se Happy Chine! New Year
THE NANYANG
CHRONICLE
VOL. NO.
22
06 10.02.16
CHAMPIONS ISSN NO. 0218-7310
Sports | 17
PHOTO: ZHENG JUNCEN
Where’s my burger?
Self-service kiosks delay orders News | 03
Halal food on campus
Writers try dating app
New food choices open at North Spine Plaza
Ready for some Tinder loving care?
Lifestyle | 07
Lifestyle | 08
02 NEWS
THE NANYANG
New year, new beginnings readers will get to learn about events they can participate in, while also getting to know more about the student clubs we have on campus. Lastly, we also invited contributions from our professors and researchers on campus. Their expert opinion and analysis will help our campus community make sense of complex issues around us. We invite you, our readers, to let us know your thoughts. Our pages, both in print and online, are open to your views. You can also keep up with our reports through our Facebook page. We invite you to join the campus conversation.
What's happening on campus? MODEL UNITED NATIONS The NTU Model United Nations is an annual conference that mimics the various organs of the United Nations. Deemed one of the most prestigious events organised by the NTU Debate Society, this year’s event will see over 500 delegates from more than a dozen countries. This is their 10th edition, and it will foster open dialogue on geopolitical and social issues. When:19 to 21 Feb Where: Nanyang Executive Center
FOOD FOR HOPE The third Food for Hope drive, organised by the NTU Welfare Services Club, aims to collect canned food from the Boon Lay and Frontier residential areas for financially challenged families. Students are invited to donate in cash or kind. Any consumables and canned food donated should be six months from the expiry date. Sign up information is available on their event page. When: 21 Feb (Collection), 28 Feb (Distribution)
22
CHRONICLE 06
editor's note THE field of journalism is in the midst of transformation, and we at the Nanyang Chronicle are doing our best to keep pace. But while we are undergoing transition, we also believe that one thing should stay the same. Our service to you, our readers. That's why in our first issue this semester, we are focusing on what you have to say. We wrote about environmental sustainability on campus, and asked some of our students about their own practices in Canteen Talk, a section devoted to our students' views on important issues. Next, we reached out to student organisations and put together a list of upcoming activities. Our
VOL. NO.
DHARMA TALKS The NTU Buddhist Society has opened their Dharma Talks to all students. Dharma is the eternal law of the cosmos, seen in nature and its components. These principles are taught by monks and venerables. Come appropriately dressed to learn the history of Buddhism and how Buddha's life is merged with our everyday lives. When: 19 and 26 Feb Where: TBC
ANIMALS DAY Animals Day teaches students the benefits of adopting strays and rescued animals. Puppies bred for sale are often sent to the pound if not sold on time. The society is collaborating with House of Rabbit Society Singapore and Animal Lovers League, who will bring some fluffy friends in need of a home. There will also be educational boards and a booth featuring interactive games for all.
When: 18th Feb from 10.30am to 5pm Where: Pavilion near Tan Chong Tuan Lecture Theatre
NTU SWIMFEST 2016 NTU Swimfest 2016 aims to promote the benefits of safe water sport participation, and swimming for a healthy lifestyle. Presented by the NTU Lifeguard Corps, it is an opportunity for swimming enthusiasts to gather and challenge themselves. Participants will engage in a day of swimathons where they push their limits within the stipulated time to win prizes. When: 26 Feb Where: NTU Sports & Recreation Centre Swimming Complex
HOW TO ACE YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT Completing a research project or writing a thesis is an integral part of most undergraduate or postgraduate degrees. Three NTU professors will be sharing
their insights on making the writing process easier, based on their experience supervising and coaching students in writing research reports. When: 16 Feb Where: LT24 Block SS1
FAILURE NIGHT ̶ BY NTUES
Failure is part and parcel of life. Yet, the thought of failing can be crippling, holding some back from chasing their dreams. Organised by the NTU Entrepreneurship Society, the event will feature guests who will share their experiences of how failure has shaped them. When: 16 Feb, 6pm – 8pm (Registration starts at 5.30pm) Where: Theatre @ The Nest, Innovation Centre
NANYANG ARTS FESTIVAL 2016 Nanyang Arts Festival is an annual month-long arts festival which strives to increase the
level of appreciation and awareness of the arts scene among the NTU population. Activities include performances, competitions, workshops, and installations to encourage high participation. When: 1 Feb to 28 Feb Where: NTU
ONE LIFE SAVED 2016 One Life Saved is an annual event designed to spread first aid knowledge and skills. The event will start with theory lessons, followed by hands-on practice of first aid knowledge. The event will have a lucky draw contest, with prizes up for grabs. When: 13 to 20 Feb 2016 Where: South Spine
The Nanyang Chronicle invites clubs and societies from all over campus to contribute their events for this Calendar. Get in touch with us about your event at chronicle@e.ntu.edu.sg.
News Ocean’s beauty and horror Veteran photojournalist uses his camera to increase awareness about overfishing and marine conservation QUAH JIA LING
National Geographic photojournalist Brian Skerry uses his work to bring attention to issues that endanger the ocean and its inhabitants. PHOTOS: NICHOLAS YEO
TORN from the ocean, fish flounder on a bloody deck as hooks are repeatedly plunged into them. Scenes like this one spurred National Geographic photojournalist Brian Skerry, 54, to use his craft to draw attention to marine conservation issues. “When I was in Spain and they were killing bluefin tuna, the decks of the boat were gushing with bright red blood,” the veteran underwater photographer told the Nanyang Chronicle. “I have been underwater with these animals and they are such magnificent creatures and to see them killed that way, it’s like watching a crime unfold.” Mr Skerry was a guest speaker in NTU last month, as part of an ongoing collaboration between the university and National Geographic since 2014. Apart from a faculty talk and lecture on photography techniques, Mr Skerry held a presentation about his experience as an underwater photographer at the Nanyang Auditorium, for which more than 1,000 people registered.
Having loved the sea since he was a child, Mr Skerry had always aspired to study the ocean. At the beginning of his career, all he wanted to do was “to swim with sharks and whales and do cool things.” However, after witnessing firsthand the effects of climate change and overfishing, the American photographer decided to raise awareness about marine conservation. “The evolution in my career was that over time, I began to see a lot of problems. I used to see big schools of fish, and when I go back to the same places, I don’t see them anymore,” he said. “I realised there were problems occurring in the ocean and I knew I had the opportunity as a journalist to begin telling those stories.” In 2004, Mr Skerry photographed one of the most poignant stories in his career — the plight of harp seals. It was also the first time his photos were published in the National Geographic magazine. The story described how harp seal pups were killed for their fur, and even those spared from the hunters cannot escape the effects of global warming, perishing as a result of melting sea ice. “I would like to think that these
pictures made more people aware of these problems now,” he said. “I think that’s what photography has the power to do.” His work has affected him so much that he now avoids eating seafood, knowing that an unsustainable level of consumer demand is what fuels overfishing. “We are at the precipice — the moment in time where our choices do matter,” he said. “It is not too late to start protecting the sea.” Annabel Pang, a first-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, was one of the attendees at the presentation. “I thought it was really informative and helpful. It didn’t occur to me that corals would die or different species of fishes were becoming extinct as a result of our actions and inactions,” Pang, 20, said. “The pictures he showed were so breathtakingly beautiful. It was like diving into the deep sea and experiencing it through the lens of a talented artist,” she added. Mr Skerry has been working with National Geographic and specialising in marine wildlife and underwater environments since 1998. He has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater over the last 30 years.
