The Nanyang Chronicle Vol 24 Issue 04

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE NTU rises to become Asia’s top university >> News Page 3

Lifestyle special: Drink-inspired looks >> Lifestyle Page 12

The haunting effects of ghosting >> Opinion Page 24

VOL. NO.

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04 6.11.17

ISSN NO. 0218-7310

SUniG 2017: How did NTU fare? >> Sports Page 25

Farewell, Professor Andersson

>> News Page 2

PHOTO: CHRISTY YIP

PHOTO: YEO ZHI SYI

PHOTO: YEO WEI LUN

NBS alumnus goes from MNC to fishery

>> Spotlight Page 14

Cinematic magic at Busan International Film Fest

>> Lifestyle Page 10

News

Professor Bertil Andersson: A president to remember

With his presidential term drawing to a close, the Nanyang Chronicle joins Professor Bertil Andersson as he shares his fondest memories at NTU Xu Qi Yang FOR NTU President Bertil Andersson, keeping an open mind is a big part of his everyday life.

Even when it comes to the simple things, like determining the route that he wants to jog everyday, he is open to possibilities.

“When I wake up in the morning then I decide — where should I run today?” said the 69-year-old, of his jogs on campus in the mornings and evenings.

Prof Andersson’s open-minded approach towards life is also evident in his career.

The world-renowned plant biochemist from Sweden left his position as chief executive of the European Science Foundation to join NTU as provost in 2007. He was appointed president of NTU in 2011, and remained at the helm of the University for seven years.

“I never thought I’d be a scientist; I never thought I’d live in Singapore,” said Prof Andersson.

“I felt sometimes that I was not in command of life; life was in command of me.”

“I have been given opportunities, and I have taken them,” he added.

With only a month left until Prof Andersson steps down from his position, the retiring president shared his experiences in NTU with the Nanyang Chronicle.

One of his proudest achievements was setting up the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in 2013, a process that took six years.

“I worked a lot to create a medical school (in NTU), to create more doctors. That was quite hard work; we had to convince the government it could be done, we had to convince them that NTU (could) do it,” said Prof Andersson.

“This is certainly one of the times when I felt we made it, and this was something important for Singapore and NTU,” he said. He added that he will return to NTU next July to attend the graduation of the pioneer batch of medical students.

Prof Andersson joined in the Deepavali celebrations held this October at The Wave.

To Prof Andersson, his role as president of NTU was “more than just a job”.

Having lived and worked in Singapore for 11 years, his time here has been fulfilling.

“I feel that I’m a richer person,” he said.

Interacting with Singaporeans and learning about their different cultures here are experiences he would never have gained if he had continued to live in Europe.

“I’ve learnt to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures, and tried to understand other people and other perceptions,” said Prof Andersson.

But his move to Singapore was not without challenges. Prof Andersson’s biggest struggle is having to be apart from his two daughters, who are currently residing in London and Stockholm respectively with their families.

“To be away from my chil-

dren and grandchildren has been the most difficult thing,” he said.

“Sometimes I’ve counted weeks till I would be able to see them.”

Adjusting to life in Singapore was also an initial obstacle but Prof Andersson believes he has managed to adapt well.

“That was one important challenge which I obviously managed as I haven’t been fired yet,” he added with a laugh.

Despite his busy schedule, Prof Andersson’s time in NTU has not been all work and no play. He counts Deepavali as one of his favourite events on campus and joins in on the celebrations every year.

“It has a good intensity. It’s colourful, (has) lots of dancing, singing and is quite noisy. But I like that,” he said.

Once, he even surprised students by dancing with his wife during a celebration in NTU. “There were a couple of girls who

PHOTO: NTU

said ‘Oh, the president can dance!’ like I was some old fossil,” he said with a chuckle.

Prof Andersson is also a selfprofessed “super fan” of the local rock music scene. He is a loyal supporter of NTU’s rock bands, where he often tells Singapore’s ministers to give local rock bands a chance to “commercialise and explore, and be famous”.

“NTU bands should all be famous. That’s my vision,” he said.

Prof Andersson will also miss the school’s can-do attitude.

“We have been doing a lot of things, a lot of changes to research and education. We have progressed,” said Prof Andersson.

“We’ve come so far in high rankings, and we have done a lot of investments in good professors, facilities (and) dorms,” he added.

Surprisingly, he will also miss the weather here.

“People think I’m crazy, but I

love it. It’s so warm and nice here,” he said. “Particularly in the autumn and winter, I’m so glad I don’t have to be in Sweden when it’s so cold and dark.”

After he retires and returns to Sweden for the summer, Prof Andersson intends to remain active in the academic sphere.

“Being busy is my philosophy,” he said, adding that he plans to read more novels and biographies, and travel around the world as an advisor for universities and academic organisations.

“It’s not that I’m going to sit here and drink coffee,” he laughed.

As his term draws to a close, Prof Andersson hopes students can continue to work hard, be determined and adopt a spirit of spontaneity as he has.

He said: “Don’t over-plan your life. Take advantage of the opportunities that come, even if they are unexpected.”

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No degree class tag but soft skills still important The new nomenclature will help graduates be more competitive, but HR professionals say soft skills and internship experience are equally important Adele Chiang NTU may have dropped the degree class tag in a bid to make its graduates more competitive in the job market, but human resource (HR) professionals say having internship experience and other soft skills are as — if not more — important in boosting employability.

On 5 Oct, Deputy Provost for Education Kam Chan Hin announced in an email to students that all undergraduates graduating from next January, except medical students, will receive degrees according to a new nomenclature regardless of their intake year.

In an interview with the Nanyang Chronicle, Prof Kam said the implementation of the new nomenclature will help NTU graduates remain competitive in job selection processes that filter candidates using their degree classification.

“In terms of perception, honours without the second and third class qualification sounds better,”

Students will receive new degrees according to a new nomenclature from next January.

he said, adding that this will put NTU graduates on par with their counterparts from National University of Singapore (NUS), which adopts the same nomenclature, in the shortlisting process.

Prof Kam also said the University hopes this will reduce the emphasis on grades among employers and better reflect the increasing quality of the school’s graduates.

“In an ideal world, it's best not to have classifications at all,” he said.

“Over time, we hope (the classification) will become less important.”

Some HR professionals the Nan-

yang Chronicle spoke to said the new names will not affect their selection of candidates, as greater emphasis is placed on experience and a good work attitude.

Ms Lina Chan, HR director at Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, said she focuses more on the applicant's attitude and willingness to learn.

“Having good grades doesn’t reflect an applicant’s character,” said Ms Chan, adding that having a high GPA does not guarantee that an applicant will excel in the workplace.

Ms Betsy Sin, HR director of tech distribution company Avnet, said:

GRAPHIC: REYNARD ADRIANTO

“We look at the graduate’s experience — the internships they did and what kind of part-time work they have taken up.”

A candidate’s degree classification only becomes a deciding factor if two or more applicants have similar internship and part-time job experience, she added.

Nevertheless, she acknowledged that bigger international companies in the pharmaceutical, research and engineering industries focus more on a candidate’s degree classification, as the skill sets required in these fields are more specific.

Students whom the Chronicle spoke to said the new nomenclature helps to remove the negative connotation attached to a Third Class Honours degree.

Second-year School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences student Lim Li Ling, 20, said: “Now it sounds more like a general degree, rather than a poor degree class.”

Jonathan Lam, 21, a first-year student from Nanyang Business School, said: “By removing the first, second and third class labels, there does not seem to be a hierarchy anymore.”

But Nur Fatehah Salim, 23, said she does not feel the change makes a difference, since the grades required to achieve each class of honours remain the same.

“There are still clear distinctions in the degrees. Employers would probably know that just an Honours equates to a Third Class,” said the final-year School of Social Sciences student.

NTU has no plans to allow alumni to reprint their certificates, however, as the school has too many batches of alumni from the past 26 years, said Prof Kam. He hopes graduates can be judged based on their holistic abilities instead of whether they are book-smart.

He said: “What’s important is how you deliver results in your job.

It matters more than what your degree labels you as.”

NTU rises to become Asia’s top university While some students believe that NTU's new ranking will benefit the student body, others feel that it is not the most important indicator of success Jasmine Hoe NTU has climbed two places to take the lead as Asia’s top university in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings.

This comes after NTU’s impressive performance in the QS World University Rankings in June, where it was ranked 11th in the world — the highest position ever attained by an Asian university.

The QS Asia University Rankings is based on a methodology that constitutes 10 indicators.

The QS World University Rankings, on the other hand, is based on only six indicators.

Both look at criteria such as academic reputation, employer reputation and citations per faculty, but the QS Asia University Rankings also takes into account the pro-

portion of staff with PhDs and research papers per faculty.

NTU achieved a perfect score for the proportion of international students and quality research indicator. The University has also improved its scores for papers per faculty and student-faculty ratio in the QS Asia University Rankings.

For the second consecutive year, NTU is also the best performer for citations per paper, which assesses the impact and quality of scientific work done by universities.

Students that the Nanyang Chronicle interviewed said NTU’s new ranking has a positive impact on the student body.

Elizabeth Yee, a second-year student from Nanyang Business School, said that rankings are important for the university’s image, as prospective students might take that into consideration when applying for university.

“I did consider it (rankings) when I was choosing between NTU and NUS. I feel that NTU should strive to maintain (its) current image,” added the 20-year-old.

Some feel that NTU’s ranking will boost their job prospects.

“Employers generally have a

good impression of NTU and I think it had to do with our consistently good ranking,” said Ms Janice Coel, who graduated from the School of Biological Sciences this May. “I feel that NTU has to keep improving, and keep pushing itself to stay afloat in this competitive market,” added the 23-year-old.

Second-year School of Humanities student Geraldine Fung said she is proud of the University’s progress over the years.

“We’ve come a long way from when we ranked quite far below NUS,” added the 20-year-old.

While this achievement is an academic milestone for NTU, some students feel that the rankings do not affect them personally.

First-year School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences student Elizabeth Kwok said rankings of the individual schools in NTU are more important than the university’s overall ranking.

The 20-year-old believes that potential employers place more emphasis on that. “It really depends (more) on the school I come from,” said Kwok.

Second-year Sports Science and Management student Tan Kun Lan

NTU edged out 400 other universities to become Asia's top university in the recent QS Asia University Rankings PHOTO: YEO WEI LUN

said: “I feel that university rankings are mostly done by comparing research that professors have done, which doesn't really affect me.”

“Ranking is of minimal importance as things like results, attitude, the way you carry yourself as a person are much more important,” added the 20-year-old.

In a recent press release by NTU, President Bertil Andersson high-

lighted that Asian universities will face the challenge of developing high quality teaching and research programmes, on top of establishing strong partnerships in the region.

“If Asian universities maintain their momentum, they can potentially become the world’s leading dynamos for learning, knowledge generation and innovation by 2050,” added Prof Andersson.

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NTU alumni to receive $1,600 in course credits

NTU alumni, as well as members of the public, attend a course on conflict resolution conducted by the College of Professional and Continuing Education.

Under NTU’s new initiative, alumni can now upgrade themselves through reskilling and upskilling courses offered by the University Wee Rae TO ENCOURAGE lifelong learning, NTU is offering $1,600 in course credits to all NTU alumni so they may enrol in skills-based courses from this month onwards.

