Vol. 25 Issue 4

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

CHRONICLE

25

04 05.11.18

ISSN NO. 0218-7310

Distance points to be removed from hall admission criteria

INSIDE Ruffled feathers

Students living farther away from NTU will no longer be given priority when applying for hall; campus life participation will be given more weightage instead Rare migratory birds are flying Matthew Loh into glass structures in NTU, raising concerns about the safety FROM next year, the time taken for students of wildlife to travel from their homes to NTU will no

NEWS | Page 2

Chilling tales

This Halloween, students recount their favourite spooky stories to tell on campus

GRAPHICS | Page 9

勇夺100公里马拉 松冠军 南大生经历9小时多的长跑后在 超级马拉松得胜

新闻| Page 19

Batter together

International students find home in NTU’s cricket squad

SPORTS | Page 22-23

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longer be considered for admission to NTU’s Halls of Residence, according to an email sent by the university to students on 8 Oct. This means that students living farther from NTU will not be able to secure a room in hall more easily than their peers.

Instead, students will be awarded hall admission points based only on their participation in extracurricular activities and their willingness to share a room with an international student.

Admission points will also no longer be awarded to senior students who have never stayed in a hall before, are on overseas exchange programmes or internships, or are on academic probation, which is when a student’s CGPA falls below 2.00 for two consecutive semesters.

While it is still easier to secure a room on campus in any hall — with the addition of six new halls on campus and NTU’s ability to house more than 90 per cent of students — the tightening of criteria will make getting into one’s preferred hall more competitive.

“The (Hall Admission Scheme) committee believes that removing these criteria will better reflect the CCA and campus life contributions of students, and enable those who earn more points from CCAs to justifiably be allocated their preferred hall and room type,” the email read.

NTUSU President Edward Lim, 24, advised students to start participating in clubs and programmes to earn hall admission points.

“There are many types of activities for students to choose from, and I would encourage students to try those that pique their interest,” he said.

The number of hall admission points that a student earns is determined by how heavily involved they are in their commitments, with varsity athletes and those in leadership roles earning more points.

Only points from a student’s single highest-earning activity will be considered, and these points are not cumulative.

For instance, if a student already earns seven points by holding a leadership position in a club, the points that they earn from activities which give five or three points will not be considered.

If they later participate in an activity which earns them nine points, such as holding a JCRC leadership position, their previous seven points will no longer be considered.

Nigel Tan, 22, begins his two-and-a-half hour commute back to his home in Tampines.

Higher commitments Some students such as Quek Ngee Wei, a first-year student from the Nanyang Business School, are feeling the pressure to take on more commitments.

The 21-year-old, who is pursuing a double degree in accountancy and business, is currently the captain of Hall 14’s tennis team and a member of the NTU judo club. But he is worried that it will not be enough to secure him a place in his hall next year.

“I might have to run for a leadership position in my judo club next semester to reach the next admission points tier. I don’t think I will have the time to do that,” said Quek, who is currently awarded eight distance points because he lives in Pasir Ris. But Nigel Tan, 22, a second-year student from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, feels that revising the scheme is justified even though he lives in Tampines and will lose seven distance points.

“You can’t fault students who want to focus on their studies instead of hall (activities), but if they don’t participate actively in their hall, they should be willing to face the consequences of getting a lower priority to stay on in that hall,” said Tan, a Hall 8 resident.

But Jeremy Low, the president of Hall 15’s Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC), said lighter commitments such as sub-committees, ad-hoc committees and sports might be enough to guarantee students a place in their preferred hall.

According to Low, the total median General Cut-off Weight, or the minimum amount of points required to enter a hall, for all NTU halls this year was three points.

“Many activities such as recreational games only require one or two hours of your time a week, and can give you three to five points,” the 23-year-old said.

PHOTO: JOEL CHAN

Impact on hall and club cultures Hall 16’s JCRC president Wilson Toh is concerned that the move will see students signing up for activities only to gain admission points.

“While (the new scheme) might drive students to participate more, we don’t want them to join activities just to get points, because after they reach their quota they might be unmotivated to contribute further,” said the 22-year-old.

“Earning hall admission points should be considered as a bonus. The real reward for students should be helping to build their school and hall’s culture. The points themselves should not be the main objective,” he added.

But this change might help clubs who have had trouble finding students to fill their leadership positions this semester, said Hall 15 president Low. The Nanyang Chronicle reported in September that student clubs and JCRCs have seen a decline in the number of students willing to take up leadership roles after the two-year guaranteed hall stay policy was implemented.

“With the announcement of the new scheme, I think that we will start to see more students willing to sign up for leadership roles,” said Low. Under the revised Category C, students can only earn points through the following criteria: Travelling time from home to NTU Participation in campus life activities Being on academic probation Never having stayed in hall before Being willing to share a room with an international student Being on overseas exchange or internship

News

Discovering the museum on campus

In celebration of NTU Museum’s tenth anniversary, a map was launched to point students to the various artworks in NTU, which include pieces by students Alan Yuen

NOT MANY people know that NTU has a 10-year-old museum.

This is because the NTU Museum does not have a fixed physical space, but exhibits its artworks all over campus. It currently displays more than 200 art pieces by the NTU community, as well as local and international artists.

Now, students may be better able to locate the school’s museum with the launch of the Campus Art Trail — an interactive map pinpointing the locations of 42 of these artworks scattered around NTU. The trail was launched on 18 Oct in celebration of the museum’s tenth anniversary and its map is available physically and online. It guides students to places like The Hive and the Nanyang Auditorium,

NTU President Subra Suresh and Cultural Activities Club president Wong Liang Bei, 21, PHOTO COURTESY OF NTU MUSEUM launched the Campus Art Trail on 18 Oct.

where installation art, sculptures, fine art, photography and other new media are displayed.

“This is a good chance for us to celebrate the past 10 years of artworks and to let more people hear about us,” said museum manager Ngauw Cui Qin.

A platform for students Four of the artworks on display are products of class assignments by

students from the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM).

The latest piece is Bloom — an 11-metre long and 3m high installation depicting 18 Chinese honeysuckle flowers and vines — located at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine building in the Novena campus.

The artwork, which is powered by solar energy, was conceptualised in 2016 by four ADM students.

Weather data is obtained from NTU’s main campus and sent to the Novena campus, changing the colour of Bloom’s installation.

The team spent a year on the project, after their assignment for a core module in product design was chosen to be built. The module is taught by visiting artist Fabrizio Galli, and challenges students to use new technologies to create art.

“After we came up with our concept, we had to do a prototype to test if it’s able to be built fullscale. We did this project in one term but had to come back to refine it afterwards,” said Ms Ivana Low, 24, an ADM graduate who was a member of the team behind Bloom.

Two other artworks — Dandelion and Fern — are also creations from the same product design module.

Dandelion, a 7m high light installation powered entirely by solar energy, was conceptualised in 2012 and is located outside the ADM building.

Fern, an 8.5m by 2.3m wooden bench outside of the Lee Wee Nam Library has panels that harvest solar energy, allowing users to charge their electrical devices at two charging stations. It was

conceptualised in 2014.

