THE NANYANG
CHRONICLE
VOL. NO.
25
10 13.08.19
ISSN NO. 0218-7310
Feline fatalities on campus worry residents Two campus cats this year have been killed by stray dogs, and hall residents feel authorities need to put a leash on the problem NEWS | 3
Student YouTubers speak about self -care, clothes and cards
The Nanyang Chronicle speaks to three students who have gained an online presence making videos about their passion
LIFESTYLE | 4-5
When streetwear goes Asian What started out as a passion project turned into a business for this ADM undergraduate
SPOTLIGHT | 14-15
News Plans for Food Kakis app shelved after slow take-off Launched last August, developments for the mobile phone application tied to the NTU Food Kakis Telegram channel – a studentinitiated food delivery platform – will be halted after failing to get users on board. But its founders will focus on developments for the Telegram channel YUKI LING WHEN the founders of NTU Food Kakis saw how well their food delivery platform was performing on Telegram last year, they decided to create a mobile phone application to better collate food requests. But a year on, developments on the app have been stopped because of low uptake. There are just some 500 users who have downloaded it, while the Telegram channel has over 4,000 subscribers. The co-founder, Mr Tan Jun Xiang, 27, said: “From August to September last year, we actually scaled to about 500 to 600 users on the app but it just didn’t sustain. “Some users will just use it once or twice before dropping off.” Mr Tan, previously a student from the School of Computer Science and Engineering, believes that the low numbers on the app are due to users already using telegram on a daily basis. “So whenever there is a new post, the Telegram channel will be pushed on top of their personal messages, which will remind them to use it,” he said. As a regular user of the telegram channel, second-year School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences student Tu Weile, 22, saw no incentive in moving to the app as users can already request and offer to buy food through the channel. Tu, who offers food delivery services almost everyday, said: “One good thing about Telegram is how it is very integrated with the messaging service. You don’t need to download anything extra. “I tried using the app once but there was no demand.” Lincoln Ng, a first-year student from the Nanyang Business School,
Regular user of the Food Kakis delivery platform, Tu Weile (right), who delivers food almost daily, uses the Telegram channel primarily as the mobile app has low demand for food delivery. PHOTO: JOEL CHAN
also suggested that people are resistant to changing to the app version of Food Kakis. “People are comfortable with the Telegram (channel) and it is serving them well,” said the 22-year-old, who regularly offers food delivery through the channel. Mr Tan said the app had aimed to go beyond the Telegram channel by including a filter function that allowed users to see food offers by food types and delivery timings. “On the telegram channel, the user is only able to see the latest posts. “If you post 10 minutes ago and there are five posts, people don’t get to see your post anymore,” he explained.
Promotion efforts in vain
One way the team sought to promote the app was by working with food vendors such as those work-
ing in NTU’s canteens. For example, people who showed the app logo to the Korean food stall vendor at Canteen 2 could get 50 cents off each order. The team also did a month-long promotion offering free deliveries for users who requested food through the app. But promotion efforts for the app did not increase student awareness about it. In fact, first-year Nanyang Business School student Valerie Chang, was surprised to hear that there was even an app. Chang, who started using the Telegram channel to request food since 2018, said: “I don’t pay attention to the Telegram channel other than when I want to make a request. “More publicity for the app and its new developments should be done to promote it to other Tele-
gram groups or channels with more people.” Mr Tan also believes that the team could have focused more on how they could get the users to switch over from the Telegram channel to the app by promoting the functions and features of the app itself.
Shifting focus Telegram
back
to
Plans to work on the app are now on hold as the Food Kakis team focuses on other features that users might find useful on the Telegram channel. One feature launched last semester was a group chat which allows those who request for food to join a group chat with the food deliverer. Mr Tan received positive feedback from deliverers who said it was easier to consolidate orders when they are delivering to ten or
more people. As someone who frequently receives orders from 30 to 40 people each time, Tu thinks the delivery service is more convenient with the group chat as he can share information with his customers, such as his last location. “People who ordered from us before can also stay in the group to order through it, rather than constantly message us,” he added. The group chat feature was taken down after the founders detected a bug with the software code but the team intends to bring it back. Plans are ongoing to create a payment system where users can pay through the Telegram channel to speed up the delivery process. Currently, payment is made through cash or mobile payments. But that’s still going to take several months, said Mr Tan.
VOL. NO.
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NEWS
THE NANYANG
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Two campus cats killed this year spark safety concerns These cats, mauled to death by stray dogs on campus, have caused some students to fear for their own safety REXANNE YAP IN APRIL this year, two of NTU’s popular campus cats, Bushy and Bobby, were killed by three stray dogs roaming around Halls of Residence 2 and 14. Bobby and Bushy succumbed to their injuries on 6 Apr and 21 Apr respectively. The incidents have since sparked calls from students for these aggressive strays to be captured, for fear that they might strike again. Eyewitness Chua Ru Xun, 24, had seen the three large-sized, skinny dogs a week before the attack on 5 Apr. One of them was black with white spots on its paws and the other two were a tan brown colour. He had heard barking outside his dormitory window at 2 am on 4 Apr. To his horror, he saw one dog biting Bobby’s rear and another dog biting his hind leg when he looked out. He shouted at them, alerting passers-by and scaring the dogs away. “Bobby was limping, traumatised and whimpering,” said the third-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, who then wrapped a towel around the cat and contacted the NTU Cat Management Network (CMN). The members of CMN took the distressed cat to a 24-hour vet for surgery to remove its dead hind leg muscles, cover an exposed sciatic nerve and treat more than 10 puncture wounds. The bill came out to be more than 4,000 dollars, which was raised through community donations and profits from CMN’s past merchandise sales. But even though he pulled through the operation, Bobby died of lung failure due to his injuries on 6 Apr. Nur Qalishah Adanan, 22, the president of CMN, said: “Even if he were alive, he wouldn’t be able to walk properly as his back legs were paralysed.” Since the incident, there have been at least three reports to CMN that stray dogs were prowling the campus late at night. Qalishah added that the hostile strays could pose a threat to residents too. “I get very scared when I see these stray dogs because I can’t anticipate what they might do. They
Bobby succumbed to his injuries on 6 Apr, despite having undergone a surgery. He was one of two cats to have been viciously attacked this year.
might chase after me, they might bite me, I have no idea.” Amanda Leo, 20, a resident of Hall 14, wants the dogs removed immediately. “I’ve seen the dogs before the incident. One brown one was sitting outside Canteen 14. They seem dangerous because they are quite big,” said the first-year student from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and information.
