Vol. 25 Issue 2

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE INSIDE Sleeping pod takes off

Students and staff enjoy the new napping pod, and more may be in the works

VOL. NO.

25

02 24.09.18

ISSN NO. 0218-7310

New website allows students to post module reviews Students find the NTUVibe platform useful, but some professors say reviews should not be posted anonymously Jeanne Mah

NEWS | Page 4

For the love of ink and needle

Tattoo apprentice and NTU student Ian Tay has 65 tattoos, and is pursuing his passion despite the stigma

LIFESTYLE | Page 8-9

众多南大社团缺乏 领袖 学生说主要原因包括学业过于 繁重，及不再受宿舍分数激励

STUDENTS can now review the modules they have taken on a new student-created website, but professors say stricter regulation of the platform is necessary to ensure students are accountable for their comments.

At NTUVibe, students can rate how useful or difficult modules are by selecting the “positive”, “neutral” or “negative” button and leave comments based on their experience.

Each module’s page also details its course outline, and class and examination schedules.

The website was launched this August by three third-year students from the School of Computer Science and Engineering, who wish to remain anonymous.

They said they created NTUVibe so students can make informed decisions about what modules to take.

One creator said: “We want NTU students to know what to expect from modules, such as their assessment criteria, after reading students’ reviews.”

Well received by students In less than two months, the site has garnered more than 2,400 views and now has about 95 registered users. Students have to register with a username and their NTU email addresses in order to post reviews, but only usernames are shown with each review.

“Course outlines often describe modules positively 新闻| Page 17 and do not always portray Back from the Games accurately how useful or engaging classes are.”

Danielle Lavinia, 21 Second-year student School of Social Sciences

Three NTU athletes who competed in the recent Asian Games return to share their stories

SPORTS | Page 21

Students who used the platform said it has helped them to decide which modules to take.

Danielle Lavinia, a second-year School of Social Sciences (SSS) student, said that the website gives a more comprehensive view of a module by including students’ perspectives.

“Course outlines often describe modules positively and do not always portray accurately how useful or engaging classes are,” said the 21-year-old.

NTUVibe was created so students can make informed decisions about what modules to take.

“I think finding out about a module through a student’s review is more authentic,” she added.

Second-year School of Civil and Environmental Engineering student Loi Jing Ying, 20, added: “If (after reading the reviews) I think the module will not suit me, I will not even ballot for it, which frees up space to ballot for other modules.”

Accountability is key Nevertheless, some professors feel that students should not be allowed to leave reviews anonymously.

At NTUVibe, students may register with any username they want.

Only the website’s creators can track usernames to their email addresses and identify them.

Assistant Professor Ana Cristina Dias Alves from SSS said it is unfair to professors if students post rude or unfair remarks under a veil of anonymity.

“Revealing the name of each student that posts a comment makes them accountable for what they say online,” added the Public Policy and Global Affairs lecturer.

Other professors feel that such online reviews may not always be accurate.

Professor Ang Peng Hwa from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, said: “Students may post hateful remarks in the heat of the moment just because they are frustrated with the content taught.”

He urged students to choose modules based on their interests rather than on online reviews.

PHOTO: DEBBIE NG

Regulatory measures While the website’s creators do not plan to remove the option of anonymity or screen every review on the site, they hope to add an option for students, including unregistered users, to report inappropriate reviews.

“Even if one student reports it, we will look at the review and decide if it should be removed,” one creator said, adding that hate or discriminatory speech will not be tolerated.

By end-October, they also plan to add a function which allows users to indicate if the review was helpful or not.

“Reviews which receive the most number of helpful ratings are highly likely to be sound while reviews which many people disagree with may be untrue or offensive, which we will look into,” he said.

“We trust our fellow NTU students to use the platform responsibly for the benefit of others.”

NTUVibe creators

“Comments will not be taken down due to low quality or overwhelming downvotes.

They will only be taken down if they are reported to be offensive,” he added.

But the team is not expecting too many inappropriate reviews: “We trust our fellow NTU students to use the platform responsibly for the benefit of others.”

News

School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) in a Channel NewsAsia interview.

Victims can sustain serious head injuries such as loss of consciousness, skull fractures, haemorrhage and tissue damage.

Slower not necessarily safer

Personal mobility devices have grown in popularity in NTU since e-scooter sharing service Telepod launched last June. PHOTO: JOEL CHAN

E-scooter riders oppose new speed limits Users say the reduced speed limit of 10 kmh for personal mobility devices is too slow, while others think the new rule will be difficult to enforce Alan Yuen RIDERS of personal mobility devices (PMDs) in NTU are upset over the new move to cut the speed limit on footpaths from 15 kilometres per hour to 10 kmh.

The rule, which will be implemented early next year, is part of a set of new recommendations made by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel (AMAP) in August, which was accepted by the government on 4 Sep.

Need for speed PMD users like Bechorath Tan, 24, find the speed limit too slow.

Tan, who often uses his e-scooter on campus, said: “The current speed limit of 15 kmh is quite reasonable, but 10 kmh is basically the speed of jogging.”

“Why would I still use an escooter if this means I am going to reach my destination only slightly earlier than if I were to walk?” added the third-year School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering student.

Tay Min, a final-year student from the School of Humanities (SoH), said that this new regulation targets a small group of “inconsiderate” riders at the expense of responsible ones.

“It’s just a few who are inconsiderate and pose a threat to pedestrians. But in general, people do

follow the rules and keep to their lanes,” added the 23-year-old.

The new speed limit comes after a string of e-scooter accidents in Singapore, such as a hit-and-run involving a 65-year-old woman at Ang Mo Kio in April. The Straits Times reported that the PMD user fled the scene, leaving the victim with injuries to her hip, legs, arms and shoulders.

“Why would I still use an e-scooter if this means I am going to reach my destination only slightly earlier than if I were to walk?”

Bechorath Tan, 24 Third-year student School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Support for more regulation of PMDs was backed by an online survey conducted by the AMAP, where 77 per cent of the 6,000 respondents said they wanted the existing speed limit of 15 kmh to

be lowered.

Growing popularity PMDs have grown in popularity in NTU since Telepod, an e-scooter sharing service, was launched in June last year. There are currently 100 Telepod e-scooters on campus and an average of 900 trips per day, according to Mr Leong Wei Yang, an operations manager at MobilityX. The firm created transport app Jalan, which includes the renting of e-scooters.

But accidents are common. According to a survey by The Nanyang Chronicle in August of 110 students, almost one in five had been in an e-scooter accident.

These accidents included malfunctioning brakes, skidding on slippery surfaces and collisions with pedestrians.

Being hit by an e-scooter travelling at 15 kmh packs a blow nine times stronger than an average person’s punch, according to Professor Yap Fook Fah from the

“At those speeds, it’s difficult to balance the e-scooter.”

Mr Ling Tze Hsuan, 30 User experience designer at MobilityX

However, Mr Ling Tze Hsuan, 30, a user experience designer at MobilityX, said stringent speed limits may backfire and cause more injuries.

“At those speeds, it’s difficult to balance the e-scooter,” he said. “It’s also dangerous if you constantly need to watch the speedometer.

Instead of looking around for hazards, you’re looking at the scooter.”

Mr Ling added that educating riders would be a more effective way of curbing accidents, especially since unsafe practices like carrying pillion passengers and riding on roads are still common.

Pedestrians ambivalent While pedestrians agreed that the new regulation will help roads to be safer, most feel that it is not the best solution.

“The new rule will be difficult to enforce,” said Rachael Lim, 20, a second-year student at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.

“It’s very easy for e-scooter users to slow down if they’re about to get caught. They can deny they were speeding unless speed guns are used,” she said.

An NTU spokesperson told The Nanyang Chronicle that when the rules come into effect next year, the University will be following the new rules closely.

“Campus security is monitoring the use of e-scooters around campus and advises users to be cautious and to follow all the rules stipulated by the authorities,” the spokesperson added.

Mr Leong said that the best way to enforce the speed limit would be to reduce the maximum speed of e-scooters. When Telepods were deployed in NTU, the e-scooters’ power was dialed back to slow us-

ers down. A further reduction in power can help users to adhere to the new speed limit, he added.

But this does not stop users from going over the speed limit, such as when they are going downhill. “At the end of the day, users are the ones who have to adhere to speed limits,” he said.

Second-year SoH student Jared Tan felt the safe use of PMDs will only happen if all users adopt a culture of graciousness.

“The government cannot implement policy on common sense,” said the 24-year-old.

Introducing new ideas Besides education, some feel there are other more feasible long-term solutions.

PMD user Tan, who has ridden e-scooters for the past three years, said users at risk of injuring others should have mandatory training.

“Riders who get into accidents should have to go through a safety course as part of community service,” he said, adding that riders can be coached on basic safety precautions such as turning on a light at night and slowing down at corners.

Second-year MAE student Austen Ng, 21, suggested creating dedicated lanes for bicycles and PMDs in NTU.

“Riders who get into accidents should have to go through a safety course as part of community service.”

Jaren Tan. 24 Second-year student School of Humanities

“They will ensure pedestrians’ safety without having to lower the speed limit of PMDs,” said the PMD user.

New PMD and bicycle rules to be implemented in early 2019 • R eduction in speed limit on footpaths from 15 kmh to 10 kmh • PMD users and cyclists must stop and look out for traffic at road crossings • Helmets must be worn when riding on roads • A ll e-scooters must be registered with the Land Transport Authority

VOL. NO.

25

NEWS

THE NANYANG

02 CHRONICLE

NTU’s first ICT fair welcomes students from across faculties Increasing demand for employees in the technology sector has led to this industry-specific fair, but some students worry about not having the relevant experience

Osmond Chia NTU HELD its very first information and communications technology (ICT) fair on 6 Sep, following the increase in demand for employees from the sector.

The fair, which was held at the Nanyang Auditorium, saw more than 1,000 student attendees from different disciplines.

Ms See Wai Yen, 40, an NTU career consultant who specialises in the ICT industry, said the job market for fresh graduates in ICT is booming, especially with Singapore’s Smart Nation and digitalisation push.

“The fact that we can have an entire day dedicated to the ICT industry indicates the market trend and where jobs are wanted,” she added.

“We wanted to clear up the misconception that the fair was catered solely for students in ICT-related courses such as electrical and electronic engineering or computer science,” she said.

About 70 companies, includ-

ing financial technology firms Mastercard and Visa, and social media giant Facebook were present at the fair.

Many representatives from companies collected resumes from students and answered queries on career prospects.

The companies were encouraged to reach out to students across different faculties to highlight the industry’s inclusiveness, said Ms See. Beyond jobs like software engineering and programming, many marketing and business development positions were also on offer.

Ms Teresa Poi, 28, a spokesperson for artificial intelligence company Yitu Technology, said: “Our company’s main objective is to look for algorithm and software developers in artificial intelligence, but we are searching for marketing and strategy employees from the business and humanities faculties as well.”

Many still hesitant Nevertheless, some students from non-ICT related courses are still hesitant to venture out of their fields of study.

One such student is final-year School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering student Micko Tan, 22, who visited the fair as she was interested in technology and the jobs on offer. However, she found that the jobs were too technical for her comfort.

“I wouldn’t dare to venture into

03

you’re at a disadvantage.”

Some open to options

Company representative Belichia Chan, 22, speaks to interested students about Crimsonlogic, a developer of e-government solutions.

PHOTO: JOEL CHAN

a field out of my course. I feel more at ease being in my area of expertise, so I don’t lose out and start at a disadvantage,” she said.

First-year Nanyang Business School student Muskaan Goyal, 18, also felt she would be at a disadvantage if she applied for an internship position with ICT firms, as she is not familiar with technology.

“At this moment, I don’t have much of a background in tech. I might have to take a few modules on computing before I feel I am ready to try it out,” she said.

But telecommunications compa-

ny Ericsson’s booth representative, Ms Charlotte Tan, 24, encouraged students to keep an open mind.

The School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences alumnus, who graduated with a degree in mathematics, decided to pursue a career as an integration engineer upon graduation.

“While it was something new, I told myself not to be worried about judgement and be willing to learn,” she said.

“What you learn in school is only a small part of what is possible, so don’t limit yourself and think

Other students, however, have recognised the shift to the ICT sector and want to take this opportunity to find jobs outside of their fields.

Final-year School of Humanities student Charmain Kua, who specialises in linguistics, was at the fair in search of job opportunities in e-commerce. The 22-year-old said she wanted to find out more about the workplace culture at these companies, and whether she would feel comfortable working there.

Another student, Violet Zhang, 22, from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, visited booths like MasterCard, Amazon and Facebook.