The fourth piece by ADM students is the Media Art Nexus (MAN) installation, a 15m by 2m LED wall that displays digital art at the North Spine.

It was created by students under the MAN module offered by Associate Professor Ina Conradi.

NTU President Subra Suresh, who launched the Campus Art Trail, praised these students’ works and highlighted the university’s growing niche collection.

“NTU is proud to start a collection of interdisciplinary public art which is powered by renewable energy sources,” he said. “I believe such a collection is unique and not found in other art institutions in Singapore.”

Mr Eugene Tan, 28, an ADM graduate who was part of the team behind Fern, said he hopes the Campus Art Trail will encourage students to explore parts of the campus that they have not visited before.

He added: “When students see artwork done by fellow students, instead of external people, it can inspire them (to know) that they have the ability to create art.”

Birds collide with glass buildings in NTU These collisions, caused by the birds’ difficulties in identifying reflective surfaces, result in bird death or injury Osmond Chia JORDAN Leong was walking at the centre of the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM) on 17 Oct when he heard a loud thud on a glass panel in front of him.

He noticed a small brown bird, about the size of a fist, lying on the ground ahead. He found out later that it was a juvenile tiger shrike, an uncommon migratory species, which had flown straight into the panels of the ADM building.

It looked disoriented and was unable to fly, said Leong, 25, a finalyear ADM student, who picked up the bird and placed it on a grass patch nearby to recuperate.

This is one of the many incidents where birds have collided with glass structures in NTU, resulting in death or injury, raising concerns for the safety of wildlife, and biodiversity on campus.

Reflective surfaces A bird-building collision patrol was formed by 10 NTU students during the Global Bird Rescue’s Bird Collision Week, an annual event that encourages participants to record and report cases of birds colliding with buildings.

The group recorded at least 22 cases of bird collisions in its first three patrol weeks. These birds were either found dead or injured near reflective structures.

Among the birds found were 18 uncommon migrant species, including three yellow-rumped flycatchers and an oriental dove kingfisher. The remaining six birds were resident species, including common flameback woodpeckers.

NTU sees a large number of bird species as it is surrounded by forests that have abundant food and resources, said Mr David Tan, an avian ecologist who has collected more than 700 carcasses of birds killed in local building collisions over the past five years. He uses the carcasses for research and analysis on the phenomenon.

But glass surfaces are a threat to birds as they do not have good

forward-facing eyesight.

“Humans ourselves are susceptible to collisions with glass. Now imagine a bird — its eyes are at the sides of their heads. It’s even harder for them to notice there is glass ahead,” he said.

Glass structures also reflect its surroundings, making these birds less likely to realise they are there.

“The ADM building is a great case study. Trees and the sky are being reflected on the glass. It mimics a rainforest, so birds fly straight into them,” said Mr Tan.

Green architecture NTU has many glass-panelled structures, with more than 95 per cent of its buildings in line with the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark scheme.

Glass panels are common in greenmarked infrastructure as they allow natural light to come through, reducing the need for electricity.

While such designs help to lower energy use, environmental policies often fail to consider biodiversity, said Campus Creatures member Gina Goh, 24, who leads NTU’s bird-building collision patrol team.

“When we talk about the environment, it’s always about energy and water. We don’t think about wildlife, so there is a loophole here,” said the final-year School of Biological Sciences student. “Hopefully this is an area that can be taken into consideration.”

Dr Shawn Lum, a lecturer at the Asian School of the Environment, said data collected in NTU will provide researchers with a deeper understanding of the phenomenon that is happening in Singapore.

“This is part of a bigger islandwide survey, and we can eventually identify the birds’ flight paths, and which species are coming in at different times of the year,” said Dr Lum, who conducts lectures on rainforest ecology.

The data will also help to pinpoint which buildings in NTU are particularly hazardous to birds, which can then be used to raise suggestions to the school on how to accommodate biodiversity, he added.

When asked what he thought about the school’s push toward green-marked infrastructure, Dr Lum said: “I see this challenge as

a good opportunity for the school, where we use our creativity to achieve sustainability without threatening wildlife.”

“It will prevent thousands of deaths for birds. We have the talent, engineers, designers, writers and communicators. Who better to do it than a university?”

What to do when you see an injured bird •

Place the bird into an open box to recover

•

If you do not have a box, ensure that it is left in a quiet place that is wellventilated but without air-conditioning

•

It will recover after a few hours and fly off on its own

•

For more information, contact the ACRES Wildlife Rescue Hotline at 97837782

Lifestyle Singing in the streets More Singaporean youth have taken to the streets to showcase their talents in recent years. Rachel Chiu speaks to one such student from NTU to find out about his love for busking chances to perform at private functions.

So far, he has accepted offers to sing at cafes, and most recently performed at a National Day function in a condominium. He earns about $200 for each of these performances, he said.

“I feel quite honored because it means that people like my music and they even want to hear it again,” he said.

Hard work

Yang Teo, 25, started busking last December. He was inspired by the jam band members he met while on his exchange programme in Scotland last year.

PHOTO: THEODORE LIM

WHILE travelling solo around Europe last year, Yang Teo, 25, strummed his ukulele and sang Adele’s Make You Feel My Love in an underground station in Italy as he waited for his train to arrive.

Though the crowd was small, several passers-by dropped a few coins onto the cloth laid out in front of him as they walked past.

That was his very first attempt at busking. He was inspired while on his exchange programme in Scotland last year, after meeting some members of the university’s jam band who busked once a month in their free time.

Now, the final-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering has taken his newfound passion for busking to the streets of Singapore, and is among a growing number of youth who are showcasing their talents in public.

According to the National Arts Council (NAC), more than half of

the estimated 300 buskers last year were below the age of 35, a jump from just seven per cent of the estimated 140 buskers in 2008.

Strumming to success Although Teo is still relatively new to busking, he is no stranger to performing. As a member of Hall of Residence 14’s jam band since 2015, Teo often sings and plays the guitar in front of a crowd at various hall events.

After returning to Singapore last year, he decided to pursue busking as it allowed him to earn money while doing something he loved.

He had spent a lot of money while on his exchange programme and was in need of some extra income, but did not want to burden his parents further, he said.

“A friend of mine told me that buskers in Singapore can earn up to $500 per night, and I was naturally really tempted,” he said.

He obtained a busking licence

“Busking lets me pursue my passion for music, and it’s a good feeling when I know that I’m producing the best music that I can.”

Yang Teo, 25 Final-year student School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

from NAC last December and started busking in high-traffic spots along Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut, belting classics such as Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling In Love and contemporary hits like Vance Joy’s Riptide.

Teo busked at least once a week during the school semester, and twice a week during the school holidays before his internship started in August.

On good days, he could earn up to $200 in two hours, he said.

But money is not his main motivation for busking. He performs even when he cannot find a spot with high foot traffic.

“Sometimes I just want to go out and have fun performing, even if I can’t get a place with good traffic flow. I’d just find a nice, quiet spot and enjoy the feeling of producing music,” he said.

Teo has been approached by members of the public after his busking sessions and offered

But Teo’s busking experience has not always been smooth sailing.

