who was nice to me.”

On the larger film-level, the filmmakers made a bold move in presenting what was a deeply-satisfying theory of Bruce Wayne and Arthur Fleck being half-brothers, only to jettison it moments later with the revelation that Arthur was actually adopted and his mother was delusional. A part of me mourned the loss of that beautiful theory, which would have added a whole new level of mutual interdependence to Batman and Joker’s deeply complicated, yin-yang, ‘you complete me’ psychological relationship, previously covered in other Batman/Joker films such as The Dark Knight, as well as the more lighthearted Lego Batman Movie (2017). Of course, we don’t know for sure that Penny’s file wasn’t planted by Thomas Wayne for Arthur to find in Arkham Asylum (why did the administrator take so long to retrieve the file; was it really just because it’s been in storage for 30 years?), given his position of power and influence in Gotham City. Time to break out those tinfoil hats.

If there was one thing I didn’t enjoy about Joker, it was probably the film’s seemingly gratuitous depiction of violence, though I will admit that this served a narrative purpose to show the Joker’s villainous descent. Joker has been famously controversial for being too gory, with several graphic scenes of gunshots. There’s even a scene where Arthur’s face is disturbingly spattered with blood after shooting a former coworker in the head. Dead bodies are left on screen with visible gunshot wounds. Several times in the course of watching the film, I was extremely grateful that I had not succumbed to temptation and bought a larger box of popcorn—there was no way I would have been able to finish it with such disturbing images on screen to spoil my appetite.

But apart from the shocking visual impact of such distressing scenes, the greater concern of Joker’s critics is that life might mirror art, to tragic results. The fear is that the sympathetic portrayal of the Joker, coupled with the violence depicted in the film, might inspire copycat crimes by lone gunmen. Famously, the Aurora Cinemark theatre in Colorado, where 12 were killed and 70 injured in a devastating shooting during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, is not screening Joker. In California, a movie theatre was forced to close down temporarily and cancel a few screenings of Joker following what was deemed a ‘credible threat’ by the local police. While Phoenix has claimed in an interview on Popcorn with Peter Travers that he did not believe the film would cause “homicidal ideation” and it remains unclear if this is indeed the case, many have urged Warner Bros. to use their box-office gains for good by donating to causes supporting gun reform.

With regards to Joker’s links to other DC films, Joker is a standalone and has little to nothing to do with the DCEU. After what has personally been a series of disappointing experiences with the DCEU films, I can’t say that I’m saddened by this news. While Joker might not be set in the same universe as The Dark Knight, Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) or Suicide Squad, it was chock-full of symbolism, Easter eggs, and little nods to the other Batman films. Talk about dramatic irony, when you have the future Batman’s father airing his less-than-glowing opinions on masked vigilantes.

Overall, Joker presents a great origin story that—like the Joker’s laugh—is creepy, unsettling, and oddly intriguing. 

If you’re looking for a feel-good superhero movie, look elsewhere. Some films make you walk out of the cinema with a feeling of empowerment, your faith in humanity restored. 

This is not one of them. 

By Raffles Press

For most of the Year 5s, 3rd October 2019 only marked the end of their Promotional examinations, when all could finally run free with their friends to the nearest KTV or shopping mall to relax. For Raffles Press, however, this day had another cause for celebration: barely half an hour after the end of the Math paper, we piled into a bus, armed with mosquito repellent and sunblock, and set off for the Kranji countryside, ready for an afternoon at one with nature. We bring you through three of the farms we explored—quiet charm tucked away from the usual hustle and bustle of Singapore’s urban landscape.

Bollywood Veggies Organic Farm

Stepping into Bollywood Veggies was like stepping into a whole different world. The farm’s boisterous energy and playful personality—seeing that it was named Bollywood Veggies—is reflected in its rustic, colourful decor that doesn’t stop at the bright flags and painted signs at the entrance but exists in every inch of its 10 acres.

Poison Ivy, the quirky bistro in Bollywood Veggies, had a homely feel to it; framed posters and catchy slogans lined the walls, and the pandan leaves used for decoration gave the place a tropical, summery vibe.

There, we had a delightful lunch (with ingredients organically sourced from their very own farm!) that fuelled us with energy for the rest of the day—a little pick-me-up after the brutality of the promotional exams.

And then, it was time to get lost in paradise.

Kin Yan Agrotech Farm

Qian Hu Fish Farm

The final stop on our excursion was none other than the Qian Hu Fish Farm, the largest ornamental fish importer and exporter in Singapore.

In addition to simply exploring the scores of fish for sale in the heart of the farm, we could also choose to either enjoy a fish spa ($10 for 30 minutes) or try out longkang fishing ($6 for 30 minutes).

By the time it was over, most of us had gotten a sizeable number of fish. With the long bus journey ahead, many chose to ‘catch-and-release’ instead, while two decided to bring their new fishes home. Wrapped safely in an inflated plastic bag, the fishes were put in tanks and came with us aboard the bus.

The bus ride home was subdued, the excitement of the day (as well as the Math paper before) having well and truly tired us out. A sleepy silence settled within the bus as Kranji receded further and further from view behind us, and the sweet memories of an afternoon well-spent filled our dreams.

By Ng Ziqin (20S03H) and Sophia He (20S03H)

It was the Year 5s’ first day back at school after a blissful six-day marking day holiday, which had passed by in the blink of an eye. While many were out and about with their friends, reveling in the (almost) carefree post-Promos life, or huddled in some corner of the school with their PW group, 27 individuals made the choice to spend their afternoon at the Team Raffles Tea, providing feedback on how their school experience had been thus far, and how it could be improved for the year to come.

The annual feedback collection platform, organised by the Student Council Communications Department (“Commz’D”), had recently undergone a rebranding from its previous incarnation as the ‘Focused Group Discussion’ to the catchier ‘Team Raffles Tea’. 

“We wanted it to sound sexier”, explained the Commz’D teacher-in-charge, Mr Faizad. “It’s a move away from the traditional, conservative connotations of a focus group discussion, and towards something that you as students should be accustomed to.” 

He added that the student council seeks to change alongside the “shifting student demographics”, moving towards a “less hierarchical manner” of feedback provision that students seem more receptive to.

The event took place in a very structured and efficient fashion. Participants filed into the Stamford Training Room at 2.30 pm, where they were briefly addressed both by Mr Faizad and Koh Yi Hui (20S03H), the Commz’D Head, who thanked the participants for their time and provided a schedule of the day’s events. 

The participants were then split into three groups for their first Focused Group Discussion session, and led to separate classrooms by their Council facilitators for the first round of discussions to commence. The matters discussed during this segment included school spirit, the Team Raffles Games (TRG), National Day, Teachers’ Day, Orientation, Open House, Friendship Appreciation Week, Homecoming, the cRIb, and the Hodge Lodge.

At 3.50 pm, the participants switched venues and were then allocated to a different group—this time by their houses. During this segment, participants were asked questions both about house spirit in general, as well as questions specific to the different initiatives carried out by each house’s House Directorate. 

Finally, at 4.10 pm, the participants and facilitators headed back to the Stamford Training Room for the segment which had played a huge role in Commz’D’s marketing strategy for the event, and which many of the participants were looking forward to: the food.

While the event ended officially at 4.30 pm, many participants hung back to chat with friends while eating. We decided to take the opportunity to ask the participants why they had decided to come for Team Raffles Tea. 

“I think I signed up when it was first launched. Before Promos, when I first saw it,” said Moe Yin Zaw (20S03L), who might very well have been Team Raffles Tea’s very first sign-up. 

“I came to rekindle old memories,” said Sia Xinyu (20A13A), who had previously been a member of a similar feedback-collection student group in her secondary school. 

While many of the participants cited being there to support their friends from Council as one of the strongest pull factors compelling their attendance at Team Raffles Tea, others had far more straightforward motives.

“I was bored,” said Haris Irfan (20S06U). “I also came for the sandwich.”

While some participants appeared skeptical about the impact of such a relatively small scale event, Mr Faizad shared that the past sessions had actually led to tangible shifts in policy. Last year, students had given feedback on wanting classes to have the autonomy to decide which match support events to go for. Even though complete freedom of choice was not possible due to scheduling reasons, the school was able to provide classes with a few options to pick from. Council was also provided with wifi routers for the most popular matches, such that councillors could livestream the action and provide updates at every quarter for interested students.

All in all, Team Raffles Tea was a wonderful way to mark the Y5s’ return to school and also made for a lovely break from the stress of PW Oral Presentation preparation. We look forward to seeing the 39th Student Council’s responses to the student feedback, as well as next year’s tea-spilling session!

By V Shivani (20S06R) and Ruchira Ramaswamy (20S03A)

Far From Home is the fast-paced sequel to Homecoming, following Peter and his high school classmates on a school trip to Europe, in the aftermath of Endgame.