Dog trappings
To deal with campus strays, the NTU Animal Lovers’ Society (ALS) and CMN are working together to locate the dogs and get professionals to trap them. Previously, these two groups had caught two light brown dogs themselves, but it turned out that they were not the aggressive ones they were looking for. The costs of boarding the trapped dogs had been heavily borne by CMN's faculty advisor as well as by the fundraising efforts of CMN and ALS. After their rehabilitation stint, both dogs were subsequently rehomed, said Ms Joyce Pek, 24, the alumnus who captured the dogs. But ALS and CMN have since stopped their members from performing dog trappings as they are not trained for potentially dangerous situations. They decided to pay for professional trappers and dog shelters for the new trappings instead. The Animal and Veterinary Service can then step in once the
dogs have been trapped. CMN and ALS said that they would not have enough funds to board the dogs even if they had trapped them. They urge NTU to step in to ensure the safety of residents. Professor Victor Yeo, Deputy Associate Provost (Student Life), said that the University has received feedback about the feral dogs and has since engaged a professional dog catcher to round them up. Qalishah hopes that the matter would be resolved quickly. “We have to foster our cats indoors, but it’s impossible to keep them in halls forever. Until the dogs are trapped, we are constantly on high alert,” she said.
“I get very scared when I see these stray dogs because I can't anticipate what they might do. They might chase after me, they might bite me, I have no idea." Nur Qalishah Adanan, 22 President Cat Management Network
Bobby, was one of the more popular cats on campus and was especially well-loved by residents from Hall 14. PHOTOS COURTESY OF : CAT MANAGEMENT NETWORK
Lifestyle STUDENT YOUTUBERS
With more young Singaporeans flocking to YouTube for their daily dose of videos, Krishveen Kaur speaks to three final-year NTU students who have started their own YouTube channels and finds out their reasons for wanting to step into the limelight
Heng Hui Mei, 23, started her YouTube channel in 2018, posting videos of her experiencing adventure sports. She has now shifted her focus to making self-help videos. PHOTO BY: NATASHA GANESAN
WHEN Heng Hui Mei, a final-year student at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, heard about the sleeping pod that was installed in the Lee Wee Nam library in September 2018, she decided that it was the perfect chance for her to film and share her experience using it. “I’ve always wanted to be a newscaster, so I thought that it was a timely moment for me to share my experience with students who did not want to come down all the way to see it,” said the 23-year-old. Heng is part of a growing number of Singaporeans who use YouTube to post their own content. According to a online survey done by YouTube in 2017, there are over 4 million people who log on to YouTube to watch videos in Singapore alone, with 90 per cent of the users aged between 16 to 34.
Thirst for thrills After officially kickstarting her YouTube channel with the sleeping pod review video,
Heng uploaded videos of herself experiencing different adventure sports filmed in Shanghai during her internship. Nearing the end of her internship in August 2018, Heng tried things that she knew she did not have the time for back in Singapore. Heng then spent her last two weekends in Shanghai trying out and filming herself in different adventure sports, packing her schedule to the brim. Heng hired a professional videographer to help capture her reactions as she tried the sports for the first time. “I started by filming three sports back to back in a day over a weekend, since I had work from Monday to Friday,” said Heng. Heng tried a variety of sports, ranging from scuba diving to sailing. “Scuba diving was the scariest for me because I had to attach a GoPro (camera) and the bulky equipment to myself while undergoing a crash course to learn hand-signals underwater.”
Dominique Nelson, 23, shares her experience as a non-Chinese speaking student in NTU through comedy.
Goh Pei Fen, 23, was inspired by her favourite YouTubers to start her own channel. Her channel features videos on makeup products and clothing hauls. PHOTO BY: NATASHA GANESAN
One positive comment Heng picked up from her viewers was that they really enjoyed her talking to the camera while trying out the sports. “I was really happy that my viewers enjoyed me talking to the camera. “Because I really wanted to show them that none of the videos were scripted.” But unlike the adventure sport videos she made in Shanghai, the videos Heng have made in Singapore are more focused on selfhelp and self-care, including meditation and gym routines. “I shifted the focus of my videos to selfhelp, because I feel it is an important part of our daily lives and I want to share tips that help me de-stress,” said Heng.
“I was really happy that my viewers enjoyed me talking to the camera. Because I really wanted to show them that none of the videos were scripted.” Heng Hui Mei, 23 Final-year student Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Heng is currently working on decluttering the space around her to increase her productivity. She hopes to share her tips and experience with others. Heng now makes it a point to upload at least one video a week. “I treat this like my coursework. It’s a requirement that I had set for myself to fulfill every week,” said Heng. “Although I started this channel with just being a newscaster in mind, my channel really took a different turn and now I just enjoy talking to the camera about lifestyle tips,” added Heng, who has close to 300 subscribers to her channel. Catch Heng dish out lifestyle tips on her YouTube channel, Heng Hui Mei.
“I treat this like my coursework. It’s a requirement that I had set for myself to fulfill every week.” Heng Hui Mei
Cardistry with a view For Leon Tai, 26, editing and filming videos is familiar territory. The final-year School of Art, Design and Media student not only enjoys making short films, but also showcasing his cardistry skills on camera. Cardistry is the act of card flourishing, where cardists carry out visually aesthetic moves with their standard deck of poker cards. Their tricks often look very difficult to execute on camera. Tai recalls how he initially started off by making card flourishing videos in his room 10 years ago, using his webcam to record it. Back then, Tai paid little attention to the stylistic elements of the videos. “I would just focus on my card flourishing skills and tried to come up with new moves. “One such move, which I created in 2008, was called the ‘fireball’ because the cards would be shaped in a form of a star and resembles the ‘fireball’ move by the character, Charizard, in Pokemon.” But a few years back, Tai delved into film production as he developed an interest for it in school. He wanted to make his card flourishing videos more visually appealing on his new channel Leon Tai. “I start my videos by deciding what music to use first, then I have to pace my act according to the soundtrack,” said Tai. “I will usually get a friend to hold the camera for me in order to shoot my card flourishing act from different angles,” he added. Over the years as Tai grew more confident in merging his film production skills with his card flourishing skills, he gained more fans online. His channel has over 1000 subscribers today. Last year, a Singaporean cardistry group
called Virtual Souls invited him to film them on tour in Italy. “What was nice about it was that people actually recognised me through my card flourishing videos,” said Tai. With cardistry being a very niche interest group in Singapore, Tai was hesitant to turn this into a career option. “The Singapore cardistry Facebook group has only around 200 members, and most members are really young, ranging from 9 to 18 years old. “Cardists don’t really make money out of this,” said Tai, who is one of the oldest members in his group of cardist friends. As Tai reminiscences about his journey with his card flourishing channel, he remembers one comment that stood out to him. “Back then when I first started my channel, someone commented on one of my videos and told me to ‘stop wasting my time’. “But I’m glad I can laugh about it and say that my YouTube journey has been nothing but a fruitful one.”