Even though she specialises in journalism and broadcast, the final-year student said she wanted to explore what was outside of the communications industry.

“Every industry needs marketing and other communications roles so going into an unfamiliar industry does not intimidate me,” she said.

Career consultant Ms See said she hopes to see more students going out of their comfort zones, adopting a positive mindset and being prepared to learn on the job.

“Don’t be misled to believe that you can’t do anything beyond what you study,” she added.

NTU - SMU trio conceptualise toothbrush of the future A biodegradable toothbrush with dissolvable toothpaste pods has won the team a spot in the global finals of Unilever’s case competition Alan Yuen IMAGINE you could help to reduce the world’s plastic waste just by switching out your toothbrush and ditching the toothpaste tubes.

Two NTU students and a Singapore Management University student clinched the top award at this year’s Unilever Future Leaders’ League in August by conceptualising a toothbrush that can do just that.

Final-year Nanyang Business

School (NBS) students Leong Yi Hua, 23, and Isabella Lim, 24, as well as Isabella’s sister Elizabeth, 21, a third-year student from SMU’s School of Business, beat 40 other groups with their idea — a biodegradable toothbrush with dissolvable marble-sized toothpaste pods in its handle. They will go on to represent Singapore in the global finals next year in London.

The winning idea Before brushing, users just need to pop a pod into their mouth. Each pod, which dissolves in saliva, has just the right amount of toothpaste as suggested by dentists.

The team’s idea removes the need for toothpaste tubes and ensures that the biodegradable toothbrushes, which would be made from renewable timbre, decompose within three to six months.

“Plastic pollution is a very real issue,” said Lim, adding that each

household goes through an average of one tube of toothpaste every month. This means millions of toothpaste tubes are discarded every year.

These tubes and toothbrushes can take more than 700 years to decompose.

The toothpaste pods also make it more convenient for consumers.

“They won’t have to squeeze so hard to get every last bit of toothpaste out,” said Lim. Leong said that despite the team lacking a background in science, they found suitable materials for their product by doing extensive research on biodegradable plastics.

In preparation for the competition, the team spent a month fleshing out their idea and coming up with promotional campaigns and pricing strategies.

They met thrice a week for meetings that often lasted till 11pm, and also had to sacrifice their

weekends as the competition date drew nearer.

Despite the gruelling schedule, the group enjoyed the process and felt the competition was a way for them to play a part in saving the environment.

“If we do not reduce plastic use, there could be more plastic than fishes in our oceans by 2050,” said Lim. In addition, consumers today are becoming increasingly green and opting to choose and use brands that are eco-friendly and sustainable.

Leong added: “We really felt that the product we were creating would contribute value to society.”

Heading to the global stage The team will be travelling to London next April to compete against other national champions in the competition.

This annual competition, which

is organised by consumer goods company Unilever, challenges university students around the world to design innovative solutions to real business issues.

The trio will receive their new case in March, where they will be tasked to come up with ideas to disrupt a different industry.

As part of their prize, Leong and Lim will also proceed straight to the final interview round of the Unilever’s management trainee programme, which grooms participants for leadership roles in the organisation. Meanwhile, Elizabeth was awarded an internship with the company.

Lim said she is proud to be able to represent Singapore on the global stage.

“I do hope that we can win the global finals and I’m also prepared to work hard in the months leading up to it,” she said.

“It will be an exciting journey.”

04

NEWS

THE NANYANG

25

VOL. NO.

CHRONICLE 02

New sleeping pod in LWN Library popular among students and staff The student-run startup is working on improving user experience, and said more pods may be in the works if user feedback is positive Jeanne Mah and Matthew Loh A SLEEPING pod initiative that lets students and staff catch a quick nap at the Lee Wee Nam Library has received growing popularity since it was announced on 7 Sep, and the team behind the pod hopes to add more of them around campus if demand stays high.

The startup, called Co.Kun, is helmed by five NTU students from the Minor in Entrepreneurship programme. It is currently running a two-month pilot trial with one sleeping pod.

Bill Pung, 24, the spokesperson for Co.Kun, said that the team created the venture for their final module in the Minor in Entrepreneurship programme. Their idea was hatched when they recognised that a lack of sleep was an issue for students in Singapore.

Students and staff can reserve the sleeping pod for free for 30 minutes via the Lee Wee Nam Library’s facilities booking system.

Since the pod's launch, it has been well-received by students and staff.

It has been fully booked almost every day since 10 Sep, after it received media attention from news outlets like Mothership.sg and The Straits Times, said Pung.

One user who enjoyed the experience was Mr Kuok Zhi Qiang, 32, who described it as the “perfect place” to catch a few winks.

“It used to be difficult to rest on top of the bean bags in the library’s resting room. But now, my body is in a comfortable position when I am lying down in the pod,” said the project lead at the Air Traffic Management Research Institute.

Another user, Aditya Bansal, a first-year School of Computer Science and Engineering student (SCSE), said that the pod is especially convenient for students who want to nap in between lectures.

“It’s peaceful inside, so it’s better than resting in a public area. This is where you can take a short power nap,” said the 21-year-old.

Hygiene issues But others worried about hygiene and complained about inconsiderate users.

Ms Chew Ye Qiu, 25, a research staff at the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, was concerned about the cleanliness of the bedsheets and said they should be changed more frequently.

The interior of the new sleeping pod installed in NTU's Lee Wee Nam Library. The pod is furnished with a mirror, comfortable bedding and an atmospheric lighting system.

Currently, the pod’s bedsheets are changed every two to three days.

“The pod is still very clean because it is new. But if more students begin using it, it will be unhygienic if the sheets are not changed after each person’s use,” Ms Chew said.

Pung, who is a final-year student in the Renaissance Engineering Programme, said the team is considering changing the bedsheets to disposable ones, or using synthetic plastic material which can be easily wiped.

“But if more students begin using it, it will be unhygienic if the sheets are not changed after each person's use.”

Ms Chew Ye Qiu, 25 Research staff School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Expressing another concern was Cyle Nguyen, 21, a final-year SCSE student, who said the person scheduled before him had exited the pod late, causing him to have a shorter time slot.

While there is a buzzer that reminds students when their time is up, Pung said users should be responsible to keep to their allocated time slots.

The team may also introduce ad-

The pod provides a quiet and comfortable space for students to rest in 30-minute intervals.

ditional features like weight sensors or cameras to prevent more than one person from using the pod during each slot.

However, Pung said these measures will only be implemented as

“Our goal for now is to see what the response will be like before we commit to more pods.”

Bill Pung, 24 Final-year student Renaissance Engineering Programme

a last resort if there are issues of misuse.

More pods in the works During the trial, Co.Kun will gather feedback about the pod through an online survey. If feedback is positive, the team will work with the school’s management to see if more pods can be installed at the Lee Wee Nam library, said Pung.

“Our goal for now is to see what the response will be like before we commit to more pods,” he said, adding that Co.Kun may also consider expanding its services to areas outside of campus, like in offices and schools, if it is

PHOTOS: THEODORE LIM

successful in NTU. But he declined to confirm if Co.Kun will charge users for the booking of pods in the future, saying that this will depend on many factors, including the school’s management.

Pung said while he is glad the sleeping pod has been well-received, there is still more work to be done.

“We still have some way to go in improving our customer experience and in commercialising our venture.

“Until that is done, we can’t just be celebrating the interim success and be contented with it."

VOL. NO.

25

GRAPHICS

THE NANYANG

02 CHRONICLE

05

Quick facts

Government dissenters smuggled messages in mooncakes to help overthrow the Mongol rule during the Yuan Dynasty.

Singles used to pray to the “old man on the moon”, whom they believed would unite people in marriage and help them find true love.

Mad about mooncakes The Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner. Graphic artists Kelley Lim, Belynda Hoi and Clara Toh illustrate how different countries celebrate this special occasion, and the unique types of mooncakes they have to offer

China

Vietnam

Korea

Hai wei yue bing (seafood mooncakes)

Bánh pia (flaky pastry) Crust: Wheat flour Filling: Durian

Songpyeon (pine tree cakes) Crust: Rice flour, food colouring Fillings: Pine nuts, sesame seeds, Mung beans

Crust: Flour, golden syrup, alkaline water, oil Filling: Abalone

The Chinese enjoy moon-watching from their homes or at famous spots such as Beijing’s Lugou Bridge, also known as the Marco Polo Bridge. It is also a tradition to return home for family gatherings on this day.

Mid-Autumn Festival is known as Trung Thu, or Children’s Festival.

The Vietnamese believe that children have the closest relations to the natural and sacred world. Main celebratory activities include carrying carp-shaped lanterns and watching lion dance parades.

Indonesia

Japan

Chinese Indonesians visit temples to pray during the festival. Displaying lanterns and sharing mooncakes are also a big part of the event, similar to how Singaporeans commemorate the day.

Otsukimi is the Japanese moonviewing festival. The Japanese enjoy picnics with sake under the full moon as they commemorate a good season of harvest.

Bakpia (meat pastry) Crust: Flour Fillings: Pork

Geppei (jelly crystal mooncakes) Crust: Jelly powder, honey, pandan water Fillings: Cubed fruit

One lotus seed paste mooncake has 716 calories. This means you will need to climb 144 flights of stairs to burn it off.

The cost to produce a mooncake can be as low as $0.80. But its selling price can be as high as $200, with prices driven up by its elaborate packaging.

On the eve of Chuseok (Eve of Autumn), or Thanksgiving Day, Koreans celebrate the harvest by gathering with family to make songpyeon.

Chuseok also involves thanking ancestors by preparing a memorial ceremony with lots of food.

THE MID-AUTUMN Festival is a traditional East-Asian celebration that falls on the 15th of the eighth lunar month.

It is believed to have originated from legendary archer Hou Yi, who was rewarded with an elixir after shooting down nine out of ten suns to save the world from destruction.

When one of his disciples schemed to steal it, his wife Chang’e was forced to swallow the potion, making her float to the moon. Mourning the eternal separation from his wife, Hou Yi started to make mooncakes, a symbol of family reunion, in remembrance of her. That was how the Mid-Autumn festival was born.

The largest mooncake was made in Shanghai in 2013. Weighing 2,500 kilogrammes with a diameter of 2.5 metres, it was twice the average height of a human and weighed nearly thirty times as much.

Lifestyle

Ian Tay, 25, focuses intently on his craft. As an apprentice at Iron Fist Tattoo, he has tattooed over 200 clients so far.

PHOTOS: DEBBIE MICHELLE NG

INK-REDIBLE PURSUITS While tattoos are taboo to some, there are others who embrace the art and are determined to pursue careers in the ink profession. Samantha Koh speaks to one such student to find out more

Tay has 65 tattoos all over his body. He practises new tattooing techniques using his own body as his canvas.

FINAL-YEAR student Ian Tay, 25, has not one, not two, but 65 tattoos all over his body. Last May, he took his love for ink a step further by becoming an apprentice at tattoo parlour Iron Fist Tattoo.

But this was not always his dream job. When he decided to pursue a degree at the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), he had planned on becoming a teacher or a researcher.

However, he attended a tattoo

convention in Sabah last year and was intrigued by the way the tattoo artists expressed their creativity through their designs. Seeing their work inspired him to pursue tattooing as a career, he said.

“I was at a point in my life where I wanted to do something creative as a job, and the convention gave me the chance to explore what it would be like to be a part of the tattooing community,” he added.

Ignoring the stigma surrounding the ink profession, he decided to turn his passion into a career.

An inkling of the future

Tay’s fascination with tattoos started years ago, when he chanced upon American reality shows Miami Ink and Tattoo Wars at the age of 12. He would stay up late for these shows, and gradually, his interest in tattoos grew.

Captivated by the art form, he would watch documentaries and pore over books to find out about the different meanings and types of tattoos around the world.

“It is more than just a mark on the skin. When you get a tattoo, you’re being inducted into a 1000-year-old movement bigger than yourself,” Tay said, referring to the long history of tattoos.

He enjoys getting inked as it makes him feel like he is part of an ancient tradition, he said.

“Tattoos age along with your body.

They change and show personality and imperfections.

That’s what makes them beautiful.”

Ian Tay, 25 Final-year student School of Biological Sciences

Tay had wanted a tattoo ever since he was 12, and his parents finally relented and allowed him to get one when he turned 17.

He continued to collect more tattoos after that, getting inked whenever he saw a design that he liked.

However, he had to wait until he was 21 to get tattoo sleeves — tattoos that cover most of his arms — as his parents were afraid he would outgrow his hobby before that.

Tay says he has had no regrets covering his body with the permanent prints.

“Tattoos age along with your body. They change and show personality and imperfections. That’s

what makes them beautiful,” he said.