It starts off with what should have been a tear-jerking memorial for the Avengers we lost in Endgame, but turned out to be more of a comical slideshow with Getty Images © and comic sans font (that’s cold, man). This memorial was followed by a news report by two high schoolers at the Midtown School of Science and Technology which filled in the major loophole that left Endgame fans puzzled: what happened to make all the kids who disintegrated due to  the infamous “Snap” reappear five years later, looking exactly the same? 

In the aftermath of Endgame, those who survived The Snap aged five years while those dusted away reappeared as themselves before Thanos intervened, and were retained in high school (this is where we pray to the gods and ask them that if we do get retained, we get retained because of a badass reason like this, and not because we failed everything).

This movie has absolutely no shortage of scenes that will hit you right in the feels, making you pine for everyone’s favourite genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist—the one and only Tony Stark and his cracking wit. Gone is a huge chunk of Peter Parker’s heart, along with the red-and-gold suited armour that swoops in from the horizon to save the day and America’s A**^TM (R.I.P.). We find Peter grappling with the devastating loss of not only a mentor, but a friend and the closest thing he had to a father figure. 

At the start of Far From Home, Peter is trying his hardest to shake off the weight of these responsibilities by travelling halfway across the world to Europe on a school trip. He has a plan: get the girl of his dreams a beautiful necklace, give it to her when they’re on the Eiffel Tower in the city of love, and maybe even kiss her. Desperately longing for a normal life, he deliberately leaves his spider suit behind in New York, only to find it stashed back in his suitcase by Aunt May. 

The friendly neighbourhood Spider Man faces a mammoth and heart-wrenching decision that no 16-year-old ever should: does he want to step up when the world needs saving, filling the impossibly large armour that Iron Man left behind? Or does he want to be a normal high school boy hanging out with his friends and nursing an adorably dorky crush on a girl? 

Just as most Marvel movies go, this one throws many curveballs at Peter’s plan to follow his heart’s true desire. One of these curveballs goes by the name of Quentin Beck. 

Quentin Beck, or Mysterio (yes, we’re using made-up names now), is a super-hero from another dimension (aka Earth-833) who’s here on our Earth to fight some new monstrosities called the Elementals. There are four Elementals: Earth, Air, Water and Fire, and Beck has already defeated the Earth Elemental in Mexico. This led to his recruitment by Nick Fury and Maria Hill. Unfortunately for Peter, the Water Elemental attacks Venice, where he and his classmates had kicked off their Europe trip. Beck comes to their rescue to defeat the Water Elemental with a little help from Peter. This results in Peter being summoned to help fight the rest of the Elementals, which is where we move on to the iconic Marvel regular, Nick Fury.

And what better way to make an entrance than hijacking a school trip? The consequence of (ill-advisedly) ghosting Fury, it seems, is that he materialises in your hotel room and shoots your best friend with a tranquilliser dart just so you can have a one-on-one chat about having to save the world from Elementals. Nick Fury always gets what he wants. And so Peter is forced to help Fury, Hill and Beck fight the Elementals in Prague, where the Fire Elemental is projected to strike. Do you hear that? That’s the sound of his ‘kiss on the Eiffel Tower with MJ’ dream being crushed.

Peter opens the sleek box that Fury had handed him, revealing a pair of glasses with classic black frames and tinted lenses. Meet E.D.I.T.H., the AI glasses which have access to all of Stark Industries’ databases and a massive orbital weapon supply. The quintessential spirit of Tony Stark radiates, from the style of these glasses to its witty name that no one else would have coined—Even Dead, I’m The Hero (can Tony Stark get any more iconic?). Peter inheriting Stark’s glasses is a poignant moment in the movie, signifying the trust and heavy responsibility that has been passed down from one superhero to another. 

This is the true test of Peter’s skill—does he have what it takes to wield this immense power at his fingertips, live up not only to Tony’s expectations, but also the world’s, and still be a teenager? Well, we’ll let you decide, because this is what Peter does with his new glasses: try to kill his competition for MJ’s heart. 

And that is how we arrive at curveball number three, Brad Davis. Brad is one of the kids in Peter’s high school who did not Blip away and so he’s now technically 21. Effortlessly cool and smooth—the polar opposite of Peter—it doesn’t come as a surprise when Brad sparks jealousy by spending time with MJ. Now that Brad is also interested in MJ, so he is willing to do anything to get Peter out of the picture. This includes following him to a secluded spot where Peter meets with a Victoria’s Secret angel-esque agent who gives him his new stealth suit and gets him to start removing his clothes to try it on. 

“What?” Peter blubbered in shock. As moviegoers who have an eye for the beautiful things in life, our reactions were also along the lines of WHAT?? Followed by a resounding yes, please. 

Brad enters right as Peter is taking his pants off and you can imagine what that must look like so he quickly takes a picture of the scandalous scene and threatens to show it to MJ. This is how we end up with Peter almost killing everyone on the trip by launching a drone strike on Brad using E.D.I.T.H. and just narrowly managing to take it down.

That brings us to the quirky character that MJ is. She’s not your regular love-interest—not immediately likeable, not the most gorgeous girl in the class or the most popular. She’s a little nerdy, rarely smiles, and has hair perpetually shrouding her face. Unbeknownst to Peter, she does notice him, even though she claims it’s only because she is 67% sure he is Spider Man (way to crush Peter’s heart, MJ). Zendaya’s MJ makes a refreshing heroine. She may not have a spidey-sense or the ability to scamper up skyscrapers, but she has the admirable power of staying true to herself. She does not have to give up her more feminine side, or her sardonic humour to catch anyone’s eye. Similarly, her steadfast feminist side is not made to be the focal point of her character. It is just a natural part of her complexity, but not the only thing that defines her. That being said, this comeback of hers is undoubtedly iconic: 

“You look really pretty,” “And therefore I have value?”

MJ

She is an ode to every ordinary girl out there—originality and self-contentment often make a more impressive statement than pure muscle or sex-appeal. 

Thanks to MJ’s silent, observant eye, she and Peter uncover a shocking secret about Mysterio and the Elementals. You see, Peter had decided that Beck was a worthy successor of Iron Man after gaining a newfound admiration of him when they destroyed the Fire Elemental in Prague. This led to him handing over E.D.I.T.H. over to Beck so that he could relinquish his responsibilities of becoming the next Iron Man and return to his normal high school life. It’s a rush of relief that he no longer has to shoulder this responsibility. But it is never this easy As the bar around Beck glitches and falls away, he brandishes E.D.I.T.H to rousing applause. This is the heart-stopping moment when we learn that Peter has messed up big, big time. Because Beck is the bad guy.  Beck was once a holographic-illusions specialist at Stark Industries who got fired for being too unhinged. Now, he leads a team of individuals who all have a vengeance against Tony Stark, using illusion technology to fake the Elemental attacks and paint himself as the world’s next hero.

Reeling from this revelation, Peter is left with no choice but to come clean to Nick Fury and fix his massive blunder. Back in the hotel, as he hurriedly pulls off his shirt and slides into his suit, MJ, stoically facing the other direction, cannot help but steal a glance at his deliciously chiseled chest and abs. The chemistry in the room is palpable. The stolen glances, soft smiles, and wonderstruck silences between Peter and MJ intensifies the will-they-won’t-they situation. This pure, unadulterated adoration remains unfortunately ensnared in a scenario where action is escalating and stakes are getting higher. It practically drives us to the edge of despair, where we feel torn just as Peter does: when will having to save the world stop getting in the way of young love?

Peter rushes into Nick Fury’s office in Berlin and confesses about having screwed the pooch hard. Big time. Fury, calm and dependable as ever, processes the information, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief that at least someone has Peter’s back. 

Alas, right when we let loose a breath of relief, utter horror hits the next moment. As Aunt May would have said, the Peter Tingles hit, and just as he shouts a warning to Fury, the office and ground beneath him give way to Beck’s illusion. Falling through floors, tumbling through mazes and braving an army of Mysterios, Peter puts up a tough fight. With more illusions, Beck manages to get out of Peter who he’s told his secret to (MJ, Ned and Betty) so that he can be sure to eliminate these threats to his masterplan. Driven into a corner on the train tracks, and before we can blink, the train takes Spider Man down. 

Miraculously alive, Peter regains consciousness to find himself in a jail in Netherlands, his suit stolen, face bruised and all hope he had left gone. Using the last of his willpower, he breaks out and calls someone, pleading for them to come and help him. 

As Peter stumbles through a field of tulips, it almost seems too good to be true as a jet descends and Happy emerges. As Happy patches up a banged-up Peter, he visibly grapples not only with physical exhaustion and pain, but also the pain of being torn between his friends and normalcy, and the superhero life. This is where Tom Holland, who has so far done an outstanding job as the dorky, adorable Peter Parker, proves to us his acting worth. 

This is the part which makes your heart just shatter into a million pieces because frankly Tom Holland is just that good at pulling at our heartstrings. Looking extremely sleek in all black, eyes puffy from crying and face contorted with agony, all his emotions come pouring out: the guilt of his misjudgment, the shame of wanting a normal life, the fear for innocent citizens and the devastation of losing Tony Stark. Peter stares right into our souls here and watching this in the theatre is an out of this world experience. 