This will apply to full-time and part-time graduate and undergraduate students.

This new initiative offers professional development courses, specialist and graduate certificate courses as well as part-time degree courses under the College of Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE College) in NTU. Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of these courses.

Ranging from one day to a week, the professional development courses are short courses that include the development of customer service and team-building skills.

One such course is “The Art of Saying No to Customers Without Offending Them", a two-day programme that equips participants with effective communication skills in customer service.

The semester-long specialist and graduate certificate courses, which come in the form of lectures, tutorials and lab sessions, focus on emerging job sectors such as engineering and cybersecurity.

Alumni who choose to enrol in these courses will take them with current undergraduate or postgraduate students.

Most students and alumni the Nanyang Chronicle spoke to were supportive of the initiative.

“I’m glad to know that we have something special planned for us, as NTU students, once we graduate,” said Deepashini Naidu, a final-year student from the School of Humanities.

“I'm glad to know that we have something special planned for us, as NTU students, once we graduate.”

Deepashini Naidu, 23 School of Humanities

The 23-year-old added that while the credits may only be able to cover two to three courses, they are sufficient for her to pick up technical skills.

“If I’m learning something like coding, I’ll probably only need one course to learn the basics, which is

better than not knowing anything at all,” said Deepashini.

Ms Charlene Lee, who graduated from National Institute of Education in 2012, said: “Some of us want to pick up new skills but eventually don’t because of monetary issues.”

“This incentive helps to give us a little push (to learn new skills),” added the 28-year-old.

Under this new initiative, NTU alumni who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents aged 40 and above can use government subsidies to offset course fees.

This means that they can take up to six short courses or semester-long courses with the $1,600 credits, said PaCE College.

Those under 40 can take four to five short courses or two semesterlong courses, while foreigners can take up to two short courses or one semester-long course.

Alumni can register for the courses on the PaCE College website. Should their course credits be insufficient, top-ups can be made with cash.

For final-year Nanyang Business School student Kenny Tan, 23, the University’s initiative is better than similar schemes currently offered by the government.

One such scheme is the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) — a national credential system that trains, develops, assesses and certifies skills and

competencies for the workforce.

On why he would rather attend NTU courses over government-initiated programmes, Tan said: “It’s the sense of familiarity for me. I will be familiar with the way lessons are structured and can access learning resources more easily.”

But some students feel that this initiative may not be beneficial.

“It's great that NTU came up with this. It's a good opportunity for them to promote their courses as part of what the government is encouraging.”

Andromeda Tan, 23 NTU alumnus

“These courses are more theoretical, and I can learn more on my job through practical work experience,” said Low Hong Liang, a first-year student in the Master of Science Technopreneurship and Innovation Programme.

Citing leadership workshops as an example, the 24-year-old added: “It's easy to deal with a simulation (in workshops) over a few days, but it's very different when it comes to work in the real world.”

The type of courses offered is

PHOTO: PaCE College

another limitation of the initiative.

“The courses are not that helpful to me as they are already part of my undergraduate curriculum,” said Eatsham Ahsan, 24, a finalyear student at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Mr Lee Hong Ze, who graduated from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering this June, hopes that NTU will offer more online courses in future.

“It makes it more accessible especially for people like us who are working and may not have the time to travel to school to attend lessons,” the 24-year-old added.

Currently, PaCE College offers online modules in biotechnology, business, computing, economics, engineering, mathematics, science and statistics.

Improvements to the initiative will be made according to job market changes to ensure that the courses offered remain current and relevant, said PaCE College.

For Ms Andromeda Tan, 23, the new initiative ties in well with the government’s efforts to inspire Singaporeans to learn throughout their lives.

“It’s great that NTU came up with this. It’s a good opportunity for them to promote their courses as part of what the government is encouraging,” added 23-year-old who graduated from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering this year.

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Record number of exchange students causes enrolment woes

PHOTO: YEO WEI LUN

Exchange students from Norway and Sweden attending an AB3601 Strategic Management seminar.

Exchange students who faced issues with course registration call for more classes and efficiency in processing module requests Wee Rae EXCHANGE student Ham Yuji is down to her last two weeks of school in the University, but she still vividly remembers the scare she faced during her first two weeks here.

The 21-year-old South Korean student had planned to clear 12 academic units (AUs) on her semester-long exchange. But by the end of the first week of the Add/Drop period, which spans over the first two weeks of school, she was not registered for a single module.

She then made five trips to her school’s administrative office and the Student Services Centre the following week to request to be registered for her modules. However, she was repeatedly told that the classes were full.

“I was panicking because if I could not get my classes, I cannot graduate,” said the thirdyear School of Social Sciences (SSS) student.

She was eventually registered for two SSS classes, though she had initially planned to take three. As such, she will need to take an additional module when she returns to her home university next semester.

Ham is one of the many exchange students who faced difficulties registering for classes due to the large intake this semester — a record 1,200 from both the graduate and undergraduate programmes.

“While there were some teething problems earlier this semester due to the larger number of exchange students… eventually, all exchange students successfully got their requisite number of courses after the Add/Drop period,” said director of the Office of Global Education and Mobility (OGEM), Professor Lalit Goel.

Nevertheless, exchange students the Nanyang Chronicle spoke to said it was a stressful process.

The Chronicle understands that exchange students have a smaller pool of modules to choose from compared to local students, as their classes must be approved by both NTU and their home universities before they can be registered.

Final-year Master of Mass Communication student Ena Calic visited the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information office every day during the Add/ Drop period, requesting to be enrolled in classes with vacancies.

“All I could think about was not being able to graduate this year because I don’t have enough credits,” said the 24-year-old from Sweden, who managed to register for her modules only on the last day of the Add/Drop period.

“All I could think about was not being able to graduate this year because I don't have enough credits. ” Ena Calic, 24 Exchange student from Sweden WKWSCI

Similarly, when exchange student Daniela Mizzen found that she was not registered for any classes after the first week of school, she sent multiple emails to her school to ask to be registered. But the third-year student from the School of Humanities (SoH) did not receive a reply.

The 21-year-old from the United Kingdom then went down to the school’s office twice before she was

finally registered for her modules.

However, she only managed to enroll in three SoH classes — instead of the five she had planned to take — due to a lack of vacancies.

Mizzen said she found the course registration process a frustrating experience, which added to the stress she felt adapting to a new environment.

The increase in the number of exchange students is due to the creation of more places for NTU students at the school’s 350 partner universities. This is because exchange programmes work on a one-to-one basis, meaning that receiving 10 students from one partner university will allow NTU to send 10 of its students to that university, said Prof Goel.

“It enables us to achieve NTU’s goal of having eight in 10 undergraduate students gaining international cultural, academic and cross-learning experience via various global programmes,” he added.

While most exchange students eventually managed to fulfil their academic requirements, some felt the university could have managed the situation better.

First-year Master of Science in Information Systems exchange student Michal Lepicek said the school’s administrative staff could have been more efficient in their response.

“When I sent emails asking to

be registered for modules, I had to wait days until someone replied.

When they finally did, they told me to choose something else because the module was full,” said the 24-year-old from Czech Republic.

Lepicek eventually managed to register for the modules after more vacancies were opened, but he said the process was exasperating.

He added: “If I had found out about all these problems earlier, I might just have considered cancelling my exchange.”

Matthew May, a final-year student from Nanyang Business School, suggested that the University should increase the number of classes per module if the number of exchange students enrolled continues to rise.

“Back in my university, some professors teach the same class throughout the whole day because they have many classes opened up (for that one module),” added the 19-year-old from Thailand.

But others are just glad to have gotten their modules.

Third-year Nanyang Business School student Julie Silveman is grateful that she does not need to worry about overloading when she returns to her home university.

Said the 20-year-old from the United States: “Besides those two weeks (of the Add/Drop period), my experience here has been awesome.”

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Focus on issues that will shape our future: Shanmugam More discussion is needed about the important challenges Singapore faces, says the Minister of Law and Home Affairs Gracia Lee News Editor SINGAPOREANS need to think about and engage more on the real challenges that the country will face in the future, said Minister for Law and Home Affairs Mr K Shanmugam in a dialogue session at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) on 10 Oct. “We debate a lot about day-today issues. But there is not as much discussion on the issues that are critical for Singapore’s future,” Mr Shanmugam said. He offered examples such as the fiscal impacts of the declining birth rate and the need to keep the city economically competitive.

He added that Singaporeans need to be aware of the reality of the country’s economic position, its strategic challenges, and how these can impact its future.

Speaking to some 90 students, Mr Shanmugam highlighted some key economic and social challenges that Singapore is facing.

“We debate a lot about day-to-day issues. But there is not as much discussion on the issues that are critical for Singapore's future.”

Mr K Shanmugam Minister for Law and Home Affairs

The first and “most pressing challenge” he raised was the country’s rapidly ageing population and the fiscal challenges that accompany it. By 2030, close to 30 per cent of the country’s population will be above the age of 65, he said.

“What that means in terms of healthcare costs, social support, economic vibrancy, (and) the declining number of people coming into the workforce, you can work out for yourself,” said Mr Shanmugam.

Minister for Law and Home Affairs Mr K Shanmugam spoke to some 90 WKWSCI students about Singapore's challenges in a dialogue session on 10 Oct.

During the two-hour dialogue, Mr Shanmugam also brought up the challenge of sustaining Singapore’s economic vibrancy and viability in the face of increasingly competitive economies in the region.

Ancillary services like accounting, law and finance, which fuel a large part of Singapore’s economy, are now easily outsourced to lower-cost countries like China and India with the help of technology, he said.

He added: “People will start asking, why do you need to pay so much for a Singapore-qualified lawyer or accountant or doctor?”

On the country meeting the challenges of regional competition, Mr Shanmugam likened the Singapore economy to a spinning top: “The only way to stay up is to spin faster and faster and faster.”

Students' reactions

Students who attended the talk agreed on the importance of acknowledging the economic and social challenges in Singapore.

Final-year WKWSCI student Nicole Ang said: “It’s necessary for Singaporeans to be aware of the threats and challenges of the country so we can prepare ourselves for the future.”

But the 22-year-old admitted that while she keeps up with the news daily, she tends to read only the latest stories or the articles that interest her.

“I should try to read everything, including the trend and insight pieces,” she said.

Similarly, second-year WKWSCI student Eugene Tang said he does not make it a priority to find out about the issues the country faces because he often feels that he cannot make a difference.

“It's necessary for Singaporeans to be aware of the threats and challenges of the country so we can prepare ourselves for the future.”

Nicole Ang, 22 Final-year student WKWSCI

“There’s nothing I can do to actively resolve these national issues, so I’d rather spend my time doing my assignments and school work, and eventually contribute to the economy in a way that I can when I go out to work,” added the 22-year-old.

Third-year WKWSCI student Nicholas Yeo feels that the average

Singaporean may have difficulty finding time to debate about the intricacies of government policies when he has to worry about bread and butter issues.

Nevertheless, he said Singaporeans should at least be aware of the things that are happening locally and abroad.

“Those who keep abreast of current affairs have an advantage in this global and digital age where change in the economy is commonplace,” said the 23-year-old.

Students also said institutions like universities and the media can help young people to be more informed of current affairs.