He has had to share busking spots with other performers, some of whom can be very inconsiderate, he said.

“Once, another busker with a powerful amplifier arrived much later than me, and he set up his equipment very close to mine.

His music was so loud that I couldn’t even hear what I was playing, so I just left after half an hour,” said Teo. Long hours of busking also takes a toll on him physically because he stands throughout his performances. Each session usually lasts for four hours, he said.

“After every session, I often just go home to rest. I usually don’t have the energy to do anything else,” he said.

This is why Teo took a break from busking during his semesterlong internship, which started in August. He works from 8.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays and said it is “unsustainable” for him to busk during this period.

However, he is looking forward to head to the streets again once his internship ends in December.

Since his current licence will also expire then, he intends to renew it so that he can continue busking in the future even after he graduates from school and gets a full-time job.

“I hope that I will be able to busk at least once a month,” he said.

“Even if the frequency is lower, at least I still get to perform once in awhile,” he said.

“Busking lets me pursue my passion for music, and it’s a good feeling when I know that I’m producing the best music that I can.”

04-05 LIFESTYLE

A heart to serve

More students are spending their free time helping others, outside of school volunteer groups and activities. Edwin Chan speaks to three NTU students who are making a difference in others’ lives and finds out their motivations

Arjenica Sumague, 20, spends her Monday mornings playing soothing tunes for patients and passers-by at the National University Hospital Medical Centre.

PHOTO: DEBBIE MICHELLE NG

IT IS 10am on a Monday. Arjenica Sumague, 20, walks through the open glass doors at the National University Hospital Medical Centre (NUHMC) in Kent Ridge. She is not here for a medical check-up, nor is she visiting any patient.

Instead, the third-year student from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering saunters to the baby grand piano on the third floor and begins to play hit songs

by Ed Sheeran and oldies by the Bee Gees. Patients and passers-by start to crowd around the piano.

Some sing along, and others sway to the beat.

This has been Sumague’s weekly routine for the past two months, since she began showcasing her musical talents at NUHMC. Sumague is part of a growing

number of volunteers in Singapore.

According to a survey conducted by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre in 2017, volunteerism in Singapore almost doubled from 2014 to 2016, from 18 per cent to 35 per cent.

Chasing away the Monday blues Sumague said this is her way of combining her love for performing with her desire to make a difference in the community.

“Music is a form of communication. You might not know who you’re playing for, but you know people are listening,” the 20-year-old added.

She plays a wide range of songs, which alternate between pop tunes and oldies.

An elderly patient parks her wheelchair a few feet away from Sumague, nodding along to the music.

“Just because your way of volunteering is uncommon doesn’t mean that you are less of a volunteer.”

Arjenica Sumague, 20 Third-year student School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

PHOTO: DEBBIE MICHELLE NG

“I try to play all sorts of genres. I even play some songs from the 70s and 80s that are familiar to the elderly,” Sumague said.

“In a medical centre, you never know who might need that song the most. The target audience can simply be anyone who is in need of an uplifting song to make their day,” she added.

While some of her friends think that playing the piano is an unconventional way of volunteering, Sumague finds it meaningful.

“I thought that I could contribute by creating a soothing atmosphere for the people at the hospital, especially since many people have the Monday blues,” she said.

“I recommend that everyone should at least try to volunteer. You never know whose life you could

make a difference to. I have had several people come up to thank me for the music and compliment my playing,” she added.

It is fulfilling to make others smile, and knowing that people enjoy her music motivates her to continue volunteering, she said.

“Just because your way of volunteering is uncommon doesn’t mean that you are less of a volunteer. I think we all have different ways of making a difference.”

Learning through serving Raaj Kumar, 22, found his first opportunity to volunteer through a Facebook post in October 2017.

While surfing the social networking site, the second-year School of Social Sciences student saw a post from non-profit organisation Happy

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Raaj, who is fluent in Mandarin, enjoys interacting with the elderly.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAAJ KUMAR

Raaj Kumar, 22, volunteers to give out meals and snacks to needy elderly people on the first Sunday of each month.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAAJ KUMAR

People Helping People, which called for volunteers to donate and help to give out food items to the elderly.

“I’d always wanted to reach out and serve the elderly but I didn’t know where to start,” said Raaj.

“I’ve been drawn specifically towards the elderly because of my grandparents’ deep desire for me to give back to society as much as I can,” he added.

“It gives me a lot of joy when they (the elderly) open up to me and engage in conversation.”

Raaj Kumar, 22 Second-year student School of Social Sciences

Raaj immediately contacted Happy People Helping People after viewing the post, and he has been volunteering with them every month since.

He now spends two hours on the first Sunday of each month giving out meals and snacks, such as biscuits and coffee, to low-income elderly people at a collection point in Jalan Besar.

These food items are usually donated by volunteers like him-

self. About 70 to 80 old folks will visit the collection point every month, said Raaj.

Besides distributing food to the elderly, Raaj also talks to them about their struggles and asks if he can help, he said.

“I find joy in being able to interact with them. I also think that my ability to converse in Mandarin has played a big part in helping me build rapport with them. Through our conversations, I get to understand some of the deeper issues that they face,” he said.

These issues include the struggle to find full-time employment due to a lack of qualifications in a competitive job market, and health problems. However, Raaj hopes that by providing a listening ear, he can ease their burdens because many of the elderly people he meets live alone and do not have anyone to talk to.

Meeting the same group of elderly people and conversing with them for over a year has also allowed Raaj to know them much better.

“It gives me a lot of joy when they open up to me and engage in conversation. Sometimes they share insightful knowledge that you cannot acquire from books, such as values like humility, patience, determination and the need to prioritise your family,” he said.

“They are repositories of wisdom.

Sometimes they yearn for someone to share their stories with,” he added.

Giving in all ways possible

Nineteen-year-old Ellie Lew is no stranger to volunteering. The firstyear student from the Nanyang Business School has been volunteering at non-profit organisations and taking part in community involvement projects since her junior college days.

In 2017, Lew started volunteering with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and has been involved in their outreach programmes.

“My grandmother suffers from kidney failure. I’ve witnessed firsthand how difficult kidney dialysis is and I wanted to do my part for them,” she said.

“I started off by managing outreach booths and helping to distribute publicity materials to get people to sign up as volunteers,” she added.

As some of her volunteering involves outreach efforts, naysayers have doubted the impact of her work, said Lew. “Some people say that raising awareness is superficial. But I think that it is a big part of volunteerism. Through raising awareness, you can inspire others to do good,” she added.

In August, she started paying monthly visits with a friend to an

assigned dialysis patient, delivering food prepared by the NKF. Lew and her friend also accompany patients to dialysis sessions and teach them arts and crafts.

Lew has more plans ahead in her volunteering journey. The suicide of a former classmate caused her to rethink the way she perceives mental illness and made her want to do more for people suffering from them.

“I want to launch a large scale service learning project similar to Project Metanoia. Instead of just raising awareness about mental illness in a school setting, I want to bring it to the public,” she said.

Lew’s volunteering efforts have influenced her mother and some of her close friends to be regular volunteers too.