Self-order kiosks draw praise, ire NICOLE LIM WITH at least three establishments introducing self-service kiosks this semester, ordering and paying for food and groceries on campus is becoming more automated. At McDonald’s, students and faculty can order food and make payment with a touch of the screen, while Prime supermarket offers a self-checkout option. Previously, only the canteen at Hall of Residence 16 had self-service counters. Most students interviewed by the Nanyang Chronicle felt the move towards self-checkout stations was a good initiative. Tosy Tan, 19, a first-year student from the School of Computer Engineering (SCE), feels it is now more convenient for students who only
purchase a few items at a time. “The self-service kiosks have really sped up the payment process, especially during peak hours, making it easier for Prime staff and students,” she said. Meanwhile, the three self-service counters at Canteen 16, installed last semester, were also welcomed by diners. The counters service the Japanese, Chinese, Western and drink stalls. Diners receive a queue number after ordering food and return to the stall to collect their food when it is ready. First-year SCE student Lander Chin, 21, said: “Previously, students would have to wait at the stalls for their food. Now, we can wait comfortably in our seats.” Other students, however, felt the kiosks did not serve their intended purpose of shortening queue times.
Germain Kwek, 20, a secondyear School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences student, described the lines at McDonald’s as persistent and snaking, despite the new kiosks. “As the name suggests, fast food is supposed to be fast. The food still takes so long to arrive, even with the new kiosks,” she added. The fast food restaurant is equipped with four self-service kiosks, where customers can order food and make payment by NETS or credit card. However, customers who wish to pay by cash after ordering at the kiosks can also choose to do so at any manned cashier counters. After payment, customers then receive a queue number to collect their food. Although the kiosks were meant to ease human traffic at the popular fast food joint, the reality is
At least three establishments have introduced self-service kiosks this semester.
that customers often have to queue twice – once to order their food and another to collect it — and end up not reaping any time savings. Boh Xuan Jie, 22, a second-year student from the Nanyang Business School, questioned the rationale for installing the self-service kiosks.
“Instead of relying on the kiosks, McDonald’s should hire more employees to handle the crowd during peak hours,” Boh added. “They’re trying to solve the issue of the bottleneck queues but they simply moved the queue to the food collection point.”
04 NEWS
THE NANYANG
VOL. NO.
22
CHRONICLE 06
Alumni club gets makeover The NTU Alumni Club is expected to reopen next year DAWN PUAH A LARGER gym, new lecture theatres and upgraded recreational facilities will soon be open at the NTU Alumni Club to attract more members. Located at one-north in Buona Vista, the clubhouse has been closed since 1 Dec last year for renovations. The club is expected to reopen in 2017. Facilities on the eighth storey, including the restaurant, bar, karaoke and jackpot room, will be moved to the third storey where the club’s main reception will be located. Escalators and staircases will also be installed to improve access from the ground floor to the third storey. Previously, access to the club was only possible via the lift in the carpark on the first storey. “These upgrades will provide better connectivity and ease of movement within the Club,” said alumni club manager Mr Dexter Ho. Hostels are also planned for foreign students taking courses at NTU@one-north Executive Centre, located next door. However, alumni and final-year students said they were unenticed to sign up as a club member. Common reasons for the lack of interest include membership cost. Fresh graduates who sign up
Photo illustration of the new NTU Alumni Club, once renovations are complete.
The NTU Alumni Club invites readers to send their suggestions on how the club can attract more undergraduates to join as members, and their expectations of the club. Contributions should be sent to dexter@ntualumni.org.sg, with the personal particulars and contact details of the writer. The club will award a $20 Capital Mall Voucher to the 20 most relevant contributions.
PHOTO: NTU
within their year of graduation have to pay a one-time fee of $139, while alumni who join the club after their graduation year will have to pay an entrance fee of $950. Monthly membership for alumni costs from $21.40 to $42.80 a month. Mr Alvin Chia, 28, who graduated from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information in 2013, felt the membership was “not worth it”. “There’s not much of a discount
when you make purchases or buy food using the card,” said Mr Chia, who is a journalist. See Yao Song, 25, a final-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said while upgrading the facilities is a good move, the club is too far from his Hougang residence. “There is no point in me using the facilities there when I can do the same somewhere near my home,” said See, who lives near a gym, public swimming pool and running track. Another impediment to the club’s efforts to bolster their membership rate may be the perceived lack of community among NTU graduates. Lisa Tan, 23, a final-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, said, “It’d be boring to use the facilities alone, but I don’t know of any friends joining the alumni club." But some undergraduates are enthusiastic about becoming members. “I went to the KTV before, so I think the upgraded one will be more exciting. "It will also be nice to get updates from NTU even after I graduate,” said Lee Hui Ting, 22, a thirdyear student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. During the renovation period, the club’s 2,000 members can use the gym and swimming pool at Club Insignia along Science Park Drive, and the pool at National University of Singapore Society’s Kent Ridge Guild House.
More halal food options at North Spine NICOLE LIM MUSLIMS will now have more halal dining options on campus, once the halal certification for three new eateries at the North Spine Plaza is approved. The eateries – MIA Pizza and Pasta Express, Wheeliz Gourmet, and Dunkin’ Donuts – are expected to be certified before the semester ends, according to NTU’s Chief Housing and Auxiliary Services Officer Mr Jimmy Lee. Muslim students told the Nanyang Chronicle that they welcome the new additions and hope the eateries will be certified soon. Hazmi Ong, 25, a final-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said, “Wow, finally. I have eaten
McDonald’s for dinner so often that the McSpicy burger has started to taste like plain white rice to me.” First-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nur Atsirah Kamsir, 19, said, “I know how hard it is for businesses to be set up in university campuses, especially in terms of capital. So I’m quite pleased that they finally gave some space for the halal tenants. "On behalf of the Muslim community, thank you.” Currently, Muslim students have five dining options at North Spine – Mcdonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Jollibean U+ and North Spine Food Court. The expanded halal dining options are part of the 18 cafes and eateries, and 13 retail shops that opened in the North Spine Plaza
Three eateries at the new North Spine Plaza are expected to be halal-certified before semester ends.
last month. Mr Lee said that students can expect more businesses to move in over the next few months. According to some visitors, the opening of the North Spine Plaza has already driven more traffic to the area. “It’s really hard to get a seat anywhere, especially during lunch
hour,” said Sharmane Tan, 20, a second-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Apart from food outlets, the plaza will also be used to host performances and events. An official opening is in the works. Associate Professor Kwok Kian
PHOTO: KENJI KWOK
Woon, Associate Provost (Student Life), said: “Having more amenities is important as the number of students residing on campus continues to grow. “With a wide line-up of shops, I won’t be surprised if the mall attracts our Jurong neighbours to NTU,” he added.
VOL. NO.
22
NEWS
THE NANYANG
06 CHRONICLE
05
WhatsApp a librarian Students and faculty can soon send text messages to seek immediate assistance from an NTU librarian QUAH JIA LING
After a successful trial, NTU Libraries is planning to allow students and faculty to WhatsApp a libarian for help. GRAPHIC: LIM PEIYI
GETTING help from a librarian will soon be as quick and easy as sending a WhatsApp message. After a successful trial from 11 Jan to 5 Feb, NTU Libraries is planning to allow students and faculty to seek immediate assistance from an NTU librarian via the mobile messaging app. Currently, students can email, call or visit any of the eight libraries across campus to ask librarians for help. The text messaging service was introduced to provide students with a variety of avenues for assistance to suit different needs, said Ms Er Bee Eng, Head of Access
Services Division at NTU Libraries. “For example, a quick or focused question may be well-suited to using WhatsApp, but more complicated or multi-part questions might be easier to answer via email or in person,” Ms Er added. With the app, students and faculty can send photos of books or journal articles to accompany their queries. Ms Er added that WhatsApp was the natural choice for the pilot programme, as many students were already using the mobile messaging app. Tam Si Man, 19, a first-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, was impressed with the efficiency of the service.