Schools can integrate these topics into students’ education by discussing real life problems instead of hypothetical ones, said finalyear WKWSCI student Alicia Lim. The 24-year-old added that more dialogues with ministers and other experts can also be organised to surface issues to students in a more engaging way.

Final-year WKWSCI student Cara Wong, 22, said through classroom discussions and talks, universities can “bring important issues closer to home” by educating students on how regional politics will impact their jobs, safety and future, which will likely cause them to be less apathetic about these issues.

The media can be an important educational tool as well.

Jayden Teng, 21, pointed out that even though Singaporeans may not

PHOTO: FELINE LIM

think or talk about the bigger issues facing the country because they seem less immediate than the day-to-day issues, the media can change this.

“All the information is already out there.

At the end of the day, we need to have the intrinsic motivation to use it to educate ourselves.”

Ho Kai Feng, 23 Third-year student WKWSCI

The first-year WKWSCI student said: “The media can strive to show readers how these larger issues are relevant to them by delving deeper into their impacts and bringing them up regularly.”

But ultimately, it is up to people to keep themselves updated and involved in the latest national and regional issues.

Third-year WKWSCI student Ho Kai Feng, 23, said: “All the information is already out there. At the end of the day, we need to have the intrinsic motivation to use it to educate ourselves.”

Lifestyle GRAPHIC: REYNARD ADRIANTO

To plug in, or not?

It’s the last leg of the semester and students are plugging in to their favourite playlists as they begin their exam revision.

Clara Lee looks at how music can make or break your study session AS THE examination period draws near, many of us might find ourselves doing one thing — going to the library, finding a quiet study space, and putting on our earphones to tune in to our favourite musical artists.

For many of us, music has become our indispensable study companion, helping us focus better. For others, it might prove to be a distraction that must be switched off.

Setting the mood

Music is often deemed to have a profound effect on one’s mood and state of mind.

Second-year Nanyang Business School (NBS) student Nicholas Teoh is no stranger to the benefits of classical music as a study aid.

The 22-year-old swears by the calming melody of “River Flows in You”, a popular piano piece by South Korean pianist Yiruma, and plays it on repeat whenever he hits the books.

“I have been listening to this song during study sessions since my O-level exams. It helps to calm me when I’m studying for a very

nerve-racking test,” he said.

Putting a song on repeat may improve one’s mood and benefit studying, according to Dr Ong Jia Hoong, a research fellow at the School of Humanities.

The impact that music has on one’s mood can heavily affect their learning capabilities, said Dr Ong, who has conducted research on the correlation between music and cognitive science.

He added: “I found that listening to music can improve moods and arousal levels which lead to better learning of academic material.”

Singing it to memory

For other students, enhanced levels of productivity may come in the form of better memory retention.

Lydia Loo, a second-year NBS student, attributes her ability to quickly absorb the content of her readings to the tunes from her trusty iPod. The 20-year-old stocks her playlists with both English and Mandarin acoustic songs.

“It drowns out background noise and makes it more conducive for

me to quickly understand concepts and theories,” she said.

Dr Ong also said that music can be used as a mnemonic device by presenting knowledge and information in the form of a song.

“Think about how kids learn the English alphabet. By incorporating melody, kids are able to learn all 26 letters and remember them for decades,” he said.

He added that auditory learners would find this medium especially effective as learning is delivered through the powerful tool of music.

An auditory learner absorbs information most effectively through hearing, as opposed to other learning styles such as visual and kinesthetic — which refer to seeing and doing respectively.

Forget the lyrics

But Dr Ong recommends students to steer clear of songs with lyrics.

This is because listening to lyrics while studying demands the brain to juggle two tasks, resulting in “less cognitive resources to study the material”, he said.

“Something without vocals

would be less distracting. With lyrics, there is the danger of impairing reading and comprehension.”

For third-year School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering student Lim Jun Xi, the choice of playlist differs according to the task at hand.

The 23-year-old is a fan of soft pop songs, and finds this choice of music effective when revising scientific or mathematical material.

But he steers clear of his usual

“Something without vocals would be less distracting. With lyrics, there is the danger of impairing reading and comprehension.”

Dr Ong Jia Hoong, 34 Research fellow School of Humanities

playlists when it comes to tackling lengthy essays.

“I’ve found that the lyrics interfere with my thought process when writing. But there seems to be no issue when I’m dealing with mathematics and the like,” he said.

Ultimately, the choice of music boils down to one’s personal preference and level of self-awareness.

In fact, as a student, Dr Ong said he preferred to study without the company of music.

So whether you’re a fan of soothing instrumentals or rock music, take your time to craft the most helpful playlist to you, or simply unplug every once in a while.

The Nanyang Chronicle has created a customised study playlist for maximum productivity.

Jam your way to a higer GPA with our selection of lyric-free songs!

Tune in to our Spotify playlist now at bit.ly/ChronStudy1

08-09 LIFESTYLE

GOING OFF THE BEATEN TRACK This semester break, take the road less travelled and explore some uncommon holiday destinations. Tiong Linshan speaks to three international students who regale with travel tales from home

1 NOT MANY students can say they have beach-hopped in Portugal, explored Georgia’s medieval villages, or joined hundreds of devout Hindus bathing in the holy Ganges.

NTU’s international students are a treasure trove of travel recommendations, and they are eager to inspire others to experience their country and culture.

Celebrating food and history in Georgia Georgians take their food very seriously. If you ever find yourself in the wine region of Kakheti, knock on any vineyard owner’s door.

You might end up with an invitation to supra — an elaborate Georgian feast replete with wine and local delicacies.

According to 24-year-old Giorgi Dolidze, who hails from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, it is common for families to host supras every two to three weeks.

“Georgians are warm and inviting, especially to foreigners. They love being hospitable,” said the third-year exchange student from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

“There is a saying that goes: ‘A guest is a gift from God.’ Most Georgians families are always ready and glad to take in a guest.”

Dolidze, who is from Ireland’s University of Limerick, added that the supra is a time-honoured tradition, which begins with a series of toasts that unfold in a certain order.

The first toast is to God, and then to Sakartvelo — Georgia’s native name. This is followed by a toast to peace, before ending with a toast to

the host and guests.

“Every feast, we make about 30 to 40 toasts,” said Dolidze.

Some of the most common traditional dishes prepared for supras are khinkali (meat dumplings), khachapuri (cheese bread) and churchkhela (candle-shaped candy made with grape juice and nuts).

Georgia’s location at the crossroads of Asia and Europe contributes to the country’s eclectic mix of citizens, Dolidze said.

While most of the population is ethnically Georgian, minorities from Greece, Iran, Azerbaijan and Armenia make up about 12 per cent of the population.

“Georgians are warm and inviting, especially to foreigners. ” Giorgi Dolidze, 24 Third-year exchange student School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Dolidze recommended exploring the maze of alleys and streets in the Old Town of Tbilisi, which still retains architecture from the country’s Soviet past, providing a glimpse into Georgia’s history.

“You can see old churches, dating back thousands of years, and at the same time, Communist statues and buildings, as well as modern architecture with interesting infrastructure in the city.”

“I always feel very proud whenever I go to the mountains.”

Beyond Tbilisi lies the Greater Caucasus mountain range — home to Europe’s highest mountain, Mount Elbrus, which stands at a staggering 5,642 metres.

Much of Georgia’s wilderness is left untouched, with fewer trails and paths marked out. Because of this, navigation can be challenging.

“Sometimes the only way to find paths is through looking for footpaths, asking passing shepherds for directions, or by using a compass and map,” said Dolidze.

On one particular trip, Dolidze trekked through mountainside villages, traversed canyons and crossed a river before eventually reaching the Birtvisi Fortress.

Ultimately, the mountain is home for him, as it reminds him of Georgia’s rich, medieval history.

He said: “When Georgia faced numerous conquerors such as the Mongols, Ottomans and Russians, the mountains were relentless giants hindering enemy advances.

“I always feel very proud whenever I go to the mountains.”

Going from coast to coast in Portugal Imagine having your own entrance to a private beach, with miles of sea stretching out before you. It sounds like something out of a novel, but it is Santiago de Oriol’s reality.

The 21-year-old PortugueseSpanish exchange student from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom has spent many summers in Cascais, with the beaches right at his doorstep.

Located just 30 kilometres west of capital city Lisbon, the idyllic fishing village has over 200,000 inhabitants, and is a favourite haunt among Portuguese natives.

Cascais was even inhabited by the royal family of Portugal from 1870 to 1908, during the reign of King Luís I. Guincho Beach is a popular spot for summertime beachgoers. “If you feel brave, you can go cliff diving from the Casa da Guia Lighthouse,” said the third-year School of Social Sciences student.

Porto Covo is another coastal village worth a visit.

Located further south of Cascais along the Alentejo coast, the architecture of this former fishing town stands out with its white-and-cobalt-painted houses.

As far as food is concerned, Singaporeans may find the local pastry of Lisbon, pastel de nata, familiar.

This flaky palm-sized pastry is more commonly known as the Portuguese egg tart. One famous traditional bakery known for this specialty is Pastéis de Belém, next to the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém’s centre.

Located in the southwest of Lisbon, the bakery churns out up to 20,000 egg tarts daily using an original recipe that has been closely guarded since its establishment in 1837.

A stroll through the Alfama and Bairro Alto neighbourhoods in Lisbon reveals numerous fado bars tucked between alleys.

“If you feel brave, you can go cliff-diving from the Casa da Guia “Fado is very sad and Lighthouse.” nostalgic.”

Santiago de Oriol, 21 Third-year exchange student School of Social Sciences

During his summer breaks, de Oriol explored the many hidden beaches that pepper Portugal’s coastlines. He often discovered these beaches while driving, on unplanned detours from highways and roads.

Fado — a Portuguese music genre that originated in Lisbon during the early 19th century — remains popular in Portugal to this day.

The country’s largest annual music festival, NOS Alive, even featured a fado stage in July this year.

“Fado is very sad and nostalgic,” de Oriol said.

“It’s what people on expeditions would sing on their boats, when they missed home.”

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Finding tranquility in India’s rivers and mountains Home is a six-hour flight to the Delhi airport and another five-hour drive away for Samridhi Magan, 17, a full-time international student from Haridwar.

Located in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, Haridwar is “a very religious city”.

“Most of the tourists who visit come to find spiritual awakening,” said the first-year Nanyang Business School student.

“In the main town, where the Ganges flows, you’re not allowed to drink. You can drink in the outskirts and you can sell (alcohol) in the outskirts only,” she added.

The Ganges River flows through Haridwar, making it a popular pilgrimage destination.

According to Hindu folklore, Haridwar was one of the four holy sites in India where an immortal drink, amrita, was spilt from a pitcher, or kumbha, by the legendary Garuda bird.

Hindus believe that they can attain spirituality and be cleansed by

bathing in the rivers where the divine drink was spilt.

The best time to visit Haridwar is after Deepavali, at the start of November, according to Samridhi.

“Most of the tourists who visit come to find spiritual awakening.”

Samridhi Magan, 17 First-year international student Nanyang Business School

Two weeks before Deepavali, city officials commence the cleaning of the Ganges river beds and canals by way of a dam to stop water from flowing into the city.

At the start of Deepavali, the Ganges flows freely into the city again, which is when the river’s waters are the cleanest.