“What was nice about it was that people actually recognised me through my card flourishing videos.” Leon Tai, 26 Final-year student School of Art, Design and Media
All about cheap hauls Growing up, Goh Pei Fen, never had cable television at home. As an alternative, she turned to watching YouTube videos. “I grew up watching my favourite beauty and fashion YouTubers such as Canadian Beauty blogger Rachel Allana, and they looked like they were having so much fun trying on new clothes and makeup products from their hauls,” said the 23-year-old student from the School of Social Sciences. “I was quite bold, to try new makeup products and fashion trends I saw on the YouTube channels, so my friends would approach me for tips,” she added. When Goh went to Korea for her summer exchange programme in May 2017 with her cousin, she decided to try filming her own
“I was quite bold, to try new makeup products and fashion trends I saw on the YouTube channels, so my friends would approach me for tips.” Goh Pei Fen, 23 Final-year student School of Social Sciences
Leon Tai, 26, performs a cardistry move known as “springing”. His channel has more than 1000 subscribers today. PHOTO BY: JOEL CHAN
clothing haul after purchasing large quantities for under $50. After returning to Singapore in July 2017, Goh decided to continue filming her cheap clothing haul on her channel, Peifen Goh. “I buy a lot of clothes from Taobao, and usually spend around $60 for each haul which consists of eight items. “It is really fun as I get to capture my excitement or shock on camera and allow my viewers to experience the opening of the packages with me,” said the final-year student. As an experienced shopper on Taobao, Goh is always ready to advise her viewers about choosing product materials and sizes when shopping online. “Fashion comes and goes so you definitely don’t want to spend so much. Taobao is a great place to find general trendy pieces. “But just don’t buy the graphic tees because it might come with some sort of spelling error,” said Goh. However, Goh shares that it is stressful to juggle her school work and filming schedules. Goh recalls an incident where she struggled to upload a makeup haul in time. “I managed to get a good quality eyeshadow makeup palette at $10 as well as other beauty products at cheap prices and wanted to share this with my viewers.
“I was quite bold, to try new makeup products and fashion trends I saw on the YouTube channels, so my friends would approach me for tips.” Goh Pei Fen
“However, the sale happened during the period where I had plenty of assignments. “On top of that I could only film my makeup hauls when there was natural sunlight so it was a bit of a struggle but I did manage to upload the content in time.” Despite this, Goh still wishes to continue sharing with her viewers her tips and tricks for good clothing and makeup buys. “I treat my viewers like my friends,” said Goh. “It’s nice to hear from people that you see around school but don’t talk to, coming up to tell you that they find your content useful,” she added.
Opinion
New fake news laws are merely a More can be done to tackle sexual short-term fix
EDITORIAL
harassment on campus
AMID the sexual harassment cases that surfaced in local universities this year, NTU has implemented an online module on anti-harassment this semester to strengthen the “culture of mutual respect” among peers. This course is mandatory for all incoming freshmen and student organisations of both school and hall orientation programmes with effect from this month. It includes a video and lessons on what constitutes sexual harassment, avenues to seek help when one faces harassment, as well as support resources for victims, according to an official e-newsletter by NTU’s Student Life Team. Online modules are no doubt an effective way to reach out to the masses as learning is not bounded by geography or time. Students can access the materials anytime, anywhere, and have the full autonomy to learn at their own pace. A lot of time and resources can also be saved as there is no need to engage multiple tutors and organise in-class sessions. While the University’s new module is a welcomed step towards anti-sexual harassment on campus, it should not be the only method to educate students.
Unlike math, there is no one definite solution to tackle the issue of sexual harassment, a sensitive topic that involves moral values and ethics. Online modules may be effective in teaching us the fundamental theory, but more can and should be done to enhance student learning. For example, workshops and town halls can be conducted from time to time to facilitate peer discussion and feedback. Such events will give students more opportunities to voice their concerns and also ensure that learning is two-way and continuous, even after completing the online module. Additionally, the effectiveness of online learning largely hinges on students’ personal motivation to learn. If a student were to click through the lessons mindlessly for the sake of completing them, then he would not benefit much from the module. While the University can provide materials and the relevant support to combat sexual harassment on campus, it is ultimately up to the individual to take this issue seriously and help make the campus a safer place for all.
THE NANYANG
CHRONICLE CHIEF EDITOR Khairul Anwar
DEPUTY CHIEF EDITOR Natalie Choy
LIFESTYLE EDITOR Edwin Chan
OPINION EDITOR Jeanne Mah
SUB-EDITOR
CHINESE EDITOR
Nicole Lim
Tan Yu Jia
NEWS EDITOR
Deepanraj Ganesan
DIGITAL EDITOR
PHOTO/ GRAPHIC EDITOR
PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Joel Chan
Joe Tok Kenny Wong
BUSINESS MANAGERS
FACULTY ADVISORS
Vanessa Tan Vinice Yeo
Wu Shangyuan Zakaria Zainal
LAYOUT SUPERVISOR Yeo Kai Wen
Natasha Ganesan
A students’ newspaper published by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718 Tel: 6790 6446
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Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board of The Chronicle and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Nanyang Technological University, its employees, the students or the Council of the University. Signed opinion columns, letters and editorial cartoons represent the opinion of the writer or artist and are not necessarily those of The Chronicle. Printed by KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd, 57 Loyang Drive Singapore 508968
GRAPHIC: NAMITA KUMAR
DEEPANRAJ GANESAN NEWS EDITOR WE HAVE all had a brush with it, one time or another. It may find their way onto our social media feed, deceptively written like an ordinary news piece. Sometimes, it creeps into more personal spaces – on WhatsApp group chats, for instance, and are shared among close friends and family. Fake news. They are often created to deliberately misinform or deceive readers. These online falsehoods come with a malicious intent to harm public interest, and can potentially damage our social fabric by undermining our conceptions of race, religion, or social class. On 1 Apr, Singapore introduced new laws that give government ministers broad powers to effectively stop the dissemination of online falsehoods and punish those who create and spread them. Under these laws, ministers can direct online news sites to publish corrections to falsehoods, and order internet service providers to disable user access to errant sites. In my opinion, these laws, which utilise censorship to tackle fake news, are not the right solution. Instead, using education to nurture a population that knows how to handle fake news is our best defence. Activist groups were quick to criticise the new anti-fake news laws, which allow the government to be the final arbiters of truth. Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based non-governmental organisation focused on advocating for press freedom, argued that the bill gives government officials “an almost entirely free hand to control content circulating online”, and deemed it “a major ob-
stacle to the freedom to inform”. Such consolidation of power can be dangerous if a politician abuses it to promote his own personal agenda. But more than that, regulation alone cannot rid fake news completely. Countries such as China that use legislation to fight fake news are a testament to this. Since 2016, the Chinese government has put in place tough restrictions on the country’s most popular social media platform, Sina Weibo. It criminalised those who create or spread online rumors that “undermine economic and social order” in a new cybersecurity law. Last year, a regulation required microblogging service providers to publicise and refute rumors when they arise. Although millions of social media accounts have since been banned, fake news reports continue to plague Chinese platforms. Last December, a fake news clean up by the Chinese government saw more than 110,000 social media accounts shut down and nearly 500,000 articles removed, according to the South China Morning Post. I believe public education is the ideal way forward to effectively combat fake news, by educating citizens on how to analyse news sources through critical thinking. In the UK, some universities such as the University of Sheffield have started online courses to teach the public how to spot fake news. Similarly, since 2017, Swedish schools have started to teach secondary school students how to assess the reliability of a news story by looking at the source of the story and how the same news is portrayed differently by various media outlets. These countries recognise that education is key in grooming a genera-
tion of healthy sceptics who are able to critically examine the myraid of information they are fed every day. Although it will take time for such education to produce results, in the long run, a more informed population will have the ability to filter and weed out fake news on its own. In Singapore, the elderly, who are typically less media literate, are not the only ones who might fall prey to fake news. A 2018 survey conducted by global independent market research agency Ipsos revealed that four in five Singaporeans aged 15 to 65 said they were confident in accurately spotting fake news. But when put to the test, about 90 per cent had mistakenly identified at least one out of five fake headlines. Some examples of fake headlines that Singaporeans thought were real included “Orchard Road smoking ban to improve suburban malls’ attractiveness” and “Increasing food costs will deter eating, help Singaporeans fight obesity”. To tackle this issue, the Ministry of Education needs to do more to teach the younger generation how to spot fake news. Like other countries, we could even implement compulsory subjects in our academic curriculums to educate students from a young age. The new bill is merely a quick fix for the government to control what is published online, but the core of the fake news issue is our inability to discern fact from fiction. As the late South African president Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” In this war against fake news, education may be our most important tool yet.