“With more people volunteering, I believe we can do more good for the underprivileged.”

“With more people volunteering, I believe we can do more good for the underprivileged.”

Ellie Lew, 19 First-year student Nanyang Business School

After joining the Community Involvement Project Council in her junior college, Lew developed an interest in reaching out to the less fortunate.

“I started volunteering through the council. On the side, I also did more volunteering and spearheaded service learning projects on my own accord,” she said.

One of the projects was Project Metanoia, an initiative that aimed to raise awareness for mental health illnesses, she added.

Ellie Lew, 19, made pouches out of coffee packets as part of an overseas project organised by her junior college’s Community Involvement Project Council.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELLIE LEW

06-07 LIFESTYLE

Beyond the classroom First introduced in 2014 to provide a holistic education for students living on campus, the Residential Education programme is now in full swing in every Hall of Residence. Samantha Koh finds out more about the activities offered

Hall 3 residents taking part in the international standard ballroom and Latin dancing class. The lessons ran for seven weeks this semester, as part of the hall’s Residential Education programme.

WITH his hand placed on the small of his partner’s back, second-year School of Material Science and Engineering student Stanley Koh, 22, waltzed around Hall of Residence 3’s large function area as music played in the background.

When the melody ended, Koh stopped dancing and smiled sheepishly at his partner, before laughing over mistakes they had made during their routine.

Koh has been attending these weekly international ballroom dancing workshops under Hall 3’s Residential Education (RE) programme, which was implemented in the hall this August.

The RE programme, also known as RE@NTU, started in 2014 as part of NTU’s framework to create a holistic education for hall residents.

First implemented in Pioneer and Crescent Halls, RE@NTU was rolled out to the other halls over the last few years, with the latest batch of halls starting this semester.

Now, there are various activities for residents to choose from, including international standard ballroom and Latin dancing classes, graffiti workshops and cooking lessons.

Step by step While such dancing lessons have been offered as hall activities in Hall 3 for more than five years, residential mentors and hall fellows incorporated them formally in the RE programme this year.

Residential mentor Ms Yean Seanglidet, 25, a PhD student at the School of Computer Science and Engineering said: “The dance lessons have always been well-liked by our residents, and we decided to make them a part of our RE programme because they fulfil the goal of promoting learning beyond academics in school.”

There are also some health benefits, as participants can find out how to improve their posture while dancing, she added.

Koh, who has attended all seven dance sessions this semester, said that these classes, being ungraded, allowed him to have more fun than in his other graded modules.

“The RE team hopes to provide students with activities that cover all aspects.”

Ms Yean Seanglidet, 25 PhD student School of Computer Science and Engineering Hall 3 residential mentor

“I was able to increase my exposure to a different area of interest that I would not normally pursue if it wasn’t convenient for me,” he added.

The residential mentors are looking to develop Hall 3’s RE programme further, since it is still in its fledgling stage.

Other RE activities in the hall include yoga and CANdroid, an android application development class for beginners.

Sign-up rates have been promising so far — in particular, CANdroid has been very popular among Hall 3’s residents, said Ms Yean.

Although the class can cater to up to 30 students, it was heartening that more than 40 students have showed up for it at one point, she added.

More programmes for residents are in the pipeline, she said.

“The RE team hopes to provide students with activities that cover all aspects. As international ballroom dancing and yoga already cover the arts aspect, we’re planning to include activities such as drone photography for the engineering side next semester.”

PHOTO: DEBBIE MICHELLE NG

Changing perspectives through art Meanwhile, Hall 8’s RE programme, known as AR+BACK, began in 2016 and includes artistic workshops such as videography and hip hop lessons.

AR+BACK aims to combine art and giving back to the community, said Mr GC Phan, 26, a residential mentor and PhD student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

After attending workshops in hall, residents visit non-profit organisations such as Boys’ Town and Lakeside Family Services to teach youths how to film videos and dance hip hop, he added.

This semester, a two-hour-long graffiti workshop held in October was one of the highlights of the programme.

With spray cans in hand, 30 residents split into smaller groups in Hall 8’s communal hall and began

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Students spray painting at Hall 8’s graffiti workshop, where they were taught different techniques. They were also introduced to the different types of paint and nozzles used for graffiti.

PHOTO:THEODORE LIM

Mr GC Phan, 26, introduced the graffiti workshop in 2017 because he wanted students to cultivate an interest in street art and hip hop culture.

PHOTO: THEODORE LIM

spray painting letter decorations and blending different colours on plain boards.

Others chose to express their creativity by freestyling and spray painting simpler designs like flowers and their own names.

The graffiti workshop was first introduced in 2017 by Mr Phan, who wanted to teach students something that they could not learn in school. Graffiti also helped him stay on the straight and narrow when he was growing up, and was therefore significant to him, he said.

None of the ingredients went to waste, with leftovers like eggs being used to make omelettes.

The 15 participants tasted their own dishes and finished the food together at the end of the class.

First-year National Institute of Education (NIE) student Lim Zhi Qi, 19, said: “I am interested in cooking and Food for Thought was a convenient opportunity to learn as I don’t have the time to learn how to cook outside of school.”

Now that she knows how to whip up these easy recipes, she will be putting what she has learnt into practice at home, she added.

“It is rare to come across such an opportunity (to learn graffiti art) in school.”

Gerald Eng, 25 Final-year student School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

“I hope that students will cultivate an interest in street art through this workshop. A passion for the arts changed my perspective in life when I was younger, and helped me to stay away from bad activities and study hard,” he said.

During the graffiti workshop, residents learnt basic spray painting techniques, with some becoming more adept at it than others.

Final-year School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering student Gerald Eng, said: “It is harder than it looks. A spray can is hard to control and it was difficult to get the effect that I had in mind.”

Nonetheless, the 25-year-old was glad to have the chance to learn how to create graffiti art.

“I always found graffiti interesting and wanted to find out more about the story behind it, but I never had the chance to do so. It is rare to come across such an opportunity in school.”

More than a dish

Some halls, such as the Pioneer and Crescent Halls, have been collaborating to hold activities related to the arts, engineering and soft sciences like biology for the past four years.

Director of student experiential learning and senior facultyin-residence for Pioneer hall, Dr Sze Chun Chau, 48 said: “We wanted to make sure that our RE programme covered as many disciplines as possible as we did not want it to serve only a select group of students.”

The two halls, which are the pioneers of the RE programme, have organised various activities ranging from jar cake-making to filmmaking workshops over the years.

This year, they introduced Food for Thought, a two-hour-long cooking workshop that aims to encourage students to reduce food wastage and cook their own dishes instead of eating out.

Ms Sint Thida Bo, 25, a Pioneer Hall residential mentor and PhD student from the School of Biological Sciences, said: “We wanted to teach students that cooking is not difficult and that they can reduce food wastage by choosing only the ingredients that they want to eat.”

When students eat in canteens, they often waste food by removing ingredients that they do not like in their dishes, she added.

During the workshop, students learnt how to cook nutritional dishes such as ginger-infused honey chawanmushi.