When temperatures soar beyond 40 degrees Celcius on the hotter

days, Samridhi and her friends usually head to the river for a dip in one of Haridwar’s many ghats.

Ghats are steps that have been constructed closer to shore for people to access shallower parts of the river safely.

Samridhi suggests veering away from the main ghat, Har Ki Pauri, in Haridwar as it is often overcrowded with bathers.

“Find the smallest ghat possible…

It’s more fun because you have the whole ghat to yourself,” she said.

The Himalayan region of Uttarakhand is a welcome change from India’s bustling cities for locals and tourists, with its rolling hills, mountain ranges and scenic views.

Uttarakhand’s proximity to the

“Find the smallest ghat possible... It’s more fun because you have the whole ghat to yourself.”

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1. The Gergeti Trinity Church, which lies at the foot of Mount Kazbek, was built in the 14th century.

PHOTO: GIORGI DOLIDZE 2. Samridhi Magan (second from left) with her friends in a quiet ghat far away from the city centre’s bustling main ghat Har Ki Pauri.

PHOTO: SAMRIDHI MAGAN 3. Catching the sunset by the scenic beaches along the Portuguese coastline is a popular activity among locals and tourists.

PHOTO: SANTIAGO DE ORIOL 4. The traditional fishermen’s quay in Carrasqueira is set on wooden stakes and stretches along the Sado River in the south of Portugal.

PHOTO: SANTIAGO DE ORIOL 5. Trekking without any trails and marked paths in Khevsureti, which is famed for its Khevsur warriors, is for the lionhearted.

PHOTO: GIORGI DOLIDZE

Himalayas means the snow-capped mountains can get crowded with tourists and climbers in winter.

In order to avoid the holiday crowds, her family chooses to travel to the mountains during the summer instead.

One of her favourite resorts is in the tiny village of Kanatal. For Samridhi, unwinding in a quiet Kanatal mountain resort is a yearly

tradition she cherishes.

It is one of the only times she gets to see her family of over 20 members all at once.

Being in Kanatal with her large family provides a sense of peace that she does not get from being in the city, she said.

“Whenever we went, it felt like my family were the only ones there… it was always so quiet.”

10-11 LIFESTYLE

busan’s

Silver screen

Magic

Deputy chief editor Paige Lim shares her experience at the 22nd Busan International Film Festival, as part of the pioneer batch of students enrolled in the Overseas Film Festival Practicum course at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information

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t is 13 degrees Celsius on a Wednesday night. I am huddled in a thick blanket, seated among 4,000 moviegoers under a giant roof at the outdoor theatre of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), watching director Guillermo del Toro’s latest masterpiece, The Shape of Water, unfold across a massive screen.

When the romantic fantasy film opens with alluring visuals of the female protagonist asleep, her body luminously floating underwater in a submerged apartment, there are audible gasps from the crowd.

For the next 120 minutes, Korean audiences remain transfixed to the screen with bated breath, barely flinching even when a gust of cold wind blows in from the outside.

Applause rings out when the film finally concludes.

This is the Open Cinema section, which features seven outdoor screenings of new internationally acclaimed films that appeal to both artistic and popular tastes. It is one of the most popular cinematic attractions at BIFF. Over the course of my 10-day trip, I have discovered that watch-

ing films at the festival is a deeply religious experience for cinephiles in South Korea, where the act of going to the cinema is treated as a serious pursuit that should be savoured in its entirety, without any interruption.

A strong cinephilia culture Since its inauguration in 1996, BIFF has become the largest annual film festival in Asia and has cemented its identity as the hub of Asian cinema.

The festival is held in the southern port city of Busan, 325 kilometres southeast from Seoul, and sees more than 150,000 attendees from around Korea and across the world every year.

Upon receiving the catalogue at the box office, I am immediately floored by the extensive diversity and number of films to pick from — 299 films from 69 countries, to be exact.

There are 11 official programming sections offering something for everyone, from A Window on Asian Cinema (Asian films) to Korean Cinema Today (commercial and independent Korean films),

World Cinema (works by worldrenowned filmmakers) and New Currents, a signature competition section featuring 10 works by upand-coming Asian filmmakers.

The festival is a distinct embodiment of South Korea’s strong cinephilia culture, a country with one of the strongest domestic film industries in the world. A unanimous love and appreciation for cinema across all walks of life is palpable in the chilly air of the bustling festival grounds.

At BIFF, the early bird catches the worm. Lines of people from the young to old begin to form in the wee hours of the morning before the box office opens at 8.30am, with tickets to popular flicks usually sold out an hour after opening.

A highlight of BIFF is its Guest Visits (GV), which give audiences the opportunity to engage in a question-and-answer session with the filmmaker after the film screening in the theatre.

I noticed how Korean audiences participated enthusiastically in the GVs, often fighting to pose questions to the cast and crew in attendance at hot films, and clamouring

afterwards for autographs.

While GVs are often conducted in Korean for Korean films, English translation is available for international visitors. For instance, despite being the only English-speaking member in the audience at the GV of Korean film Counting the Stars at Night, I was pleasantly surprised to be assigned my own personal translator, who provided fluent simultaneous English translation for the entire 20-minute segment.

Another in-demand event would be the outdoor greetings, where popular film celebrities exchange and share ideas on stage with audiences in an open public space.

Even on a wet and rainy Sunday afternoon, dedicated moviegoers, clad in ponchos and holding umbrellas, still turned up in droves at the Haeundae Beach to catch a glimpse of Korean stars Kwon Haehyo, Kim Sae-byeok and Jo Yoonhee from independent arthouse film The Day After.

Picking up the pieces Beyond the glitz and glamour of red carpet guests, however, belies vestiges of the festival’s ongoing

political turmoil.

A group of student volunteers are stationed on the lawn outside the Busan Cinema Center from morning to evening, brandishing big, colourful placards with the words “I BIFF, I BELIEF”.

“This is to support the autonomy of the film festival. All art needs independence,” one student told me, before handing me a petition to sign. “We want the mayor of Busan to apologise to the festival,” he added.

In the past three years, BIFF has been plagued by controversy over alleged political interference by the previous right-wing South Korean government after it screened Diving Bell, a documentary on the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking.

The festival subsequently suffered drastic budget cuts from the city of Busan, boycotts by acclaimed filmmakers in the name of defending artistic freedom, and saw former festival director Lee Yong-kwan ousted.

But the embattled event seems to be slowly emerging from its darkest days this year, with ex-president Park Geun-hye’s impeachment in

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The festival is a distinct embodiment of South Korea’s strong cinephilia culture, a country which has one of the strongest domestic film industries in the world.

7 5 March signalling the festival’s first turnaround since its current woes began in 2014.

Recently-elected President Moon Jae-in even made a surprise appearance at this year’s edition, where he pledged support to the festival and expressed hope that it could reclaim its former glory.

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Remembering Kim Ji-seok There was also a sombre undertone at this year’s festival, as visitors mourned the loss of founding member and executive programmer Kim Ji-seok, who died from an untimely heart attack at the Cannes Film Festival earlier in May. I attended a

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memorial event for Mr Kim at the Haeundae Grand Hotel ballroom one evening, alongside hundreds of Korean and international industry professionals.

Many tears were shed as filmmakers such as Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda and Malaysian director Tan Chui Mui read out heartfelt eulogies on stage. A late prize was also created in honour of Mr Kim, with a cash prize of US$10,000 (S$13,600) awarded to two films under the section A Window on Asian Cinema.

Filmmakers I interacted with at the event spoke fondly of the indelible impact that the late Mr Kim had on their fledgling careers, with his fervent support for Asian independent cinema.

Bangladeshi film director Abu

1. The closing ceremony of the 22nd Busan International Film Festival took place at the outdoor theatre of the Busan Cinema Center, the same venue where Open Cinema screenings are held.

2. This year’s Korean Cinema Retrospectives shone the spotlight on legendary actor Shin Seong-il, who has starred in over 500 movies since the 1960s.

3. An interview with Singaporean filmmaker and NTU alumnus Wesley Leon Aroozoo, whose first full-length documentary I Want To Go Home was shortlisted for the Wide Angle Documentary Competition.

4. A member of the audience poses a question to a director at a Guest Visit, one of the highlights at BIFF which gives visitors a chance to engage in discussion with filmmakers after film screenings.

5. Visitors brave the rain and wind at Haeundae Beach to catch a glimpse of the cast of independent arthouse film The Day After.

6. Various memorial events were held at BIFF this year to remember founding member Kim Ji-seok, who died of a heart attack in May.

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7. Student volunteers hold a protest outside the Busan Cinema Center and call for the mayor of Busan to apologise for trying to censor the event’s programming.

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PHOTOS: ADORA TAN AND YEO ZHIYI

The festival is the distinct embodiment of South Korea’s strong cinephilia culture, a country with one of the strongest domestic film industries in the world.

Shahed Emon, whose debut Jalal’s Story was in the New Currents section in 2014, said Mr Kim’s persistent belief in his work gave him the courage to continue making films.

“Kim Ji-seok was not just a programmer — he was a great brother, a good mentor, and a great teacher.

I hope people take inspiration from his life and that there will be many more Kim Ji-seoks in the future.”

Insightful conversations Besides film screenings, BIFF offers plenty of educational talks, seminars, forums and masterclasses for visitors to attend.

This year saw the launch of Platform Busan, a four-day networking platform for Asian independent filmmakers, which offered informative sessions geared towards promoting and supporting independent cinema in Asia.

I sat in on an enlightening panel discussion featuring seven female Asian filmmakers, including Indonesian director Mouly Surya and Filipino producer Bianca Balbuena, who discussed the challenges of working in the male-dominated film industry — issues especially pertinent in light of the recent Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal in Hollywood.

The best part of the festival was no doubt the chance to get up close and personal with international filmmakers and industry profes-

sionals alike. During my daily coffee fix at the Busan Cinema Center’s main café, I would often find a young aspiring director casually parked at a table beside me, ever ready to engage in a meaningful discussion about film.

But the conversations I remember most vividly were the candid interviews I conducted with our very own homegrown talents for an assigned project, who had travelled from Singapore to Busan to showcase their films.

This year, three Singapore features — Singapore’s first dialect film anthology 667 by Kirsten Tan, He Shuming, Liao Jiekai, Eva Tang and Jun Chong, Tan’s Pop Aye and Wesley Leon Aroozoo’s I Want To Go Home — were selected to be shown at the festival.

As a fellow Singaporean, it was heartwarming to see their works so wholeheartedly embraced by audiences in Busan. In particular, Aroozoo’s film was one of 10 entries shortlisted for the Wide Angle Documentary Competition.

I Want To Go Home is a poignant and lyrical story about Yasuo Takamatsu, a Japanese man who lost his wife to the Great East Japan earthquake and has been diving in the sea every week to find her.

While it did not win the competition, several South Koreans told Aroozoo during his GV that the film struck a powerful chord with them, as it reminded them of the tragic Sewol ferry disaster.

Aroozoo said: “It means a lot to us Singaporean filmmakers to have our films screened at BIFF. It helps to open doors because you get to meet different kinds of people whom you could potentially collaborate with in the future. The opportunities that come from this festival are pretty great.”