“I had to find references for my laboratory report and I was curious about the new program so I decided to give it a try," Tam said. "The librarians were very responsive and I had my query answered within half an hour.” Heeran Kumaresan, 22, a second-year student from the School of Materials Science and Engineering also said, “It is so much more convenient for me to find out whether certain textbooks are available by a simple WhatsApp message rather than having to walk all the way to the library.” The library will be making an official announcement about the new service “soon”, said Ms Er, who declined to give additional details.
Two NTU professors among the "hottest" in the world RY-ANNE LIM “HOT” is probably the last thing you would call your professors. But two NTU professors have been dubbed exactly that — by Thomson Reuters’ panel of data analytics experts. Out of the 19 scientists who made it into the mass media and information firm’s World’s Hottest Researchers 2015 ranking, Professor David Lou and Professor Zhang Hua were ranked eighth and 12th respectively. The ranking, which is in its second year, recognises scientists who have made significant global impact within their respective fields. Scientists on the ranking list have published at least 14 papers last year that were highly cited by their peers. The ranking is part of a Thomson Reuters report which looks at the most widely cited researchers in the world. Prof Lou, 37, a researcher with the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, made the list
with 19 such papers. With many breakthroughs in researching batteries for industrial and commercial use, his papers have been cited over 23,500 times according to the Web of Science, with 7500 citations in 2015 alone. Prof Lou said he was happy to hear the news and added that he hoped to contribute more to his research field. “Research is my greatest passion,” he said. Making his second appearance in the list with 16 ‘hot papers’ was Prof Zhang, 45, from the School of Materials Science and Engineering. He was ranked 13th last year. His expertise is in developing nanomaterials for a variety of purposes, including clean energy. Prof Zhang said he was motivated to conduct research to better people’s lives. “We managed to achieve this with help from the board members and the support of NTU. It’s not based on the individual – it’s a team effort,” he added.
Visiting Professor Michael Gratzel from Switzerland’s Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne also made the list at seventh place. The second part of the citation report identifies close to 3,000 highly cited researchers whose papers ranked among the top 1 per cent of papers most cited by their peers. Nine of NTU’s researchers made the cut. NTU Provost Professor Freddy Boey said the school’s performance in Thomson Reuters’ report shows that NTU is home to world-class scientists doing cutting-edge research. “To solve the problems of the 21st century, we need scientists who are able to think out of the box, combine solutions from different disciplines, and are good in working and leading a diverse group of researchers,” Prof Boey added. “These are the hallmarks of the NTU researchers who have been cited as the world’s most influential scientists.”
Prof Zhang Hua (left) is ranked 8th and Prof David Lou (right) is ranked 12th in a global list of the world's "hottest researchers" by Thomson Reuters. PHOTOS: NICHOLAS YEO
"It’s not based on the individual – it’s a team effort"
"Research is my greatest passion"
Professor Zhang Hua School of Material Science and Engineering
Professor David Lou School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
06
SPOTLIGHT
THE NANYANG
VOL. NO.
22
CHRONICLE 06
Designing and maintaining a successful terrarium requires the careful selection of compatible plants.
BUDDING LOVE FOR NATURE PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KENJI KWOK
T
he simple glass bottle of the terrarium carries an oftenoverlooked message: the ecosystem which supports us is a precarious balancing act. On 19th January, the Asian School of the Environment’s (ASE) Overseas Community Involvement Programme (OCIP) team organised a workshop to educate students about the environment and fund their OCIP conservation field trip. This will be the first OCIP by NTU students to incorporate environmental work beyond the usual scope of humanitarian projects. Choo Liang Feng Leon, 23, student organiser of this initiative, said: “Through the terrarium workshop, we wanted to show how growing plants is both a fun and creative process, and also a step to appreciating nature.” The second-year student from the pioneer batch of ASE added that designing and maintaining a terrarium is very much like caring
for the environment — an endeavour that requires careful thought and commitment. Even though terrariums are known to be relatively hardy, Choo shared that after the workshop, some participants sent him photos wondering why their plants were wilting or growing mould. Choo, who aspires to work in the climate engineering industry, hopes to eventually bring this initiative to primary schools. In primary school, students get to grow bean sprouts on cotton wool and learn the different stages of plant growth, he said. But this exercise is insufficient to develop an appreciation of the ecosystem as bean sprouts are not meant to survive for more than a couple of days. If we are trying to teach young students to be interested in the ecosystem, a terrarium would better emphasise that a love for the environment is a long but rewarding investment, he added.
The terrarium workshop was organised by the ASE OCIP committee on the College of Science Day. The undergraduate programme in environmental earth systems science was launched in 2014.
FROM LEFT: Quynh Nguyen, Lim Tian Ning, Yau Tong Ngee, Choo Liang Feng Leon, Deborah Loke at the terrarium workshop at the School of Biological Sciences.
Lifestyle foodsnoop
NORTHERN NOMS
The North Spine Plaza has set the school abuzz with new food offerings that bring welcome variety to our remote frontier in the far west. The Nanyang Chronicle checks three of these pocket-friendly eateries out on your behalf.
MIA PIZZA & PASTA EXPRESS
THE SANDWICH GUYS
W
HEN it comes to eating fresh, Subway isn’t the only choice on campus — homegrown eatery The Sandwich Guys is giving the global fast food chain a run for its money. At the takeaway-only shop, a six-inch sandwich costs from $3 to $4.50. An upgrade to a set meal is an additional $1.80 for a drink of your choice and side of mashed potatoes or buttered corn. The Philly Cheesesteak ($4.50) which features well marinated beef slices between toasted bread is bound to be a crowd favourite. The grilled beef was done just right and complemented with a generous drizzle of nacho cheese. The onions, peppers and jalapeños added a nice crunch. Those with a big appetite can add a variety of toppings at $0.70 to $1 per serving, such as smoked duck and sautéed mushrooms. Other sandwiches available on the menu include BBQ Pulled Pork ($4) and Cajun Grilled Chicken ($4). Vegetarians also need not miss out on the fun with the MLT (Mushroom, Lettuce, Tomatoes) sandwich. The Sandwich Guys also sells desserts and finger food, with hot dogs, nachos and peanut butter crumble at less than $4. Be prepared for crowds during lunch time — the modest eatery can get stuffy as queues form. Luckily, the wait time averages five to 10 minutes, making The Sandwich Guys an ideal choice for those strapped for time. — LOY KHENG WEE
Philly Cheesesteak by The Sandwich Guys.