“It was fun getting the chance to work with people from different faculties to cook and create dishes.”

Marcus Lau, 23 First-year student National Institute of Education

Besides learning how to cook, some students said the workshop was a good way to get to know their fellow residents.

“I signed up because I liked the idea of community cooking as it is a good way to destress and bond with people after school,” said Marcus Lau, a first-year NIE student.

The 23-year-old was grouped with other unfamiliar faces, but he worked well with them, he said.

“It was fun getting the chance to work with people from different faculties to cook and create dishes.”

Residents of Pioneer and Crescent Halls learn how to cook easy recipes during the cooking workshop.

PHOTO: THEODORE LIM

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Sign-ing up to interpret

From left: Jessie Ye, 23; Clara Chee, 21; Azzam Akbar, 24, are three students who are training to become community interpreters. Here, they are signing work, act and why respectively.

PHOTOS: WONG WING LUM

Some NTU students are taking their sign language skills a step further by learning how to interpret for the deaf.

Wong Wing Lum speaks to three students about what inspired them to become interpreters TO SIGN love, clench both hands into fists and cross your arms over your heart, like you are hugging someone. This was just one of the many signs third-year School of Humanities (SoH) student Clara Chee was enacting with rapid-fire pace as she interpreted an animated video about Gary Chapman’s view on how we express love through five “love languages”.

The 21-year-old has been learning how to interpret more words in Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) since the start of October, under a course organised by the Singapore Association for the Deaf (SADeaf).

Chee is among a group of students who have learnt basic sign language and are now taking their signing skills to the next level by training to become community interpreters for the deaf.

Interpreting for a cause

Launched in December 2015, SADeaf’s community interpreter course is a year-long programme that trains people to interpret for their deaf clients, who engage their services on an ad-hoc basis during events such as workshops or school functions.

So far, eight people in Singapore have completed the programme.

Chee first found out about the course during a meeting with SADeaf last semester, while she was in the NTU Welfare Services Club (WSC).

Then, she was the vice-president

of the Regular Service Programme for the Deaf Community (RSPDC), a division under the WSC that organises activities for the deaf community.

This was a position she took on to enhance her experience working with different social groups in Singapore.

She signed up for the course as she thought its skills would benefit the club’s deaf outreach efforts, and roped in three other students.

She also chose to learn interpretation as she believes that everyone should have access to information, regardless of their method of communication.

In addition, being an interpreter allows her to dispel notions about the deaf community that other people might have, she added.

“As interpreters, we can contribute by educating hearing people we work with on their misconceptions about the deaf community.”

A common mistake people make is directing their questions to the interpreter instead of addressing the deaf person, she said.

“They’re supposed to communicate with the deaf person directly, and interpreters are just there to interpret the question, not ask the question on behalf of the hearing person,” she said.

She hopes that through interpreting, she will be able to gradually dispel these misconceptions.

“I do it because I see purpose in the job.”

Reel life to real life

Third-year SoH student Azzam Akbar, 24, was intrigued by the silent dialogue in The Tribe when he watched the film three years ago.

In the Ukrainian drama, set in a school for deaf teenage students, characters communicated solely through Ukrainian sign language.

Despite having no knowledge about sign language back then, he was amazed that he could understand the movie by connecting the actors’ facial expressions to their signing.

Azzam decided to enrol in SADeaf’s Signing Exact English Course, where he learnt sign language. He also completed the SgSL Level 1 course offered by the WSC and NTU's Level 2 course.

A former member of the RSPDC, he heard about the community interpreter course through Chee and decided that it would be the next step in his signing journey.

“I want to work with the deaf and having this (interpretation) certification opens up opportunities to work with them,” he said.

Azzam was initially set on becoming a speech therapist because he thought it was a way to help the deaf community.

Deaf people may require speech assistance as they might not be able to hear themselves when they talk, and speech therapists can teach them communication skills like lip reading, he said.

But after interacting with the

deaf community through the RSPDC and understanding their way of life, he had a change in perspective.

“I began to view them as a minority community that uses another means of communication, and realised that they do not need help integrating into the hearing world,” he said.

While Azzam acknowledges that speech therapists can help to facilitate communication between the hearing and the deaf, he feels that interpreters cater to the deaf instead of asking them to conform to the language of the majority.

“Trying to integrate the deaf into the hearing world is like saying we should integrate left-handers into the right-handed world, simply because that is what the majority does.”

More to learn

The first sign Jessie Ye learnt was thank you. In 2012, Ye, who is now a second-year School of Social Sciences student, became interested in sign language after watching American television drama Switched at Birth, which featured a deaf protagonist.

“It was eye-opening because I had not seen any shows that included sign language before,” the 23-year-old said.

She joined the sign language club in her polytechnic as she wanted to find out more about it.

Ye has not looked back since

then. In NTU, she joined WSC’s Camp OutReach (COR), a division that organises annual projects that benefit the deaf.

In June this year, Ye volunteered at a school for the deaf in Nepal as a part of COR. During her stint there, she faced language barriers as the Singaporean team and the Nepali children had learnt different forms of sign language, she said.

However, these barriers soon disappeared as the Nepalese children enthusiastically taught Ye and her friends how to communicate in Nepali Sign Language.

The experience made her realise that she still had room to improve in terms of her interactions and communication with the deaf community. She therefore decided to sign up for the community interpreter course when she heard about it.

Ye finds interpretation challenging as it requires more knowledge compared to learning sign language, she said.

“It is not just about knowing the signs, but also about processing the source language and organising our thoughts to produce the accurate translation,” she said.

Despite this, she is eager to learn how to interpret sign language better during the year-long programme.

“I hope to find out what it takes to be an interpreter to see if I am suitable.”

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HALL OWEEN HORRORS

Halloween has generated much excitement among Singaporeans in recent years — more spooky decorations are on sale in stores and more people are gathering with friends for Halloween-themed parties, showing off their costumes and sharing tales of horror. This Halloween, graphic artists Belynda Hoi, Kelley Lim and Clara Toh speak to NTU students about the spookiest campus ghost stories they like to tell

Pulling legs

“I was trying to fall asleep in my hall room in Cluster E last year when I felt something more than just normal sleep paralysis.

Something was pulling at my leg. I tilted my head up to check what was wrong. At that moment, I felt the presence move up to my chest, and I shut my eyes in fear. I was so frightened, I immediately turned over and forced myself to go to bed. I never saw what was in my room.”

— Clamus Pang, 22, a secondyear Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information student

Shifting objects

“My roommate and I were just switching off our light to sleep in our room at Cluster D, when we heard something fall off the shelf. I sat up to check what had caused the disturbance, and found that my roommate's cupboard door had been opened. I also felt a weird presence near the cupboard, and it kind of shifted towards me. The feeling disappeared after about five to ten minutes.

The next day, my roommate told me he had had the exact same experience about a week before my encounter. We both sleep with the table lights turned on now.”

— Bryan Soh, a third-year School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences student, and his roommate, Brandon Tan, a third-year School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering student, both 22

Sinister shadows

Whispers in the night

“I was studying near to the South Spine at night last July during the Hungry Ghost Festival, when I thought I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around but there was no one there. As I returned to my hall in Cluster C, I felt something following me. While showering one day, I thought I heard someone whisper around me ‘why are you here?’ and ‘don’t disturb me’.”