12-13 LIFESTYLE

RAISE YOUR

L G A S S

It takes a lot of sweat to succeed, so remember to stay hydrated. The Nanyang Chronicle serves up four drink-inspired looks for a fresh style this finals season AS THE Thomas Edison quote goes, genius is one per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration.

While mental stress is a key concern when cramming for exams, sitting at a desk for long hours can be equally labourious.

A lack of sleep, poor seating pos-

ture, and not drinking enough water are just some examples of how intense studying can detract from healthy habits.

Here are some beverages for this finals period, in the form of four fashionable looks.

These pick-me-ups are refreshing

alternatives to black coffee, with some added health benefits.

So as you gather your notes and plug in your earphones, raise your glass to the end of the semester and drink up for this final stretch.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is sweet, refreshing, and found inside young, green coconuts. Some benefits include improving mental focus and delivering important nutrients that the body needs.

Coconut water is high in electrolytes, which are minerals that maintain proper fluid balance, providing better hydration than water after exercise.

Be sure to stay fresh with a glass of coconut water.

“I usually have water or hot tea when studying, but I really love fresh coconut water. I always feel refreshed after having it!”

Stephanie Jane XueQi Sukarti, 21 Third-year student School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Green Smoothie

Do not judge a book by its cover. A green smoothie might sound unappealing, but it can be nutritious and surprisingly delicious.

This drink is typically a blended mixture of two parts leafy greens, two parts liquid base — in the form of water, almond milk, coconut milk, or coconut water — and three parts ripe frozen fruit.

Popular base ingredients include spinach, kale, almond milk, bananas, and avocados.

Feeding your body good nutrients such as vitamin B12, which converts your food to energy, allows you to shake off that sluggish feeling without reaching for caffeinated beverages.

The high iron content from the leafy vegetables also improves bone strength.

Depending on the ingredients used in the drink, green smoothies offer a host of benefits such as increased immune health, nourishment for the heart, and an enhanced mental outlook.

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AND YOUR GPA Remember to blend till the mixture is lump-free and silky smooth.

Be warned that not every combination tastes great, so until you find your favourite blended recipe, just “green” and bear it.

“The number of combinations of vegetables and fruits that can make up a green smoothie are nearly limitless. I love that it’s so versatile!”

Lemon Water

Simple things, like a few slices of lemon in a water pitcher, can make a huge difference.

Drinking a glass of warm lemon water first thing in the morning can help the digestive system and rehydrate the body.

The potassium and vitamin C in lemons give the immune system a slight boost, with vitamin C potentially lowering stress levels and improving collagen production for smoother, healthier skin.

So when life gives you lemons, make lemon water.

Stephanie Jane XueQi Sukarti

Pomegranate Juice

According to the United States Dietary Association, glucose is the brain’s main source of energy.

Pomegranates contain high amounts of glucose and should be your new best friend. The vibrant red hue of pomegranate seeds come from polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants.

These antioxidants reportedly help to reduce inflammation and aid digestion, allowing you to study in comfort even after consuming filling meals.

Pomegranates are “power berries” that help build up your immune system, keeping pesky illnesses at bay during the finals exam season.

They are rich in potassium and vitamins C, E, and K — which when put together, form a word just a letter away from “cake”. Stick to pomegranate juice — it’s healthier!

“I drink tea for my caffeine fix, but I wouldn’t mind trying pomegranate juice as it’s more nutritious.”

Nur Azra Rauff, 21 First-year student School of Humanities

ART DIRECTION, STYLING & MAKEUP: Esther Soh, Stephanie Wong PHOTOGRAPHER: Yeo Wei Lun PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANTS: Christy Yip. Hazim Zulfadhli, Jovi Ho MODELS: Nur Azra Rauff, Stephanie Jane XueQi Sukarti CLOTHING: QLOTHÉ

14-15 SPOTLIGHT

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PHOTO: CHRISTY YIP

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A fish out

Nanyang Business School alumnus Melvin Sim tells he left a modern multinational c

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PHOTO: BELICIA TEO

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PHOTO: YEO WEI LUN

IT IS 1am on a Saturday morning.

Unlike most of his peers who are out celebrating the end of a tiring week, Mr Melvin Sim is geared up for work in his rubber boots at the wet market of Jurong Fishery Port, which has just begun to buzz with activity. But he is not missing out.

“Jurong Fishery Port is dead in the day but at night it is like Zouk,” said the 28-year-old Nanyang Business School alumnus, who is the senior marketing executive of seafood supply company Hai Sia Seafood.

Under the bright lights in a warehouse-like open space, 120 fishmongers prepare to hawk the freshest catches from the sea. Some are bent over chopping boards, deftly removing the scales off a batang fish (mackerel) or the head of an ang go li (sea bream). Others drag and unload cartons of kuning (yellowstripe scad), which are haphazardly scattered across the market’s floors.

On top of the daily grind, Mr Sim spends the last Friday night of every month hosting tours at the port to give the public a

glimpse into where their seafood comes from.

This is part of Mr Sim’s mission to modernise the seafood industry together with his longtime friend, Mr Ang Junting, 28, who is the second generation heir of Hai Sia Seafood.

The company is housed in a three-storey building with a retail showroom located not far away from the wet market, and has been operating at the Jurong Fishery Port since 1989.

“The Jurong Fishery Port is almost forgotten. Nobody wants to come here after they graduate. It’s just unintuitive,” said Mr Sim, who graduated from NTU in 2013.

“So we aim to modernise, then professionalise,” he added.

To do this, Mr Sim has helped implement new initiatives to reinvent the company’s operations since he joined Hai Sia Seafood in 2015 — from overhauling its processing plant to introducing email to his older colleagues, as well as putting Hai Sia’s products onto an online marketplace.

He also started the company’s

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CHRONICLE 04 1. Clad in white rubber boots and the company’s uniform, NBS alumni Melvin Sim is ready to spend a Friday night at Jurong Fishery Port (JFP).

2. Mr Ang Junting, second generation CEO of Hai Sia Seafood, introduces the regional catches offered at JFP to the 25 attendees of the walking tour. The monthly tour is currently oversubscribed, with more than 500 people on the waiting list.

3. Workers dragging loaded pallet jacks into the wet market is a common sight as another night’s work begins at JFP. 4. Scales litter the floor as a fishmonger meticulously removes them from each individual ang go li, the choice fish for cooking fish head curry.

5. In the first room of Hai Sia’s new processing plant, an employee removes the innards of fishes which have gone through an industrial descaling machine.

6. In the second processing room, each employee is tasked to skin and fillet the cleaned fishes before they are sent to be portioned.

7. Batang fish slated to be sold online are sliced into portions of 240 grams and vacuum packed in the company’s trademark ‘Catch’ packaging.

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PHOTO: HAZIM ZULFADHLI

Catch our video story on Nanyang Chronicle’s Facebook page.

PHOTO: HAZIM ZULFADHLI

PHOTO: HAZIM ZULFADHLI

t of water

photojournalists Christy Yip and Hazim Zulfadhli why company for Jurong Fishery Port. internship programme which has had seven interns to date.

A look inside the company’s processing plant reveals a series of sterile and systemised rooms, each designed specifically for cleaning, cutting or packaging seafood.

It took a while for the older workers to embrace these new changes, said Mr Sim, as many of them were used to decades of communicating with pen and paper, as well as working amid the wet mess and fishy odour.

To familiarise himself with what happens on the ground, Mr Sim tried his hand at scaling fish and pulling loaded pallet jacks from the market to the processing plant when he first joined the company.

He also learnt teochew to better communicate with his colleagues.

“We try to play down the fact that we are university graduates because we do not want them to feel that we are superior,” he said.

“It is about bringing your world closer to theirs.”

The leap of faith to join Hai Sia Seafood was not spontaneous.

Prior to Hai Sia, Mr Sim held a

stable position at a multinational company (MNC), which offered the structure and mobility that he desired in a job.

It took Mr Ang, who had studied hotel management in Switzerland, four tries before Mr Sim agreed to swap his desk in the central business district for a spot at a “dated”, Mandarin-speaking office along the country’s western fringes.

“When I first stepped into Hai Sia’s processing plant, I gagged. I hated it,” said Mr Sim, then joking that it was too late to pull out as he had already signed a contract.

Many of his friends were initially surprised at his decision to take up the job, though they have since come forward to congratulate him.

Two years on, Mr Sim said his job at Hai Sia Seafood has taught him some valuable lessons.

He had the opportunity to build things from scratch, unlike in his previous job at MNCs, giving him a “more pronounced sense of pride”.

He added: “Every day something is brewing. Something is evolving and changing.”

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Fight stress with NTU Confidants

The team of Confidants behind NTU’s Peer Helping Programme at the University Wellbeing Centre.

PHOTOS: HAZIM ZULFADHLI

With exams and deadlines around the corner, study stress may start to pile on. Dayna Yin speaks to the student Confidants from NTU’s University Wellbeing Centre on how self-care is the best care when it comes to stress management AS NTU students themselves, Confidants from the University Wellbeing Centre’s (UWC) Peer Helping Programme (PHP) are all too familiar with the stress that sets in at the end of semester.

The onslaught of assignment deadlines, intense exam revision and multiple all-nighters can turn even the most fun-loving, sociable students into temporary hermits — up till the finals period, which ends in early December.

“We forget who we are...it’s as if (studying) is the only purpose of living,” said Joseph Lim, 23, a third-year School of Social Sciences student and PHP Confidant.

Lim believes that seeking support, particularly from others in similar situations, can help students cope better with stress.

There are currently around 50 PHP Confidants from various faculties and disciplines in NTU. They have been selected and trained by the UWC staff to offer their peers one-on-one emotional support.

PHP Confidants work to erase the stigma associated with seeking mental health assistance through raising awareness on campus, by organising events and activities to engage the student community.

The PHP was established in 2007, in collaboration with the University's psychology interest group Psychology Society.

Due to a shortage of staff, the PHP decided to adopt a “community approach” to meet the demand

for counselling and support.

Students were then recruited as “Confidants”, and served as the UWC’s eyes and ears in identifying peers in need of counselling.

A 2016 international analysis by the University of Connecticut reported that experiencing high levels of stress can negatively affect one’s physical health.

If no effective coping strategies are adopted, it could lead to serious psychological problems such as depression and anxiety.

The PHP Confidant team thus advocates the practice of self-care, especially when mental stress starts to affect one’s physical and emotional state.

Changes in eating and sleeping patterns, along with mood swings and “study burnouts”, are clear indicators that it might be time to take a break from schoolwork.

World Mental Health Day

Self-care was a key focus of the team’s World Mental Health Day celebration last month. Self-care advocates that individuals adopt actions and attitudes to help themselves achieve a steady state of mental well-being.

To bring awareness to this concept, the PHP Confidants set up a mental health awareness booth on 10 and 11 Oct at the Linkway in the NTU Administration Building.

The booth included a photo wall and self-care pledging zone, where students could write personal

pledges to affirm their commitment to self-care on silver ribbons — the national symbol of mental health.

“What we were trying to establish with this event was that selfcare is the best care,” said Keene Ong, a final-year student from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The 25-year-old is the PHP Confidants' events team leader. Together with other Confidants, they teach simple stress-relieving exercises and organise activities to raise awareness on positive mental health practices.