PLUS39 GELATO ADDRESS: #0116 North Spine Plaza, opposite Mini Toons and beside Paik’s Bibimbap
PLUS39 GELATO FANCY a little more than a convenience store ice popsicle to combat the blistering weather? You’ll be happy to hear that we now have another ice cream parlour on campus, serving up a range of gelatos, soft serve ice creams and sorbets. Prices start from $2.50 for a single scoop on a waffle cone and go up to $5 if served in a cup with three toppings of your choice. Toppings available include chocolate rice, chopped almonds and mini marshmallows. Our top pick would be the moreish pistachio gelato, which is chock-full of roasted pistachio nuts. The rich nuttiness cuts through the sweetness of the ice cream and adds texture to every bite. The icy desserts are best consumed on a waffle cone for maximum crunch and satisfaction. We also liked the palate-cleansing mango and pineapple sorbets, both of which struck a nice balance between sweet and tart. The shop also sells soft serve icecreams in popular tropical flavours like passionfruit and coconut. — MUHAMMAD SYAFIQ
PHOTO: JAMES NG
OPENING HOURS: Monday to Friday 8.30am - 8pm Saturday 9am - 3pm
Turkey Ham and Mushroom Pizza by MIA Pizza and Pasta Express. PHOTO: JAMES NG
We liked the thin pizza crust with its crisp edges but were disappointed that the dough was unevenly kneaded, making for an unpleasantly dense bite towards the center. The standout dish for us was the Crab Meat Linguine ($8.50) with its generous amounts of shredded crustacean, which lent a natural sweetness and satisfying bite to the otherwise ordinary tomato cream sauce. The Penne Arrabiata ($6.50) is a vegetarian-friendly option with a fiery kick. Tossed in tomato sauce, garlic slices and chopped chilli, the dish is spicy without being overwhelming. Our penne came with a side of tomato bruschetta that was lightly buttered and toasted to serve. Other items on the menu include salads and piadinas (Italian flatbread), all $7 and below. Set meals cost an additional $2 to $4, for a bowl of mushroom or tomato soup, and a soft drink. — GOH PEI XUAN
MIA PIZZA & PASTA EXPRESS
THE SANDWICH GUYS ADDRESS: #0122 North Spine Plaza, between Each-A-Cup and Udon Noodle Bar
OPENING HOURS: Monday to Friday 10am - 9pm Saturday, Sunday 11am - 7pm
MAMMA Mia! Italian-style fare is no longer limited to Pitchstop near the South Spine. The cosy bistro, which can seat up to 70 diners, prides itself on its healthier take on the popular pizza. Customers can choose between dough made from organic or soy flour. We opted for a slice of the Turkey Ham and Mushroom ($7.50) pizza, made with organic dough. Other flavours include the Margherita Classica ($5.50), topped with mozzarella and basil and 4 Seasons ($7.50), topped with mozzarella, turkey ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives.
Pending halal certification
Gelato ice cream at the new +39 outlet at NTU’s North Spine. PHOTO: NICHOLAS YEO
ADDRESS: #0123 North Spine Plaza (between Udon Noodle Bar and Mini Toons)
OPENING HOURS: Monday to Saturday 11am 9pm Sunday, 11am - 3pm
08-09 LIFESTYLE
TINDER LOVING CARE Looking to score a date with Valentine’s Day around the corner? The Nanyang Chronicle susses out hot dating app Tinder and tells you what works, and what doesn’t.
F
INDING a connection with someone special is now just a click or swipe away, with the popularity of smartphone applications like Tinder. The wave of dating apps like OkCupid, Paktor and Tinder has revolutionised the online dating scene and increased the options of potential dates for users, making it more convenient to date. Launched in 2012, Tinder is the most widely used location-based dating application with over 1.4 billion swipes and 26 million matches made daily, according to Tinder’s official webpage (www. gotinder.com). For those willing to part with their dime, the premium Tinder Plus (available at US$9.99 or S$14.24 per month) grants users five ‘Super-likes’ per day and gives users the option to swipe beyond their own countries. Tinder co-founder Sean Rad said in an article in TIME Magazine: “Nobody joins Tinder because they’re looking for something,” and swiping on Tinder is like being at a buffet; the sheer number of potential dates makes it hard for one to stay focused and committed on a single person. As such, Tinder has been widely criticised for promoting hook-up culture among users. The convenient app allows users to get validation and attention with no strings attached. Given the stigma that surrounds the app, it is no wonder that most users are reluctant to reveal that they are frequent swipers on Tinder, until they have been unwittingly caught by friends who are also using the app. One would be hard pressed to find someone who is ready to flaunt his well-used Tinder-thumb.
SWIPE RIGHT? When we were tasked to try out Tinder for this article, we were slightly apprehensive. We heard horror stories of romance scams, catfishing — where a person adopts a fictional online identity to lure potential dates — to anecdotes from friends with persistent stalkers. Friends who tried out the app claim that the initial excitement when getting matches was addictive, but they got bored as conversations became harder to sustain. Nevertheless, we were curious and eager to try out the app for ourselves. As first-time users of Tinder, we found the application easy to navigate. Three minutes later and with minimal effort, we verified our Facebook accounts and started swiping on Tinder. We dedicated an hour to swiping each day for three days.
“Nobody joins Tinder because they’re looking for something.” Sean Rad Tinder co-founder
DAY ONE
We started the social experiment by having a full frontal shot of our faces as our main Tinder profile picture. We found ourselves getting matches almost immediately with users who swiped right for us. We averaged five matches each on the first day. Syafiq: I matched with Girl C from the Philippines, who was using Tinder Plus. We talked about her life in the Philippines and compared our cultural differences. This made for an interesting conversation. Pei Xuan: I got my first ‘super-like’ from Guy A and I reciprocated. He thanked me for liking him back, then rambled on about his less-thanstellar looks and his inability to hold a conversation with girls. He told me he feels most confident when he wears his army uniform. The former felt like a common thing a guy would say to introduce his humble personality, but the latter was slightly odd. OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: With our pictures being the initial point of contact, it opened many doors for us to connect with new people. Most of our matches were simply in for casual conversations and nothing more. However, knowing that they knew how we looked like in reality made us more cautious about what we said.
DAY TWO
DAY THREE
Syafiq: I got matched with Girl N, a girl with an interesting one-liner on her profile: “The thug life chose me.” Her profile said she was 20 but after we started chatting, she told me she was actually 17. She inflated her age so she could match with older guys. I was uncomfortable talking to girls that young, but I could not tell that I was talking to a 17-year-old, perhaps because she was mature.
Syafiq: I got matched with Girl H, who turned out to be my old friend from secondary school. It was unexpected, the best thing that happened to me on Tinder.
We swapped our full frontal shots for something a bit more subtle: our silhouettes. Our matches dropped from five on the first day, to three on the second day.
Pei Xuan: Guy J asked me “what happened to the photo with (my) face” after I changed my main Tinder profile shot to one with my silhouette on Day 2. After I replied that I just felt like changing it, he told me: “We can’t be friends anymore.” His blunt reply surprised me, as it is more common for online users to want to show the best sides of themselves. But this was not the case for him. OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Day Two showed the importance of having an attractive profile picture. But the fact that we still got matches whom we had casual conversations with affirmed our initial observation — that many are on Tinder simply to pass time, talking to anyone they matched with.
We took a more active approach on the last day of the social experiment and started the conversation with our matches. On our last day of the experiment, we averaged 2 matches.
Pei Xuan: I asked Guy L how long he had been on Tinder, and got more than I bargained for: his detailed life story in which his previous girlfriend (whom he met on Tinder) left him to be the mistress of another man in his 40s with a wife and kids. He ended the conversation with: “I cannot bring myself to trust people online anymore,” before asking whether I was single and whether I had plans on Friday. I thought he was on Tinder to fill the void left by his ex-girlfriend, and was looking for someone to bare his soul to. But this was the most interesting conversation I had in my three days of swiping. OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Starting conversations in real life may be awkward, but in the virtual world, there are perhaps no boundaries to what is an appropriate way to start a conversation. Taking a more active approach is definitely a way to go in Tinder if you want to engage in more meaningful conversation with your matches. After all, it takes two hands to clap.