— Angus Tan, 22, second-year Nanyang Business School student

Man at the door

“I was sitting at my desk one night in my hall room in Cluster C last year when I heard a man open my room door. I saw him come into my room, but he left shortly after. The next morning, when I asked my roommate about the man, she said she hadn’t seen anything despite having been in the room with me at that time.”

— Huang Wanlin, 22, final-year School of Social Sciences student

“When I walk around the lake close to my hall room in Cluster A, I occasionally see ghostly figures that hover around and above the water. I have nicknamed these things ‘water ghosts’, because they sometimes drip water and mud while drifting around.

To me, these water ghosts are extremely creepy, especially after dark or in the middle of the night. I usually get the chills when I see them.”

— Thomas (not his real name), 23, a second-year student at the School of Social Sciences

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Tradition in transformation The NTU Chinese Medicine Clinic treats ailments ranging from sores throats to colds. Photo Editor Theodore Lim visits the clinic to debunk Chinese medicine myths and learn more about its treatments MENTION traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and what comes to mind are often images of musty medical halls frequented by the older generation of Chinese and walls stacked high with medicinal herbs.

However, NTU’s TCM clinic in the School of Biological Sciences is well-lit, air-conditioned and colourful.

A bitter scent of Chinese herbs permeates the clinic.

The treatment area, together with a teaching laboratory and a Chinese medicine museum, make up the NTU Chinese Medicine Clinic.

Open to the public, the clinic provides consultations and treatments in fields ranging from internal medicine to paediatrics.

Located on the first floor of SBS, the clinic sees about 30 NTU students every day.

“I chose to visit the clinic for pain relief that isn’t in the form of painkillers. The clinic itself is actually really convenient for

students who live on campus because of its location in school,” said third-year Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information student Justin Yeo, 23.

Yeo sought treatment for his foot injury last month.

TCM relies more on natural, herbal remedies to combat ailments, compared to pharmaceutical medicine in Western clinics.

It also uses methods like acupuncture, tuina (push and grasp in Mandarin) and cupping therapy.

Not too different Ms Cheok Kah Jie, a physician at the NTU Chinese Medicine Clinic, said that TCM consultations are very similar to those in a Western medicine clinic.

“A lot of people think that all we do is the stereotypical pulse-searching routine, and that we make a diagnosis directly from there, but it’s much more than that. TCM

practitioners are taught to use all our five senses, such as smell, touch and hearing to understand our patients better,” added the 26-year-old.

Ms Cheok graduated from SBS with a double degree in Biomedical Sciences and Traditional Chinese Medicine last year.

Under the five-year programme, students are taught the properties of Chinese herbs and TCM theories.

They spend their final two years in Beijing to further their studies in Chinese medicine at an established hospital.

Following modern practices TCM has now begun to include various hygiene practices that are common in Western medicine.

For example, they use a new pair of disposable gloves for every patient, as well as sterilised needles for acupuncture.

Consultation rooms have blood pressure

machines, alcohol wipes, and sterile bins for used needles.

The NTU Chinese Medicine Clinic also uses diagnostic methods in Western medicine, such as x-rays and cardiac radiology, to complement its traditional Chinese methods of healing.

The TCM trade is set to gain more legitimacy in the future, due to research developments in the industry.

Current TCM research is centred on understanding the active components in herbs that give them qualities like anti-bacterial and anti-inflammation properties, said Mr Frederick Koh, 28, Ms Cheok’s colleague and another registered physician at the clinic.

“This will really help to change people’s perceptions of our field of practice, and I hope that science and TCM can continue to come together and complement Western medicine.”

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1. Mr Frederick Koh, 28, and Ms Cheok Kah Jie, 26, searching for herbs in the dispensary to fill a prescription. They are in their first year of practice as physicians.

2. At the back of the clinic’s dispensary sits a well-stocked wooden medicine cabinet, which is designed like traditional ones seen in older medicine halls.

3. A mixture of goji (wolfberries), ju hua (chrysanthemum flowers), dong chong xia cao (cordyceps), and sang ye (mulberry leaves). A remedy using these herbs is said to cure fatigue, and is commonly dispensed to students.

4. Dispensary staff member Mr Li Caiming, cuts up du zhong (eucommia bark) into smaller pieces to be used in herbal remedies. Du zhong helps to lower blood pressure.

5. The use of powdered herbs has become more common in TCM, for easier consumption.

6. Ms Cheok performs cupping therapy on a patient’s back. The placement of these glass cups at strategic locations on a patient’s back helps to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and improve blood flow.

7. Ms Cheok administers acupuncture on a patient’s wrist to relieve soreness. The use of sterilised, one-time use needles in clean packaging has become the norm among Chinese medicine practitioners.

Note: NTU students get a 40% discount off all treatments at the NTU Chinese Medicine Clinic

Opinion EDITORIAL

Removing distance points promotes a more vibrant campus life IF HOME is where the heart is, NTU benefits from giving its students a place to stay on campus, since this encourages them to be immersed in university life.

Hall accommodation means shorter commutes, more sleep and a convenient way to catch up with friends amid hectic schedules. For these benefits, students often find all ways to secure a room in their preferred Hall of Residence.

These include taking on leadership roles, playing on sports teams and representing their halls in various competitions.

Distance points make it easier for students who live farther from NTU to secure a room, and therefore need on-campus accommodation more than their peers who live nearer to school.

The removal of these points might worry students who live farther away and want to retain their place in the hall they are currently staying in.

They will need to increase their participation in campus activities, failing which, they will be randomly assigned a hall or worse, lose their place and have to make long journeys to NTU. Despite these fears, the removal of distance points under the Hall Admission Scheme is a step in the right direction towards fostering a more vibrant university life.

It will motivate students who have a preferred hall to earn their spot. Even if they are unable to secure a room there, chances are they will still have a place to stay on campus.

Due to the completion of new residential halls like the Nanyang Crescent Halls — Saraca, Tamarind and Meranti — last year and the North Hill cluster in 2016, NTU is now able to house more than 90 per cent of students who wish to live on campus.

In total, NTU’s halls can house about 60 per cent of its full-time undergraduate population.

This percentage has increased over the years. There are currently 14,160 places in NTU’s halls, which comprise spots in single and shared rooms, up from 10,450 and 9,200 places in 2015 and 2010 respectively.

Meanwhile, NTU’s number of full-time undergraduates has remained fairly constant, in the range of 22,000 to 24,000 students over the past eight years.

As it is now easier to get a room in hall, students no longer need distance points as much as before in order to stay on campus.

Students who live farther will have a stronger say in their choice of hall even though they are involved in the same number of activities as others.

Naturally, some halls are more popular than others. This includes halls that have newer facilities, a vibrant hall culture, or stronger sports and dance teams. Or some may just want to continue living with their friends.

These are all things worth fighting for, and students need to contribute to building a rich university life if they want to keep enjoying its benefits.