“Even though some students were rushing for classes, it was very encouraging that they came down to pick up a self-care pack, even writing to us after the event about how they now practise selfcare better,” he added.

At the event, students were introduced to stress-relieving and relaxation exercises, such as using a tennis ball to massage under the kneecap to relieve muscle tension.

They were also given a goody bag containing snacks such as bananas and Milo drink packets.

“During exam times or submissions, sometimes students give up food and sleep to keep on studying. But with that, they harm themselves,” said Gayana Herath, a third-year Interdisciplinary Graduate School student.

“You need to prioritise your own health so that you can work smarter,” added the 26-year-old,

who became a PHP Confidant three months ago.

Helping foreign students

Originally from Sri Lanka, Gayana found that the culture shock from being part of such a diverse campus can be overwhelming for international students like herself.

This can take a toll on their mental and emotional health, on top of having to deal with the demands of their studies, she said.

In 2010, research by the University of Melbourne found that while the majority of international students coped well with adapting to the host university’s culture and norms, over 40 per cent of the international student population exhibited antisocial, and even reckless, behaviour while dealing with personal issues.

Many of these students are also wary of seeking professional help, added Gayana.

Understanding the effects of loneliness and cultural stress inspired Gayana to become a PHP Confidant.

She regards her training as a beneficial social skill for life beyond university, particularly in the workplace, where certain situations require knowledge of mental health management and support.

“If you know how to empathise with the situation, society will be a better place,” she said.

Fellow PHP Confidant Ivan Yeo, 20, believes counselling can enable

one to help others beyond what medical treatment can provide.

The second-year Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine student finds that while doctors can help in identifying a physical health problem, well-being exists on a “spectrum”, as everyone has different backgrounds and experiences.

Due to the subjective nature of mental health, special attention and support is always required in addressing these issues.

“Healthcare professionals may not pick up on these problems, so by looking out for our peers in the NTU community, we can better support them,” said Yeo. Confidants interviewed by the Nanyang Chronicle say they, too, have experienced personal growth through learning about good mental health practices and applying their skills in helping others.

“I think this programme helped me to be more attuned to the issues people face. When we talk about mental health, it’s hidden behind our skulls,” said Head Confidant Muhammad Izzuddin, a final-year School of Social Sciences student.

“We don’t know if someone is going through emotional turmoil.”

According to the 24-year-old, it takes dedication and work to develop skills in building trust with others through empathy and patience.

“Even if it is just (helping) one person, I think that’s a huge achievement in itself,” he said.

Opinion EDITORIAL

LEADING THE WAY, PAVING THE FUTURE COME January, current NTU President Bertil Andersson will be succeeded by American scientist, Professor Subra Suresh.

Not only would this changeover in power mean a shift in the university’s management, it would also be the start of a new legacy set by the University’s new president.

NTU has made waves this past month, topping the ranks in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings.

Since Prof Andersson’s appointment in 2011, NTU has jumped 47 spots in the QS World University Rankings, landing itself the 11th spot this year.

During his term, Prof Andersson also spearheaded the establishment of NTU’s first medical school, oversaw the development of a second clinical medicine campus which replicates real-life hospital wards, and improved educational practices through the “flipped classroom” pedagogy approach.

This pedagogy approach led to the construction of NTU’s iconic learning hub, The Hive, fostering collaborative learning through the smart classrooms located within the building.

NTU has thrived under the

leadership of Prof Andersson, and the future is a hopeful one as Prof Suresh takes the helm.

Prof Suresh was the President at Carnegie Mellon University, an engineer and an entrepreneur.

No stranger to Singapore’s higher education and research systems, Prof Suresh will come on campus as a familiar face, having previously partnered different NTU professors for scholarly work.

His appointment as NTU’s fourth president was voted unanimously and was endorsed by NTU’s board of trustees.

As NTU Board Chairman Koh Boon Hwee, pointed out: “The appointment of the next president is crucial in encouraging and promoting the growth and development of NTU.” Under a new leadership, NTU can be led to greater heights, be it through the inculcation of new approaches to boost the current employment rate for NTU graduates or through the possible introduction of new teaching and learning facilities.

With the welcome of Prof Suresh on board, we look forward to the fresh perspective he will bring to push NTU to the next level as Asia’s top university.

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE CHIEF EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

LAYOUT SUPERVISOR

MANAGING EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

SUB-EDITORS

ONLINE EDITOR

Dewey Sim Paige Lim

Adora Tan Ignatius Koh

NEWS EDITORS Gracia Lee Natalie Choy

Khairul Anwar Candy Choo

PHOTO EDITOR Christy Yip

Yeo Kai Wen Joe Tok Kenny Wong

FACULTY ADVISORS Wu Shangyuan Zakaria Zainal

GRAPHIC EDITOR

LIFESTYLE EDITORS Alicia Teng Jovi Ho

Chloe Then

Reynard Adrianto

BUSINESS MANAGERS Vanessa Tan Vinice Yeo

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GRAPHIC: DIANE LIM

Leaving the age of phone calls Natalie Choy News Editor

A FEW weeks ago, I caught up with a close friend over the phone — a communication medium that I have not used since my early teens.

While I relished in the spontaneity of our hour-long conversation and the warmth of the human voice that emojis cannot replicate, it also made me realise how unfamiliar I was with casual conversations on the phone.

Back in lower secondary school when smartphones were still a distant dream, calling a friend to chat was a normal thing to do.

Phone calls with my classmates were always thrilling, fraught with campus gossip and the latest celebrity news. I fondly remember gushing over our history teacher in a three-way group call.

In our defence, he was the Asian doppelganger of Zac Efron.

But all that went away with the birth of smartphones and the concomitant rise of instant messaging services and applications.

Suddenly there were ways to communicate without talking, and my generation readily capitalised on these new-found alternatives.

A 2015 survey by mobile research agency RealityMine found millennials texting three times more often than calling.

Phone calls have been playing second fiddle to texting since 2007, the same year that the first iPhone was launched.

Whatsapp emerged as one of the top messaging apps three years later; 2011 saw the birth of Snapchat and the Facebook Messenger app.

It is not entirely shocking that the advent of smartphones has radically altered the nature of my

social interactions.

With a slew of communication tools at my fingertips, it is only natural for me to gravitate towards the easiest and least intrusive form of communication: texting.

As an introvert, phone calls can be a form of social pressure to me.

Their spontaneous nature does not give me time to compose my thoughts and choose my words cautiously, which I find important when speaking to acquaintances.

Instant messaging platforms such as Telegram and Instagram Direct give me the luxury of time to craft every exchange, while having the capacity to be just as instantaneous and efficient as phone calls.

Another downside of phone calls is their interruptive nature.

When ambushed by the ringing tone of an incoming call, more often than not, I am obligated to immediately respond to it.

On the flipside, written forms of communication allow me to read and reply messages at my own convenience, a much more courteous alternative to hitting the decline button. It helps that WhatsApp’s blue-tick-of-doom feature can be disabled.

But as instant messaging becomes second nature to a generation used to iPhones, this habit of texting may compromise the quality of our interactions.

For the most part, replying to a friend’s Instagram stories and tagging each other in memes on Facebook have become substitutes for actual interaction.

According to a research study

by Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University

of California, Los Angeles, over 90 per cent of communication is based on non-verbal cues such as body language and tone of voice that written communication has actually denied us of.

Additionally, a study by Cornell University in 2013 reflected that despite our ability to connect with a vast number of people via the Internet, a person can only maintain genuine connections with 100 people at most.

This had me question the legitimacy of friendships today: are we really as close as we think we are?

Are these new forms of communication, albeit highly efficient and convenient, substantial enough?

With the exception of emergency calls, my phone hardly rings now.

While I do miss the marathon phone calls from my adolescence, chatting on the phone is no longer viable today as this method of communication has long passed its prime time.

The occasional face-to-face gatherings are what sustain my friendships, heavily supplemented by online interactions.

That said, phone calls are not entirely extinct in my life.

Because I live on campus, I still get calls from my parents who check in with me routinely.

Sometimes, my friends call when text messages fail to fully encapsulate the extent of their excitement or heartbreak.

Phone calls still live on, but in the same way that taxis live on in an era of Uber and Grab.

They will no longer play as critical a role in the modern day social relationships.

22 OPINION

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CHRONICLE 04

Sorry to burst your bubble Ginnette Ng PEOPLE were screaming and running in all directions, ducking behind cars as the sound of gunfire reverberated halfway through a night concert in Las Vegas.

On the other side of the world, I was on a bus home from Orchard Road, watching the footage on Facebook. I continued scrolling down my news feed for more updates on the attack.

The casualty count increased and police were trying to verify that there was only one shooter.

Not surprisingly, this is the way we consume news now: through social media.

Bite-sized information are posted almost every minute on the web. More horrifying accounts of the Las Vegas shooting continued weeks after the incident.

More stomach-churning videos were posted, liked and shared.

News reports and commentaries rolled out — Is this a terror attack?

How did the perpetrator get so many guns? How many more will have to die before gun laws in the US change?

But while we are so tuned in to who the victims and heroes are in the Las Vegas shooting, we have missed other incidents and tragedies around the world that deserve our equal attention.

One example would be the accident in Somalia this October, when a truck bomb exploded in the middle of a busy street, killing more than 300 victims.

I had found out about it because my parents were watching the news on Channel NewsAsia.

But on social media, no one in my circle of friends talked about it.

The New Yorker raised an apt question: “Where is the empathy for Somalia?”

Attention given to this attack paled far in comparison to the attention given to some celebrity news and gossip.

Reality star Kylie Jenner’s pregnancy, for instance, garnered so many tweets that even those who did not keep up with her life had caught up inadvertently.

While the neglect of certain stories on social media is not commendable, it is understandable why we share some stories over others.

It is not that we do not care about the explosion in Somalia.

We are overfed with information, both online and offline.

As such, we choose to read only what is relevant and higher up on our social media feeds.

For many of us, it also matters who says it.

We know and follow many celebrities who spread the news about Las Vegas, and expressed their grief online through their own accounts.

Katy Perry, the most followed celebrity on Twitter, with 105 million

GRAPHIC: AMY ONG

followers, said she was “devastated, furious and heartbroken”.

Kim Kardashian West also tweeted and retweeted opinions asking for stricter gun control laws.

By doing so, she included her followers in a national conversation about gun control in the US. The same cannot be said about Somalia, a country we Singaporeans have not heard as much about.

As for Kylie Jenner, with her 98.7 million Instagram followers and a reality show to boot, many have become involved in the details of her life — details which may not be the most wholesome, but are definitely entertaining.

It is no wonder there are complaints whenever big stories from different parts of the world happen at the same time.

“The media is biased”; some even say it is “racist” as stories from the Western world usually receive greater attention.

While this is true, it is also because our friends end up sharing the same stories repeatedly on our social media feeds.

Last year, The National Youth Council’s survey found that 78 per cent of youth in Singapore use social media to get their news.

It is apt how Mark Zuckerberg and his team called it the News Feed, years before Facebook became a digital News in Brief for this decade.

Our limited worldview arises because of the information bubble created by our own social circles, where the people we are familiar with, tend to have similar values and interests as we do.

Websites like Yahoo News, YouTube and Facebook also create algorithms suggesting content we may be interested in, based on our clicks and search histories, to keep us on their page.