The pain that Tony Stark’s death left Peter with fuels this emotional rollercoaster of a scene, with Peter looking to Happy for some solace. What we might not have realised in Endgame is that when Tony died, Happy lost a huge part of his heart too; Tony had been his best friend all these years.

In the words of our beloved Captain Steve Rogers, 

“I keep telling people to move on. Some do. But not us.”

And Peter and Happy would never move on. But they could get by together. 

Once Peter realises what he has to do, he also realises that he needs a new suit. At this, Happy reveals a suit-manufacturing machine left behind by Stark in the jet. 

“You take care of the suit. I’ll take care of the music.” 

Flashbacks to Iron Man as AC/DC’s Back in Black starts playing while Peter gets to work on his new suit giving us all major Tony Stark vibes and nostalgia. The smooth efficiency with which he operates the high-tech machines, his stride confident and muscles rippling, is the embodiment of a superhero coming into his own. He has finally come to terms with what his heart wants, and that is to save the world not as the next Iron Man, but as Peter Parker, your friendly neighbourhood spiderman. The suit that takes form is red and black, triumphant, and announcing the return of this high school superhero with a renewed purpose. As Tom Holland himself said “the way that it is made is an homage to the godfather of the MCU”.

This is a perfectly crafted moment where he realises he can hold his own. Because b***h, please, he’s been to space. 

Happy flies the jet to London, where Beck is planning to use E.D.I.T.H. to orchestrate his grandest illusion yet, a fusion of all four Elementals attacking the city and in particular, Peter’s friends. The daunting challenge of having to face off against Beck again ahead of him, Peter jumps off the jet with his new suit and a plan to gain the upper hand. Luckily for Peter, he has the element of surprise on his side this time; and he knows what he’s in for so he won’t be falling for any more illusions. After all, if it’s not real, then it can’t hurt him right?

After an action-packed fight sequence with harrowing and heart-stopping stunts, the man who was once bursting with bravado and an evil mastermind plan now lays forlornly on the bridge, begging Peter’s forgiveness. Jake Gyllenhaal does very good puppy eyes that’ll melt your heart and convince you that Beck is just a broken man with nothing left to fight for. Just as you thought this movie couldn’t twist and turn anymore, we now have the villain imploring for mercy.

You were wrong. In what seems to be the last, gargantuan twist, Peter’s hand shoots out and seizes the gun aimed at his back. He can always rely on his trusty Peter Tingles to have his back and this time it stops the real Quentin Beck from shooting him in the back. The body lying on the floor, pleading for forgiveness had been an illusion. But it was the last of Beck’s illusions because Peter turns the gun on him and puts an end to his reign.

And in the middle of that wrecked bridge, the fiery sky thick with plumes of smoke, Peter finally gets his kiss with MJ. It’s the perfect culmination of joyous, victorious and celebratory emotions. 

Peter gets the girl, but it’s far from a happy ending for him. Stick around for this mid-credits scene that will make your heart and mouth drop. What’s next in store for Spider Man? Definitely not swinging around Queens with MJ in arms and being a carefree high-schooler, that’s for sure.

By Ng Ziqin (20S03H) and Sophia He (20S03H)

While the recent Prelims and Promos may not have held many—or any—fond memories, the pain of churning out three-hour essay after three-hour essay may have been dulled by one thing: exam season writing paper. For these are no ordinary sheets: thicker and smoother than the garden-variety Raffles Institution foolscap sold at Popular bookstore, the high quality foolscap might very well be the only highlight of the Rafflesian exam season. But much mystery enfolds these silky reams: Where do they come from? Why are they of such superior quality? Is there some closely-guarded top-secret formula governing their distribution?

Raffles Press decided to do some top-notch investigative journalism and look into these very important questions with the help of Mr Low Soo How, HOD of Systems. Not since the hit American sitcom The Office’s treatment of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company has the topic of paper come under such close scrutiny. Here are the answers to everything you ever wanted to know about the exam writing paper.

1. Where does the elusive paper stock come from?

According to Mr Low, the exam writing paper is purchased in bulk every year from the same company that runs the RI printing shop. This has been the practice for the past two to three years, since the school decided to make the switch from its previous paper supplier. The school’s supply of writing paper is usually restocked sometime between the end of one year and the beginning of the next. 

The paper costs about $10 for a ream of 500 sheets, and the school usually orders at least 200 reams per year. The school’s yearly expenditure on exam writing paper is typically about $2,000 a year.

2. What is the net Rafflesian paper depletion rate?

The amount of paper purchased by the school varies every year, and are estimated based on paper usage in the previous year. Since Math is the most paper-intensive subject, Mr Low says that it is usually safe to use it as a rough guide for his estimations on how much paper to buy for the year. He orders twice the amount of paper needed for Math for each batch. “Math is the one that is constant. Because basically Math, y’all just use a lot of paper. GP—how much can you write? I give you four pieces, sometimes also cannot finish, right?”

Of course, this estimate is also volatile and heavily dependent on how much paper students actually use for that year. 

“Sometimes, it also depends on the amount of paper that y’all will use. So sometimes at the end of the year: how come I’m left with so much paper? And then I realise, oh that’s because the students wrote less. And then after that I order less. Then, the next year: how come the paper diminish so fast? Some years students write more, some years students write less. It’s not really a ‘formula’ to actually decide; you just play by ear.”

3. How much paper for each subject?

While there is similarly no formula for how much paper the invigilators should give out per student for each subject, Mr Low was able to supply us with an unofficial guideline. It’s actually pretty standard for some subjects: Econs usually gets about 6–8 sheets, while around 4 sheets are given out for GP. For other subjects such as History, it depends on whether the paper being administered is a two-hour paper with two essays, or a three-hour paper with three essays. Typically, the setters of the paper would also advise the invigilators on the appropriate amount of paper to distribute.

Except for Math, which needs no clarification—for extremely practical reasons. “Math is usually around 10. If I give seven sheets for Math, the invigilator will be giving out [writing paper] for the whole two or three hours. Math, [needs to be] at least 10.”

4. I really want this superior foolscap. Can I buy some?

Sadly, despite the superior quality of the exam writing paper compared to the foolscap found at Popular, the exam writing paper is not available for private sale to students to preserve the integrity of the exams; allowing students to purchase the exam writing paper could potentially open a can of worms with regards to cheating. 

“That’s why if you look at most schools, the foolscap that is used for daily work is usually different from the exam foolscap.”

5. Why the quality disparity?

When asked about the difference in quality between the exam writing paper and the ‘daily foolscap’ available at Popular, Mr Low was more than ready to share his theories. 

Hint: it has a lot to do with Economics.

“When you talk about foolscap that’s being sold to students at the bookshop, it’s all about profits. When a school wants to order in bulk for writing material, it’s about who can give me the best deal. If you quote me $10, I find someone who gives me $9, I will go for the $9- one. And of course, if you quote me $9 and then give me a quality that is not so good, I will say, ‘How come your quality has dropped?’ So there are different considerations. Business is business; they want to earn the most profit. But if you give me a discount for bulk purchase for [exam writing] paper… how many reams do I order in a year? A hundred, at least? So, if you give me something that’s a little better quality and give me a discount, the profit margin will still be able to compensate [for it].”

While it was certainly saddening to hear that these papers would not be available for private purchase, it was also a great relief to know that there would be a healthy length of time before the Year 5s would have to encounter them again.

By Huang Beihua (20A03A) and Gabrielle Ng (20A01E)
Pictures courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society

The first week of September was one of many emotions: joy, perhaps, at the dawning of a glorious break; disappointment, possibly, at the realisation that it was no break at all; or maybe nervousness, as you glanced at your revision schedule (or lack thereof). Yet, chances were that you noticed the booths lining the canteen entrance, caught a glimpse at the elaborately drawn cards in someone’s hands, or even received a copy of our meticulously penned Teachers’ Day newsletters. It seemed appropriate that appreciation be added to that list—there was no better occasion to thank those who had worked just as hard for our grades and growth. 

Celebrations had been going on long before 5 September. Game booths bordering the canteen entrance were impossible to miss, and neither was the colourful blackboard lovingly drawn by the Students’ Council. Behind the tables were councillors busy at work, greeting each participant with an exuberant smile. 

You would probably have known by now that not everything went according to plan—the serenade for teachers had to be cancelled due to conflicting schedules, and the activities found themselves competing with the allure of REACH froyos. Yet, the councillors’ enthusiasm was undeterred, and that was no coincidence: as Ian Michael Yam (20A01A) explained, the effort put in by the Teachers’ Day Committee to plan the activities meant that those on duty were motivated to “try their best in getting people to play, so their efforts wouldn’t go to waste” in “increasing the hype for the actual celebration”. 

If that was their aim, the Avengers-themed games made effective means to accomplish them. Centred around a select few of the popular superheroes each day, the games planned were creative in their associations with their namesake: Thor Ping-pong, for example, demanded one bounce a table tennis ball into a bucket, but only with the use of a (plastic) hammer. Indeed, as Ma Fanghe (20S06L) remarked, it was “quite good” that “more participated than [he had] thought.”