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Thrifting: the cure to fast fashion
GRAPHIC: NUR SORFINA GRAPHIC: NUR SORFINA
YUKI LING ON THE runway today, on the retail racks tomorrow. This is fast fashion; the rapid production of clothing by massmarket fashion retailers, who sell affordable clothing that are in line with the latest fashion trends. Instead of waiting for seasonal collections, customers of these fast fashion retailers, such as H&M and Zara, can browse new clothes every week. But the result is a glaring surplus of clothes that end up in landfills as the supply often exceeds demand. The opposite of fast fashion is thrifting, where shoppers buy second-hand items from vintage or thrift stores that collect donated clothes. As someone who grew up wearing my sister’s hand-me-downs, I used to resent having to make do with ill-fitting and old clothes. It was only recently when I stumbled upon thrifting videos on YouTube that I realised second-hand clothes have their merits too, and that we should change our perceptions of them. For one, thrifting is very ecofriendly as it gives unwanted clothes a second life. Extending their lifespan can, in turn, help to curb demand for new clothes which require new resources to make. More are recognising the benefits of this sustainable fashion trend today. ThredUP, a US-based fashion resale website, found that 56 million women in the US thrifted in 2018, a marked in-
crease from 44 million in 2017. In Singapore, the Salvation Army said in a 2016 article for The New Paper that they see more customers in recent years, compared to when they opened their first store 20 years ago. The organisation currently has five thrift stores around the island. Experts say thrifting has slowly gained traction since the global recession in 2008 when people became more financially conscious. Over the past ten years, thrifting has grown to become an environmentally-conscious, novel and affordable trend among the young and old. As thrifting gains in popularity, I believe it can be a long-term solution to the problems of fast fashion.
Reducing landfill waste Statistics from Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) revealed that textile and leather waste generated here in 2016, including used clothing, linen and bags, had increased by 60 per cent from 2008, to a whopping 219,800 tonnes. Meanwhile, the textile recycling rate has fallen from 10 per cent in 2003 to six per cent in 2018, when only 14,000 tonnes of waste was recycled. In contrast, the recycling rate for wood remained constant between 50 to 60 per cent, with some 180,000 tonnes recycled in 2018. This shows that our nation has the capacity to recycle. In land-scarce Singapore, it is estimated that our only manmade landfill, Pulau Semakau,
may run out of space by 2035. Similar to how Singapore deals with plastic waste, textile waste might, in the future, be exported to Malaysia, Indonesia and China, extending the negative impact of fast fashion here to neighbouring countries.
Over the past ten years, thrifting has grown to become an environmentally-conscious, novel and affordable trend among the young and old. Beyond Singapore, wastage is apparent on a global scale. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the amount of textile waste generated by Americans yearly can fill 6,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. In order to get fashion trends off the runway and into clothing stores at low costs, mass-market retailers tend to ignore the environmental impact of clothing production. For example, a single textile mill, which turns fabric into clothes, uses an estimated 200 tonnes of fresh water per tonne of dyed fabric. That is equivalent to 2,700 litres of
fresh water for just one cotton shirt. Apart from creating a constant surplus of out-of-trend clothing, fast fashion employs textile dyeing - the second largest polluter of clean water globally. Additives, such as Azo dyes, used in the dyeing process pose danger to human health, marine life, and the environment, according to Greenpeace.
A single textile mill, which turns fabric into clothes, uses an estimated 2,700 litres of fresh water for just one cotton shirt. Common clothing fabrics like polyester and non-organic cotton are also damaging to the environment. About 220 million tonnes of greenhouse gases are released yearly from the global consumption of non-organic cotton, according to Swedish Linen, an eco-friendly textile company. Thrifting can help reduce the demand for new clothing and in turn, minimise the environmental damage caused by continuous production.
Another man's treasure In this digital age of social media,
people’s perspective on thrifting have fortunately been renewed. The mindset that used clothing are dirty or out-of-trend has been challenged as thrifting vloggers - people who upload videos sharing tips on thrift shopping and their thrift hauls - have been gaining popularity on social media platforms. A thrifting vlogger that I follow online hails from the US. Known as Ashley, or “bestdressed” on social media, she has made over 50 videos of herself trawling through rows of tightly-packed clothing racks at American thrift stores such as Goodwill, and shares her hauls in these videos. Her thrifted pieces are often unique vintage clothing that can sometimes cost a few hundred dollars at high-end vintage stores. However, one drawback to thrifting is the time and effort required to find suitable pieces. As most thifted pieces come in limited quantities and sizes depending on donations, finding the right fit is a common challenge. That said, as more thrift stores start to emerge, one might find more options in future. Singapore has seen the rise of online resale shops in recent years, such as The KINT Story and Refash. They complement brick and mortar thift stores like the Salvation Army and New2U Thrift Store that accept used clothes from the public.
Pocket-friendly alternative Another reason for thrifting is that it helps to lessen the burden on the wallet. According to thrifting expert Carolyn Schneider, thrift shops typically sell their clothing at prices that are 50 to 80 per cent lower than retail stores. The KINT Story, launched online six months ago, prices their clothing according to the condition of the item and the brand. Prices start from as low as S$10 for a top to S$59 for a vintage sports jacket. Refash, established in 2016, has a wider price range from under $25 to above $200. Being able to choose from a wide price range is helpful, especially for university students like me who do not have an income. With the bulk of my allowance going to food and entertainment, there is little left for fashion - this usually leaves me with few clothing options, such as rummaging through the S$10 sales racks at Cotton On. Thrifting can help to cut my shopping expenditure by more than half - a huge relief on my wallet. Though thrifting is an emerging and affordable solution to fast fashion, mass-market retailers need to work harder to make fashion production more sustainable in the long run. In the meantime, consumers should start the good habit of thrifting and actively avoid patronising retail stores that continue to spawn the environmentally harmful trend of fast fashion.