This creates an echo chamber where the news we read is only limited to what has been read by our friends amd family.

But we still have to acknowledge that we do contribute to the problem; media organizations are not entirely to blame.

Our activity on social media cause certain stories to appear higher up on our social media feeds because of how many of us read them and how widely we share them.

Through our likes, shares and upvotes, we begin to shape the media agenda, sometimes more so than the reporters themselves.

In fact, we unknowingly become “the media” as well.

With a responsibility like that, it’s time we proactively look at other new sources beyond our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

One good example is Al Jazeera, a news organisation based in the Middle East.

Give them a follow on any social media platform for their extensive on-ground coverage of the Middle Eastern region.

We can also watch their short documentaries on YouTube, that cover social issues, political events and digital trends with a humanistic point of view.

Also, check out the r/worldnews or r/science pages on Reddit, which posts important environment stories in addition to those covering politics, or the next taboo President Donald Trump is breaking.

Those who comment on these pages are sharp readers who often help evaluate the source or the scientific journal’s credibility.

Sorting the posts according to the most recent instead of the most popular will also limit potential biases that may come with the upvotes and comments from Reddit's many American users.

For those of us who do not like to read the news, we can turn to Philip DeFranco’s Youtube channel.

He has been a vlogger on YouTube for 11 years now, where he provides balanced summaries of news stories on his channel.

He thoroughly researches the topics he discusses and encourages his audience to respond with comments, to give alternative viewpoints or to keep him in check if he is incorrect.

Admittedly, these kinds of stories are less entertaining and quite depressing, compared to the latest Marvel movie news for example.

Many of these global events may not affect Singapore directly and are not as relatable to us.

But as global citizens and fellow human beings, I think it is our responsibility to know what is going on elsewhere in the world.

It may seem futile and confusing at times, when there is little we can say or do to help.

But after we read the news, we can do what we do best — share it.

Perhaps someone we know may be in a better position than us to do something to help.

Getting the word out is better than doing nothing at all.

VOL. NO.

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OPINION 23

THE NANYANG

04 CHRONICLE

Funerals: finding meaning beyond rituals

GRAPHIC: AMY ONG

Darren Ching A MONTH ago, my beloved grandmother, Ah Ma, died.

She was 85.

Ah Ma was never particularly religious apart from the basic Taoist chants she did every morning by the side of her bed.

Nevertheless, just like how people of her generation are, she was extremely pantang (Hokkien for superstitious).

To her, death was a taboo she would rather not talk about.

But before her passing, she made sure to inform my dad that she wanted a Taoist funeral.

I knew Taoist funerals were elaborate, but I was surprised to discover my significance in her funeral as the eldest grandson — I was treated just like another son, after my uncle and dad, and given more roles than my aunts.

In 2011, The Guardian reported that Chinese families still favoured sons over daughters as males ensure the continuity of the bloodline.

This gender bias has existed since ancient China and has a wide influence on Chinese religions, Taoism included.

While Hindu and Muslim funerals are held within a day, Chinese funerals are generally longer, lasting between three to five days depending on the age of the deceased.

As the eldest grandson, I was expected to be physically present for all her funeral prayer rituals.

But the week Ah Ma passed away coincided with my theatre performance, causing me to be caught in a conundrum.

Although it was a tough decision to make, I eventually chose to perform at the theatre production instead of attending the prayer ritual at her wake.

I knew many of my relatives disapproved of my decision, and I was afraid that they would regard me as being “unfilial”.

An article by the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, explained that the performance of funeral rituals is an extension of Chinese social ethics.

Filial piety, a core virtue among the Chinese, is the main reason for these rituals, and is shown by one’s participation in all aspects of ancestral rituals and traditions.

Would my absence at the prayer ritual then mean that I was unfilial to Ah Ma? It bothers me that even in today’s age, society remains rigid in the way it holds onto its traditions.

I do not believe that one's filial piety should be based on one’s presence at the wake itself.

Rather, I believe the way we treat our loved ones while they are alive matters more.

What we actually say and do for our loved ones can be a good reflection as to how much we respect and appreciate them.

Dr Paul Schoenfeld, a clinical psychologist from the Everett Clinic, a group of medical centres based in the United States, said that rituals and rites help connect us to the generations that have come before and after us.

It provides a valve to discharge emotions, and to rekindle connection among the living.

I do not deny the significance behind these rituals, especially if they had been requested by those before their passing.

Yet, surely there has to be other

ways to commemorate the dead in addition to these traditions.

In Western culture, it is common to see family members give eulogies at a funeral.

Eulogies are tributes to the deceased, to commemorate the fulfilling life he or she has had.

Although eulogies are not held during Taoist funerals, my father wished for me to compile a video montage of the fruitful life Ah Ma had lived.

As eulogies can be lengthy, this would have been a good substitute for speeches.

Sadly, the Taoist priest disapproved of our video montage idea due to religious reasons.

Over the five days at the funeral, I met distant relatives whom I would typically see only once a year during Chinese New Year; some I had never seen in my life.

Ah Ma's funeral was a gathering of sorts, bringing together people who might be distant but bound by blood.

Educator and grief counsellor Dr Alan Wolfelt wrote in an article that the sharing of memories at the

funeral affirms the worth we have placed on the person who has died, legitimising our pain.

This teaches us about the dead person's life apart from our own and allows us glimpses into that life that we are likely to cherish forever in memory of the deceased.

Ah Ma had seven children, 11 grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren for whom she had sacrificed a great deal for.

Beyond the sharing of memories at the funeral, a video montage at the funeral would certainly have been a good summary of the long life Ah Ma had lived.

It might have been deemed culturally unacceptable, but I believe that Ah Ma would have approved of our intentions — the younger generation wanting to share special moments of her life — as a mother and a grandmother.

While it might be impossible to completely disregard the religious traditions we have when it comes to death and funerals, I believe that there is certainly room for cultural traditions to meet the practices of the modern world halfway.

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CHRONICLE 04

Haunting effects of ghosting

Syed Muhammad Faris

YOU pick up your phone and open Tinder. You are greeted by a stranger’s profile. She barely piques your interest. You swipe left, and another profile appears.

You open your inbox to check if the person you swiped right from a week ago has finally responded to your messages. Just a week ago, both of you were having a great conversation and seemed to hit it off. Now she’s giving you the cold shoulder. No response again.

Does this sound familiar?

Ghosting occurs when someone abruptly cuts off all communication with the other party. Although it can occur in any social relationship, the expression is commonly used in the realm of online dating.

As someone who has been ghosted before, I am all too familiar with how it feels like. I spent days thinking about what went wrong, and wondered if I made any mistakes.

Then, this morphed into a feeling of anger of being unfairly treated.

How did ghosting become so common, and even socially accepted these days?

As reported by Dr Nicole Cromer, a New York-based psychologist, this could be due to the popularity of mobile dating apps such as Tinder. Some find these apps a godsend because of their abilities to transcend physical boundaries.

By connecting us virtually, these online social networks spontaneously expand the variety of people we are able to interact with, which is difficult to replicate in real life.

Yet, these dating apps often create an unrealistic expectation of an endless pool of potential partners.

Such expectations promote

ghosting as a strategy to avoid social relationships we do not want, especially when we end up interacting with more people than we can manage, to the point of letting some fall through the cracks.

Ms Laurie Davis, founder and dating coach of online dating consultancy eFlirt, explained: “Sometimes I don't think people mean to ghost, but they do."

Once a relationship is neglected, it might just all go downhill.

She added: “People feel like it's too late at some point to reach out to you. Another relationship starts going fast and they forget to wrap things up with you."

As I discovered eventually, the girl I had been talking to was a fan of ghosting. I heard from a mutual friend that she had disappeared on many other guys on Tinder.

This was not an experience unique to me. A 2016 survey conducted by dating site Plenty of Fish, revealed that nearly 80 per cent of people between the ages of 18 and 33 have been ghosted at least once.

I find it concerning that ghosting has become a common occurrence, especially since it has adverse effects on the victim.

A study conducted by the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin in 2014 found ghosting to be a physically painful experience. “Social rejection activates the same pain pathways in the brain as physical pain,” it reported.

If the pain of being ghosted is significantly detrimental to an individual, then why do we still do it?

With the increased popularity of online dating, it is likely that the people we meet online do not feel as connected to us as our real-life friends. Many, therefore, do not

louder than words

GRAPHIC: DIANE LIM

take ghosting seriously.

“The more frequent ghosting happens, either to themselves or their friends, the more people become desensitised to it. Eventually, it is highly likely that they will do it to someone else too,” warns Dr Jennice Vilhauer, a director at the Outpatient Psychotherapy Treatment Program at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, United States.

While I agree with Dr Vilhauer’s explanation, I am surprised that society has become desensitised to ghosting. Strange enough, ghosting has already become a common

occurrence, but I do not think that this should be the case.

Perhaps there is a deeper reason to explain its prevalence. Are people ghosting to avoid confronting their own emotions?

Dr Vilhauer suggests this might be the case: “People who ghost are primarily focused on avoiding their own emotional discomfort and they aren’t thinking about how it makes the other person feel."

Confronting our emotions, especially those which cause us great discomfort, will always be a challenging process.

Even so, it should not be used conveniently as an excuse to tap out of an uncomfortable situation.

Ironically, as more social networking platforms are created, the more the quality of our communication within our social relationships regresses.

It is time we think through how we can interact with others in more respectful ways.

Just as we are told to confront our emotions and issues in faceto-face situations, the same rule should be applied to online interactions as well.

Sports

SUniG 2017: Won some, lost some

The University came in second place in the annual competition despite double wins for the bowling, floorball and basketball teams Adeena Nagib NTU emerged as runners-up in the recently completed Singapore University Games (SUniG) for the seventh consecutive year, finishing behind National University of Singapore (NUS) once again.

This year, NTU bagged a total of 16 gold medals but fell short of overall winners NUS, who won 30 gold medals. The Games took place from 2 Sep to 19 Oct. The women’s football team emerged victorious against NUS in the finals, with 27-year-old Yuan Yuan, a PhD student from School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, scoring in the 81st minute to give NTU a narrow 1-0 win.

The team lost last year’s finals, which broke their seven-year championship streak.

Captain Fatin Aqillah, 22, said: “Our coach focused on developing us as players and (helped us) understand that football is more than winning or maintaining a legacy.”

GRAPHIC: REYNARD ADRIANTO

“He felt that understanding football could bring the team further than just kicking, passing the ball and scoring goals,” said the final-year student from Sport Science and Management (SSM).

For the ninth year on the trot, the women’s basketball team won the championship, beating NUS 76-55 in the finals.

The men’s basketball team also successfully defended their title this year, cruising past NUS 80-49 to win their second title in the last five years.

This was their second win over NUS this season, after beating them 71-53 in the group stage.

“This season was one of the craziest, but to me the most fun. We had to come back from doubledigit deficits from all except one game,” said captain Sean Hoo, 24, a final-year SSM student.

He added: “Everybody grew and learned a fair bit over the course of the season. I’m proud of my guys, and I have faith that we’ll defend our Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) championship next year.”

The men’s floorball team won the championship for the second year running in a heated final against Singapore Institute of Management (SIM). NTU won 4-2, bouncing back from a 6-4 defeat when the teams first met in the group stage.