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE CHIEF EDITOR

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

DIGITAL EDITOR

LAYOUT SUPERVISOR

DEPUTY CHIEF EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

PHOTO/ GRAPHIC EDITOR

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

Theodore Lim

Joe Tok Kenny Wong

BUSINESS MANAGERS

FACULTY ADVISORS

Gracia Lee Prisca Ang

SUB-EDITORS

Olivia Poh Neo Rong Wei

NEWS EDITORS Adele Chiang Michelle Racho

Desiree Loh Alif Amsyar

SPORTS EDITOR Adeena Nagib

CHINESE EDITOR Tan Yu Jia

Charlene Chua

Vanessa Tan Vinice Yeo

A students’ newspaper published by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718 Tel: 6790 6446

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Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board of The Chronicle and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Nanyang Technological University, its employees, the students or the Council of the University.

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GRAPHIC: KELLEY LIM

An inclusive Singapore for those with disabilities Jeanne Mah FOR most of us, getting around in Singapore is not an issue.

Pavements are well-maintained here, overhead bridges let us cross roads easily and a well-connected public transport network makes for fast journeys.

However, daily commutes are not always easy for people who are wheelchair-bound or who have disabilities.

In February, The Straits Times published an article highlighting the ubiquity of wheelchair roadblocks in the Central Business District. For example, Raffles City MRT station has nine exits, but only one is accessible to wheelchair users, since they require a lift to reach the ground floor.

Furthermore, older shopping malls such as the Golden Wall Centre and Golden Mile Complex at Jalan Besar do not have any automated doors.

Even in newer shopping centres such as Suntec City and Vivocity, there are no proper rest stations for wheelchair users despite large floor spaces.

In NTU, there are many steep hills and narrow pathways, which make it almost impossible for students on wheelchairs to reach their destinations. Travelling from a Hall of Residence to the nearest bus stop can also be challenging, especially when the area is crowded and the pathway is too narrow to pass through.

Singapore’s lack of wheelchairfriendly facilities sends the wrong message that the needs of disabled

people are not important. It must tailor its infrastructure to be more handicap-friendly, if it aims to nurture an inclusive society for all Singaporeans.

In 2014, TODAY reported that there were 100,000 wheelchair users in Singapore, which include the elderly and people with disabilities.

Due to an ageing population, this number is likely to increase, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Department of Statistics, who are working together to estimate the number of wheelchair users Singapore will have by 2020.

People with disabilities often feel marginalised in Singapore. In a 2015 survey of 1,000 disabled people conducted by the National Council of Social Services, 62 per cent said that they did not feel included, accepted, or given opportunities to contribute or reach their potential by society.

Government support To address the needs of people with disabilities, the government has taken steps to improve their lives by creating more wheelchairfriendly facilities.

For example, at attractions like Gardens by the Bay, pathways are wide enough for wheelchairs users to navigate easily.

Meanwhile, the National Museum of Singapore has designated parking spots for handicapped-labelled vehicles, as well as handicapped toilets and lifts on all floors.

Furthermore, under the Green Man Plus scheme, senior citizens

and disabled pedestrians have an extra crossing time of three to 12 seconds when they tap their ezlink cards against card readers at traffic light junctions.

The government’s willingness to make everyday life easier for people with disabilities will encourage more organisations to follow suit. There will also be greater awareness of the importance of building an inclusive society.

The government should therefore continue to implement wheelchair-friendly initiatives, not just at popular places or busy roads, but everywhere.

Moving forward Besides building a more handicapfriendly infrastructure system, Singapore will benefit from having a society that is more kind and compassionate towards people with disabilities.

What does such a society look like? It is made up of simple actions that make a big difference for a disabled person. It means being more patient when a wheelchair user is moving past a crowd, not showing displeasure if he takes a long time to alight from a bus, and stepping forward to help him if he has problems crossing the road.

For a start, schools in Singapore can educate students on the struggles faced by people with disabilities, such as limited mobility, and the importance of empathising with them.

These efforts will go a long way towards building an inclusive, handicap-friendly Singapore that makes people with disabilities feel at home.

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Combating sexual harassment in universities By involving students in the policy-making process, this will “guide universities towards a more proactive and coherent position, rather than a reactive and piecemeal approach, to address and prevent sexual violence,” said Durbach in an article about university sexual violence guidelines published in July this year.

Universities will also be able to formulate policies that resonate strongly with students, leading to more effective outcomes.

Educate bystanders

GRAPHIC: CLARA TOH

Michelle Racho News Editor A SPOTLIGHT has been shone on sexual harassment cases in Singapore, with the recent #MeToo movement gaining traction on social media sites and in local media. It is imperative that institutions step up and rethink their processes to address this issue.

Currently, efforts towards tackling sexual harassment here are centered on the workplace.

In 2015, Singapore launched the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Workplace Harassment, which aims to be a practical guide for both employers and employees to prevent and improve the management of harassment.

So far, the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) has mainly published reports on sexual harassment at the workplace or among young people in general. This means that information on campus-based sexual harassment is sorely lacking.

Singaporean universities do not yet have comprehensive antiharrassment policies in place, although most of them have honour codes that remind students to be respectful of one another.

While some schools explicitly forbid sexual harrassment, it is only convered briefly in their student codes of conduct and do not go into in-depth detail.

Universities can do more to acknowledge the severity of

sexual harassment cases, take more measures to address them, and educate students on how they can protect themselves and others from sexual harassment. With this foundation, students will be equipped to manage this issue when they enter the workforce.

Anti-harrassment policy A 2017 survey by the Australian Human Rights Commission showed that 94 per cent of students who were sexually harassed in Australia did not make a formal complaint to their university.

They feared that the university would not believe them or take any action, and some students thought that the situation was not serious enough to warrant a report, the study showed.

To address these fears, universities can enact an anti-harassment policy that emphasises their commitment towards protecting the well-being of the campus community, as suggested by a 2011 report on campus-based sexual harassment by the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

Besides stating the university’s position on the issue, the policy could also include examples of what constitutes sexual harassment.

Harvard University’s Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment Policy is a good example of a strong anti-harassment policy. It details the specific behaviours that constitute sexual harassment.

It also offers an assurance to its campus community that these cases of sexual harassment will be treated with sensitivity and

confidentiality, which is perhaps the most crucial aspect of such a policy.

In a 2015 report by AWARE, only one in eight respondents who knew a victim of sexual harassment said they offered them help.

Of course, these assurances have to be seen through. AAUW’s report found that most harassed students did not turn to anyone for help – especially not to school staff – because those educators were not perceived to be helpful.

Hence, to alleviate this, the report suggests that all school authorities who will potentially liaise with students who have been sexually harassed must undergo training to learn how to communicate with them appropriately. They also need to be clear and prompt in redirecting the student to the appropriate authority.

Despite the benefits of an antiharassment policy, some people might find its markers to be unclear. A research study done by Harvard Business Review found that anti-harassment policies seemed to suggest that any behavior could be sexual harassment if an employee perceived it to be as such.