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Adulting 101
NTU Modules: A wish list The new academic year is upon us, and with it comes the two-week long add/ drop period to bid for modules. Students get to register for modules that are unconventional or completely different from their field of study, such as batik painting or the literature of Sherlock Holmes. Over the summer break, the Nanyang Chronicle conducted an online survey to find out what fictional modules NTU students wished existed. Graphic artists Nur Sorfina and Namita Kumar illustrate some of the best answers
Astrology How to: Fantasy Premier League Marvel Universe Dealing with "Snakes"
Why: Knowing what grown-ups do (i.e. pay bills, file for taxes) is one thing, but how prepared are you to take on the demands of adulthood? What: This is a module designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate
Why: Call it superstition, or call it science. Either way,
through the “horrors” of adult life. From buying your
astrology has become increasingly popular among
first home to parenting, this class will prepare students for their next phase in life after university. It
Why: Amid advances in technology, the value of
includes much-needed life hacks to make the transi-
sports data has been increasing over the years. Foot-
tion to adulthood a breeze.
ball clubs now hire data analysts to scout for youth tal-
Why: Avengers: Endgame might have brought the
ent and assess player performances. But what exactly
Why: Every school is rife with stories of students who
saga to a scintillating close, but how familiar are you
does a sports data analyst see that your average fan
backstab each other to gain favour in class or get a bet-
with the global Marvel phenomenon? Do you know
does not, and why are analysts highly sought after.
ter grade. In this dog-eat-dog world we live in, how do
the name of Thor’s hammer, or the Wi-Fi password
What: This module is designed to equip students with
you identify friend from foe?
that Karl Mordo hands to Doctor Strange?
data-mining skills to interpret the statistics of football
What: This module is designed to help safeguard
What: This module is aimed at familiarising students
players and their performances on the field. Students
students from backstabbers, or “snakes”, as they are
with all things Marvel. Students will delve into the
will be assessed every week using the popular mobile
colloquially called. Students will discuss the character-
origins of each Avenger and the seemingly trivial de-
app game, Fantasy Premier League. All students will
istics of such toxic peers and the different ways they
tails of the movies that even fans might have missed
be given the same budget to choose 11 players based
operate and thrive. The final assignment, which consti-
out on. One component of the module will be an oral
on their data research. Students will then gain points
tutes 90 per cent of the grade, is an online test where
exam, where students have to guess scenes from
based on the performance of the chosen players,
students have to read through four different scenarios
a particular Marvel film and also explain a random
which can be affected by factors such as match line-
and identify the backstabber.
Avenger’s weapon of choice and significance in the
ups and training programmes.
saga. At the end of the module, exceptional students might even be offered an internship at Marvel Studios in the US.
millennials and plays a significant part in their life decisions – 58 percent of Americans aged 18 to 24 believe in the science of the natural world and human affairs, according to The Guardian. What: This module is designed to teach students how to interpret an astrological birth chart and gain insights into their personalities, challenges and gifts. A part of the module involves a group project, where members have to use astrology to determine each other’s love, compatibility and financial success.
花更少钱，体验更多当地民情 — 刊12页
言论
勇敢踏进成人的世界 最
近与友人谈话时，她说 了这句话：“我觉得我不 像22岁，比较像18、19岁的状 态。” 我们当时谈着如何面对成人 世界里的种种挑战，而从这句 话就可听出我们对这新世界不 解、忐忑和措手不及的感受。 《海峡时报》在4月对我 们这“千禧一代”（ millennials ）做了个专题报告，其中有 言论篇作者佩琦.派克，谈论 在年轻人当中相当火热的词 语：#adulting。 这词语代表着新一代对踏 进成人阶段的流行语，意思就 是：我在做某某某事，这是属 于大人才会做的事，你看我多 成熟了。 实际例子不计其数，说起来 有些还可笑。自己洗衣烫衣、 为家人做饭、人生第一次自己 缴付账单，都可以是成人的“ 壮举”。
若你现在和笔者一样，对成年 仍感到迷茫，我们可以从日常的 小事开始掌握成年生活。看到父 母在做家务时，就主动采取机会 帮忙洗碗、洗衣、抹地等。看到 家里的账单时，如果自己的经济 能力许可，就主动付出一笔来补 贴家用。 这些小举动成了习惯，我们 就会发现到成年的过程可以是很 不知不觉的，让每天的选择潜移 默化地改变我们的生活习惯和态 度。 自主采取行动长大成人， 也会看到成人世界并没有想象 中可怕。到时候，我们也无需 用#adulting这种标签来张扬自己 的成熟，而是能在心里对自己的 年龄有个把握，自信地接受成年 生活。 （文/陈昱嘉）
In summary
反映对成人世界的不安 虽然#adulting对许多年轻人而言 没有贬义，甚至可用来庆祝人 生中的里程碑，这词语可能反 映了我们对成人世界的害怕和 不安。 美国时代杂志在2016年刊 登一则报道中，访问了 Dictionary.com 的词典编纂者珍.索罗 门，她说这一代的人比起前一 代的发展更迟钝，所以频频 用#adulting来帮助他们接受即将 成人的事实。 数据也说明千禧一代越来越 迟接触到成人的阶段。对众多 本地人而言，结婚是成人的重 要里程碑之一，因为对较注重 传统家庭观念的亚洲人来说， 多数孩子只在结婚后才会离开 父母身边。 然而，本地的女性平均结婚 年龄从2007年的27.2岁上升到 去年的28.4岁，男性则在同一时 期从29.8到上升到30岁，起伏不 多但也没有下降。本地房地产 新闻网站Property Guru去年也报 道，将近70%年龄介于21岁到37
图片: NAMITA KUMAR 岁的新加坡人正与父母同住。 日常一直受父母保护，不需 要那么直接去面对生活的风吹 雨打，难怪我们什么小东西都 需要张扬地宣布，好像迫切地 想向世界证明，我们终于完成 这成人的新阶段了。 但我们并不需要等着人生阶 段的促使，才勇敢地踏进成人 的世界。我们有能力正视这即 将来临的时期，也可以在日常 生活中主动找出生长的机会。
大脑在25岁已完全发育 众多神经科学家研究结果显 示，多数人的大脑在25岁的 时候几乎完全发育。这时，帮 助我们做重大决定的前额皮质 （prefrontal cortex）完全发育， 我们拥有长期规划、风险管理 以及控制情绪和冲动的能力。 大脑在25岁后仍然会继续发 展，但就如美国心理学教授劳 伦斯.史坦柏格在《大西洋杂
志》受访时形容，从小时候发 展到25岁的大脑好像是在“装 修整栋房子”，25岁后的发展 则只是在“重新装饰屋子”。 所以照理来说，20多岁的成 人大脑像是设备齐全的屋子， 足以我们勇敢地做出人生决 定，为未来做计划。 比如说开始存钱买房子、应 该买怎样的保险、从事什么行 业等重大抉择，我们也不必因 为觉得“太年轻”或“没有心 理准备”而避开话题，反而应 该有信心地做出决定。 身边的大环境或许让我们受 保护，但我们比想象中更有能 力面对成年生活。
为自己的人生负责 此外，被动地等着别人或人生 中的情况给予我们成熟的机 会，其实反映了我们的态度问 题。身为成人的一大部分，不 只是做了大人的事，而是采取
了大人的主动态度，懂得为自 己的人生负责。 美国克拉克大学心理学教授 杰菲里.阿奈特在美国、中国、 印度、阿根廷等国家进行研究 时，发现在各国都有三大公认 的成人标准：为自己负责、自 己做决定，和在个人财务上取 得独立。 这些标准都告诉我们，成人 就代表要独立和自主，不能一 直等着别人催我们长大成人。 去年在本地推出的一站式成 人网站 howtoadult.sg ，就是一 个好的参考例子。网站有着关 于成年的视频和文章，分成家 庭、工作、钱财等课题，咨询 从“如何绑领带”到“如何有 效管理每个月得到的薪水”， 一一解答热门问题。 我们可以自动自发地从这些 网站延伸阅读关于成年生活的 资料，做好心理准备迎接这些 新阶段。
#ADULTING, a term in millennial-speak, describes a person accomplishing basic tasks of adulthood like doing laundry and paying the bills and congratulating themselves for these achievements. While this term may just be a way to poke fun at this group, experts suggest it may also reveal their insecurities about facing the future, especially as they tend to transition into adulthood at a later age. The writer suggests in this opinion piece that instead of waiting for life to besiege them with #adulting responsibilities, young people should actively find ways to become independent and make mature decisions. This is especially since research shows that the human brain fully develops into adulthood at age 25, which signals the psychological ability for one to make sound decisions and plans in life.