Yet, hype for hype’s sake was meaningless. There was a conscious effort by the Council to always fall back on its theme of appreciation. Those manning the booths kept a constant lookout for teachers to invite them away from the daily tedium of marking and lecturing for a game or two, while Fanghe took evident pride in that “the teachers were very happy about” decorations in the teachers’ lift that took myriads of trips up and down to complete. 

It was in this spirit that we entered the celebrations of the day itself.  Opening the concert was Modern Dance with their elegant and evocative choreography. Created under the backdrop of the reflective “Older” by Ben Platt, their nimble movements wowed the audience.

Next up was Physics teacher Mr Harapan Ong, who strode onto the stage to thunderous applause. Featured in our very own Teacher’s Day newsletter for his outstanding talent, Mr Ong aptly introduced himself just as we had him—as a magician. Even before his enthralling magic tricks could fully unfold, his lighthearted jokes kept the audience reeling: when the audience looked down, eager to avoid eye contact as he chose volunteers, he promptly quipped with endearing honesty that this was but a familiar sight in tutorials for him. 

After this mind-blowing performance, Mr Ashton Tan took the stage for an amazing rendition of “Hero” by Mariah Carey. It was clear from the beginning that this was sure to be jaw-dropping—and it was. During his performance, debaters in the gallery stood up with handmade boards that spelled out “We <3 Mr Tan”, showing their appreciation and gratitude for their teacher-in-charge.

Chinese Orchestra’s Xinyao medley, arranged by Cheng Wentuo (20S06L), incited much curious excitement amongst the thoroughly entertained audience members. Skilfully executed, the performers put a twist on traditional Xinyao music. 

The stage was then graced by Ms Michelle Kwok and Mr Patrick Wong, both of the Knowledge Skills Department. Their humorous preambles (“we can’t mark your scripts in two hours—which we can but we won’t tell them”) quickly gave way to the mellifluous, undulating melody of “Every Little Thing” by Dishwalla. Its tender, loving lyrics embraced the audience in a heartfelt sincerity so rare for a hall performance. Thus, it was no surprise when a wave of dreamy gazes and soft white iPhone lights swept over the hall, as audience members wistfully nodded their heads to the sound of the duo’s angelic harmony. 

Last but not least, Raffles Rock ended off the concert with a bang, as audience members finally arose from their warmed seats to jam to the classic headbanger of “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, and cult favourite “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi. The smoke machine employed only increased the hype of the crowd, who enthusiastically cheered along to the music. 

Of course, no concert is complete without its leading emcees.  Entertaining transitions and hilarious puns between the various acts were courtesy of Joanne Sitorus (20S03G) and Jannatun Tajrian (20S03A), whose effortless chemistry and radiant smiles heaped on the day’s jubilance. However, the most memorable event of the day would probably be the mini-game played by Mr Harapan Ong and Mr Ashton Tan, where both had to guess what object they were holding while blindfolded. Hilariously, one of the objects was a fire extinguisher—this caused a giggle to break out in the audience when Mr Ong started doing bicep curls with it. 

After the concert, students filtered out of the hall and streamed into the canteen, relishing precious bonding time with their class and teachers.

The animated chatter blended with Jazz’s spirited performance as the last and lasting soundtrack of that homely morning, a warm send-off into the holidays ahead and a cozy conclusion to a term of hard work. Students and teachers alike lingered behind, perhaps reluctant to leave the cozy atmosphere. As the crowd gradually dispersed, it was with a sense of longing and contentment. Though celebrations may have ended, our gratitude towards our teachers will continue on even after.

By Tay Jing Xuan (20S03C)

Take a look at Singapore’s—no, the world’s daily food waste, and you’ll notice a very unsettling trend.

Roughly 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year globally. That’s about 3.6 million tonnes wasted daily. By now, one should know pretty well the impact food waste has on the environment and the jarring imbalance of food across the world, with millions starving while developed countries choke on superfluity. Yet, the numbers are only climbing, with the increase of mouths to feed leading to even greater excess being produced.

But that’s the world. What about the canteen in Raffles Institution?

Right now, the most wasted food are vegetables and fruits. Both stall owners and customers are only keen on the freshest, most vibrant produce, which means even the tiniest of blemishes deem a vegetable or fruit unmarketable. However, in our canteen, the most prominent issue of fruit (and food) waste stems from the unwillingness of students to eat the fruits. What does this translate into? That’s right—into the bin it all goes.

Fortunately, quite a number of canteen vendors are aware of this problem. Ever since the Healthy Meals in Schools Programme was implemented, all stalls were mandated to give out fruits along with their food. However, there are bound to be fruits left over, right? Not really. Tan’s Chinese Cooked Food stall gives out a wide variety of fruits, from dragon fruit slices and bananas to watermelon and longan, but they often run out by the end of the day. If they do have leftovers, they give it out to passing students right before they close.

An interview with Auntie Aminah of her Nasi Padang stall reveals the whereabouts of uneaten fruit. When asked what happened to fruits left over, she laughed and said, “Almost none are left over!” while pulling down a box that contained a few small bananas, which “will be taken home for [her family] to eat”. In some ways, the Healthy Meals in Schools Programme extends to the family of canteen vendors as well.

Ms Janmuangmoon and Mr Lee Chiap Kau, the owners of the fruit stall, say that instead of throwing away their leftover fruits—some ready to blossom into over-ripeness at any given moment—they blend it into smoothies and juices for the cleaners and maintenance workers visiting the school. They give cut fruits out to students lingering in the canteen, and to prevent fruit wastage they stop cutting up their fruits by 1pm, so they can be kept for sale over the next few days.

And the overall food waste situation in the school? The canteen vendors have a solution.

According to Mr Lee, food waste doesn’t just affect the environment—it takes a toll on the stallowners’ finances as well. So, with their decades of experience and keen eyes, they get to work portioning and preparing only what they feel will be needed for the morning, before the afternoon rush sets in. And even if the queues get unexpectedly long (perhaps owing to the difference in taste between old and new batches of students), they will delegate the sales and cooking to different staff, and get to work satisfying everyone’s needs while keeping to their budget.

During the interview with Mr Lee, he mentioned that “different prices for different portions of dishes, especially for zhap cai png (mixed rice) stalls, might help”. In the end, however, he acknowledged the trouble every stall would have to go through to process each order should the system be put in place. Evidently, the efforts of the canteen vendors have truly helped prevent food waste in RI, and it would be unreasonable of us to add such inconvenience to their work.

Well, as every good Economics student knows, at equilibrium, supply equals demand. As every good student also knows, the efforts of the canteen vendors aren’t enough to combat food and fruit waste. What can we do then, as students?

As Mr Lee so aptly put it, “if you don’t like it, then don’t buy (it)”. Did you know you can request for the fruit to be taken off your tab if you don’t intend to take the fruit? This leaves more fruit for students who are willing to eat them, and it leaves less fruit in the trash cans after each meal. As for the food, buy only what you can eat and not based on how hungry you think you are. After all, that extra fried fish you couldn’t manage could have gone to another hungry student’s plate.

If you really can’t finish your fruit, give it to someone who will. This is a good one for the moment—your fruit-loving friend gets extra dessert, and you get to reduce waste. But in the long run, you can’t just push your fruit or leftover food to your colleagues to finish up. So the best solution really is to just portion your food and bite off only what you can chew (literally).

Now, what can we do to spread the word about food waste?

Some of us might go grocery shopping with our family, or at the very least help them carry their bags into the house. What we can do to help reduce the waste we generate at home is to initiate a conversation about food waste, encourage them to make more frequent trips to the nearest Fairprice, remind them to buy only what they need. Buying in bulk may be tempting, with discounts for big bags of biscuits. But you know how food waste might be generated from such shopping practices—that is how you can be a big source of influence. So whether your family goes to the supermarket or order groceries online, make sure to remind them about the consequences of food waste and how they may take steps to reduce it.

So where does the fruit go? From now on, we can work towards turning the answer from “the bins” to “our own consumption”.

By Ng Ziqin (20S03H)

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that if the house shirt one wore could be depended upon to accurately indicate the house one belonged to, RI would be way more than just 20% Hadley-Hullett.

You know what I’m talking about.

I’m talking about showing up for House Assembly, where everyone is supposed to be in the same house as you, only to find a sprinkling of purple and blue and yellow and green among the red. I’m talking about bumping into a former OG mate in the toilet and noticing that she’s wearing the ubiquitous black-and-purple shirt when you know for a fact that she’s not in HH. I’m talking about the classmate who you always thought was in BW but, when house care packages are being distributed, discover was actually from MR all along. 

I call this the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon. 

While the house shirt might have started out as a functional marker of house identity and a way for students to showcase house spirit, the practice of students wearing other houses’ shirts interchangeably has brought this function of the house shirt into question. Instead, house shirts have become more of a fashion statement than anything else; it appears that to many RI students, the colours on the sleeves of the shirt matter more than the words on its back. 