While some people are shocked that he has 65 tattoos, he stands by his decision to get heavily inked, as it is his way of expressing his love for the art.

He even travelled to Hong Kong to get inked by tattoo artist James Lau, whom he looks up to, and ended up getting a large ornamental design with an intricate diamondlike motif that covers the back of his right thigh.

“I know it’s quite crazy going overseas just for a tattoo.”

Learning the ropes

Becoming a tattoo apprentice requires more than just passion for ink. Tools are expensive and Tay said he was expected to buy his own tattoo machine which cost $1,000.

His apprenticeship was initially unpaid and Tay received a salary only five months in, after he tattooed his first client.

As an apprentice, he worked four days a week, for 8 hours at a time, while juggling his studies. He learnt how to draw tattoo designs, as well as rules on cleanliness, before he earned the right to touch a tattoo machine in his fourth month.

But it was all worth it because he was pursuing his dream job, he said.

“An apprenticeship is a way to prove my dedication to the art,” he added.

Now, he still prioritises his apprenticeship over school, spending three to four days a week at the tattoo parlour, depending on the demand from his clients.

An artist in his own right

Tay designs his own tattoos, which includes his interpretations of sculptures and paintings, such as a 1635 baroque painting of Archangel Michael by Italian painter Guido Reni.

“I enjoy the history behind some sculptures or paintings and prefer

Tay designs all the tattoos he inks. Here, he sketches a jellyfish design for a client.

Although he is a full-time student, Tay works with clients at the tattoo parlour almost every day.

these designs because I can showcase light and shadows,” he said.

He has tattooed more than 200 clients, including Michelle Zheng, a third-year student from the School of Humanities.

“It was my first time getting a tattoo... I came across his Instagram page and really liked his work,” the 21-year-old said.

“I knew he was just an apprentice, but I chose him because I really liked how clean and detailed most of his designs looked,” she added.

In the public eye

Tay is proud of what he does, but judgment and scrutiny from the public has been unavoidable.

People tend to take more notice of him and his actions, he said.

“Strangers will stare at me on the train and parents will say things like

‘If you don’t study, you will end up like him’ to their children and not let them sit next to me,” he added.

Even Tay’s own relatives question him during Chinese New Year gatherings.

“Why did you do this to your body?” and “how will this affect your future?” are among the questions he has received.

“I used to try explaining the culture and technicalities behind tattoos to them but they are still not convinced, so now I just smile and ignore their comments,” he said.

His tattoos also made it difficult for him to make friends in school.

“People view having tattoos as being too cool. The shy and reserved ones won’t approach me since they feel that it will be difficult to connect with me because of my tattoos,” he said.

Most of his friends are from his army and polytechnic days as they got to know him when he had fewer tattoos, he added.

Taking the plunge

Even though his passion lies in tattooing, Tay is aware of the challenges he will face in the future.

“Tattoo artists in Singapore aren’t treated with the same respect as someone with a stable job,” Tay said.

There continues to be a stigma surrounding the profession and the older generation still sees tattoos as a sign of rebellion, he said.

Despite these, he cannot imagine himself doing any other job.

“I know that if I do anything else, my heart won’t be in it,” he said.

“I could be crunching numbers in an office instead, but it won’t make me happy.”

The tattoo on the back of Tay’s right thigh is special to him because it was inked by tattoo artist James Lau, whom he looks up to in Hong Kong.

08-09 LIFESTYLE

Made with love How do students turn their crafts into trades? Megan-Nicole Lye finds out from three undergraduates who run their own artistic businesses

Dawn Kwan, 21, experiments with different shapes and materials, including dried flowers and gold leaf.

FOR DAWN Kwan, jewellery-making began as an interest. She was inspired by local artist Cheok Keng Lye’s work and bought her first bottle of resin from him to create her own jewellery.

The 21-year-old was convinced to turn her hobby into a business only after her friends encouraged her to sell her handmade jewellery.

While many students take on part-time jobs and internships to earn extra allowance, some choose to make money by selling handmade goods and turning their passions into profits. Kwan is one of them.

Rings of resin

Kwan enjoys sharing her passion with others and often donates a portion of her profits to charity organisations.

The third-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information makes her jewellery from scratch and sells them on her online store. She likes to use resin to make her jewellery as it is transparent and durable.

Resin is a compound that comes from plants or synthetic sources, and is typically used to make plastics and varnishes.

“I experimented and failed a lot of times before I got to where I am now,” she said.

“I think the best way to learn is by failing,” she added.

Kwan creates her pieces at home, and makes a variety of resin necklaces, earrings, hair pins and brooches. It takes her an entire day to create each piece.

Kwan creates a variety of resin jewelley, including earrings, necklaces and rings.

PHOTOS: DEBBIE MICHELLE NG

Prices range from $30 to $60, depending on how intricate the piece of jewellery is.

Flatter pieces are cheaper, while three-dimensional pieces cost more due to a larger volume of resin required, she said.

“It’s very touching that people can appreciate the things that I find beautiful as well.”

Dawn Kwan, 21 Third-year student Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information

Kwan’s jewellery is often bought as gifts or surprises for loved ones.

“They give them (the jewellery) as birthday presents, and some of them are guys who buy the pieces for their girlfriends. I feel privileged that people see my jewellery as unique.”

But her business is “never for the money”, she said. Kwan donates 20 per cent of her earnings to charity organisations.

“It’s very touching that people can appreciate the things that I find

beautiful as well.”

Rags to bags

Jolin Nai, 24, was first taught to sew three years ago by her grandmother, who was a seamstress.

A fan of tote bags, the 24-yearold then decided to take additional sewing classes and learn how to make them herself.

At her friend’s suggestion, the second-year Art, Design and Media student started selling her handmade bags.

“It is my life and passion,” she said. “If I stop designing bags, I don’t feel like there is a purpose to life anymore.”

Nai takes pride in designing bags that have both form and function.

“I once designed a reversible tote bag that was black on the inside and white on the outside, so when day turns to night, the customer can easily switch styles using the same bag,” she said.

The bag also had pockets on both sides, as she had always been bothered by the lack of pockets on tote bags and wanted to make her bags more practical.

She usually sells her bags at art markets, and participated in eight of them last year.

Her latest sale was at The Local People, an art market held during the Singapore Night Festival on 25 Aug this year.

In just five hours, she sold eight bags and pouches in total.

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Nai makes her bags in her room in Pioneer Hall. Here, she is stitching a drawstring pouch.

PHOTO: JOEL CHAN

other stores usually ranges from $40 to $150, she added.

Initially, Sim taught herself how to arrange flowers. However, to become better at making bouquets, she started working part-time at Windflower Florist in March so that she could learn from a professional.

“My boss was very supportive when I told him that I was learning so that I could improve my own business,” she said.

Managing costs is not an issue for her as the starting capital in the bouquet-making industry is small, she said.

She has spent around $3,000 on raw materials and classes on floral arrangement so far, and has already broken even.

Sim’s business usually peaks on special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and graduation ceremonies. However, she

sometimes has trouble keeping up with the number of orders.

“I received 40 to 50 orders that I had to deliver on Valentine’s Day or the day before and I was doing it with my mum’s help,” she said.

Sim and her mother did not get any sleep and they spent the night de-thorning the flowers, arranging and wrapping them into bouquets, she said.

But Sim described the experience as a rewarding one.

“Although I felt very stressed at first, I managed to deliver all of the bouquets on time in the end. I was so relieved and glad when the customers loved the bouquets and service,” she said.

And this is what spurs her on.

“I feel that one of the best feelings is when you receive a bouquet of flowers from your loved ones. I want to be a part of that process.”

crafts her own flower bouquets and sells them on Instagram.

The 22-year-old became interested in floral arrangements when she received her first bouquet from her friends and family during her polytechnic graduation ceremony in 2016.

She was struck by how the flowers could convey different messages like love and happiness, she said.

Jolin Nai, 24, makes a variety of bags and pouches.

But business is not always smooth. During her first art market sale, she sold only one bag.

“I was pretty down, because I pulled an all-nighter a few days before the market,” she said.

“And when I sold only one bag that day, I doubted myself. Was I good enough?”

However, her second art market sale was slightly better. She received compliments that encouraged her to keep going, and her business also picked up, she said.

Despite these, Nai sometimes still questions her abilities, as she has run into bouts of creative blocks that have made her constantly compare herself to others.

“If I stop designing bags, I don’t feel like there is a purpose to life anymore.”

Jolin Nai, 24 Second-year student School of Art, Design and Media

Profits also weigh on the back of her mind. Each bag costs about $20 to make, and with an average stall rental fee of about $150, she is unable to make a profit when sales hover around five bags at each art market she participates in, she said.

At times, she even “beat herself up for not being good enough”.

This happened whenever she received feedback that there was a malfunction in the bags she made, such as a broken handle.

But a friend’s comment changed her mindset.

“He told me that brands cannot always have perfect products all the time, and out of 100 products, possibly three per cent will be faulty,” said Nai. Her friend also said that the one bag that broke was probably just part of that three per cent, but because she was making all her bags by herself and in small quantities, the mistake seemed amplified, she added.

“So I told myself that there was no point beating myself up over it,” she said.

Nai also finds encouragement in her customers, who often bring their friends to her stalls and rave about her bags.

“When they come and tell me what they like about my bags, I feel that what I’m doing is meaningful,” she said, adding that this motivates her to continue her business.

“All my effort is worth it.”

Seed money

To Sim Ann Chee, 22, flowers are a perfect way to convey one’s feelings to others.

Sim is a third-year student from the Nanyang Business School who

“I feel that one of the best feelings is when you receive a bouquet from your loved ones.”

Sim Ann Chee, 22 Third-year student Nanyang Business School

Halfway through her university studies, she realised that accounting was not what she wanted to pursue.

This pushed her to start her own floral business in January this year.

“I wanted to turn my hobbies into jobs I would enjoy, so I decided to try out the flower business for two years and see if it would work out,” she said.

As most of her customers are students, she keeps her bouquets affordable for them, she said.

“I want my customers to get a nice bouquet within their budget, because it is usually a lot more expensive outside,” she said.

Her bouquets range from $35 to $50. Meanwhile, a bouquet from

Sim Ann Chee, 22, sifts through every set of flowers before deciding on her purchase.

Sim specialises in bespoke flower arrangements and personalised bouquets.

10-11 LIFESTYLE

Turning to Telegram

Telegram chats and channels, which make NTU students’ lives easier, are gaining popularity on campus.

Edwin Chan speaks to the founders and users of various NTU Telegram communities to find out more

Telegram chats, channels and chatbots are helping students to stay informed and better manage their lives on campus.

AFTER Ong Jingyi, 19, ended her class one evening this semester, she realised that her laptop was missing. A frantic two-hour search around campus ensued.

A search on the NTU Lost and Found Telegram group chat eventually solved her problem. Just seconds after she was added into the group, the first-year student from the Nanyang Business School spotted a photo of her Asus laptop in the chat.

Ong contacted the person who had found it and was reunited with her laptop that same night.

The NTU Lost and Found group chat is just one of at least 10 platforms that have been created on the instant messaging application in the past two years. These group chats, channels and chatbots, which were created by students, have been designed to improve the quality of life on campus.

Helping the NTU community Joseph Quah, 20, founder of the NTU Lost and Found Telegram group (@NTULostandFound), was inspired to create the chat after he lost his wallet at the Singapore Management University (SMU)

while studying with his friends.

“After I misplaced my wallet, my friends from SMU told me that someone had it and had posted a picture of it on one of their campus Telegram chats. I managed to get it back within 10 minutes,” said Quah, a first-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

His experience made him realise that he could do the same for the NTU community.

All he had to do was to create a public group chat on Telegram.

He then added a few of his friends and shared the link to the group on other NTU group chats.

Quah chose to set up the group chat on Telegram because the app is free and requires people to disclose only their usernames, and not their phone numbers. This ensures convenience and privacy, he said.

Since its creation at the end of last month, the group has grown to include more than 1,000 members.

Meanwhile, Telegram food delivery channel Food Amicis (@ntufoodbuddy) helps students satisfy their late-night hunger pangs.

Co-founder Tan Jun Xiang, 26, wanted to increase his peers’ access

to food late at night, as he had often been in their shoes.

“Someone had (found my lost wallet) and had posted a picture of it on one of their campus Telegram chats. I managed to get it back within 10 minutes.”

Joseph Quah, 20 First-year student School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

“Many supper spots are far away. Food delivery options can also be expensive and most don’t deliver past 11pm,” said Tan, a final-year student from the School of Computer Science and Engineering (SCSE).