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CHRONICLE 10 生活
从安逸中出走 踏上异国穷游之旅 带着相机，扛起了一个大背包，与开放的心态，两名南大生在过去的两年期间，分别独自飞往斯里兰卡与欧洲，进行一段异国“穷游”之旅。 “穷游”为一种廉价自助旅游方式，拒绝奢侈的消费，融入当地生活，因而享受最充足的体验。
谢坤良 ● 报道
探索课堂以外的斯里兰卡 对于曾在中学时期念读社会科的 本地学生而言，对斯里兰卡的印 象也许只停留在课本中的内容， 但黄金辉传播与信息学院一年级 生陈詠恩（22岁）选择在去年远 赴斯里兰卡16天，亲身领略斯里 兰卡最真实的面貌。 陈詠恩选择入住当地人民开设 的宾馆，一来可以减低经费，二 来也可以体验风土人情。 他发现，选择更便宜的方案 反而带给他更多的收获。“相对 于入住酒店，和当地人民一同生 活可以让我更了解他们最真实的 生活作息。知道我是首次独自出 游，他们非常乐意的协助我计划 每一天的行程，帮助我更好的适 应环境。” 另外，陈詠恩也非常珍惜与 当地房东们深入交谈，彼此分享 经验和接触的时光。比起专业导 游，当地人民所说的话更写实、 真诚。 “到访斯里兰卡之前，有关 当地民族纠纷等社会政治问题仅 限于我记忆中一场距离遥远的事 件，但在聆听当地人民的故事 后，我才意识到它的复杂性，及 感受到事件对人民产生的重重影 响，自己因此也见识了生活的不
同面向 。” 旅途中的焦点之一为乘坐长 达7小时，从康提前往埃拉的山 线火车。虽然也可选择乘坐行程 时间更短的巴士，但火车票较便 宜，沿路也可以欣赏铁路两旁的 壮丽景色。 此行程被誉为世界上最美的高 山火车线，陈詠恩形容说，火车 穿梭在高山茶园，呼吸间可以闻 到淡淡的茶香，让人叹为观止。 陈詠恩说，许多人仍对斯里兰 卡等亚洲国家持有偏见，觉得它 们仅是生活环境简陋，社会治安 状况不佳的国家， 他因此想借由自己的穷游经 历，打破这迷思。 “斯里兰卡不单是一个曾爆 发过内战的国家，我在那里深深 地感受到了不同的色彩：当地人 真切地微笑、被列入联合国世界 文化遗产的景点、绿意盎然的 茶园，还有美丽的沙滩，可说极 美。”
尝试当沙发客 置身于欧洲 的日常 社会科学学院的二年级生许嘉峻 （24岁）偶然的在网络上接触到 凯尔特民族（Celtic）音乐，便喜 欢上旋律中的虚幻感和消逝感。
他之后发现欧洲的人文地理也 非常的美妙，所以决定在两年前 展开50天的欧洲穷游之旅，希望 在进入大学之前给予自己一项挑 战。 许嘉峻到访了包括荷兰、德 国、苏格兰等7个国家，他在无 需花费的情形下，共入住了十个 人的家，当沙发客的经历也给了 他很大的感动。 他说，遇到的沙发主人多数是 单身的工作人士，很多时候只是 真心希望能够有个聊天的对象。 “一起居住可建立彼此之间深 厚的凝聚力和信任，也像是多了 一个家人。” 虽然是住在陌生人的家中，但 许嘉峻表示，不曾担心自己的安 危。 “换个角度去想，应该担心 的人其实是这些招待沙发客的主 人， 因为他们需要接受陌生人 进入他们的家中生活，承担一 切风险。如果他们都愿意接纳我 们，我们不应该过于拥有防备之 心。” 但许嘉峻也说，在选择沙发 主人方面，做足完善的研究仍非 常重要。在确认入住任何人家之 前，必须先查清主人在沙发客网 站上所列出的个人资料，也应该
50天欧洲旅游花费 住宿： 330元 交通： 1220元 膳食： 590元 娱乐 ：430元 （包括悬挂式 滑翔活动） 社会科学学院的二年级学生许嘉峻在欧洲出游时，在路边捧着写着目 的地的纸皮板，试图搭便车。（受访者提供）
总共：2570元
16天斯里兰卡旅游花费 住宿 ：400元 交通： 150元 膳食 ：100元 娱乐： 265元 （包括潜水活 动） 总共：915元
（上图）黄金辉传播与信息学 院一年级生陈詠恩在斯里兰卡独 自出游，体验当地居民的生活作 息。（受访者提供）
In summary
与他开放地进行沟通。 另外，许嘉峻在苏格兰时也曾 在夜晚露宿于地铁站，以及在苏 格兰高地的小石屋内。 他说，虽然独自露宿在外让他 有机会与其他徒步旅行者共处， 但基于无法梳洗以及得饱受蚊虫 叮咬之苦等理由，不建议它成为 一种穷游中的习惯。 许嘉峻也好几次尝试站在路旁 试图搭便车。他坦言，虽然每一 次都成功得到司机们的相助，但 等候时的心情是忐忑的，有一次 更是等候了将近三个小时。 “等候时间一直是一个未知 数，一个人站在公路一旁，边举 起写上目的地名称的纸皮卡，边 目睹众多车辆穿行的一幕，说起 来还真有些心酸。” 这趟旅行对许嘉峻来说是个很 重要的里程碑，让他更有信心计 划下一次的独旅，希望能够在今 年底在美国踏上汽车长途旅行。
LIVING in local homes, sleeping at train stations and taking the railway instead of high-speed trains — these are just some examples of how NTU students have travelled on extremely tight budgets. The Nanyang Chronicle speaks to two students who deliberately scrimped and saved on their trips while managing to fully immerse themselves in the country’s culture. Bryan Tan, a first-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, spent 16 days solo travelling in Sri Lanka last year, while Jerry Koh, a second-year student from the School of Humanities, spent 50 days touring Europe, all at remarkably low cost. They share how these journeys have instilled in them a renewed sense of confidence, and enabled them to see these destinations in a whole new light.