Russel Low (black jersey) scored a game-high 31 points to defeat NUS in the men’s basketball SUniG finals.

Captain Brian Tan, 24, described the season as a rollercoaster ride.

“It was clear that we were the underdogs in the tournament, and that much more was needed from us,” said the final-year student from Nanyang Business School.

“We qualified with one loss and a draw but eventually found the momentum to successfully defend our title.”

Keeping secrets

The women’s floorball team also won the championship this year, their first SUniG title in five years.

But their journey to the top was not untested, facing challenges such as having to beat defending champions NUS by a four-goal margin to qualify for the finals, and bouncing back from a 6-1 defeat in the group stages to eventual finalists SIM. Captain Victoria Woo, 23, navigated these obstacles tactfully and decided not to reveal this daunting task to the team.

“I know my girls. Some would play differently if they knew (they needed to win by four goals),” said the final-year student from National Institute of Education.

Woo and coach Guhen Markandran finally revealed the big secret before the last period, with NTU leading by just one goal.

“It became a ‘do or die’ moment.

They could either score three goals (in 15 minutes) and go to the finals, or fall short,” said Mr Guhen.

The game against NUS finished 5-1, which led to a rematch against SIM in the finals. The team eventually won 5-4, making a comeback from trailing 1-4 after the second period.

Mr Guhen said: “The team

PHOTO: NTU SPIRIT

showed a lot of character. It was their team spirit, fitness and adaptability that won the game.

“When they suffered together in training, they became closer on and off the court.”

The men’s tchoukball and 10pin bowling team successfully defended their title, while the women’s 10-pin bowling team brought home their sixth consecutive gold.

In a surprise turn of events, the men’s and women’s volleyball teams were left disappointed after their two-year dominance as double champions ended. The men’s and women’s teams finished second and third respectively.

“Even though we lost in the finals, we were still happy that we fought with our all. This season was actually much better than last year,” said men’s volleyball captain Ong Hong Yuan, 23, a thirdyear student from School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

And the men’s football team could only muster a top four finish this SUniG after last year’s win, with rivals NUS claiming the title.

Captain Mohammad Naufal Nur Hakim, 24, a third-year student from School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said the team failed to maximise their potential and need to improve for IVP. “We will need to approach IVP better. This season showed that we must always play to our level best and not sit on our laurels,” he said.

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Safety in endurance sports: Know your limits Sudden fatalities among seasoned runners in marathons can come as a shock to many.

Participants should always be mindful of their own health and prepare well before joining such events Kimberly Kwek LAST month, 42-year-old Stephen Begley died from cardiorespiratory failure during the swim leg of the Singapore International Triathlon (SIT). The Briton was a former professional rugby player with no known medical conditions.

This was the second fatality at the SIT after the death of a Singaporean man in 2009, who also faced difficulties at the swim leg.

There have been six other deaths at endurance events in Singapore in the past 10 years.

Endurance events such as marathons and triathlons are sports activities that require one’s use of key muscles over a prolonged period.

A marathon is a 42.195-kilometre long run, while a triathlon consists of a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run.

Despite these incidents, deaths at such events are rare. A 2012 study by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the risk of death when participating in a marathon is 1 in 256,000.

Training sufficiently

Dr Govindasamy Balasekaran, head of physical education and sports science (PESS) at National Institute of Education (NIE), said current safety precautions by organisers are sufficient and participants have to honestly evaluate their readiness for these events.

“The organisers can’t prevent these accidents. They can’t detect these kinds of unknown underlying causes. People always think they have no problems so what they have to do is clear themselves medically and ask themselves if they are ready for the run,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of preparing sufficiently for such events, and recommended at least six months of training for people with a few years of experience in long-distance running.

Dr Govindasamy, a former national runner who has represented Singapore in 5,000 and 10,000 metre track events, also emphasised the inclusion of interval training, strength conditioning and neuromuscular coordination when training for marathons.

“People think that marathon is only about going for long runs, but that doesn’t cut it. You have to have strength,” said Dr Govindasamy, who coaches national runners in long-distance running events.

He warned seasoned runners

NTU aquathlon team captain Samuel Choong completing the 750m swim leg of the Singapore University Games aquathlon competition.

against being complacent and to know their limits.

“They think that they’re seasoned marathoners and they want to break their own personal best.

So what happens is that when they start off, they go at a very high intensity, which is not according to their pace,” he said.

Runners start burning carbohydrates instead of fats when they run at a high intensity. Forcing themselves to run without having enough glycogen in their body can cause dizziness, and in more fatal cases, heart failure.

Evaluating your health

According to Associate Professor Fabian Lim from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, heart conditions are one of the main reasons why people die while doing endurance sports.

Dr Lim, who specialises in exercise physiology, said those who die of heart conditions are either younger runners who are affected by undetected abnormalities in their hearts, which may trigger cardiac arrests, or older people who are likelier to get heart attacks at that stage of their lives.

NTU’s aquathlon team captain Samuel Choong, 23, raised the importance of listening to one’s body and to avoid going for such events if one is feeling unwell.

The second-year Nanyang Business School (NBS) student also mentioned that going on runs of similar distances is critical.

“A lot of people do it (marathons) because they think that they can walk but at the end of day, the fact is that your body isn’t prepared and you don’t know what will happen,” he said.

Apart from sufficient training, Dr Govindasamy recommends going for a basic electrocardiogram (ECG) to help uncover any undetected blockages or issues.

“Sometimes when you stress your heart, the (blood) load increases, then you realise the blockages are there,” he said.

The Physical Activities Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) can also act as a checklist for people intending to participate in endurance sports.

It is an online self-screening tool that assesses the need for a medical screening before participating in any strenuous activities.

Dizziness, breathlessness, chest pains, drowsiness, typical cardiac symptoms like discomfort or tingling sensations in the arms are tell-tale signs of exhaustion.

But Dr Lim said relying on physiological signs could be too late, and preventive measures should be taken beforehand.

He added: “The idea is to recognise that you’re not in form on that day and to either slow down, stop and reduce the expectation before it gets to the state where you’re feeling drowsy or you collapse."

Dr Lim feels more can be done to educate the public on the importance of assessing the readiness of their bodies before taking part in such events.

“A great opportunity to educate the people is at the point of registration. They can even insist on having everyone fill up a PAR-Q and for those who fail the PAR-Q, they need to insist on having the medical clearance before they accept their registration,” said Dr Lim.

Carrying on with the run

Still, most remain undeterred by

PHOTOS: KOH HAN PIN

NTU aquathlon's Ahmad Ariff Ibrahim in the 5km run of the Singapore University Games.

these risks and still sign up for long-distance running events.

“It doesn’t affect me. These things are just a one-off thing. If you see a population and see the statistics, it’s just a small percentage out of the whole population,” said NTU Runners Club member Kleeve Hoi, 22, a second-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

Some enjoy the challenge and experience that these events offer.

“We just want to push ourselves and try something new,” said Alison Chiang, 19, who will run her first half-marathon at the Great Eastern Women’s Run this month.

The first-year NBS student added: “We just need to make sure that we’re well-prepared for the run.

Especially since we have not run 21km before, we need to season our bodies to be able to withstand the stress of running at least one and a half or two hours.”

VOL. NO.

24

SPORTS

THE NANYANG

04 CHRONICLE

27

Debut of North Hill halls in upcoming IHG A year since their opening, the three halls at North Hill will make their debut in the Inter-Hall Games this December Darren Ching THE upcoming Inter-Hall Games (IHG) will see the introduction of three new halls from the North Hill cluster — Binjai, Tanjong and Banyan — taking the number of competing halls to 21.

Challenges faced The sports directors of these new halls faced numerous challenges while preparing for their inaugural appearance at the Games.

They had to create a sporting culture in their hall and get the hall residents to participate in sportsrelated activities.

Other challenges included the sourcing for equipment and recruitment of players.

According to Eugene Lee, 22, Banyan Hall’s sports director, they started from ground zero.

“Almost all equipment had to be bought and this lack of equipment meant that we had trouble conducting trials and training sessions.

"The greatest problem was finding players for each of the 20 sports, especially when incoming first-year students have a guaranteed two years hall stay,” said the second-year student from School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE).

The guaranteed hall stay means that freshmen do not need to participate in hall activities in order to secure a place in hall the following year, unlike previous years.

Nevertheless, many players who were deprived of the opportunity to represent their halls last season are raring to go.

Captain of Tanjong Hall's badminton team and second-year School of Humanities student Ang Shi Han, 22, said: “I'm definitely excited for our first IHG. The team is a fun bunch so it'll be a good experience to represent Tanjong together.”

With the halls facing a shortage of players for almost every sport, the objective is for the players to get experience and enjoy the Games, rather than winning.

“Even for the sports we are hopeful for (such as badminton), there are insufficient players so winning is a secondary concern,” said Tanjong Hall’s sports director Benedict Lui, 21, a second-year Renaissance Engineering Programme student.

Banyan Hall’s lack of experience in the IHG has not stopped its badminton captain, Daryl Chew, 24, from being optimistic.

"There's potential in some of the first-year players who were former

Banyan Hall badminton vice captain Chalern Phamavanh practising a smashing drill. His team are aiming for a top-16 finish this IHG.

school players," said the final-year School of Civil and Environmental Engineering student.

Nanyang Crescent halls For the even newer Nanyang Crescent cluster halls, their participation hopes in the upcoming IHG were denied by the Hall Olympiad Committee due to budget issues and a lack of participation.

Tamarind Hall’s sports director, Ahmad Syafiq Amran, 24, had hoped his hall’s athletes could look forward to participating in this year’s IHG. But the formation of teams in Tamarind Hall has been difficult with only the netball players training regularly, while other sports have yet to form a team.

It was confirmed by the chairman of the Hall Olympiad Committee, Haziq Sulaiman, that the Nanyang Crescent halls will not feature in this year’s IHG. Haziq, a third-year School of Civil and Environmental Engineering student, said: “It’s a challenge managing the games with 21 halls.

For those sports they are competing in, a larger budget will be required to book more venues and referees.”

“The new halls are unable to guarantee which sports they will be participating in, thus making scheduling an uphill task,” said the 23-year-old.

“They can look to how current participating halls organise their teams and aim to compete in next year’s IHG.”

Prior to the news, Tamarind's netball team had been training regularly in preparation for this year's IHG, but has since stopped training.

“Even though we have yet to form a full squad, it's unfortunate to lose this chance,” said Tamarind Hall’s netball team captain Magdelene Chua, 20.

The second-year student from the School of Biological Sciences added: “Hopefully we can increase the publicity of the various sports and then we can have more regular training sessions.”

More teams in the mix With more halls participating in the upcoming IHG, the competition is set to increase.

Halls who are vying for places

PHOTO: BELICIA TEO

in the knockout stages face stiffer competition. And with a greater number of competitors, more matches are set to be played, leading to a higher rate of fatigue.

Hall 10’s basketball team captain, Alvin Chun, 22, believes his team, who finished as quarter finalists last year, will find it much tougher to make it to the finals this time around.

“Last year, we were hoping to make it to the finals to retain our title, but with the three new halls competing in basketball, we have new opponents to compete with, making it much harder,” said the second-year MAE student.

With a slew of new teams and players, this IHG season promises to be filled with surprises.