ILLUSTRATION: BRENDA LEE HUI ZHEN
THE NANYANG
VOL. NO.
22
CHRONICLE 06
BEYOND THE SWIPES What our writers thought of the dating app
What was the most interesting conversation and why? Pei Xuan: The most interesting conversation I had was the conversation with Guy L where he shared a very detailed story of his break-up. The amount of time he spent crafting his long texts and explaining the details of his break-up surprised me — how could one open up so easily about his heartbreak to someone he barely knew online? It made me wonder if this was a tactic he was using to bait his matches.
LOVE AT FIRST SWIPE The Nanyang Chronicle talks to Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information first-year student Ng Xinyu, and School of Humanities and Social Sciences alumna Felicia Neo, who met their boyfriends on Tinder
Syafiq: The most interesting conversation was with Girl C. She was very honest and shared her personal details with me. This in turn made me more invested in the conversation. She was very direct and honest, which I appreciated, as I think many people on Tinder are not very forthcoming. How many of your matches would you actually meet in real life? Pei Xuan: Based on the conversations we had, I would only be willing to meet one out of the 10 people I matched with. Guy T, whom I matched with on the second day, was the only guy who did not give off a creepy vibe. We bonded over our shared love of fitness and yoga and he wasn’t pushy about meeting me in real life or moving the conversation to Whatsapp. I would prefer to keep my conversations with the other nine guys online because I feel like we are on different frequencies. Syafiq: Based on the conversations we had, I would not be willing to meet any of my matches in real life. As most of them are 17 or 18 years old, I find that I don’t have a lot in common with them as a 23-year-old. Which is the most effective type of photo and how many photos should be used? The most effective type of photo is a full frontal shot of your face. We also think that the more pictures users have, the higher the chance of getting likes. Verdict Given that we met completely new people who hardly have any mutual friends in common with us, conversations tended to run dry after a while due to the lack of shared experiences. The app was also structured like a game — with the option to “keep playing” or “start talking” after getting a match, and we think it’s a good networking app to meet new people to have casual conversations with. Although neither of us met our Prince or Princess Charming in the three days we were swiping on Tinder, we have heard of examples of couples who met on Tinder and have gone on to start stable relationships. The relative anonymity (nobody’s stopping you from setting up a new Facebook account!) of the game-changing dating app bypasses awkward introductions while providing a bird’s eye view of shared interests with your matches. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, hit up Tinder to try to score a potential date — or just to meet someone new virtually. You never know — you might just get matched with your Tinderella while waiting for the bus to arrive.
HOW IT WORKS 1. Download the Tinder app from your App store 2. Synchronise your Facebook account with Tinder (This does not allow Tinder to post on Facebook on your behalf) 3. Start Swiping! 4. Swipe right for like and left to reject, and up for super-like 5. A chat bubble pops up if two users have swiped right on each other
PHOTO: FELICIA NEO
PHOTO: NG XINYU
FELICIA NEO & MELVIN HUANG
NG XINYU & NICHOLAS KOW
Formerly from School of Humanities and Social Sciences, 26-year-old Felicia met her boyfriend Melvin on Tinder in May in 2015.
The Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information student met her boyfriend on Tinder during her A-level period in 2014, and they have been in a relationship since March 2015.
Q: What made you decide to use Tinder? A: I just ended a 7-year long relationship, and I was quite bored, so I decided to use Tinder for fun, just to try out and meet people.
Q: What made you decide to use Tinder? A: I was bored during the A-level period. Likewise for him; he was in the army.
“Before I started using Tinder, I thought that people who used it were weird”
Q: Did you think you would get together with Melvin when you swiped right on his profile? A: No, I never Felicia Neo, 26 thought so. But his NTU Alumnus profile picture had a dog in it, and I like pets, so I swiped right. He talked to me and it was just a simple “hi”. I replied because I liked his dog. Q: How did you get together? A: We started talking, and within the third or fourth day I had good feelings about him. We got together pretty soon after.
Q: Were you nervous meeting him for the first time? A: Not really, because I’ve met other guys through Tinder before. It always felt pretty normal, like just friends going out. Q: There seems to be a stigma associated with Tinder. Has it affected your relationship in any way? A: I think there might have been some stigma previously. Before I started using Tinder, I thought people who used Tinder were weird. But I found many people on there with decent jobs. My family knows we met on Tinder, and they are very supportive.
Q: Did you think you would have ended up together like you are now? A: No, never. Our relationship progressed so gradually and subtly, it was really unexpected; not the kind where someone sweeps you off your feet.
Q: Were any of your friends or family appalled that the both of you met on Tinder? A: For those we think might judge us, we’ll use a politically correct story we agreed on. Most think we met at a birthday party. Q: Do you think it makes any difference to meet someone through an online platform as compared to conventional notions of meeting people? A: Definitely. When you meet someone online, you usually start off with zero connections and common experiences. Unlike a friend you meet in real life, you don’t really see someone you met online in different stages of their lives, so you are unable to relate, to empathise with a lot of things they tell you about. It feels like you don’t have to put up a front because you have no other connections, and you don’t have to worry about judging each other or anything. Q: Are both of you in it for the long haul? A: I’m pretty certain we are not going to break up in the next two years, at least.
12 LIFESTYLE
THE NANYANG
VOL. NO.
22
CHRONICLE 06
valentine's day special
Made with LOVE
Nothing spells the death of romance like dull expressions of love on Valentine’s Day. Luckily, Sherlyn Goh and Kimberly Parkes discover you don’t necessarily have to whip out coloured papers or spend extravagantly to express your thoughtfulness. Oh, and you’d be supporting a fellow schoolmate too.
PHOTO: ORBIGOODS
SERVES YOU RIGHT
THE punny Orbigoods Instagram shop sells quirky pouches made from snack wrappers like Mamee and Fish Muruku. Charissa Kow, a final-year student at Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI), has a soft spot for childhood snacks commonly found at provision shops. Each wrapper is cleaned with anti-bacterial solution, laminated with plastic adhesive, and sewed. Each pouch lasts for more than a year. If your significant other loves all things unconventional, these pouches are bound to win you some brownie points. $8 to $12.
Instagram: @orbigoods
PHOTO: VOLARALPARAISO
SHINE BRIGHT
FROM pastel watercolours to metallic lettering, Volaralparaiso truly has it all. Founder Dorcas Hei, a first-year student at School of Biological Sciences, turned her long-time hobby into an online enterprise to help fund her upcoming exchange programme. Sales have been brisk. Dorcas first discovered modern calligraphy when her friend showed her a page on Instagram which inspired her to pick up the art. Each A6 card takes about 15 minutes to complete. Wow your sweetheart with a bespoke piece or choose from her many pre-made intricate creations. $3 to $18.
Instagram: @volaralparaiso Carousell: @volaralparaiso
PHOTO: PETALSXPROSE
CHECK YES JULIET
PETALSXPROSE adds a rustic twist to typical Valentine’s Day bouquets by incorporating wildflowers into their handmade bouquets. Sisters and co-founders Lynn Ruth Chew, who recently graduated from School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Chew Jia Qi, a secondyear student at School of Art, Design and Media (ADM) were influenced by their parents’ love for botany. Each bouquet is named after Shakespearean characters or characters in classic literature. It also comes with a small card with a matching literary quote — reflecting Lynn’s passion for literature. Impress your date with PetalsxProse’s creative bouquets. $70 and up.