VOL. NO.
25
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THE NANYANG
10 CHRONICLE
娱乐
正义和邪恶只在一念之间
台
湾社会写实电视剧《我们 与恶的距离》(The World Between Us, 以下简称《我们》) 短短十集，就享誉高分评价，创 下台湾公视史上前三收视率的佳 绩，掀起网民的巨大回响。 故事讲述一起引起社会高度关 注的刑事案件中加害人及受害人 家庭成员的心理状态。 嫌疑犯李晓明出于精神分裂使 用自制的枪械在公众场所杀人， 几声枪响之下夺走9条人命，破 碎了不少户原本圆满的家庭。 他的妹妹是就读于新闻学院的 李大芝，她与父母从此也过着过 街老鼠的生活，抬不起头。家人 逃避人群搬迁到了偏远地区，李 爸爸长期酗酒过日子，李妈妈连 出门都得穿戴口罩帽子。 李妈妈叫人痛心的那句“全天 下没有一个爸爸妈妈，要花个二 十年，去养一个杀人犯，我不会 做别人的妈妈”，更彻底袒露了 加害者家属所活在的阴霾中，久 久都不能释怀。 受害者和加害者的家属们的交 集，成就《我们》的另一个故事 线。李大芝在隐瞒自己的家庭背 景之下，到新闻台上班，碰巧上 司宋乔安既是因为这起意外丧子 的被害者家属。 该剧将生活里写实的一面展现 出来——面对着杀死自己儿子的 杀人凶手，甚至是杀人凶手的妹
中国著名记者与女主持人柴静 有句话：“永远不要高估人性的 善，永远不要低估人性的恶”。 可能，我们并非邪恶，但也称 不上良善。没有完全的恶，更没 有纯粹的恶，只有人性, 如此而 已。（文/黄迪勤）
In summary
图片: 互联网 妹，就算再理智的人，脑海中也 难免会闪过“为什么你就配得重 新开始的机会，而我的孩子却没 有？”的念头。 编剧也大胆使用了十分陡峭的 立场，对邪恶进行了分析。 剧中的新闻人在道德方面也 处于灰色地带。他们不顾隐私地 挖掘关乎案件的新闻，难道媒体 为了新闻就有权利粗暴地对待别 人，揭别人的疮疤吗？ 这情况通过不妥当的网络自
警行为（internet vigilantism）加 剧，有主流媒体及网民把加害者 家属标签化并冠上邪恶之名，在 不彻底了解情况，单靠片面之词 的前提妄下定论，以伸张正义之 名动用私刑。 这让人想起我国政府最近烈的 新法令修正，即把恶意公开他人 隐私(doxxing)列为刑事罪之一。 究竟在这条法案下所能受保护的 单位，是否包括了上文所提的受 害者家属，正是我们需要更加留
意的。 《我们》的格局不只是停留在 这个层面，剧情在李晓明可能是 思觉失调症 (early psychosis) 患者 变得更为复杂，当中还有为刑事 案辩护的法扶律师所遭遇到家人 反对，以及有关死刑对于解决社 会问题的根源是否发挥任何作用 的讨论，让全剧叫好叫座，引人 深思。 观剧之余，不禁要问, 我们与 恶的距离,到底有多远？
TAIWANESE social drama The World Between Us has garnered one of the highest viewerships in Taiwan’s television history, and remarkably so, with a mere 10 episodes. Its plot is intriguing — a mentally unstable mass shooter kills nine people in public, leaving the victims’ families and his own kin to deal with the fallout. The series examines the aftermath of a massacre, especially the emotional trauma of the killers’ family members, who are shamed and scorned by the public and media alike. Through their experiences, the drama raises important ethical questions about how the media should react in such situations, critically examines each character’s moral ambiguities, and suggests that there is no person who is perfectly “good” after all.
阿甘正传--选择了幸福的“傻子”
图片：TV GUIDE
为
了庆祝上映25周年，美 国电影阿甘正传（ Forrest Gump）今年将再次回到美国600 多家电影院的大银幕，宝莱坞 在三月间也宣布将翻拍这经典 的故事，让观众再次回味阿甘
的人生。 电影叙述的是一个“傻子” 阿甘的故事。故事开头虽然简 单，但恰如阿甘所说的经典名 句“生活就像一盒巧克力，你 永远不会知道下一颗会得到什 么”，这部发人深省的电影藏 着许多惊喜。 电影最有趣的地方在于阿甘 令人难以置信的人生旅程，每 一步的人生影响着下一步。 阿甘天生是一名低智能者， 但与别人最不同的是，他仿佛 没有对未来的忧虑，随遇而 安。 电影巧妙地把各种历史事件 和阿甘的人生贯穿起来。误打 误撞之下，他参与了中美乒乓 外交、水门事件、反战示威， 又和猫王、肯尼迪和约翰·列 侬等人相见，令人感受到编导 的丰富的想象力与幽默感。 25年后，这部经典电影仍意 义非凡，给予这个时代的观众
不变的重要信息。 当这个时代不断地鼓吹我们 要为自己而活时，阿甘却让我 们看见为所爱的人活着的价值 和喜悦。仔细看阿甘做的每个 决定，都是为了某个他所爱的 人。 能为所爱的人而活是幸福 的，阿甘为妈妈而生活，为儿 时同伴和爱人珍妮 (Jenny) 而奔 跑，为完成好朋友布巴( Bubba ) 捕虾的愿望而奋斗等。 很多时候我们的境遇并非 只取决于我们做了什么，更重 要的是我们遇到了谁。珍妮、 布巴家人和丹尼尔·泰勒中尉 (Lieutenant Dan) 的命运都因着阿 甘而改变了。 在越战中失去双腿而放弃人 生的丹尼尔中尉因着阿甘一股 傻劲开始的捕虾生意而找到了 生活的目的与希望。 阿甘也没有嫌弃一生浪荡， 不断离开阿甘，只有在最后才
回到阿甘身边的珍妮，一如既往 地爱她。他的忠诚让他最终赢得 了尊重、友谊和爱情，也让珍妮 有了归宿，有了家。 智力的缺陷可能成为阿甘悲 惨的命运，但是通过身边朋友和 家人的支持和自己的勤奋努力， 他的人生转化为一种传奇。 就像这部电影，人生可以很 荒唐、很搞笑、很痛苦或者很复 杂。但在起起伏伏中，阿甘的人 生是幸福的，而我们可以从他 面对人生的态度学习不少人生道 理。 头脑简单的他把事情看得很 单纯，只看见了本质。讽刺的 是，聪明人总想太多而忽略了最 重要的，或许阿甘的愚蠢就是他 的智慧。 在我们难免对方向感到模糊 的时候，阿甘正传能让我们擦亮 眼睛，提醒我们珍惜那些最简单 的事情。 （文/卓思恬）
In summary THE WELL-LOVED movie classic Forrest Gump celebrates its 25th anniversary this year with a revival of sorts: it has come back to over 600 American theatres. Bollywood has also announced that a remake is in the works. Like what simple-minded but happy-go-lucky Forrest said famously: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get”, the movie is full of unexpected adventures, like him meeting rock and roll legend Elvis Presley and US president John F. Kennedy. This film teaches audiences that seeing things simply can actually be a form of wisdom, and that sincerely caring for others can lead to happiness.