According to a Raffles Press survey of 100 Y5-6 students, 76% of students own the RI (Y5-6) house shirt in more than one house colour, signalling that the practice of wearing a house shirt in a colour other than one’s own house colour is indeed incredibly prevalent.

Additionally, the practice is also viewed as socially acceptable, even by those who do not practise it themselves. While only 76% of students owned house shirts in more than one house colour, 97% were ‘generally okay’ with the practice.

But how exactly did this peculiar practice originate?

HOW DID IT START?

The current house system and house shirt design started in 2005, replacing the previous faculty system whereby students were sorted by their subject combinations into one of five faculties: Arts (red), Commerce (black), Computing and Pure Science (green), Medicine (yellow), and Engineering (blue).  

However, because the wearing of other houses’ house shirts is an ‘underground’ practice, there are no official records of who started it. Additionally, given the high turnover rate of students in RI Y5-6 since each batch spends only about two years here, it was difficult to trace back the phenomenon through many batches of students who had already graduated. An RI alum who graduated in 2014, Clement Lim, claimed that the practice was already prevalent back when he was a student in RI. 

Heard on the grapevine, the most popular informal theory on the beginnings of the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon is that the practice of wearing other houses’ shirts originated from RI (Y1-4). 

According to this theory, Y1-4 boys were already openly wearing other houses’ shirts in secondary school, and then continued the practice out of habit when they moved on to the JC section. Taking cues from the natives on what was acceptable, the JAE and RGS segments of the JC population soon followed suit, causing the practice to become widespread in RI (Y5-6).

But is it true that the practice was started in Y1-4, then spread over to Y5-6? Informal interviews with my classmates who were from RI (Y1-4) soon exposed the gaps within this popular theory, revealing that reports of the hordes of Y1-4 students engaging in this practice might have been greatly exaggerated.

For one, the Y1-4 students who wear other houses’ shirts tend to be concentrated in Y3-4, instead of being spread out evenly across all four years. 

“Actually, it’s not very common,” said Jeremy Lee (20S03H). “It only picks up in Y5-6, and those who wear other house shirts are usually Y3-4. Basically, it’s the older people who tend to rebel against the norms.”

And secondly, the number of students who actually engaged in this practice was actually quite small.“If I remember correctly, not many? Maybe like 10-20% of the cohort, definitely not as many as now,” said Bharath Anantham (20S03H).

“Actually right, I never wore another house’s shirt in Y1-4,” said Xavier Lien (20S03H), who does so now. “I think fewer people did. My theory is because in Y1-2, each class all had one house only, so if you wore another house shirt for PE, you were kind of like the odd one out and you got judged for it.”

This was supported by Jeremy: “I think most people realise it is possible … but they don’t want to stand out, so they wait until Y5-6 when it really picks up. Or rather, they don’t see the merit as it is not a societal norm. One could even say that it is frowned upon [by peers]. That then begs the question of why it is not frowned upon [by Y5-6 students] in JC.”

Bharath then proposed a twist on the popular theory: maybe instead of originating in Y1-4 and spreading to Y5-6, the Y3-4s who wore other house shirts were aping the actions of their seniors from Y5-6. 

There seems to be much to recommend this theory. As those with siblings would know, it is common for younger siblings to take cues from their older siblings in terms of fashion, hobbies, and other socially acceptable behaviour. It does not seem like such a stretch, then, that the relationship between the widespreadness of the practice in Y3-4 and Y5-6 could actually be the reverse of what has captured the popular imagination . 

Then again, this leaves the question of where the practice originated from in Y5-6 unanswered, leading us back to square one.

WHAT ABOUT THE RGS AND JAE PERSPECTIVES? 

Unlike in RI (Y1-4), the practice of wearing another house’s shirt was virtually unheard of in RGS, where the distribution of house shirts was controlled centrally by the House Committee, and house shirts could only be ordered through the individual houses’ House Committee members at specific windows each year. As a result, most RGS girls only owned one house shirt in all four years of their secondary school education. 

This background knowledge about house culture in RGS makes the phenomenon of RGS girls transitioning to participate in the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon in JC all the more surprising. It seems unlikely that they would have started doing it without some sort of external catalyst.

However, the RGS girls I spoke to were quick to denounce the claim that they had taken cues from the RI (Y1-4) boys in wearing the other houses’ shirts. Instead, many claimed that they had started after observing their seniors do it when they came to Y5-6.

“I started this year the moment I could get my hands on house shirts, because it seemed cool that our seniors could wear any colour,” said Irene Guo (20S07A). “I did it because I thought it was okay since seniors did it, rather than the boys.”

“You can see [the seniors] wearing different house shirts from their Instagram posts,” said Valerie Tan (20A01E). “It was just known that you could do it.”

Given that house spirit is known to be strong in RGS, did the girls feel that they were being disloyal to their RGS house by wearing another house’s shirt in Y5-6? 

“Lowkey… I mainly only wear BW shirts, because house pride!” said Cheri Teo (20S06P), who was a Waddle cheerleader in RGS in Year 2. She now owns an MR shirt because her CCA mates all agreed to wear the MR shirt for training. “Lowkey feel like a betrayer when I wear my MR, but the feeling is not that intense.”

Jyotsna Ramakrishna (20S03N), a former House Committee member in RGS, feels it is generally alright to wear another house’s shirt. “It doesn’t matter what you wear but then again, there are some people who go around ‘berating’ the colour of their house tee. I find that part a little saddening but, otherwise, I think it’s fine to wear other house tees.”

Her sentiments were echoed by Sophia He (20S03H), another former House Committee member: “I don’t know about everyone else, but I’ve never really believed that articles of clothing carried that much significance. And even if they signified your supposed loyalty to a house, it doesn’t really mean that much, you feel?”

Representing the JAE perspective, Javier Ong (20S06L) said, “I think it was just from noticing people not wearing [their own house shirt]. The realisation came pretty early after the introduction of houses and all that, so I think it’s almost common knowledge for new students. Honestly, I think, like, the whole issue of people not wearing their own house shirt can also be due to that already being the norm in the JAEs’ secondary schools.” 

For instance, in his secondary school, house shirts were not regularly worn except at special events, but students would sometimes wear another house’s shirt when returning to school over the holidays.

WHY DO WE DO IT?

The most interesting theory I heard came from Matthew Tan (20S06D). According to him, the free house shirt offered as part of the orientation pack actually acts as a perverse incentive, deterring people from buying their own house shirt from Popular when they need an extra one.

“My theory is that a lot of people buy a different house shirt in JC because they think, ‘Ah, if the school is already giving me a free one that corresponds to my house, no point buying the same shirt again, it’s a bit wasted. So I’ll buy a different house shirt.’ Whereas this was not a scenario in Y1-4 because they never gave a free house shirt, and you needed to show up in your own house [shirt] for events like cross country, so people just buy one house shirt that is their true house and they don’t buy anymore.” 

This matched up with survey responses from the Raffles Press survey and interviews, where several students cited not wanting to own more than one house shirt in the same colour as a reason for buying other house shirts, while those who owned more than one shirt in the same colour often had not realised that a free shirt in their own house colour would be given to them as part of the orientation pack.

Of course, he clarified, this might also be because JC students have to wear house shirts on a more frequent basis, so they “diversify and cross-wear other houses’ shirts” more than in Y1-4.

Matthew’s theory seemed to be supported by what I heard from the other students I spoke to. From their responses, the word I heard most frequently was “normalised”. 

But why has the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon been ‘normalised’? 

The teachers whom I reached out to were quick to attribute the phenomenon to two factors: (a) a lack of enforcement as teachers generally do not keep track of which house each student is in, and (b) teenagers’ innate desire to push boundaries. 

The first factor certainly seems plausible. Unlike in lower secondary in RI/RGS, when the whole class is allocated the same house and it is easy to spot the errant red shirt amidst a sea of green, Y5-6 students are not allocated houses based on class. And unlike hair colour, skirt length, or the number of piercings on one’s nose, whether or not a student is wearing his own house shirt or the house shirt of a random colour he bought at Popular is not immediately discernible. You see a student in an MT house shirt, and the simplest explanation to believe is that he is from MT. To believe anything else would put one at risk of developing the brand of global scepticism commonly known to afflict KI students. 

And even if there existed a database detailing the house of every student, having to stop every student wearing a HH shirt to confirm that they were indeed from HH and not a purple/black-loving imposter would prove a logistical nightmare. In this dystopian scenario, instead of distributing care packages and rating bread, accosting students on their way to the lecture theatre would now make up the bulk of House Directorate members’ duties. 

So the teachers’ point on the difficulty of enforcement is a valid one. But what about the second factor? Are students really wearing other house shirts in a classic display of good ol’-fashioned teenage rebellion?

While this would certainly make for a sensational headline, thoughts of civil disobedience did not seem to factor greatly on the minds of most of the students who engaged in the practice of wearing other house shirts. 