The channel was launched in

CREDIT: Telegram

March this year and has almost 3,000 subscribers. It used to be called NTU Food Buddy, until its founders created a mobile app for the delivery service last month.

This resulted in the rebranding of the channel as Food Amicis.

Food Amicis allows subscribers to place their orders online, which are then fulfilled by other NTU students, who are near the requested eateries. It has a minimum delivery fee of $1.50, which goes to the students who deliver the food.

Initially, Tan and his team took food delivery requests through private messages, before placing the orders on the channel for other subscribers to respond to. They had to do this, as Telegram channels allow only administrators, and not subscribers of the channel, to make broadcasts.

But this proved to be too troublesome when subscribers began requesting orders past midnight, he said.

“One guy in particularly kept ordering food at around 3am.

We couldn’t help him post his requests, and we were also struggling to keep track of the many orders that we received throughout the

day,” Tan said.

One month after the launch of the channel, the Food Amicis team decided to develop a chatbot (@ food_buddy_bot) to make the ordering process simpler. The team took about two weeks to create the chatbot before launching it in April and is still making improvements to it, Tan said.

“Many supper spots are far away. Food delivery options can also be expensive and most don’t deliver past 11pm.”

Tan Jun Xiang, 25 Final-year student School of Computer Science and Engineering

Now, subscribers can interact directly with the chatbot to place their orders, and the Food Ami-

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While Telegram platforms like Food Amicis and NTU Lost and Found are recent additions, the NTU Campus Bot (@NTU_CampusBot) made its debut two years ago.

Founded by Clarence Castillo, a third-year SCSE student, the chatbot allows users to check how crowded various locations are on campus.

On the bot, users can select locations such as the Lee Wee Nam Library. In response, the chatbot will show the latest closed-circuit television shot of the area.

The 22-year-old created the chatbot for a programming module project in 2016 and continued to develop it after his friends complimented the prototype.

After realising that his project could help students to manage their plans on campus by avoiding crowded areas and saving time, Castillo and his group mates spent one week working on the chatbot before launching it.

Improving quality of campus life Telegram user Ooi Jun Yu, 21, a second-year student from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, believes that these platforms have made students’ lives easier. He discovered Ong’s misplaced laptop and contacted her through the Lost and Found group.

“Before joining this group, if I were to find a missing item, it can be quite difficult to locate its owner. Now with the group, you can reach out to more people,” Ooi said.

Meanwhile, Timothy Tang, 22, turns to Food Amicis when he is hungry late at night. In particular, he used it frequently last semester when he had no time to head out for supper during the final examinations period, he said.

“It is convenient as I don’t have to travel out of my hall and my Ah Lian Bee Hoon comes to me,” said Tang, a second-year student from the School of Humanities, referring to the economical noodles stall near Pioneer MRT Station.

Besides catering to the specific needs of students, such as food deliveries and searches for lost items, Telegram platforms like NTU Campus Bot have helped students plan their daily campus schedules.

“It is convenient as I don’t have to travel out of my hall and my Ah Lian Bee Hoon comes to me.”

Timothy Tang, 22 Second-year student School of Humanities

Gary Guo, 25, a final-year SCSE student, said: “If I want to study in the library or go to a canteen for lunch, checking how crowded the place is helps me decide whether to go there.”

Not without struggles While these Telegram platforms are relatively easy to create, the process of maintaining them has not always been smooth.

Although the NTU Lost and Found group chat is fairly new, it has already received its fair share of spam messages, said Quah.

“I usually just give the users (who post the spam messages) a few warnings, but if they still don’t stop, I tell them nicely to take their spam elsewhere,” he added.

Meanwhile, the team behind Food Amicis has encountered difficulties managing their relatively new mobile app.

“Everything is worth it knowing that our idea came to life and users benefit from our service.”

Tan Jun Xiang

The team’s main challenge lies in helping users manoeuvre between the Telegram channel and the mobile app, both of which allow users to make food requests and respond to them.

“We’re considering how students can connect their Telegram accounts with their accounts on the application. This way, a user can post from the application and the post will appear on the Telegram channel as well,” he added.

Despite the challenges faced during this transition, Tan does not regret his decision to work on the Telegram channel.

“Given the choice, I would do it all over again. Everything is worth it knowing that our idea came to life and users benefit from our service.”

For Castillo, what seemed like an endless process of trial and error during the initial stages of programming the NTU Campus Bot paid off when he managed to get it running.

“The best reward is knowing that my friends are using the chatbot to plan their study sessions around campus.”

Four other useful NTU-based Telegram channels and bots that will make your life easier Food eatNTU @eat_NTUbot This bot will provide you with the location of canteens, dishes offered at each stall and their prices. If you prefer to cook, the bot can also send you recipes based on the ingredients that you have.

Getting around NTU Maps Bot @ntumaps_bot With NTU Maps Bot, you can find your way around NTU easily. All you have to do is key in your current location and your destination, and the chatbot will show you the best route to take. It offers a route for walking, taking the campus bus and driving. You can also request for a weather forecast.

Health NTU Run Bot @NTURun_Bot Fitness enthusiasts will like this bot.

Select a starting point and key in the distance that you want to run, and the chatbot will plot a running route for you. It also provides a map and helps you to keep track of the time that has passed. The bot can even send you a random song that you can listen to while running.

Information The Nanyang Chronicle @nanyangchronicle If you think that it is troublesome to carry a physical newspaper around, The Nanyang Chronicle’s Telegram channel is here to help.

Receive links to the latest issue’s top stories and get up to speed with news around campus. You can also access our latest videos on the go.

From left: Founders of Telegram channel Food Amicis Tan Jun Xiang, Tan Yee Nern, Kevin Yu and Keh Zhao Xi. Students commonly place orders for bubble tea, economical bee hoon or nasi lemak through the channel.

PHOTO: EDWIN CHAN

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Campus commuter woes

3 1

4

2 During rush hour, commuters in NTU experience issues of low bus frequencies and overcrowded bus stops. Photo editor Theodore Lim explores the problems faced by passengers in the evenings AS THE Campus Loop-Red bus pulled in at the Innovation Centre, a throng of students attempted to board the bus, their bodies pushing against one another.

Daniel Lee, 23, tried to squeeze onto the bus, only to be rejected by the bus driver. He was nudged off the stairs of the bus, back into the waiting crowd at the bus stop.

“I bet the next bus will be bursting with people as well,” said the third-year student from the School of Humanities.

Lee’s experience has been shared by students and staff who take the bus around campus during

rush hour.

A survey conducted by the NTU Research Society (NTURS) earlier this year showed that more than half of its 680 respondents waited for the campus buses for more than 15 minutes in the evenings. This is three times longer than during offpeak hours.

Third-year School of Biological Sciences student Ngiam Jia Jun, 23, said the problem has not changed since he enrolled in NTU. “Late classes are still a chore for me to head home from, and it's frustrating to face packed buses after long days," he said.

5

1. Students queue for an oncoming Campus Loop-Red bus at the Innovation Centre bus stop. The stop is extremely busy from 5 to 7pm, and students usually find themselves jostling for standing space.

2. Most of the commuters on the campus buses are students heading back to their halls of residence after class. However, other buses such as the Campus Rider ferry a mix of students, faculty and staff to MRT stations outside of NTU. These buses are often packed as well.

3. Riders making way for others to board. Many students are unable to board the full buses during rush hour.

4. A pair of fortunate commuters who managed to get a seat on the Campus Loop-Blue bus. Students have to deal with full buses after long days at school.

5. Students secure their standing spots on a crowded bus 179 that will bring them out of campus.

Opinion EDITORIAL

burgers, in order to post aesthetic food pictures on social media.

“With hipster food, you target the millennials who are not loyal.

They will come once or twice, take a nice picture, post it on Instagram and they won’t come back,” said Mr KF Seetoh, founder of Makansutra.

By nominating our hawker culture for UNESCO’s list, I hope that the increased international recognition will inspire more hawkers to preserve and protect our traditional dishes.

Otherwise, even if the bid goes through in 2020, we will not have much of a culture left to protect.

Module review sites benefit students, if used fairly PLANNING one’s timetable at the start of every semester is no mean feat. NTU students have to sift through a wide variety of modules and pick those that will help them achieve their learning goals.

They also need to consider their extracurricular commitments and difficulty level of each module to decide whether to take on a heavy or light workload at school.

Module review websites like student-run NTUVibe could help to make this process easier.

Students can also look at a course’s assessment criteria on the platform before the instructor makes it available in the syllabus, and view its class schedules.

The website is timely as new programmes and courses are rolled out by the university every year, and there are no platforms where students can review them.

The National University of Singapore already has course review sites like NUSMods, and so does the Singapore Management University and Yale-NUS College.

Despite the benefits of a course review website, we must recognise the potential for misuse and take precautions to reduce it. Students may be emboldened by anonymity to leave hateful comments.

On the other hand, they may favour instructors who can build good rapport with students and leave positive comments for their courses without properly evaluating the course content.

For example, Rate My Professors, a controversial review site based in the United States, has

been reported to be skewed in favour of professors who teach courses that are easier to score in.

Review sites like NTUVibe should require students to disclose their names when they leave comments, since this would make them accountable for their words, said NTU professors.

But this might not be ideal, as students should be able to evaluate their modules honestly without fear of retribution.

Instead, website creators should come up with a comprehensive list of guidelines for users on the platform. “You cannot say that an instructor is biased”, “you must state at least one pro and con of the course”, and “you need to indicate the grade you received” — these are a few rules that could help to create a fair review system.

To be fair, the creators could also allow instructors to subscribe to the pages where their courses are reviewed, so they can comment on them. This would provide them the opportunity to address any misunderstandings.

Even with a healthy review system in place, we must be discerning when reading comments on a website like NTUVibe. We also have to talk to our peers and seniors, as well as read the course descriptions on official sources, to get a better sense of what we can expect in the modulew.

An online platform makes it easy to access module information and reviews on a single page, but it should not have the final say in our academic decisions.

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE CHIEF EDITOR

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

DIGITAL EDITOR

LAYOUT SUPERVISOR

DEPUTY CHIEF EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

PHOTO EDITOR

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

SUB-EDITORS

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BUSINESS MANAGERS

Gracia Lee Prisca Ang

Olivia Poh Neo Rong Wei

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Desiree Loh Alif Amsyar

Adeena Nagib

CHINESE EDITOR

Charlene Chua Theodore Lim Vanessa Tan Vinice Yeo

Tan Yu Jia

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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.

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Bring back our traditional fare graphic: belynda hoi

Sustaining our hawker culture, with or without UNESCO R W

Neo ong Sub-Editor

ei

IN SINGAPORE, our palates are pampered by ethnically diverse cuisines that are easily found in our hawker centres.

Hawker culture is an important part of our national identity — it gives us access to food from almost all our local communities. Hawker centres have become a collective space where all Singaporeans can come together to indulge in our favourite past-time ­­— eating.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that Singapore will nominate its hawker culture for the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage during his National Day Rally speech.

If the bid succeeds, Singapore’s hawker culture will join the ranks of some 400 cultural elements from more than 100 countries on the list.

The international recognition that follows will promote Singapore’s food and multicultural heritage, ensuring that this gets passed down to future generations, said PM Lee. However, a symbolic nomination such as this can save our hawker culture only if we can manage the problems facing the hawker trade.

Recipe for failure As the hawker trade’s workforce ages, it risks losing its authentic hawker recipes as there is a shortage of future talent to pass them to.

The median age of hawkers is about 59 years, significantly higher than the national labour force median age of 43 years, according to the Hawker Centre 3.0 Committee Report released in February last year.

Many hawkers like Mr Dai Derong, who has been in the handmade yam and radish cake

industry for almost five decades, have retired due poor health. The 82-year-old owned Ah Lo Cooked Food, a stall that used to open to snaking queues almost every day in Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre, Shin Min Daily News reported. He called it a day in 2016, without anyone taking over.

In response to the hawker trade’s talent shortage, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has introduced schemes, such as the Incubation Stall Programme (ISP), to attract more newcomers to the trade. The programme offers them a stall with basic equipment, at half its market rental fee, for a nonrenewable six-month period.

However, schemes like the ISP may be inadequate to encourage a long hawker career. Hawkers have little incentive to remain in the trade beyond the six-month period, as their start-up costs are low and they don’t have much to lose.

This may result in a high turnover among new hawkers, making the programme unsustainable.

Old is gold Another worrying trend is the growing number of non-traditional hawker food stalls.

There has been an increase in the number of “hipster” hawker centres such as the two-storey Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre. Its top floor is dedicated to non-traditional fare such as Korean fried chicken and fusion rice bowls, as compared to traditional dishes like har cheong gai and nasi briyani below.