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Streetwear with an Asian Twist What started out as a passion project for Brendan Kor, 21, has evolved into a local streetwear label known as The Toxic Friends Co. Kor’s brand has been featured on multiple media outlets, including CNA and lifestyle publications. Photo Editor Joel Chan finds out more about the brand’s origins KOR loves illustrating parodies and satires. He is an avid fan of streetwear as well. Combine both interests and you get tote bags, t-shirts and embroidered iron-on sticker patches featuring Kor’s original designs that are centered around local and Asian influences. The first-year student from the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM) has been selling his products from his online clothing store The Toxic Friends Co. since 2017. Kor’s brand initially started out as a passion project as he had to submit a portfolio to apply to NTU and decided to design streetwear to beef up his application. “I wanted to do a project that is fun with the potential to get recognised, so I thought why not have people wear my art, as it is the fastest way to get my work out there and be seen by people,” explained Kor. Recognising the lack of Asian representation in the streetwear scene, Kor wanted to differentiate himself by incorporating more cultural influences into his designs. For example, the “FairPrice” tshirt, Kor’s very first piece, draws inspiration from the local supermarket chain and the famous “Supreme” logo. This design was an instant hit among his friends.
Becoming a business “They (my friends) saw the Fairprice t-shirt and loved it. At one point, my recruits (in army) wore
it whenever they reported back to camp,” recalled Kor with a laugh. As demand for his designs grew, Kor knew he needed more capital to produce more seasonal and intrend designs. So in 2017, he turned his project into an online clothing brand tobroaden his audience base. “My shirt designs are seasonal so that they are more trendy and wearable. For example, during Chinese New Year, my designs centre around things related to the festival, so people can wear them out when they are visiting their relatives,” he said.
Running the shop As for his choice of brand name, Kor explained that “toxic” is a catchy colloquial term frequently used among his friends. From product and website design to the packing and delivering of orders, Kor runs The Toxic Friends Co. single-handedly. He uses his bedroom as a storage space for his stock. Kor markets his products through social media and by selling them at pop-up flea markets. Before joining NTU last year, he would set up shop in flea markets once a month. Now, he only does so during the school holidays. He noted that during the peak periods, such as Chinese New Year and National Day, he would receive about two to three orders within a week, compared to one every two to three weeks. Kor added that
people who purchase his clothes are usually his friends or dancers. “These two festive seasons are very significant as they are the basis of my brand – orientalism and patriotism. So I hold seasonal sales during the festive season to springboard the promotion and outreach of my new merchandise,” he explained.
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Meaningful designs Apart from being aesthetically pleasing, Kor hopes that his designs can evoke patriotism, especially among youth. “This sounds a little cheesy but I have always been proud of my country and I hope that my designs can influence others to feel the same way,” he said. He also wants his designs to be thought-provoking. “I want my visuals to invoke a reaction and spark conversations because I feel our society latches on to viral news but forget about them after a while. “Also certain issues remain unreported or unheard of, such as the level of censorship in Singapore. I hope that my designs can increase awareness about them,” he said. So Kor uses attention-grabbing texts and visuals to add different perspectives on the issue. He revealed that customers would sometimes ask if it is legal to wear his designs out due to their controversial nature. “I’m still here. If I ever get sued, I know I’ve made it,” he teased.
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1. Brendan Kor, 21, with some of his bestsellers. (L-R) The “Fortune RIP Cat”, the “Creation of Ahwang“ and the “Last Reunion”. 2. The “FairPrice” t-shirt was Kor’s very first design and became an instant hit among his friends. 3. Kor relies on pop-up flea markets to market his designs. Before school started, he would set up shop in flea markets once a month. Here, Kor (wearing a face mask) is at a flea market held at National University of Singapore. 4. Initially, Kor would sketch out the outline of his designs on a notebook before transferring them to his laptop but he says it is a more time-consuming process. For greater efficiency, he draws his designs from scratch on his laptop now, using the Adobe Photoshop software to sketch out the details and add the different colors into his designs. Here, Kor is working on his “Policeman” sticker. It was inspired by a life-sized cardboard cut-out of a policeman, placed at the entrace of many local supermarkets. 5. The completed “Policeman” sticker that can be used as a laptop sticker or to decorate water bottles. 6. Kor runs The Toxic Friends Co. single-handedly. He does everything from the marketing to the delivery of orders by himself.
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NTU-PKU DOUBLE MASTERS PROGRAMME (English & Chinese)
南洋理工大学 - 北京大学双硕士学位项目（中英双语） The Double Masters Programme offered by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), and Peking University aims to train bilingual professionals with solid foundation in financial knowledge and international exposure for the global finance industry.
南洋理工大学 - 北京大学双硕士学位项目旨在为学生
Nanyang Business School at NTU Singapore offers the Master of Science in Finance Programme which will be conducted in English and Chinese. School of Economics, Peking University offers four professional Master Programmes in Finance, Insurance, Tax and International Business which will be conducted in Chinese.
南洋理工大学商学院提供金融硕士学位课程，授课语言
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS:
课程特色：
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Bilingual Programme in English and Chinese
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独特的双语教学设计
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Large Pool of Experienced Faculty Members
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强大的师资阵容
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Provides Wide International Exposure
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开阔的国际视野
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Imparts Realistic Practical Financial Solutions
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融入最新的实用金融解决方案
MSc (Finance) Programme Nanyang Business School Nanyang Technological University S3-B3A, 50 Nanyang Avenue Singapore 639798
Tel:
提供扎实的金融财务知识和广阔的国际视野，为金融界 培养优秀的双语专业人才。
为英文和中文。北京大学经济学院提供金融、保险、税务 和国际商务四个专业硕士课程，授课语言为中文。
(65) 6592 3247 (65) 6790 5696 Email: mscfinance@ntu.edu.sg Website: www.mscf.ntu.edu.sg Wechat: NTU_MScFINANCE