Instead, the top reasons given by students in the survey were rather uninspired: that they liked the colour of the other houses’ shirts; that they liked the variety that having shirts in other colours gave them; or that they needed multiple house shirts to wear for PE and CCA and it did not make sense to buy identical shirts for this purpose. In other words, all very (for lack of a better word) ‘material’ reasons.

“I just think it’s cool to have a variety of colours that you can switch in and out of,” said Travis Tan (20S06Q), who owns the MR, BB, and HH house shirts. “It makes the house shirts more interesting when you have different choices to switch up colours depending on your mood for the day.”

“Because of PE, people may need more than one house shirt and I feel that we shouldn’t require them to buy more than one of their own house’s shirts,” said Amadeus Lee (20S03M), the Moor-Tarbet captain. “But of course, I take pride in people who wear the [MT] house shirt, regardless of whether they had PE the previous day or not.”

From the other camp, the survey respondents who owned only house shirts in their own house colour also seemed to be deeply motivated by pragmatism. While house loyalty and house pride were certainly reasons offered by some students for wearing only their own house’s shirt, other reasons given were that they already had too many Raffles shirts and saw no reason to get more, that they did not want to ‘waste’ money on buying house shirts in other colours, and—my personal favourite—‘too lazy to get more’. 

“Why don’t I wear other houses’ shirts?” said Joel Leong (20S03O), who owns only two house shirts, both of his native Morrison-Richardson. “First of all, I really like the colour blue and I’m generally quite happy to be in this house because of the colour. To be fair, I’m a very pragmatic person and I don’t see the point of buying other house shirts since I already own so many Raffles shirts, and I don’t think I’ll wear them in public again after graduation. I think the HH house shirt is nice too but for the above-mentioned reasons, I decided not to get it.”

Said Zitin Bali (20S06D) from MR, who was one of a minority of students who did not feel that it was generally acceptable for students to wear the shirts of other house colours: “As in, I just think that it’s… your house shirt is representative of both [your Y1-2] class and house spirit. When you prefer other colours and wear that instead, you somewhat lose part of that house pride and house spirit.”

SYMPTOMATIC OF A LARGER ISSUE?

So it seems like there is no deeper reason behind the practice. But although many students claim to be doing it out of pragmatism, could their apparent apathy—as seen from the fact that 97% found it acceptable to wear a house shirt in a colour other than one’s own house colour—signal a larger problem? Namely, the lack of house spirit here in RI (Y5-6)?

It’s no secret that house spirit is viewed by the student population to be of minimal relevance once the hype of orientation has passed. While students spend a lot of time with their Orientation Group (which is determined by their house) in the first few weeks of school, the relevance of House to students’ lives tends to decline as OGs are quickly replaced by other important social groups like class and CCA. 

The Raffles Archives and Museum (RAM) teacher-in-charge, Mrs Cheryl Yap, shared her thoughts on why house spirit might not be as strong in RI (Y5-6). As teacher-in-charge of RAM, Mrs Yap preserves and documents Rafflesian culture, of which house culture is one aspect. 

In her opinion, the distinct advantage of House over other social groupings like class comes from the fact that House “cuts across” different levels, allowing students of different education levels to come together and unite under the same group. However, in JC there are only two levels, meaning that this function of House might no longer be as important as it was formerly in Y1-4.

Another possibility is that there may not currently be enough emphasis on the names of each house, with efforts to instill house pride focusing instead on the more superficial, more interchangeable aspects of house culture such as house colours, rather than on the legacy and contributions of the men and women that the houses are named after. The lack of emphasis on house names can be seen from how in Y5-6, the house names have been truncated to catchier acronyms, although admittedly, ‘Morrison-Richardson’ is really too much of a mouthful to expect anyone to say on a daily basis, especially in a spirited round of house cheers.

While students coming from RGS and RI (Y1-4) might have been taught about their house founders when they first joined the school, JAE students may feel confused about where the names came from as this is not covered in the orientation programme. This could lead to them identifying more strongly with whatever colour house they came from in secondary school, whatever their favourite colour is, or just not seeing a point to house shirts beyond the fact that they are of different colours. Which raises an uncomfortable question: If you reduce your entire house system to colours, does it really come as a surprise when your students decide which shirts to wear based on what colours they prefer?

Finally, Mrs Yap admits that the decline of house spirit could just be a sign of the changing times. 

“Does it indicate that students today are no more wanting to be put into compartments, wanting to give voice to something that they don’t believe in? You know, maybe they don’t believe in house spirit so they just want to make a point.” With the greater emphasis on individuality and self-expression in recent years, it may just be that students don’t really see the point in basing their identity on belonging to a group—especially one as arbitrary as a house—anymore. 

Responses from some interviewees seemed to support Mrs Yap’s theories.

“I didn’t associate Hadley with the idea of Hadley-Hullett very much,” said Wynsey Chen (20A01A), who was from RGS. “Though I would feel the desire to fight for my house in games and stuff, I felt that wearing the colours of other houses was in a sense rejecting the competitiveness that was apparently necessary because in Orientation, I got the vibe that houses were really just colours, and it was the people you met through house that mattered more than anything.”

Even more pointedly, Javier Ong declared, “Honestly, I don’t really care about the house system at all.” 

BUT IS IT ACTUALLY AGAINST THE RULES?

Unlike the tapering of pants or wearing of multiple piercings, the wearing of other house shirts is not expressly forbidden in the Student Handbook. And while Student Council is aware of the phenomenon, it has no plans to crack down on students who wear other houses’ shirts anytime soon.

Said Ms Janissa Soh, Assistant Department Head of Student Leadership (Y5-6) and overall teacher-in-charge of Council: “Yeah, we definitely know, students have preferences for certain [house shirts]. Of course, the most obvious instance is during house assemblies. Right? When we have house assemblies and it’s a Wednesday, and then we enter into an LT, and this is supposed to be a particular house, but then we see, here and there, some other colours. So yeah, we are definitely aware and during house assemblies, we do ask them. We hope that individually, students will feel for their house and recognise why there is a different house colour, rather than us ‘clamping down’. Because our school is not like that. We don’t do these kinds of top-down things.”

“I think there is no need to [clamp down on the practice] at this point, unless one day, you find that there would be a house that is not represented.” 

How likely is it, then, that there would come a day in the distant future when BB and BW shirts disappear completely from public view, and the HH shirt comes to ‘reign supreme in ev’ry sphere’? 

Some students might remember that for a period of two months between April and June this year, Popular ran out of stock for all house shirts… except the green ones.

“The most sellable colour is purple and black. We [are] always out of stock within days,” said Auntie Mary, the Popular bookshop auntie, when I interviewed her back in June. This, together with the suspicious surplus of BB shirts during the “shirt drought” seems to suggest that not all house shirts are created equal. 

How do HHians feel about the fact that their house shirt is (unofficially) the most popular one?

“Honestly, I think it’s not a bad thing,” said Eugene Chua (19A01B), a HHian. “To me, it’s just like any other shirt. I see no difference between the official PE shirt and any other house shirt. And also, in my opinion, it’s the best-looking shirt by far and the more people who wear it the better. It doesn’t hurt my eyes like the neon yellow BW shirt which makes people look like walking highlighters, so there’s that.”

“As HH captain, it’s definitely really cool to see so many people wearing our house shirt,” said Dillon Teo (20S03G), the Hadley-Hullett captain. “I guess having the best colours is really one of the things that makes HH, HH. And for those non-HHians who love to wear our shirt, we’re open to transfers ;)”

Yet, for the whole school to be united under the hegemony of the HH shirt seems highly implausible. For as long as shirts of different colours exist, it seems like there will exist people who prefer green, yellow, blue, or red to purple.

“I just like the colour,” said Ishal Zikang (20S06U), a non-BBian who admitted to owning—and loving— the BB shirt. “I don’t understand why people like the HH shirt. It’s so dull.”

It has also been pointed out that some colours may simply have an edge when it comes to versatility of use. For instance, the red MT shirt can double as festive attire for Chinese New Year and National Day.

“It was during CNY when I just decided to buy the red house shirt,” said Glenda Chiang (20S03J). “Because festive spirit, and it can be used for many events also!”

CLOSING REMARKS—GOOD OR BAD?

Whether the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon is something which has shaped school culture for better or for worse really depends on your perspective. 

To some, the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon might be problematic as it represents an erosion of RI’s long and rich house tradition. 

However, even if the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon were viewed to be an undesirable school tradition by school authorities, clamping down on the practice with harsher school rules might not be the most effective way of solving the problem. New rules banning the practice of wearing other house shirts might not only be difficult to enforce (as teachers themselves pointed out), but could also risk escalating the situation unnecessarily, since it seems that students are only practising it out of apathy or for aesthetic reasons, and not as a deliberate form of rebellion or to subvert the school rules. There could even be a risk of students feeling like the school is being too heavy-handed, and then growing even more disillusioned at the strict policing of school culture in RI as a result.