Customers these days are also more mindful of food presentation.

They chase novelty trends, such as salted egg fries and gourmet

To protect our hawker culture, we must first change the mindset of our youth, who are losing sight of the significance of traditional hawker fare due to the ubiquity of air-conditioned and comfortable restaurants and cafes islandwide.

Historically, hawker food originated from the conglomeration of immigrants from other parts of Asia, such as India and China, who brought their food heritage to Singapore. The mix of different cuisines evolved into what we know today as our local fare.

For instance, the char kway teow we find in Singapore is distinctive to us. Teochew flat rice noodles and Hokkien yellow noodles are mixed during preparation due to strong influences from the dialect groups.

Such traditional dishes had their origins in the streets, before hawker centres were built in the 1970s to provide a clean environment for vendors and offer affordable food options to customers. The hawker culture was built by tenacious street vendors who were toiling over their woks and ingredients to make a living.

This heritage should be celebrated

by Singaporeans. To encourage this, NEA could show more support for the longstanding hawker businesses by offering more grants for the next generation that is taking over. Hawkers should also be allowed to hire non-Singaporeans or Permanent Residents (PR) to alleviate the labour crunch.

More importantly, a collective effort should be made to archive the histories of our local cuisine.

We should educate the public on how each hawker dish has evolved into something uniquely Singaporean over time, as this would help Singaporeans better appreciate our rich hawker culture.

When, and if, our traditional hawker culture is inducted into the UNESCO list come 2020, what follows should be increased recognition and pride for the trade. Even if the bid fails, Singaporeans should not take our unique hawker scene for granted.

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Fostering a loving environment Besides adoption, foster care is another way we can help vulnerable children Samantha Koh “PLEASE help me take care of my child, I can’t do it anymore.

Put him up for fostering,” said the woman on the line when I answered the enquiry hotline for the Fostering Scheme, a division under the Ministry of Social and Family Services (MSF).

Throughout my three-month stint as a publicity intern there, this was the first and only time someone requested for a child to be put up for fostering.

Adoption is commonly regarded as a “go-to” solution for married couples without children, who want to have children to look after.

But fostering provides an alternative to adoption, where parents can care for children who have been abused, neglected or have nobody to take care of them.

Compared to foster care, choosing to adopt a child can present more obstacles. Adoption agencies charge as high as $35,000 in fees, and applicants have to wait for at least five months for approval from court, according to MSF. In some cases, a home study report is needed to determine whether a family is ready to care for an adopted child.

This report costs $1,500 and takes months to complete.

"Although we cannot completely eradicate a child's hurt, we can still play an important part in their healing process."

Ms Joy Shuo, 39 Foster mother-of-four

On the other hand, fostering a child just requires applicants to go through an application process that takes roughly three months, including medical screenings and interviews with every member of the household.

Last year, adoption applicants declined from 731 in 2004 to 375 in 2017, while the number of foster parents went up from 198 in 2009 to 456 in 2017. This trend indicates that fostering may be gaining traction among adults in Singapore.

Foster care: an obvious solution?

Foster care is a temporary care arrangement for children below the age of 18, who live with their foster

graphic: clara toh

parents until it is possible to find a suitable arrangement in which they can be rehabilitated with their birth families.

Some of the reasons foster children come into care include abuse, neglect or abandonment. Their parents could also be in jail, unable to care for them due to financial limitations or have passed away.

Under MSF's Fostering Scheme, foster parents are then matched with these children based on their profile compatibility, which takes into account factors such as age, race and religious preferences.

If children cannot be matched, they will be placed in hospitals or children’s homes.

With a growing number of families recruited, more vulnerable children in Singapore have been able to grow up in a stable environment under MSF's Fostering Scheme. In 2017, there were 456 foster parents registered in Singapore, an 88 per cent increase from just five years ago, and an eight per cent growth from 2016, which saw 420 registered foster parents.

Older kids might fall through the cracks Despite the increase in the number of foster parents here, more than 150 families are still needed over the next few years to foster older children and teenagers, said Minister for Social and Family Devel-

opment Desmond Lee, during his speech at the launch of Foster Care Week in 2017.

In an article by The Straits Times last year, MSF stated that a majority of children in foster care are below the age of seven, with exact numbers undisclosed.

Since many foster families choose to care for younger instead of older children, many older children miss out on the chance to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment.

They should not be robbed of this opportunity just because of their age, and more people should be receptive to the idea of opening their homes to them.

“Quite contrary to common perception that older children and teenagers are harder to take care of and relate to, the experiences of our foster parents who have done so have shown that they can be independent and you can have meaningful interactions with them,” said Mr Lee.

Support at every step

Caring for a foster child is no mean feat. There are various costs and challenges involved, but these should not deter people from becoming a foster parent.

Families who are registered under MSF’s Fostering Scheme will receive a monthly allowance of S$936 or S$1,114 (for a child with special needs), which helps

to defray the cost of caring for a foster child.

A foster care officer will also be attached to every foster parent to provide guidance and support through phone calls and house visits.

This support structure helps to build a good relationship between the foster parents and children, who may take some time to adjust to their new environments.

Ultimately, foster parents have the power to change the children’s lives for the better by giving them a home worth coming back to.

In 2017, there were 456 foster parents registered here, an 88 per cent increase from just five years ago.

In a 2016 article by the The New Paper, Paul (not his real name), who was placed under the fostering scheme when he was 12 years old, said: “I think growing up in foster care has made me more compassionate and caring.”

“It has also made me kinder, in the sense that I want to help other people who are in need if I have the

ability to do so,” Paul, who is now 22, added.

Shaping the future

Foster parents also have the ability to provide a sense of family life and create good memories that will stay with the child.

A study conducted by the Ohio State University in 2004 found that children can beat most adults on a recognition memory test. However, the vividness of a child’s memory also means that bad memories from their past might continue to haunt them. Foster mother Ms Joy Shuo, 39, said that this makes the foster home even more important.

“Although we cannot completely eradicate a foster child’s hurt, we can play an important part in their healing process,” said Ms Shuo, a senior pastor, during an interview with online blog Mummyfique in January 2017.

Ms Shuo, who has four foster children, added: “I have discovered the power of showing them genuine care and concern, and providing words of affirmation.

These show them that they are valued as individuals.”

Being a foster parent is a difficult task, but not an impossible one.

More people should consider being foster parents, if they are eligible to take up the role, as they could make a huge impact in the life of a child.

VOL. NO.

25

OPINION

THE NANYANG

02 CHRONICLE

15

Nightclubs need to stand up against sexual assault Osmond Chia DESPITE efforts to prevent sexual assault in nightclubs, the number of molestation cases in these entertainment spots in Singapore has been growing.

In the first half of this year, there were 63 molestation cases in nightclubs, a 37 per cent increase from the same period last year, said the Singapore Police Force.

This trend is worrying, especially since nightclubs and the police have taken measures to lower these numbers. For instance, nightclubs have launched the “smart clubbing” campaign to educate patrons on protecting themselves against sexual assault. Club staff are also trained to identify drunk patrons who might pose a threat to others.

Nightclubs are designed with intimacy in mind and carry an inherent risk of sexual crimes.

Meanwhile, the police has displayed crime advisories and circulated videos on precautions against sexual assault. This is part of a campaign that it launched on 5 Sep, which is supported by the National Crime Prevention Council.

However, with the increase in the number of molestation cases in nightclubs, it is apparent that these measures are inadequate.

Nightclubs are also designed with intimacy in mind and carry an inherent risk of sexual crimes.

Designed for intimacy Nightclub patrons are usually required to dress for the occasion before they are granted entry, which encourages sexual attraction, said nightclub sociologist, Mr Yale Fox. Many clubs also try to ensure that there are more females than males, with an average ratio of three women to one man, as men often visit nightclubs to meet attractive women, according to Nightclubs as Research Labs, a study by Mr Fox. Upbeat music and dim lights help to create an intimate environment, encouraging the body to produce and release oxytocin, or the “love hormone”, into the bloodstream.

This hormone is also released during sexual intercourse, which creates feelings of lust and passion.

Higher levels of oxytocin also strengthen one’s desire for intimacy, which can increase an

graphic: kelley lim

individual’s tendency to perform indecent acts against someone else’s will, the same study found.

The architecture of a club, like its cramped rooms and corridors that reduce the space among patrons, does not help either.

The influence of alcohol When patrons visit nightclubs, alcohol disinhibits drinkers, and makes them less self-conscious.

Mr Fox’s study also explained that the part of our brain that guards basic instincts, like anger and sex, becomes less restrained under the influence of alcohol.

Molestation is wrong, whether or not there is drinking, loud music or dim lighting.

In the United States, 40 per cent of inmates incarcerated for violent offences were intoxicated at the time of their crime, said the American National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

If consumed excessively, alcohol can increase a person’s tendency to behave in a reckless manner, such as molesting, as well as other types of assault, in these venues.

reporting it to the police, checking on the victims, and spreading awareness of sexual crimes through healthy discourse on social media and other relevant channels.

We should not remain silent when we witness incidents of molestation or inappropriate behaviour.

Making clubs responsible

However, molestation is wrong, whether or not there is drinking, loud music or dim lighting.

Nonetheless, we should be aware of the risks associated with nightclubs, and take precautions against them.

We need to be wary of the company we keep in nightclubs, and we should visit them with trustworthy friends who can look out for our safety.

In addition, we should not remain silent when we witness incidents of molestation or inappropriate behaviour. We can do our part by

Nightclubs could make it easier for molestation victims to report inappropriate behaviour without fearing that managers would shrug them off.

Nightclubs also need to take more responsibility by proactively implementing measures, beyond existing initiatives, to prevent molestation and sexual assault from happening.

They need to take a firm stance against molestation by letting offenders know that they cannot get away with their actions.

For a start, they could make it easier for molestation victims to report inappropriate behaviour without fearing that nightclub managers will shrug them off.

Some American nightclubs have introduced “angel shots”, made popular by a bar in Florida. These shots allow club-goers to seek help efficiently and subtly.

In these nightclubs, “angel shots" can be ordered “neat”, “on the rocks”, or “paired with lime”. These are different codewords that let bartenders know that the club-goer is in danger.

The bartenders will then call for security to remove the person who is posing the threat.

Nightclubs could also have more surveillance cameras placed in noticeable spots around the venue.

These would serve as a deterrent to potential offenders and send a clear message that their actions are being monitored.

Clubs have a duty to create a safe culture that doesn't tolerate molestation or other forms of inappropriate behaviour.

The safety of customers should precede revenues and the number of patrons they attract onto the dance floor.

16 OPINION

THE NANYANG

25

VOL. NO.

CHRONICLE 02

Refugees are more than just a liability for their host countries Nations High Commissioner for Refugees — is taking place in Myanmar, which is only a threehour plane ride from Singapore. Its close proximity raises the question of whether Singapore should pay more attention and offer aid to help to mitigate the crisis.

Boon to the economy

graphic: belynda hoi

Wong Wing Lum HUNDREDS cramped into a tiny, unseaworthy boat, and children living in the streets — these images used to come to mind when I imagined a refugee’s life.

However, a three-month volunteering stint at a refugee centre in Munich made me realise that there is more to refugees than what is portrayed by the media.

Across the world, refugees have evoked different reactions from residents and governments of their host countries.

Media outlets also play an important role in shaping public perception of refugees, found a 2016 study published in the

International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research.

While reactions differ, attitudes towards refugees have been largely negative.

A 2016 survey conducted by the Pew Research Centre found that 59 per cent of Europeans polled saw refugees as a threat to national security and a financial burden to their host countries.

Some countries, like Singapore, have decided not to accept refugees. In 2016, The Ministry of Home Affairs cited resource limitations and internal security concerns as some of the reasons for this decision, reported The Straits Times.

Today, the Rohingya crisis — the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis according to the United

Despite mainstream media’s bleak representation of refugees, these individuals actually contribute positively to their host countries’ economies, according to a report by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in 2017.

Although they may be financially burdensome at the beginning due to the administrative procedures and security checks that must be put in place to receive them, they could contribute meaningfully to their host countries’ economies if they are given opportunities to rebuild their lives.

A 2017 paper by America’s National Bureau of Economic Research showed that refugees who arrived in the US as adults, between 2010 to 2014, paid an average of US$21,000 (S$29,000) more in taxes than the amount they received from the US government through welfare benefits and integration costs.

Reinforcing positive values Beyond a positive financial impact, the influx of refugees has encouraged values such as empathy, tolerance and multiculturalism among citizens.

This is evident from how people are taking a stand against hateful speech and actions towards refugees, which have increased in the past few years.