Website: http://petalsxprose.com/ Instagram: @petalsxprose
OLD SCHOOL
ANYTHING GOES
REVIVE the lost art of putting pen to paper with Paper.th’s range of personally designed stationery. From bookmarks, notebooks, postcards to stickers, it would not be an exaggeration to describe Yeo Tze Hern’s products as works of art. Each piece of stationery features photographs taken by Yeo and comes with an inspirational quote. The striking combination of monochrome colours and sleek lines is sure to stir more than a minimal reaction. The second-year WKWSCI student also accepts customised requests. $2 to $6.
PHOTO: PAPER.TH
Website: http://www.paperth.co/ Instagram: @paper.th
HALL 10 Roommates Cheryl Teng, a final-year student at WKWSCI and Lum Xinyi, a secondyear student at ADM, came up with the idea for Chapalang Totes almost on a whim while bonding over a shared interest in digital art and local crafts. But don’t be fooled by the name. Each handsewn tote takes 45 minutes to sew by hand before being printed with a design inspired by Singaporean culture. The design is then printed manually using a silkscreen process which takes an hour from start to finish. The duo is also looking to stock their old school tote bags at Co-op, located at The Hive. If practical gifts are the key to your beloved’s heart, these one-of-a-kind tote bags that combine form and function are a steal for $16.
Instagram: @chapalang_sg PHOTO: CHAPALANG
VOL. NO.
22
DAPPER
THE NANYANG
06 CHRONICLE
13
On Him: Hat, FleshImp, $23; Blazer, FleshImp, $99; Pants, $49; Moccasins: Superga, $149; Others: Model’s own. On Her: Off Shoulder Top, &welldressed, $29.90, Midi Skirt, HerVelvetVase, $32, Hat, Stylist’s Own
On him: Graphic Tee, FleshImp, $29; Black Joggers, FleshImp, $49 On her: sleeveless parka, ellysage, $27, Grey Cropped Top, Hervelvetvase, $xx, Lace Skirt, &welldressed, $36.50
Photographer: Gary Khoo Stylists: Gracia Ow, Kimberly Ong Makeup: Deborah Wong Illustrations: Lim Pei Yi Models: Snow White: Santino Shepherd and Shanice Hedger Alice in Wonderland: Sherlyn Wong and Heng Jin Cinderella: Melissa Goh Yee Shuen and Clinton Yeo
14 DAPPER
THE NANYANG
VOL. NO.
22
CHRONICLE 06 On Her: Watercolor Midi Dress: Ellysage, $36; Shoes: Model’s own.
On Him: Hat, FleshImp, $23; Blazer, FleshImp, $99; Pants, $49; Moccasins: Superga, $149; Others: Model’s own. On Her: Midi Dress: Ellysage, $34; Necklace: Stylist’s Own; Others: Model’s own.
On Him: Blazer, FleshImp, $99; Pants, FleshImp, $49, Moccasins, Supergas, $149.90 On Her: Denim Vest, Ellysage, $27, Lace up blouse, Hervelvetvase, $30, Suede Skirt, &welldressed, $38.50, Flats, Model’s Own, Hat, Stylist’s own
Opinions EDITORIAL
by invitation
Work together for greener campus RECYCLING waste is necessary for an environmentally friendly lifestyle, but it appears that more work needs to be done to educate the campus population on how it should be done. A recent study conducted by conservation group Earthlink NTU found that nearly half of the refuse in recycling bins along the North and South Spine areas were non-recyclables. The report discovered that many users were unaware the can, paper and plastic recycling bins around campus are strictly intended for metal cans, paper and plastic bottles respectively. This means that seemingly innocuous objects like tissue paper and plastic bags together with more obvious non-recyclables like disposable cups and food packagings should not be placed in the recycling bins. The NTU population’s misinformation, however, is not reflective of the institution’s significant efforts in reducing our collective carbon footprint. The EcoCampus initiative, for instance, was introduced to reduce electricity and water consumption across the campus. It has reduced the use of electricity on campus in 2015 by 8.4 per cent, as compared to 2011. Additionally, EcoCampus installed solar panels on top of 32 buildings on campus last month - the largest of its kind at a single location in Singapore to date. The team anticipates that this move could further reduce the university’s electricity use by another three per cent. But EcoCampus remains a fair distance from its 2020 goal of reducing power, waste and water usage by 35 per cent. If we are to achieve this laudable but lofty target, students and faculty must step up instead of relying on change to happen at the institutional level. Recycling the right way is one small but crucial step. The NTU community could also start reducing its use of non-recyclable materials. Simple changes in behavior, such as not using straws or using reusable plastic containers for takeaway food, can collectively create a big impact in reducing waste.
THE NANYANG
CHRONICLE CHIEF EDITOR
Charmaine Ng
DAPPER EDITOR Gary Khoo
MANAGING EDITOR
PHOTO EDITOR
SUB-EDITOR
COMMUNITY EDITOR
NEWS EDITOR
BUSINESS MANAGER
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Kenji Kwok
Ng Jian Yang Karl Elliot Lim Peng Constance Yeo
SPORTS EDITOR Nicole Chia
OPINIONS EDITOR
Kenji Kwok
Miranda Yeo
Sheena Wong Joe Tok Kenny Wong
PHOTOGRAPHERS James Ng Nicholas Yeo
REPORTERS
Dawn Puah Goh Pei Xuan Ignatius Koh Lim Ching Ying Loy Kheng Wee Muhammad Syafiq Nicole Lim Ry-Anne Lim Sherlyn Goh Sean Loo
FACULTY ADVISORS
Edson Tandoc Zakaria Zainal
Dipshikha Ghosh
A students’ newspaper published by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718 Tel: 6790 6446 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Facebook: The Nanyang Chronicle Website: www.nanyangchronicle.ntu.edu.sg General Enquiries: chronicle@ntu.edu.sg
Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board of The Chronicle and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Nanyang Technological University, its employees, the students or the Council of the University. Signed opinion columns, letters and editorial cartoons represent the opinion of the writer or artist and are not necessarily those of The Chronicle. Printed by KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd, 57 Loyang Drive, Singapore 508968
ASEAN needs better climate change plan Nations have signed a landmark deal to address climate change, but the tension between nature and progress remains in many Asian countries
DR JONATAN A LASSA
T
he 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has recently secured a historic deal for our planetary security arrangement. The 195 countries and the European Union (EU) have outlined a new path to limit the future increase of global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius. The target is in itself a great achievement as it gives new hope to build a better future of our grandchildren’s children in the only habitable planet we know so far. In order to reduce future climate temperatures by 1.5 deg C, we need to transform the way our world economy has been managed for the last 160 years, marked by the first period of planetary sins committed by the industrial revolution in the Europe. After the gloomy days of the collapse of the Kyoto Protocols combined with the global financial crisis since 2008, we have seen newly revived commitment and optimism towards climate change arise once again following COP 21. Newly pledged climate funds have been announced. This includes a pool of US$100 billion (about S$143 billion) in finances to lend developing nations coping with climate change a helping hand. The Annex 1 countries - those responsible for historical carbon emission - have also committed to implement carbon reduction. We are still far from a firm transition towards a sustainable low carbon economy. However, some interesting and important develop-
ments are about to emerge in developing countries as well. These include China’s plan to increase wind and solar power by 21 per cent in 2016 and not introduce new coal mines for the next three years. The US-China Climate Deal and the Paris COP 21 may help boost carbon price, which will likely invite higher participation from the business sector to join governments and international institutions in cooling the Earth. India has recently created a carbon tax by doubling the tax imposed on coal. Industrial sectors have also been gradually setting foot into the voluntary carbon pricing system, at least in the European context. We can also anticipate that developing countries will move towards new policies and legislation in carbon pricing. But the real challenge lies in the fact that commitment and optimism is distributed according to incentive. Research on performance of institutional commitments in developing countries often suggests that agreements and conventions on a global level are not easy to implement, due to lack of sustainable incentives. Our collective vulnerability to the threat of climate change greatly depends on the institutions created and mandated to tackle it. The real question is - how will local and national institutions in developing countries reduce carbon consumption? Some of these pessimistic responses are grounded on recent developments among countries who form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Singapore. For instance, the recent 2015 transboundary haze that darkened
the skies in the Southeast Asian region for two months have caused the release of 600 million tonnes of CO2, and probably costed US$35 billion (about S$50 billion). This is about 35 per cent of the total global climate funds allocated by Annex 1 countries. Private sectors and governments still seem to be confusing the public by ignoring the effects of poor peatland management while promising bold commitments in formal climate change conferences. There are enough reasons to be pessimistic in developing countries where population and demographic changes provide constant challenges to sustainable development. This includes tensions between climate mitigation in one hand and the need to ensure food security for the people on the other. In the ASEAN context - while governments have been recently showing renewed commitment and fresh targets for carbon reduction by 2030, governments have also been clearing forests to make room for agricultural land. In ASEAN alone, the total number of forests cleared for agribusiness could reach 1 million hectares in the future. This exemplifies old tensions between economy and the climate. What should happen, in the very least, at an individual and societal level, is the adpotion of a low carbon lifestyle which includes simple commitments - like turning off lights when we do not need them.