Instead, the school could focus its efforts on changing students’ perception about the acceptability of this practice, possibly by strengthening house spirit and students’ sense of connection to their house. This could be achieved by having House Directorate members place greater emphasis on house names and the house founders during House Hour as part of orientation. Transferring emphasis away from the house colours would give students more—and better—reasons to identify strongly with their house apart from the colour of the shirt, enabling them to view the house shirt as being more than just another shirt with coloured sleeves.

Yet, a case can also be made for the fact that the house system is something relatively new to RJC’s history, anyway. The arguments advanced by traditionalists for preserving RI house heritage seem to apply more to RI (Y1-4) than to RI (Y5-6), where the house system was only started in 2005.   

If one takes this view, the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon becomes instead something which should be lauded as an example of an organically-driven school tradition, not unlike the rolling up of sleeves in RGS. 

We may never be able to find a definite answer as to the origins of this practice. Perhaps it is the case that the whos, whens, and whys of the Interchangeable House Shirt Phenomenon do not matter so much as the singular fact that this unorthodox practice has survived so many batches of students. 

By Ng Jing Ting (20A13A) and Sarah Lok (20A03A) 

Tucked away in the recesses of Upper Thomson Road, Thomson Nature Park is Singapore’s newest buffer park—it is a physical enhancement and extension of the nearby Central Catchment Reserve that not only provides the public with an alternative space to connect with nature, but also protects the nature reserves against abutting developments. 

This is a place where the past meets the present: a new secondary forest and other flora have overgrown the erstwhile Hainan Village, whilst the latest fauna protection methods are nestled in popular animal haunts. 

If you’ve ever played Shadow of the Tomb Raider or Jungle Ruins (as we have), chances are that you’ll find this park bringing their rustic settings to life—as we made our way into the park, the ruins of antique tiles and long-collapsed pillars could be glimpsed among the shaded greenery. These tiles and pillars had once graced the demolished houses of their Hainanese inhabitants; now, they stand in the former glory of those abodes, testaments to a time long past. It was a rather intriguing sight to behold: us teenagers who grew up in a rather sheltered urban setting have never come across the remains of a former village—let alone in a park. 

These architectural remnants are more than just old, mossy brick and mortar: they offer us insight into the ways of life of the former residents of the Hainan village, many of whom would be our grandparents’ age by now. A particular villager of note would be Mr Looi Im Heok, a champion motorcycle racer who founded Looi’s Motor in 1961. Moreover, we found it interesting that the first Formula One race was held here, and the track—albeit less winding than our current Marina Bay Street Circuit—now serves as the park’s footpath outline. 

The genesis of Han’s Café—a nebulous childhood staple for many of us, perhaps—can be found in this very park as well, for Mr Han Choon Fook, the chain’s founder, used to reside here with his family. After saving sufficient money, he managed to set up a small bakery along Upper Thomson Road, which was eventually expanded island-wide to become today’s Han’s Café. 

Unfortunately, the village’s last residents left in the 1980s, causing the abandoned agricultural land to be reclaimed by forest, and subsequently allowing for the regeneration of the secondary forest that we see today. The slightly overgrown feel of the vegetation adds to the rustic yet slightly mysterious mood in the park—a major plus point for photographers who are in favour of such an aura in their work. 

However, we found that the remnants of the Hainan Village are not just on the forest floor: bricks from the former village were occasionally amalgamated with the asphalt below our feet throughout the entirety of the trail. As part of a conservation plan to integrate features of the old village with the present-day park, the old roads have been preserved in their original state whilst the bricks have been used to fill up potholes along them. Bearing the names of their brickwork company, the vibrant red hues of the bricks stands in stark contrast to the soot-coloured gravel that surrounds them (this makes for pretty aesthetic photographs, if you ask us). 

Although the village now stands devoid of inhabitants, illustrations made by a Mr Jon Foo, who had once been its resident, allow those who came after to visualise what the village may have looked like in its heyday. Our inner geographers took a great interest in his drawings as they delineated the land use profile of the village, clearly depicting how the villagers had ingeniously maximised the limited land they had by farming on terraced slopes. 

The wide variety of biodiversity found in Thomson Nature Park, as well as the frequent movements of wildlife between the Central Catchment Reserve and itself, means that efforts in nature conservation and biodiversity management have been manifold. 

As part of an ongoing pilot trial of the Roadway Animal Detection System (RADS) by NParks and the Land Transport Authority, CCTV cameras equipped with analytics technology have been installed along Old Upper Thomson Road to reduce vehicle-wildlife collisions. At regular intervals along the canopied road, three cameras stand in their spike-studded glory, the silver protrusions serving to deter vandalism from wildlife. Whilst target animals include the Sambar Deer and the Sunda Pangolin, they also expand to include others such as the endangered Raffles’ banded langur. Consider yourself lucky if you happen to catch this technology in action, though—close to no cars (and animals) were spotted on the road when we visited.

Furthermore, to increase connectivity between the Central Catchment Reserve and Thomson Park for the animal population, two rope bridges have been built in between the two parks to facilitate the movement of monkeys and other arboreal animals. Whilst much emphasis has been put on planting trees with spreading canopies, these rope bridges act as structural reinforcements for canopy linkages, especially in the case of younger trees with weaker branches. Although the efficacy of this solution has yet to be ascertained, we think that they’ve been well-received by the local monkeys—many of them were spotted on the railings near these bridges. 

Overall, this park has it all. Regardless of whether you’re a budding photographer, an enthusiastic ecologist, or even an avid historian, you’re bound to find something in this park that piques your interest—the nostalgia of bygone days and the beauty of the outdoors just effortlessly coalesces within this space. However, before you head over to Thomson Nature Park to appreciate its preservation of the past, or its adoption of new technology, it is most important to wear strong mosquito repellent—the mosquito population runs somewhat rife here, given the park’s relative newness. (Case in point: the writers received a joint total of 30 mosquito bites.) 

Ultimately, besides the local langur population, that’s another breed you shouldn’t be feeding. 

By Ng Ziqin (20S03H)

The Albert Hong Hall isn’t a place which many RI (Y5–6) students set foot in on a regular basis. It’s quite different from the Multipurpose Hall (MPH) on our side of the school. For one, the main entrance is elevated above the main chamber of the Hall by a flight of steps, the stage partially obscured by a low ceiling. 

With steps like these, any entrance feels like a grand entrance.

The theme of this year’s Batch Night was evident from the get-go, with councillors stationed at the door to hand out finger lights and glow sticks. ‘Lumos’, as most Potterheads would know from the simple spell which performs roughly the same function as an iPhone flashlight, comes from the Latin word lux. Here tonight, gold balloons and strings of fairy lights lined the railings, and the step lights had been turned on. The cozy yellow lights bathed the room in a warm, hazy glow, simulating all the idyllic charm of tealight candles without the fire hazard. 

With Promos, PW, and H3 applications behind us, ‘Lumos’ seems like a fitting way to describe the current mood—light. And undeniably, the upcoming school holidays feel like the light at the end of the tunnel to most after what has been a long year, a time to relax and unwind. In short, ‘light’ feels like such a natural way to end of the school year that it came as a huge surprise when I learned that ‘Lumos’ wasn’t the first theme that the organising theme explored for Batch Night.

“Our first idea for the theme was rejected, but I think we bounced back pretty quickly afterwards and came up with this second theme,” said Liyana Afiqah (20S03I), a member of the Batch Night 2019 Organising Committee. “It was quite fun to plan this event, because we were given the budget to do anything we wanted for the batch!”

So, what did ‘anything’ look like? 

‘Anything’ was booths where popcorn and cotton candy were distributed, a live hotdog station, and free ice cream. ‘Anything’ was a face painting station at one corner of the Hall, where Council’s resident make-up artist Celest Teng (20S06I) and her team of dedicated ‘beauticians’ turned their fellow batchmates’ faces into living canvases with glow-in-the-dark face paints. 

“Celest is the best because she’s an actual make-up artist,” explained Shayne Phee (20S03R), one of the non-Celest Council members on duty at the face painting booth. “The rest of us are just noobs.”

‘Anything’ was friendly football and basketball matches, a screening of childhood favourite WALL-E (2008), a photo booth outside the hall, and standing around in the middle of the hall, having conversations with long-lost Y1–2 classmates. There was plenty to do and plenty to see; something for everybody.

Even some non-Y5s came by to get in on the action. Former Council Vice-President, Tan Huiying (19S06O), dropped by the Albert Hong Hall to support her juniors and take a much-needed break from studying for her ‘A’ level examinations.

“Like honestly, it’s because I take PCME and this morning my Physics paper ended, and I don’t want to study, so here I am. And I guess I’m also here for the memories because I was in charge of certain parts of Batch Night last year, ” she said cheerfully. She strongly encouraged me to “have fun, and eat more hot dogs”.

The evening started off with a round of heartfelt performances by Daryl Teoh (20A13A), Beth Lim, Warren Wong, and Nicole Lim (20S03I), Alex Han (20S06H) and Tristan Tan (20S03K). 

Forming ‘three-fifths’ of a PW group, Beth, Warren, and Nicole are a band with interesting vocals and an even more interesting backstory.

“We’re a PW group and we always sing together, so we thought that this would be a good place to perform after PW,” said Beth. 