Despite an increase in attacks on new immigrants — Germany in 2016 reported a triple-fold increase from 2015 — and antiimmigrant rhetoric from far-right politicians, more people have been standing up and showing support for refugees.

Earlier in September, some 10,000 counter-protesters took to the streets of Hamburg to show their support for refugees, upstaging a group of 178 antirefugee protesters.

This group of counter-protesters carried banners that had messages such as “Hate is not an alternative”, according to Germany-based DW news.

This was one of many instances in which thousands of people participated in pro-refugee rallies across Europe, according to a report from The Straits Times in 2016.

Closer to home, there have also been protests against Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingyas.

These protests took place in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia in September last year, according to CNN.

Why should we care?

Even though the Rohingya crisis is in ASEAN territory, there is a lack of awareness among Singaporeans about the situation, said Member

of Parliament Louis Ng after his visit to a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Staying in one’s own bubble of apathy can harm the social cohesion of Singapore’s multiracial and multicultural society in the future, a study by the Institute of Policy Studies last year found.

In addition to the indifference towards global influences, the same study found that this group was less likely to participate in their own customs and had no participation in the customs of other races.

Speaking at a forum in July, Communications and Information Minister S. Iswaran emphasised the importance of being “immersed in a diverse everyday environment” and to “remain curious about each other's cultures”.

He added: “We must also be prepared to take a stand against behaviour that is disrespectful to other cultures.”

Singaporeans should recognise that the refugee crisis is a global responsibility, and refugees are more than liabilities for their host countries. Rather, they can benefit their new home countries, if they are given the chance to do so.

During my stint at the refugee centre, I met a 16-year-old refugee who took from his own savings to treat some 20 people to ice cream, despite having so little.

The touching gesture made me realise that it is time for us to step out of our bubbles and choose to care about others.

Building a better NTUSU through student engagement Alan Yuen ON 17 AUG, a student published an NTU Confessions post on Facebook that criticised the NTU Students’ Union (NTUSU).

The post said that the Union failed to upload their meeting minutes since the start of the year, adding that a lack of accountability on a simple task pointed to the Union’s failure to uphold its broader duties to promote students’ interests.

NTUSU issued an apology the next day, promising greater accountability and transparency.

This is only the first step the NTUSU can take towards building a strong relationship with NTU students. Beyond ensuring that students are aware of its activities, the Union should engage the student body more proactively.

Firstly, the Union needs to address the apathy of students and their lack of awareness about what the NTUSU does.

It is difficult for the Union to connect meaningfully with students who are unaware of how it can help them. It also

prevents constructive dialogue, as students do not know about the communication channels they can use to give feedback to the Union.

As a result, they might take to social media to leave angry comments when they are dissatisfied with the Union.

Small changes, big impact Nonetheless, it would be unfair to say that the Students’ Union has done little for the student body.

Last year, the Union successfully petitioned to add a bus stop at Hall 11 for the Campus Red line. Before that, the bus stop was serviced only by public buses.

The new bus stop reduced travel times to the Hive by about 20 minutes for residents of Hall 11 and the North Hill halls.

The petition to add the new bus stop drew more than 200 signatures.

The university then approved the recommendation and added the hall's bus stop into the route.

This shows that the Union has the potential to be a powerful voice of the students.

Student unions in the UK

There is satisfaction when students feel that they have a part to play in improving their university experience. We can take a page out of the University of Sheffield’s book to see how this is done.

The University of Sheffield has a student union that was voted first at the national level for the tenth consecutive year.

Students can visit their union’s website to post ideas on how university life can be improved.

They can look at proposals made by other students, and like or dislike various ideas on the website.

If an idea gets more than 25 likes, a Union officer will be tasked to introduce it. These ideas run the gamut from offering discounts for people who bring reusable cups at drink stores to making disabled toilet signs more inclusive.

The latter idea asked for the commonly used wheelchair symbol sign to be replaced so that people with invisible disabilities, such as anxiety disorders, can use the toilet without judgement.

graphic: belynda hoi

A better conversation

At NTU, the Union also engages students to understand their concerns and needs, albeit in a different way from Sheffield — through closed-door focus groups and surveys. But these efforts do not encourage large-scale participation from students.

The Union should therefore consider crowdsourcing ideas on platforms with a wider reach.

They must also act on these ideas, as students will only share their thoughts if they feel that this will actually make a difference.

Currently, the NTUSU mainly communicates with the student body through U-Chat, a series

of dialogue sessions held on Facebook every semester for a few days. It needs to hold more frequent conversations with students, even when U-Chat is over.

The Union should also regularly update students about initiatives implemented or in the works — through monthly newsletters, for example — so that students can have a better understanding of its achievements.

Students should have a voice in improving their university life.

The NTU Students’ Union needs to do more to let students recognise this, and encourage them to be a part of the conversation.

考试解压法宝，就在南大 ­— 刊18页

新闻

南大社团愿意加入领导层的人数每况愈下 卓思恬 / 朴利彬 报道

当

前，许多南大社团与宿 舍执委团 (Junior Common Room Committee)在新学期里面对 着越来越少人愿意担任领导或 筹委的窘境。 记者采访的 11 个团体中，有 9个正面临这棘手的问题。一些 团体中不仅是领导层，整体都 有参与率降低的现象。 社会科学院的四年级生庄咏 伦（25岁）是南洋理工大学时 事社团的前任副主席，也是现 任的社交媒体总监。他指出， 该社团的执委流失率偏高。在 2017-2018学年年末，原有20人 的执委团只剩下8人。 现任中文学会总务、人文学 院二年级生李政辉（20岁）也 说中文学会正面临竞选执委人 数减少的问题。他是目前中文 学会唯一的总务人选，而多数 执委都是“没有竞争就自动入 选的”。 南洋第1学生宿舍刚卸任的迎 新活动主席、南洋商学院二年 级生郑昱钦（23岁）表示，该 宿舍近年来缺乏具备领导才能 与素质的人选。他说，“我们 想确保重任是托付给正确的人 选，能持续地带领团队，打造 宿舍文化。”

学业负担导致时间不足 南大学生会今年3月份进行的问 卷调查（NTU Student Union Hall Allocation Survey）中，56.8% 的受访者表示不参与社团活动 的理由是因为担心无法兼顾学 业，也有29.5%的受访者表示没 有参与任何社团活动。 社会科学院的四年级生陈俊 玮（25岁）现任南洋理工大学 时事社团的副主席，他说，参 与领导层必须牺牲时间，有人 是学业繁忙，有的则是有其他 职务在身而不愿加入。 去年参与了第2学生宿舍筹委 团电子与电机工程学院二年级 生赵明轩（19岁）说，“加入 团队是个意外，其实自己并不

是很想参与，只因当时没有什 么竞争而轻易入选。” 他坦言，参与宿舍活动需要 付出很多时间，尤其彩排表演 的时候。有时会忙到晚上十一 二点，若是隔天有考试或者要 交作业就会比较累。因为难以 兼顾学业，赵同学不再继续参 与宿舍活动。

社团外的活动更有益处 南大前任韩语社团副理事长的 南洋商学院二年级生孙绮雯 （22岁）表示，她当初虽有机 会升职为副社长，但她依旧选 择退出社团委员会。 她说，“我不愿把自己限制 在社团活动内。除了校内社团 外，还有很多其他途径能够给 予我培养领导能力的机会。” 孙同学也表示，与其加入社 团，她宁可在与她所研读的科 系相关的领域内兼职工作。如 此一来，既可提高领导能力， 也能赚取收益，达到一箭双雕 的效果。 南大前任跆拳道委员四年级 生陈杰豪（23岁）说，“我虽 热爱跆拳道，也曾踊跃参与社 团活动，但开始在校外加入跆 拳道培训班后，才意识到我可 在专业培训班接受更完善的教 导，所以最后退出了社团。”

宿舍分数不再激励学生 去年8月份开始，大一与大二学 生自动获得入住宿舍的权益。 两年以来校园内新建的6座宿 舍也让更多学生有机会入住宿 舍。曾举足轻重的社团活动分 数不再是学生能否入住宿舍的 决定性因素。 社会科学院的二年级生苏伟 晏（24岁）是第5学生宿舍执委 团的主席。他说，“当宿舍分 数不再重要，越来越少人参与 宿舍活动时，能从中挑选的领 袖就更少了。” 南大妆艺大游行主席，化学 与生物医学工程学院四年级生 杨舒菀（22岁）也表示这一两 年来参与活动的人数有减少的 趋势。她说，“现在宿舍更多

南大生因为学业繁重及宿舍分数不要紧等因素，拒绝申请加入社团领导。 即更容易得到，大家少了参加 活动的动机。” 社会科学院二年级生李彤惠 （20岁）没有参加任何校内社 团。她说：“见证自己虽不够 宿舍分数但仍然能够待在原有 的宿舍，我并不担心明年将得 不到住宿的机会。” 针对此现象，南洋理工大学 住宿与后勤服务处（Office of Housing and Auxiliary Services）发 言人表示，当局有定期与各宿 舍执委团及学生社团的代表检 讨住宿政策。

培养因兴趣而参与的领袖 几位受访者表示，分数不应该 是参与领导职位的主要动力。 南洋商学院三年级生何声祥 （24岁）曾任南大创业社团主 席，他表示，自己成为主席不 是为了分数，而是对该社团真 的有兴趣。 南大文化与艺术协会的南 洋艺术节主席，社会科学院二 年级生陈应许（23岁）说，自 己不需宿舍分数，成为领导是 因他想为团队尽一份力量。他 说，最大的收获是能以不同的 角度看事情，更了解学校与学 生的需求。

该团体的大部分领导都是从 有经验的大二或大三学生中选 出，若要解决领导者不足的问 题，受访者表示必须从增加参 与率着手。与新生接触最多的 学长们能带动社团的文化，激 励学生加入领导层。 苏同学说，学长们须让学 弟 妹们知道宿舍活动缺乏参与 者问题来一起解决。郑同学也 说，刚入住的新生与领导接触 有限，因此受新生们信任的学 长应多鼓励新生参与社团。 社团内良好的继承规划也是 增加领导层参与率的方法。电 子电机工程学院三年级生洪俊 杰（22岁）是南大学生会理事 会的前届执行委员。他说，虽 然愿意加入附属委员会的人数 少了，但参与执行委员的人数 不受影响。由于主席会亲自挑 选并与领导层的候选人面谈， 因此学生会不缺少领导人选。 助理副教务长(学生生活)杨全 胜副教授表示，学生们能从社 团中获得的好处远超过分数本 身，学习的技能如领导能力与 团队合作将使学生们在未来的 职场上更具竞争力。杨先生也 指出，过去两年来学生活动的 领导参与率仍然良好。

插图：卓恩慈

In summary Fewer people are taking up leadership roles in NTU’s co-curricular activities (CCAs). Of the 11 student clubs and Junior Common Room Committees in the Halls of Residence that the Nanyang Chronicle spoke to, nine are experiencing such problems.

Reasons for the decline include student concerns over the need to balance club responsibilities with their studies, and the offer of more learning opportunities outside of school, like through internships.

Guaranteed hall stays for their first two years have also reduced the students’ desire to accumulate more CCA points.

Student leaders who have stepped up say they do it out of passion and have acquired many new skills while on the job.

They urge senior students to do more to encourage and empower their juniors to become student leaders, such as by individually persuading potential candidates to take on the leadership roles and helping them learn the ropes.