Dr Lassa is a Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. He specialises in climate change adaptation, food and environmental security issues including disaster risk reduction.
16
OPINIONS canteen talk
THE NANYANG
VOL. NO.
22
CHRONICLE 06 Every effort goes a long way in saving the earth for generations to come. The Nanyang Chronicle finds out how NTU students do their part for the environment.
I stay in Hall 13, and most of the time I walk to school instead of taking the bus, even if I m tired. It makes more sense (environmentally), as the distance is manageable.
My family saves water by using water left over from washing dishes to flush the toilet. Our water and electricity bill at home is that of a oneroom flat, when we live in a five-room flat.
Muhammad Fadzli, 26 MAE, Year 4
Megan Elizabeth Chiam Suan Lin, 20 MSE, Year 2
I don t print my notes Last year, my classmate at all. I have a Kindle, so I and I taught the public read everything on it. how to make compost from leftover food for Lisa Kirchner, 20 their gardens, so the NBS, Exchange student food doesn t go to waste. Akshay Mamidi, 22 SCBE, Year 2
As a student of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, I'd like to think I will one day help build sustainable structures. For now, I try not to order takeaways. Koo Jing Wee, 22 CEE, Year 3
louder than words
GRAPHIC: LOW ZHANG QUAN
Sports NTU wins big at IVP games With 6 gold medals, the university is the top performing institution NICOLE CHIA SPORTS EDITOR NTU emerged as the best performing team at the recently concluded Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) Games after winning six golds, tripling its haul from last year. The university’s netball and women’s basketball teams successfully defended their titles, while the women’s badminton, women’s volleyball, men’s floorball and men’s table tennis teams pulled off surprise wins. “We are very proud of our athletes’ performance,” said Mr Chia Chin Yeh, 36, Assistant Manager at NTU Sports and Recreation Centre (SRC). “There has been a marked improvement from last year, and we hope this will continue inspiring our athletes to do well.”
“If we can keep up our good work, we’ll come back even stronger next year.” Tan Yong Geng, 25 Men’s football team captain The games took place from 9 Jan to 1 Feb. National University of Singapore (NUS), last year’s top performer, clinched four gold medals while Republic Polytechnic took home three. NTU women’s badminton team’s 3-1 victory over rivals NUS was a feat that captain Lee Cheng Ling, 22, did not expect. The team lost to NUS at the Singapore University Games (SUniG) last September and had only eight players rostered this year. A typical badminton team in the IVP Games consists of 10 to 12 players. “We were at a disadvantage, because NUS had much stronger players,” said Lee, a final-year Nanyang Business School student. “Since the competition format is a best-of-five, we were strategic
The men’s floorball team dethroned defending champions Temasek Polytechnic 5-2 on 27 Jan.
and focused on three key matches (in the finals) to maximise our chances of victory.” The last time NTU won an IVP gold for women’s badminton was in 2013, when Lee was still a freshman. “Now I’m in my final year, and we did it again, so I’m very happy,” Lee said. The men’s table tennis team, who beat Singapore Polytechnic 3-1 to win the championship, also entered the season “without expectations”, said doubles player Leonard Leong, 25. The paddlers finished only fourth in last year’s IVP. There was also little to suggest any improvements in their ill fortunes as recently as last September, when they came in third at SUniG. The successive series of losses sent another blow to their morale, Leong added. “Our captain did a good job of boosting our spirits after SUniG
PHOTO: ZHENG JUNCEN
IVP 2016 RESULTS Gold Badminton (Women) Basketball (Women) Floorball (Men) Netball Table Tennis (Men) Volleyball (Women)
by emphasising the importance of teamwork,” said Leong, a finalyear student under the Renaissance Engineering Programme. The women’s volleyball and men’s floorball teams also improved on their finishing this year. The men trounced defending floorball champion Temasek Polytechnic (TP) 5-2, ending a twoyear gold medal drought. The women’s volleyball team,
Silver Football (Men) Swimming (Women) Swimming (Overall) Track and Field (Men) Track and Field (Women) Track and Field (Overall)
who were kicked out in the first round of the competition last year, beat Singapore Institute of Management 3-1 to take the gold. But there was no fairytale finish for NTU’s footballers this time. The team, which also secured a hardfought berth in the finals, eventually lost 5-4 on penalties after a goalless draw to three-time defending champion TP. Despite the loss, captain Tan
Bronze Badminton (Men) Swimming (Men) Table Tennis (Women)
Yong Geng, 25, is pleased with his team’s performance. “We are not as technically sound as the other schools, but we made every training session count,” said Tan, a final-year National Institute of Education student. “I will be graduating after this, but my team has lots of potential. If we can keep up our good work, we’ll come back even stronger next year.” Additional reporting by Sean Loo
18 SPORTS
THE NANYANG
VOL. NO.