The vocal performances were followed by a dynamic number by Raffles Street Dance which saw creative interpretations on catchy numbers. Replete with flashy moves and many costume changes, highlights of this segment included a powerful handstand, a dramatic choreography set to ‘Nails, Hair, Heels, Hips’ which incorporated dry ice, and of course, who could forget the ending number ‘Now Or Never’, where seven male dancers showed us that Raffles Basketball isn’t the only CCA around here who can do some fancy footwork with an orange and black ball.

On the heels of that stunning performance came the moment everyone had been waiting all year for: final house placings! 

But instead of simply reading out the results, the House Captains were determined to milk the moment for all the drama it was worth. After a hair-raising rendition of ‘Thank You, Next’, a video reveal was shown. But first came a title card spelling out ‘House Recap’ in flashing letters, which segued into a walk down memory lane of all the important house events—Orientation, Dramafeste, and the Team Raffles Games—filling us with that warm, fuzzy feeling.

And then, we were reminded of just why we were being shown these nostalgic moments.

‘It all comes down to this moment.’ 

The words flashed across the screen ominously, heightening the atmosphere of suspense. House placings were gradually revealed via a series of blinking colours, which appeared in bands across the screen. 

Finally, we were down to the last two bands. HHians and BBians held their breaths, as the screen flashed between green and purple indecisively in a moment reminiscent of a Bruce Banner/Hulk transformation.

“HH hu? HUTALU!” shouted Dillon Teo (20S03G), clearly unable to contain his excitement when HH was ultimately proclaimed the Overall Champion House of 2019 via blinking ribbon, much to the disappointment of the BBians present. They have the ‘best house colours’, and now, House Champion too? 

Students were free to do what they wanted between 7.30 and 8.40 pm. Most remained in the hall, if the snaking queue for hot dogs and ice cream were any indication, while the more athletically-inclined headed outdoors for a round of friendly ball games at the basketball court and Astroturf in the crisp night air. An announcement was made regarding a lost wallet which was eventually reunited with its owner, Roland Win (20A01C), within minutes, a happy ending for all involved.

Council members kept busy throughout the night, distributing food, painting faces, refereeing games, and handing out party favours. At one point, Council Vice-President Jesper Loo (20S03N) was found assembling hot-dogs to feed the hungry masses. At several points, Ma Fanghe (20S06L) strode across the length of the hall, proffering a nearly empty box of finger lights to people he met on his way. And Alexander Ang (20S03Q), one of the planning committee members, was repeatedly unavailable for comment despite several attempts made by this reporter to track him down; he constantly seemed to be running in circles around the Albert Hong Hall, perpetually on one errand or another. 

“Can give me five minutes?”

– Alex Ang

This was a fact which did not go unnoticed by his colleagues at the face-painting station, who shouted, “Don’t stress!” as he sprinted past them en route to the exit.

The night ended with an electric set by Raffles Rock. Students crowded towards the front of the stage, waving their finger lights and glow sticks in the air. The performers had remarkable stage presence and energy, transforming the tranquil night into a rave with crowd favourites and classic anthems to the tune of ‘Believer’, ‘Mr Brightside’, and ‘We Are Young’. A sea of Rafflesians bobbed in time to the beat, the golden balloons released from the gallery by Council members floating up and down like lanterns against a night sky.

Thank you for making Batch Night 2019 a night to remember!

Final House Rankings
5th: MR
4th: MT
3rd: BW
2nd: BB
1st: HH

By Ultimate Frisbee

“Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”

To anyone watching Ultimate players tossing a mere piece of plastic on the field, it may be easy to underestimate the sheer determination, drive and hard work that goes on behind the scenes. Anyone who passes by the amphitheatre can catch a glimpse of us scrimming or throwing, a testament to the commitment our team has to the sport even outside of training. Onfield, what spectators observe as a disc gliding through the air is the product of countless hours of training to execute a precise throw; an explosive sprint—a product of tough physical training to outrun the opponent; and a courageous layout (dive)—a product of mental preparation and the desire to keep the disc alive to make the perfect save.

While this may seem daunting, do not fear. In Raffles Ultimate, you will find a team that has your back through thick and thin. Training sessions push us beyond our limits, and while gruelling both mentally and physically, we find comfort in the knowledge that we will always have one another to push through with and cheer each other on. 

This camaraderie and passion for the sport transcends batches, spurring many alumni to return and coach fresh batches of players. Determined to nurture the next generation of Raffles Ultimate, these NSmen and undergraduates take time out of their busy schedules to come down to our training grounds, a testimony to how deep our roots grow. This strong alumni culture is and will always continue to be one of the main trademarks of Raffles Ultimate.

The uniqueness of Ultimate lies in that we are a self-refereed sport. Arguably the epitome of sportsmanship, our sport is built upon the principles of fair-mindedness, mutual respect and integrity. The Spirit of the Game ensures the responsibility of each and every player on-field to follow and enforce the rules in order to make the game a safe and enjoyable one for all. Games are governed on the basis of honouring the rules and your opponents. At the end of every game, it is customary for a round of hi-fives amongst all players, before huddling up in a joined circle with the opponents to highlight positives and discuss issues that may have arisen during the game, promoting such spirit in all Ultimate players.

Every year, we compete in the Inter-JC Ultimate Championships—an unforgettable two-day long tournament, and the culmination of any JC Ultimate player’s hard work throughout the year. Competing at Inter-JCs is an indescribable experience—nothing beats the thrill and adrenaline rush of playing alongside your teammates, soaking in the atmosphere and buzz of excitement from supporters on the sidelines. With our seniors’ efforts, the past two years saw Raffles Ultimate claiming the championship title, and we aim to continue their legacy of excellence and extend our winning streak. 

Ultimate Frisbee is a developmental sport—no prior experience is required. That being said, do not expect this two-year-long journey to be easy. The sport’s arduous and steep learning curve demands dedication and passion from every member, and the countless hardships one will endure are not for the faint of heart. Yet, at the end of one’s journey, these fulfilling memories and meaningful experiences are what we will cherish for years to come. If you have an open mind, willingness to learn and drive to improve yourself as a player and person, we welcome you with open arms.

After all, batches of Raffles Ultimate players have all passed on a legacy and stood firmly by our motto—Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

By Raffles Runway

The first question on everyone’s lips when they see “Raffles Runway” is: do I need to know how to sew? The answer: no—you don’t! (We’ll explain this later.)

Now that that’s (temporarily) out of the way, what is Runway all about? Simply put, we are the school’s fashion design club: we dream up garments in our sleep, comb through endless sources of inspiration and cut, sew, tighten and correct endlessly to bring our ideas to life. The satisfaction that rushes through you after birthing the garment is the best feeling in the world; from that point on, it’s your baby.

This, however, is too simplistic a description of the work that we do, for our scope extends beyond the fashion design process. Aspiring designers do receive training in fundamental areas like sewing, fabric handling and garment construction. On top of that, they can also expect plenty of exciting and novel experiences such as learning how to do makeup, working closely with student models to bring their clothes to life (more on that later), getting to know more niche types of fashion and conceptualising Runway’s annual fashion show from scratch. All these opportunities come with the guidance of some of the best experts in the local fashion scene, ranging from designers to professional makeup artists and modelling consultants. We’ve been mentored by local designers like Adelyn Putri from the Nude Femme label and Jon from Jon Max Goh, all of whom played a big part in helping us grow as designers!

Speaking of Runway’s fashion show, R’PROJECT is held annually and features garment collections painstakingly put together by our very own student designers. Each R’PROJ follows a theme, which the senior batch has the honour of deciding. By showcasing our creations, we hope to drive home the message that fashion is so much more than the glamour, superficiality, frivolity and extravagance that it is usually associated with; it can be used to convey emotions, ideas and concepts, make bold and memorable statements on issues dear to our hearts, and ultimately add beauty and perspective to the world. For designers, this is not simply a platform to apply imparted theory; it’s also an exercise in multitasking, improvisation and creativity. How you want your collection to be staged? What impression do you want to leave on the audience? Designers find the answers to these questions—and much more—by working on the show.

If this sounds daunting, fret not—as long as you have a passion for fashion, you can do anything! You do not need any prior fashion design experience to join Runway. Our trials will be held around February/March 2020, and you will need to submit a portfolio of your design ideas. Runway sessions are held every Wednesday from 2pm–5pm; during these sessions, expect to have fun exchanging ideas, learning about and bonding over fashion with your CCA mates!

So, if you find yourself spending hours scrolling through online boutique catalogues, following red carpets a little too closely, dreaming about creating something beautiful or simply feel genuinely interested in what fashion is all about, this is the place for you to be! Alternatively, if you’re interested in modelling the outfits, keep a lookout for our Y5 2020 Model Auditions, which will be taking place around the end of Term 1—more news on that to come on @rafflesrunway on Instagram and our posters around the school.

And remember:

“I am a fashion person, and fashion is not only about clothes—it’s about all kinds of change.”

– Karl Lagerfeld