18-19

超级解压：校园内 中期考试即将来临，也代表着学生正要面对更多来袭的压力。如果不及时处理，过度压力会对学生的精神、情绪 及身体方面造成损害。缓解压力不必走远，在南大校园里就有解压活动，易于你照顾身心健康。陈纬铨 / 报道

到李伟南图书馆 休息舱睡午觉

刚刚安置的休息舱让学生在考试筹备期间感觉疲惫的时候，能在里面休息30分钟。

图片：林澤立

学生熬夜复习功课、没有足够 的睡眠、在课堂上不停地打瞌 睡，是考试期间的普遍现象 。 学生们在午餐时间决定休息 的地方时，有了新的选择。 李伟南图书馆装置了新的休 息舱，让疲倦学生补足睡眠。 美国睡眠科学家萨拉·梅德 尼克医生（Dr Sara Mednick） 说，10到20分钟的小睡足以激 增警觉性。学生们在休息舱休 息的时间只限于30分钟，足以 让学生充足体力。 休息舱的预定额常爆满，有 意者该尽快上网预约。 硕士生和研究生也可选择到 靠近食堂一的云南角落（Yunnan Corner）提供的 “静思处” 歇 息一会。

“休息舱像是个安全 的庇护所。除了睡午 觉，学生们也可以在 舱里冥想或沉醉在寂 静里。” 马韶康（24岁） 博雅英才工程课程四年级生

地点：李伟南图书馆 （北区活动大楼） 开放时间：从上午八点 半到晚上九点半

“吃吃喝喝买买· 活出健康”活动 有些学生感到压力、疲倦时过 多饮用不健康的零食。 美国神经科学家艾米·赖 克海特医生（Dr Amy Reichelt） 说，常吃不健康的食物则会导 致营养不足，影响大脑的思维 能力。 若学生们对于较健康饮食习 惯没有动力，保健促进局的“ 吃吃喝喝买买·活出健康”活 动（Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge ）会鼓励学生们培养较健 康的生活方式。 学生们若选择含有“较健康 选择”（Healthier Choice）标志 的产品，可通过收据上的 QR 码 领取积分，用积分到指定商店 换取赠品。

“累积保健分可以 兑现通联电子代金券 （TransitLink e-voucher）。喝乌龙珍珠奶 茶时少加糖份，既健 康又能省钱，这是双 赢的局面。 ” 吕培惠（20岁） 生物科学学院二年级生

地点： 南大共有八家零售商参与这项活动：食堂一、 食堂二、各一杯（(Each a Cup),）、The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf,、7-Eleven,、Subway, Mr Bean及哩喝（LiHO） 活动期间：截止于10月26日 顾客可通过购买较健康的饮食，例如少或无糖份的珍珠奶茶，累计保健分换取赠品。

图片：林澤立

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CHRONICLE 02

四种趣味解压活动 到南大社区芳草 园散散心 在南大的水泥森林中，难免会 感到紧张和劳累。时不时接触 大自然或许能寻回心中的宁静。 南大中的社区芳草园（ Community Herb Garden）由一小群志 愿者于2009年成立，是南大校 园内不常闻听的公共绿地之一。 绿意盎然的小山丘上种满了 一排排的草药和植物。芳草园 景色优美，人迹罕至，别有洞 天。参观者也可以带回一些免 费草药样品，供自己使用。 美国罗彻斯特大学 2010 年的 一项研究指出，到大自然中散 步时能够呼吸新鲜空气，使神 经细胞得到更多营养，帮助心 理紧张和压力过度的人放松。 与大自然接触不仅能够消除 疲劳，也能够提高学习效率。 欲知更多详情，请游览社区 芳草园的面簿网站：https://www. facebook.com/NTUHerbGarden/

优美的社区芳草园不仅是散心的去处，也是南大中医部门种植及研究草药的地方。

“学生遇到考试的 时候会熬夜，睡眠不 够，会影响到情绪。 我们可以用绞股蓝， 让学生们安眠，好好 地睡。” 黄劲铨（67岁） 芳草园创办人

地点：南大惹兰巴哈 （Jalan Bahar）出口处 开放时间：每逢周一、 三和五，上午九点至下 午四点开放给公众参观

图片：林澤立

参加 The Wave 免费健身班 运动会帮助提振精神，纾解压 力。然而，自己一个人运动往 往会缺乏动力。 南大体育与休闲中心（Sports and Recreation Centre）实行 Healthy Campus @ NTU 计划，为 南大社群举办一系列免费的健 身活动，鼓励大家多运动。 喜欢刺激运动者可选择 Piloxing 健身班。这健身操融合了普 拉提（Pilates）、拳击和舞蹈， 不停地锻炼心脏，近期成为个 较流行的运动方式。快速的音 乐节奏可激发情感，就算不喜 欢运动，学生们也会跟着节奏 一起舞动。 喜欢较宁静的锻炼方式的人 则可选择参与瑜伽班。美国波 士顿大学 2010 年的研究显示， 习练瑜伽体式和呼吸控制法会 放松身心，舒缓心情，有效消 除抑郁情绪。 健身班每四周更换样式。 由于场地限制，有意者该尽快 到 http://www.ntu.edu.sg/events/ events/Pages/Healthy-Campus@ NTU.aspx 报名。

“这些健身班无需付 费，又在校园内，学 生们可以趁机舒缓压 力，保持健康。” 姚思安（20岁） 黄金辉传播与信息学院三年 级生 曾参与KPOPX Fitness健身班

地点： The Wave 二楼 活动时间：每逢周二和 三傍晚六点半至七点半

参加瑜伽班的学生在健身活动开始之前进行伸展暖身。

图片：陈勇智

In summary 文章内容仅供参考，不构成医 疗建议。学生如果感觉到过度 压力的现象，应向学生福利中 心（University Wellbeing Centre） 寻求专业援助。

This article offers ways to destress on campus this midterm season, including taking a nap at the sleeping pod at Lee Wee Nam Library, eating healthier while earning rewards with the “Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge”, stretching out stiff muscles at the fitness classes offered at The Wave, and taking a leisurely stroll at the Community Herb Garden at the Jalan Bahar exit.

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CHRONICLE 02 言论

重新思考义工旅行的意义 你

今年的义工旅行，并没有 在帮助任何人。这是美国 Nowthis 媒体8月所发布的一则关 于义工旅行(voluntourism)视频里 的第一句话。说这句话的是国 际人道组织Warchild的创办人萨 曼莎·纳特 (Samantha Nutt)。她 以20年在人道组织累积的经验 告诉观众藏在“义工旅行”光 环后的种种弊端。 近年来，这种旅行方式在年 轻人群中持续盛行。据联合国 世界旅游组织(UNWTO)报告，负 责任及可持续的旅游将是未来 10年的趋势，“义工旅行”常 被归纳其中。 根据助理副教务长(学生生活) 杨全胜副教授，这五年以来， 我校每年平均有670名学生参与 海外义工活动，东南亚国家是 较受欢迎的目的地。 许多大学生也正满怀期待地 策划年末或来年的义工旅行。 出发前，我们有必要重新思考 义工旅行的意义。 根据APEC调查，78% 受访者 认为义工旅行对当地经济发展 有贡献，69%也认为它给当地社 群正面的影响。 数理科学院的四年级生雯同 学（译名，21岁）三年来每年 持续参与南大扶轮服务团 (NTU

Rotaract Club)到缅甸一所学校长

达两周的服务。她说，团队带 给了孩子们学习电脑的机会， 让他们对科技有了基础的认识。 参与了国际经济商学学生会 （ AIESEC ）教学项目的材料科 学与工程学院四年级生陈仕安 （23岁）也说，能有个来自外 国的英文老师对学生而言是一 种特别的体验，有助于培养学 生的世界观。 然而，义工旅行并非是完全 正面的。包括在本校营业的旅 行社，许多旅行社皆推出短期 的义工旅行配套。在一些志愿 教师配套中，教学时间之短叫

插图：卓恩慈 人质疑活动的实际作用。宣传 单张上，“体验乡区生活” 以 及 “保证获得成就感”等字眼 更明显地说明，配套的服务对 象不是当地的社群，而是付钱 旅行的义工。 数理科学院的四年级生林义 善（25岁）参与了在泰国的教 学项目后表示，收获最大的不 是当地人，而是义工本身。 一批批义工们带着丰富的回 忆与教学体验回家，但是当地 的孩子们在教师不停轮替的教 学环境中, 到底又获益多少？就 不得而知了。 更甚的是，孤儿院的义工旅

行活动让孩子成了“被参观” 的受害者。他们的贫穷或“可 怜的身世”被当成卖点来吸引 义工旅客，有者更出于同情心 给了大量的捐款。殊不知，义 工的爱心捐款却全全落入孤儿 院负责人的口袋里。 2016年澳大利亚广播公司 揭露，尼泊尔的不法之徒为赚 取捐款，故意不改善孤儿院的 环境，甚至诱拐儿童来充当孤 儿。半岛电视台( Al_Jazeera )也 报导，因为义工旅游业持续发 展，导致柬埔寨孤儿院的孩子 不仅无法摆脱贫困，还发生了 性暴力与虐待事件。 义工旅行的影响好坏大小， 很大程度上取决于义工的态度。 参与此活动前，我们应先审视 自己的心态与动机。义工和旅 行，何者在先，何者在后是要 按良心去取舍的。 义工也应谨慎挑选要加入的 团队，出发前试图了解当地社 会。旅途后，义工可主动定期 捐赠给在前线服务的团体，并 计划到当地进行较长期的服务。 授人以鱼不如授人以渔，若 要真正协助当地学校与社会， 培训当地人是更有效的方式。 义工团体可与当地人保持联 络，多投资于培训当地人，给

予可持续的实际帮助。 有意参与义工旅行的学生 应该认真思索此行的意义。毕 竟，义工旅行不只是自己的一 件小事，它可能影响着许多家 庭，一间学校甚至一个社群的 未来。（文 / 卓思恬）

In summary “Voluntourism”, or volunteering while travelling, has become has become increasingly popular with youths.

Although done with good intentions, some claim that it does not benefit他the host community in the long run, but rather gives volunteers a false sense of achievement. Some agencies even deliberately keep children in squalid conditions to continue soliciting donations.

This opinion piece calls students to consider the meaning of voluntourism carefully before engaging in it.

Volunteers should research about host communities before the trip, join more long-term projects, and teach local communities the skills they need to thrive on their own.

娱乐

穿插叙述三条故事线 阐明世间因果的复杂

图片：reelrundown

作

为神鬼题材的电影拥护 者，喜欢的是，真实中夹 杂着虚构，严肃中带有点滑稽 的剧情。

若只是把它当一般强档电影来 看，它会是一部 “戏肉扎实” 、拍摄细腻的影片。 有别于第一部直线叙述， 《与神同行2:_终极审判》通 过三条故事线，交叉叙述世间 错综复杂的因果关系。去者必 返，使者在世时的经历，拿来 和1000年后的冤死士兵金秀鸿 的人生做连接，从中让彼此放 下和原谅。 《与2》主要延续第一部的 剧情，以揭开冤死士兵金秀鸿 冤死秘密为主线。使者们同时 得顺利让这位“贵人”顺利投 胎，方可让自己完成任务，也 得以转世。间中，却意外揭露 使者们1000年前的前世过去。 原来，阴间三使者的前世 关系竟是敌人，唯有江林公子 （河正宇饰）保留前世记忆， 解怨脉（朱智勋饰）与李德春 （金香起饰）的记忆被删除。

满怀自责与内疚的江林公子 要如何向自己的副手们揭露出 不堪的过去，以及如何得到他 们的原谅，是电影的亮点之一。 导演采取跳剪的方式，穿插 主副线的叙述，刻意让人在观 看时感觉错乱。虽然有些观众 看了一头雾水，但实际上，正 是导演利用剪辑反映人生复杂 性的结果。 剧情和台词的铺排更道出许 多人生中的无奈，尤其冤死士 兵不断说着“我不想转世”的 话语，说明生死从来不在自己 掌握之中。 这是否表示人类就该接受自 己的宿命，无法改变自己的命 运？未必如此，电影里不断提 醒观众“不要到临死前，才想 去做活着就应该做的事”，还 有“唯有鼓起勇气道歉，才得 到真心的原谅”，都在提醒世 人积极面对人生，并且勇于认

错，或能改变自己日后的命运。 电影更利用战争及冲突的片 段，带出许多人种下的“因” 都源自于一己之贪念，或是权 力或是欲望，让人需为接下来 的后“果”负责。 沉重的生死、因果循环题 材，也不时融入一些无厘头笑 料。导演刻意将一些微小细节 喜剧化的软化处理，让人不至 于144分钟都处于紧绷状态。 整体而言，第二部比起之前 少了紧张让人不小心会抛掷爆 米花的时刻，多了更多催泪发 人深省的桥段。 大学生或可把电影作为即将 毕业或踏入社会的事前提醒。 之后凡走出的每一步，都必须 深思谨慎。否则，自身将承担 连带严重的后果。而当犯错 时，或应勇于承担错误，才可 避免在离开人世之时，留下遗 憾。（文 / 林国豪）

In summary Along with the Gods 2: The Last 49 Days is the sequel to the hugely popular 2017 film Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds.

In this film, deceased soldier Su-hong tries to discover if he has died unavenged, with the help of three afterlife guardians.

It is also the final mission for the three guardians before reincarnation. In the process, the guardians unveil more secrets behind their previous lives.

This film is more thought provoking than thrilling. It prompts us to seize the day, leave no regrets, and be courageous enough to apologize.

A sombre film with a compelling plot that prompts reflection, you’ll need tissues for this one.

Sports

Asian Games: The highs and lows

Pang Ka Hoe, 23, played against Indonesia, Thailand and India in squash.