22
CHRONICLE 06
Tennis team gets new coach Despite having only one month to prepare for the Singapore University Games, new coach Ignatius Hendroff is eyeing gold NICOLE CHIA SPORTS EDITOR NTU’S new tennis coach is facing his first test — and he only had one month to prepare. But coach Ignatius Hendroff, who joined the team on 11 Jan, remains hopeful. His players will compete at the Singapore University Games (SUniG) starting 10 Feb. “Having a new coach come in at the last minute is not easy,” said Mr Hendroff, 51. “But [our players] have been very open to learning new things.” SUniG is usually held in the first semester, but some games, including tennis, were postponed due to last year’s haze spell. The delay gave the university’s tennis players extra time to prepare, but also caught them in between coaches. Mr Hendroff took over Mr Kemp Chanthanalay, who left last De-
NTU adds 1.3km running track on campus IGNATIUS KOH JOGGERS will soon have a new route to take at the end of this month: The rubberised blue jogging track on campus is getting a 1.3-kilometre extension. The extension, which costs about $250,000, is linked to the existing 3km track at the zebra crossing opposite Nanyang Playhouse. The additional track runs along the School of Art, Design and Media and ends at the Sports and Recreational Centre (SRC). It was built to enhance safety. “Jogging is a popular activity on
Coach Hendroff has helped strengthen bonds and improve team discipline, said team captain Mervin Ng, 24.
cember. This is Mr Hendroff’s first time coaching a varsity team. He has 25 years of coaching experience, ranging from primary school, junior col-
campus and the new track makes it safer for joggers as they can avoid running on the roads,” said Associate Professor Kwok Kian Woon, Associate Provost (Student Life). The extension is part of efforts to maximise use of the campus for sports and recreation. With the new route, the school hopes more students will take up jogging for a healthier lifestyle, Assoc Prof Kwok said. The new track was greeted with mixed reactions from students. Aaron Yeo, 21, believes more students will use the jogging track, as the new route is near Residence Halls 1, 2, 6, and 8. “I think more people will use the track as the old one was nearer to Halls 12 to 16 and quite far (for those living further),” said the Hall 3 resident, a first-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. But Lucas Kang, 22, a firstyear student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, said the track would only appeal to those who favoured the route. “I usually run on the road or the pavement along the SBS stretch but the blue track doesn’t cover it so I might not use it,” he said. Khairul Akmal, a first-year
lege, to polytechnic teams. “I’ve also been a coach on the international junior circuit, so I know the standard needed to win,” he said.
PHOTO: KENJI KWOK
The players welcomed Mr Hendroff’s addition to the team, despite initial difficulties in adapting to the change in coaching style. “There's been a big change in
how things are done here, and the team wasn't used to it at first,” said men’s team captain Mervin Ng, 24. “But I think the men’s team is now stronger, as there has been a huge improvement in discipline since Coach Ignatius took over.” Ng, a final-year Electrical Engineering student, is optimistic the men’s team can improve its medal-less finish in 2014. Women’s captain Hong Yan Qing, 24, also had good words for their new coach. “I’m not one who likes change, but I think this is one that will be good for the team,” said Hong, a final-year student at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. “The girls are playing more aggressively now, and are more confident during match play.” The women’s team clinched the silver medal at the last SUniG. Hendroff’s contract, however, is ending right after SUniG ends on Feb 16. Asked if the university will hire a new coach after SUniG, team manager Joseph Goh, 30, said: “It depends on the players, and on our budget. “Our focus is on the upcoming SUniG, after which we will then discuss what comes next."
Runners' Club members, Chin Zheng Yee, Joel Lim, Chua Hao Zhe and Fernandez Leong, welcomed the new tracks. PHOTO: JAMES NG
student from the National Institute of Education (NIE), also said several parts of the track posed danger to pedestrians and runners alike. “Runners may have to weave through people at times, especially in crowded places like the stretch opposite NIE leading to North Spine,” added the 21-year-old. Unlike the previous track, which ran alongside a pavement, the extension is a converted pavement,
meaning that pedestrians and runners would be sharing the path. But the track has also opened up more options for sports groups, such as the NTU Runners’ Club, to carry out their training sessions. Executive committee member Chin Zheng Yee, 24, said: “We use the track very often and on an average basis, we usually run around 5 to 6 kilometres. “Since it has extended to more parts of the school, we will use it during every run.”
Current students are not the only ones enjoying the track’s extension. Goo Chee Tiong, a former student from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, travels to NTU almost everyday to use both the SRC and the new jogging track. The 36-year-old Clementi resident said: “Overall, I think it’s a well-balanced terrain, and my friends and I prefer it because there are some uphills and downhills.”
VOL. NO.
22
SPORTS
THE NANYANG
06 CHRONICLE
19
Wrestling with weight woes To become a wrestler, ex-rugby player Dominic Marc Chen lost 20kg within five months SEAN LOO
H
E gave up sweets for something sweeter. Dominic Marc Chen lost 20kg five months after he took up wrestling during his freshman year. In 2014, he gained a spot on the Singapore national wrestling team after clinching a bronze medal at the national wrestling team trials. “I love desserts, I love sweet stuff; but for the sport, I have to sacrifice all of these,” said the 24-year-old. Despite standing at only 165cm tall, Chen initially weighed about 105kg, putting his Body Mass Index (BMI) at 38.6. A BMI value of 23 and above indicates an unhealthy weight range, according to Health Promotion Board guidelines. The former rugby prop said he needed to be 110kg to play effectively in his position at the A Division level. “I’m not really tall, so whatever weight I gain, I’ll grow sideways. That's very unhealthy,” said Chen, who now weighs 78kg. Apart from health concerns, Chen wanted to lose weight to improve his chances of success in wrestling. The NTU undergraduate attributed his weight loss to “30 per cent exercise and 70 per cent diet.” He avoided junk food and stuck to a strict exercise regimen to improve his wrestling prospects. Chen would train twice a day. In the morning, he would head down to the gym for strength training and conditioning. In the evenings, he worked on his wrestling technique and sparred at the Wrestling Federation of Singapore (WFS). Chen’s meteoric rise to the national team's ranks was a pleasant surprise for national wrestling team captain Toh Xin Ran, 21.
Chubby kid
“He used to be a chubby kid,” said Toh. “But now he is representing Singapore.”
“He used to be a chubby kid. But now he is representing Singapore.” Toh Xin Ran, 21 National wrestling team captain
Chen plans to cut his weight by another 10kg as he believes he would be more competitive at a lower weight class. He now adheres to a strict, balanced diet of chicken, vegetables, and rice. PHOTOS: KENJI KWOK
National team coach Paulo Delos Santos believes Chen is an “improving wrestler” and expects him to compete at top-level international competitions, such as the Asian Wrestling Championships and World Wrestling Championships. “I expect Dominic to medal at the Asian Championships in the future,” added Mr Delos Santos, 38, a former SEA Games medallist from the Philippines. Chen’s sweet tooth was not the only obstacle he had to overcome on his road to wrestling glory. His parents were initially hesitant about his participation in a combat sport. “In World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the matches would end up very bloody. "That formed the baseline of what wrestling is in my parents’
minds,” said Chen. Their fears were dispelled after watching him compete in his first tournament in 2013. “They saw that it was a very safe environment, and there were medics involved in the tournament to tend to anyone who was injured straight away," he said. "Now, they come down to all my competitions to show their support." Last year, Chen also had to deal with the disappointment of the exclusion of his sport from the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. He was slated to make his SEA Games debut, but the sport was unexpectedly excluded for the first time in seven editions of the biennial event. The exclusion emphasised the need for the national team to “win
more medals” in other regional competitions to raise the profile of the sport, said Chen. And so he did, at last year’s SEA Wrestling Championships, a regional tournament organised to replace the SEA Games event. Chen won a silver medal in the Greco-Roman 75kg weight category.
Finding the right balance
Despite already having a rigorous training programme implemented for him, Chen still turns up “hours ahead of practice” to train on his own, said WFS operations manager Gabriel Huang, 29. Mr Huang, a former SEA Games athlete, added: “Hard work pays off and his success is a great testament to that.” While it can be challenging having to juggle his wrestling endeav-
ours, school work, and helping out in his family business on a parttime basis, Chen thanks his friends for helping him keep up with his school work. The self-discipline required in wrestling also guides his academic life. “If you don’t put in as much effort or more than what you do in training, then your studies will suffer,” said the third-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. This tightrope walk between his studies and wrestling career will become more pertinent for Chen in the days ahead. He already has his sights set on next year's SEA Games in Malaysia – if wrestling is included – and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.