PHOTO: SINGAPORE NATIONAL OLYMPIC COUNCIL

Nurul Shafiqah Bte Mohd Saiful, 24, won Singapore’s first bronze medal for pencak silat.

NTU-Asiad athletes recount their hits and misses from the 2018 Asian Games Rachel Chiu FIVE NTU athletes gave their all at the 2018 Asian Games, which spanned over three weeks from 18 Aug to 2 Sep in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.

They were part of the 246 Team Singapore athletes who competed in 22 sports. Singapore bagged four gold, four silver and 14 bronze medals and ranked 18th, three spots down from its placing in the 2014 Asian Games.

One of the five NTU athletes who competed in the Games is water polo player Chow Jing Lun, 24, a thirdyear student from the School of Materials Science and Engineering, whose team finished in 6th place behind South Korea.

Another is fencer Kevin Jerrold Chan, 20, a second-year student from Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, who competed in the men’s individual foil event. He fell short of four points in the quarter-finals against China.

Squashing adversity Singapore sent its first ever squash team to the Asian Games this year.

They came in third in the group stage and scored a tie with Japan for fifth place in the men’s team event.

Pang Ka Hoe, a second-year student from Nanyang Business School, was part of the four-men squash team.

“Our target for this competition was to place fifth or sixth overall, so we are very proud to have achieved that,” said Pang.

The 23-year-old, who also competed in last year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, said he was initially nervous as this competition was the “most prestigious event” he had ever represented Singapore in.

“The first match was the most nerve-racking and it only took me till the second match to completely shake it off,” he said.

Pang also had to deal with food poisoning, which struck him just a few hours before his fourth group stage match against Indonesia. Despite this, he pushed through the game and his team eventually won 3-0.

“It was a much harder fight than it should have been because we were physically weaker than usual.”

The team also went on to beat Qatar, which was seeded sixth in the world — one place above Singapore — with a score of 2-1.

“We were so happy to win against Qatar… because they were expected to rank better than us. But we managed to defeat expectations by watching our opponent’s matches carefully and learning from our previous matches against them,” Pang said.

Pang believes that a resilient mindset is crucial to the game. He saw the grit and tenacity of the Malaysian players in the finals as they fought against Hong Kong, who were ranked top at the time. Malaysia clinched the gold.

“I believe that if you want anything badly enough, even if you have lesser experience or aren’t as good skillswise, sheer passion can get you anywhere,” Pang said.

He hopes to be a national champion one day, but acknowledged that he

PHOTO: RICHARD SEOW

must work harder.

“I believe that having the hunger and a single-minded drive to win is something that Singapore can learn from our foreign opponents,” said Pang. “This is important if we want to be number one.”

Kicking through the pain Final-year Sports Science and Management (SSM) student Nurul Shafiqah Bte Mohd Saiful, 24, played through a knee injury in the women’s Class B 50 to 55 kilogramme category and won Singapore’s first bronze medal in pencak silat.

Pencak silat is an Indonesian martial art that consists of an individual combat event and performance events competed in teams of two or three.

The sport debuted in this year’s Asian Games, with Singapore being one of the 16 nations to compete in the sport.

During her quarter-final match against Iran, Shafiqah tore a ligament on the inner side of her left knee after her opponent tackled her.

“It was demoralising… but I thought about all the sacrifices, hard work and years of training (I had put in) and I really wanted to win,” she said.

“I kept thinking that if I managed to overcome this and pull through, the win would be much sweeter as well,” she added.

She pressed on with the help of painkillers and eventually won 5-0, allowing her to advance to the semifinals against Vietnam.

However, the match ended 4-1 to Vietnam, and Shafiqah finished jointthird with Laos.

Shafiqah, who has been practising pencak silat for 18 years, attributes

Archer Ang Han Teng, 26, competed in the men’s team compound event.

PHOTO: ARCHERY ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE

her passion for the sport to her brother and sister, who are her teammates in the national team. She counts her sister as her closest teammate.

“I share most things with her and she’s who I turn to when I need help, because she relates to everything, from matters at home to training,” said Shafiqah.

Looking forward, Shafiqah hopes to focus on rehabilitating her ligament injury so that she can compete in the World Championships held in Singapore in December.

“I’ve been to many World Championships and I’ve never gotten above a bronze so getting a higher ranking than bronze would be my goal,” she said.

Aiming straight Final-year SSM student Ang Han Teng, one of the nine Singaporean archers who competed in the Games, struggled to keep his nerves under control during the mixed team compound qualification rounds.

The 26-year-old, who competed in last year’s SEA Games, also sustained a shoulder injury a week before the Games.

He said: “I missed one of the first

six arrows and it affected my morale and performance.”

“I was beyond disappointed because I felt like I could have done so much better,” said Ang, who fell short of qualifying for the mixed team compound event.

However, he qualified for the men’s team compound event. Singapore eventually came in 14th place, finishing above Qatar and Mongolia.

“I’m not going to dwell on my past performance. It’s healthier to learn as much as I can from the Games and to look ahead,” he said.

Looking forward, Ang hopes to qualify for next year’s SEA Games in Manila, Philippines. He also hopes to match up to South Korea one day, which has been an archery powerhouse since the 9th Asian Games in 1982.

“I plan to stay injury-free and work on getting my shoulder strength back,” he said.

The archer also wants to regain his confidence.

“It’s easy to get distracted or demoralised but I have to remember that for me, I just need to focus on my arrow and the target.”

22-23 SPORTS

The price to play

Some sports demand significant financial investment, with expensive equipment and competition fees.

Jill Marianne Arul speaks to four NTU athletes about how they work around the steep prices

Jolene Lee competes for Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre in Singapore and Malaysia.

SINCE Jolene Lee, 23, started horseriding 15 years ago, her family has invested more than $170,000 into the sport, with the bulk of the cost coming from buying and taking care of a horse.

While riding equipment like boots, pants and jackets can cost about $200 in total, horses cost much more. Lee bought her first horse, a Thoroughbred, for $30,000 ten years ago.

She kept it in Malaysia as its horseshoe care, dental and veterinary bills cost about $900 there, which was much cheaper than the $2,500 she would have to fork out in Singapore.

A costly ride

In Singapore, the price of a horse can range from $5,000 to $100,000, and this varies with the horses’ breed, pedigree and competitive experience.

The final-year Sports Science and Management (SSM) student, who has competed for local stable Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre here and in Malaysia, said having a skilled horse with a strong winning record gives riders a big advantage over a less experienced horse.

But these experienced horses can command up to a six-figure sum.

“In Malaysia, people have million-dollar horses. They can be a very new rider, but with a horse like that, nobody can touch them

(in competitions),” Lee said, adding that these horses can complete more complex obstacles.

To save costs, Lee decided not to buy another horse after her first horse died. Instead, she trains with different horses from the stable and leases a horse three months before a competition to train with it. This way, it costs about only $900 a month.

“Each horse I train with is different but there’s always something new to learn from each of them,” said Lee.

Golfing across shores

Athletes also work around costs by training in neighbouring countries.

One of them is Leong Peng Mun, a second-year Nanyang Business School student, who started playing golf when he was 12.

The 22-year-old often heads to Malaysia and Indonesia for recreational golf trips. The price to play overseas is cheaper, even after including the cost of ferry travel, he said.

It was only when Leong entered university that he began competing in Singapore, as NTU provided some subsidies to lower the costs.

The NTU Golf Club, which Leong is a member of, provides discounted rates for a year’s worth of lessons and events at the Warren Golf and Country Club.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOLENE LEE

For golf, a full set of 13 clubs costs an average of $3,500. Leong works around these costs by using a beginner golf set that is a third of the price. He has modified some clubs by replacing the head or the shaft, which cost him about $1,000.

“In Malaysia, people have million-dollar horses. They can be a very new rider, but with a horse like that, nobody can touch them (in competitions).”

Jolene Lee, 23 Final-year student Sports Science and Management

“My favourite thing about golf is the constantly changing environmental conditions of the course — the grass, the wind, and the flexibility of your body can change,” said Leong. “But it teaches you to be patient and to adapt.”

Second-hand cycling

When ex-triathlete Tan Jia Yu, 26, started out in the sport, he had to fork out $5,000 for his first

Leong Peng Mun practising at the Warren Golf Driving Range.

PHOTO: JOEL CHAN

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CHRONICLE 02

Starting prices Football Price of equipment: $80 Price of one lesson: $4 at ActiveSG Football Academy

Timothy Sim (left) executing a counter-attack on his sparring partner, Cedric Tan.

PHOTO: THEODORE LIM

Badminton Price of equipment: $155 Price of one lesson: $40 at Singapore Badminton Association

Bowling

Price of equipment: $250 Price of one lesson: $37.50 at Singapore Bowling Federation affiliates

Tennis Despite being a full-time university student, Tan Jia Yu still manages to run his own store, Bike Mart SG.

triathlon bike.

On top of that, a competitive cyclist also needs cycling clothes, shoes, a helmet and a cycling computer to track distances and speeds during training. After including competition registration fees, the total sum could add up to about $6,000.

These expenses spurred Tan, a final-year SSM student, to start his own second-hand racing and triathlon bicycle shop at Geylang Bahru last year. He imports bicycles from Perth and also refurbishes old bikes. He then sells these secondhand entry-level bicycles for between $700 and $1,500 — a third the average cost of a bike.

Tan, who recently stopped cycling competitively to focus on his business, hopes his shop can make cycling more affordable and accessible to beginners.

“This shop is for those who

are going through what I went through, and to provide a platform for people who want to start cycling,” he said.

Fencing fancy

In the six years that Timothy Sim, 23, has fenced, he has invested about $20,000 in the sport.

These costs come from the equipment, coaching sessions, competition and club fees, as well as travel expenses from regional competitions, like the 1st Asean University Fencing Championships he took part in two years ago in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

Fencing equipment include a mask, glove, jacket, weapon, plastron — the padding worn underneath the jacket — and breeches. Higher tier fencing equipment costs about $1,500 on average and can last for about 10 years.

Many fencers opt for equipment

PHOTO: DEBBIE MICHELLE NG

made in China that can go for as low as $500 for a full set, but they do not meet international competition criteria, said Sim. To save costs, the final-year SSM student owns two sets of gears — a lower tier set for training and a more expensive set for competitions.

This preserves his competition gear for use in the long run.

However, his weapon — an épée — which costs $230, has to be replaced every two years due to wear and tear.

Sim believes that his investment in the sport is worth it as he has learnt valuable lessons from it, like how to control his emotions and embrace the repetitive process of training.

“It is definitely expensive, but it’s not a price that is unjustifiable, because of how long the equipment lasts and the lessons that fencing has taught me,” said Sim. “I don’t believe you can put a price on those things.”

Price of equipment: $270 Price of one lesson: $18.80 at ActiveSG Tennis Academy

Sailing Price of equipment: $150 Price of one lesson: $45 at Singapore Sailing Federation

Prices listed are averages of equipment and lessons for beginners.

STANDING OUT WITH YOUR RESUME Did you know?

Hiring managers spend an average of 6 seconds to look through a resume.

So how do you craft a resume that would stand out from the hundreds and thousands that they receive for each position? The key is to keep it succinct and relevant. Include only your most relevant academic qualifications and work experiences and for the role that you’re applying for.

One of the most effective ways is to use the STAR method: • SITUATION Describe the situation that you had encountered • TASK Describe the task you had to accomplish • ACTION Explain what you did to accomplish the task, how you overcame the challenge and why you did it • RESULT State the direct positive outcomes from your actions and quantify achievements where possible

Brought to you by NTU Career & Attachment Office.

Remember to start your STAR statement with a strong action word that showcases your relevant skills and keep these 5 essential dos and don’ts in mind: • TAILOR YOUR RESUME TO EACH JOB Find out what competencies are needed for the job and include the relevant internships, work experiences, CCAs and volunteering experiences to showcase those competencies. Be ready to elaborate on them during the interview too.

• QUANTIFY YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS Use relevant key words and highlight specific achievements. Quantify, where possible, in terms of numbers and percentages.

• AVOIDING USING LONG SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS Don’t exceed 5 bullet points per heading. Be succinct and prioritise them according to the highest value in terms of skills and relevance to the job. Keep your resume to 1-2 pages.

• PROOFREAD YOUR RESUME Ensure that your resume is well-formated with proper alignment, consistent font, and free of spelling and grammatical errors.

• KEEP YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS PROFESSIONAL Use a simple email address that includes your name, so employers can identify you easily.

Learn more on how to craft a resume and cover letter at our UP THE HIT RATE FOR YOUR RESUME & COVER LETTER workshop. Then, meet up with your Career Coach to perfect it with targeted and personalised feedback.

http://bit.ly/caoworkshops