To mitigate this fear, the policy will also need to state that false allegations are strictly prohibited, as Harvard University’s policy high-

lights. Nevertheless, these fears must not hinder universities from taking a tough stance against sexual harassment. Crafting a policy is no easy task but it is a start, and can continue being a work-inprogress once it is enacted.

Student-centric solutions Student leaders could help to bridge the gap between students and the administrators overseeing the anti-harassment policy by engaging students in policy making and development.

According to former director of the Australian Human Rights Centre at the University of New South Wales Andrea Durbach, formalised input from students in the design, implementation and revision of strategies will demonstrate genuine university collaboration. This also validates students’ experiences and contribution.

94 per cent of students who were sexually harassed in Australia did not make a formal complaint to their university It is thus critical for student leaders to be the ones to communicate the policy clearly to the student body, and engage students by surveying them to learn more about their experiences with sexual harassment or organising focus group discussions for in-depth insights.

However, policies do not guarantee the complete prevention of sexual harassment, even if they are well-crafted. Universities also need to foster a campus culture that protects victims of sexual harassment.

Besides including information on positive bystander intervention in the anti-harassment policy, universities need to increase awareness about this and actively encourage people who have witnessed instances of sexual harassment to speak up. This is an area that Singaporean universities can do more of.

The most frequent response that victims received was that of dismissal.

According to a 2015 AWARE report, only one in eight respondents who knew a victim of sexual harassment said they offered help. A common theme that emerged was that these bystanders often asked victims to stand up for themselves, ignore their perpetrator’s actions, or be more careful in the future.

Victims often told no one, or only a close friend, about their experiences. The most frequent response that victims received when they actually confided in someone was that of dismissal. The other party either laughed, or told them to ignore it.

Educating students on how to deal with sexual harassment, especially when it happens to someone they know, can create a culture in which students understand that sexual harassment is something that should be dealt with formally.

Students can be educated about sexual harassment prevention during freshmen orientation camps, which have recently been in the news for precisely this matter — in 2016, a report in The Straits Times featured an article on the increased sexualised orientation activities in the National University of Singapore.

Change will not happen overnight — in fact, research shows that changing the cultural norms about sexual harassment at a school can take years.

But change is necessary, and it needs to start now.

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Loving people with mental illness the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They found that only three to five per cent of crimes involving violent acts were linked to people with mental illness. The majority of these crimes were committed by individuals who were mentally stable.

Moreover, the study found that people with severe mental conditions were 10 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime.

Due to this false stereotype that individuals with mental illness are “dangerous”, they are often marginalised, leaving most of them on their own. As a result, they have become one of the most helpless and vulnerable groups in society.

The onus therefore falls on us to care for them more.

Listening is the first step Living with my brother has taught me some important lessons. His speech and emotions would seem extremely negative and irrational when he broke down. I would feel confused, especially when he withdrew into his own world and made hurtful comments.

As a 14-year-old at the time of my brother’s diagnosis, I was deeply affected when I heard my brother speak repeatedly, and sometimes incoherently, about suicide during his moments of depression.

Even if we did not have the answers, we listened. We assured him that our family would always be there for him.

GRAPHIC: CLARA TOH

Tan Yu Jia Chinese Editor AMERICAN photographer Melissa Spitz fills her Instagram feed, @nothing_to_worry_about, with shots of white pills that treat anxiety, a wrist with a hospital tag on it and a middle-aged woman smoking a cigarette, among other images.

The 30-year-old’s account has almost 700 photographs as part of her photography project “You Have Nothing To Worry About”, which documents her mother’s daily battle with mental illness and substance abuse. In recognition of her work, TIME magazine named Ms Spitz 2017 Instagram Photographer of the Year.

Ms Spitz said that her project has helped her grow closer to her mother and empathise with her mental condition.

The issue of mental health is becoming salient worldwide but in Singapore, there remains little empathy towards people with men-

tal illness. It is time to raise more awareness about mental health problems, if Singapore is to be a supportive and inclusive society for people who suffer from them.

A survey released by the National Council of Social Services (NCSS) last September found that more than five in 10 respondents here are unwilling to live with, live nearby or work with a person with a mental health condition.

This is despite the fact that more people are living with mental health issues here, according to statistics from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

In 2017, 43,000 people sought outpatient treatment at IMH, a 22 per cent increase from 2010.

Not "crazy" people We might think that individuals with mental illness are dangerous, violent or threatening. But most of them do not act this way.

My elder brother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was

16 years old. During his manic episodes, he would have heated rows with other members of the family, air his grandiose thoughts about being the world’s most famous artist and wander away from home on his own.

I was deeply affected when I heard my brother speak repeatedly... about suicide.

However, he was never a threat to us. Any form of violence he expressed during these episodes was directed towards himself. During a period of severe depression, he punched his room wall repeatedly until his knuckles started to bleed.

Patients with mental illness are generally neither violent nor dangerous, according to a study by

Sometimes, I wondered why my brother could not just pull himself together or snap out of it. After years of talking to him, I eventually realised that these statements do not help people with mental illness, and are even detrimental.

Instead of criticising people with mental illness, we could help them by listening to their concerns.

Ms Mary Yip, a caregiver support specialist at Caregivers Alliance Limited (CAL), a non-profit organisation that trains caregivers of people with mental illness, says that listening is vital because it assures them that they are not alone, especially in moments when they feel helpless.

“When they want to talk to you, we might think that it’s just a normal conversation. But in their eyes, you may be the only one they want to talk to at that point of time,” Ms Yip said, adding that this could make a huge difference to their mental state.

Some practical steps we can take, as recommended by The National Alliance on Mental Illness in the United States, include asking open

questions such as “How are you feeling?” and reflecting back on what they have said.

For example, if they share that they feel extremely anxious about interacting with others, we can say: “I hear that you feel very anxious, and you feel that speaking to strangers is very scary for you.”

We can also ask if we have understood them correctly and not interrupt them with our opinions.

During my brother’s multiple relapses over the past few years, I learned to support him by listening.

My mother and I often stayed up to sit with him as he told us about what made him upset that day.

Even if we did not have the answers, we listened. We assured him that our family would always be there for him. Even though his mood would not change immediately, I believe the constant support was what allowed his condition to stabilise over the years.

Dangers of isolation If my family had not provided emotional support for my brother, he might have become withdrawn from other people.

SANE Australia, the country’s mental health charity, found that loneliness is prevalent among the mentally ill. Over two-thirds of people with mental conditions feel lonely compared to just 10 per cent in the general population.

The same survey also found that close relationships are vital for a person’s recovery from a mental health condition. Nearly 90 per cent of them said that social relationships were “important” or “very important” to them in managing their illnesses.

According to Dr Ang Yong Guan, a consultant psychiatrist in Singapore’s private practice with more than three decades of experience, long-term institutional care for mental patients is a thing of the past, as more effort is being made to integrate them into society.

“The mentally ill need the support of their friends and family, in addition to good medical treatment,” Dr Ang said.

CAL’s Ms Yip added that caring for someone with mental illness can seem very troublesome at first.

However, she encourages caregivers to imagine this: If the tables were turned and we were the ones who needed help, but were left alone, how would we feel? “(People with mental illness) are not objects with no feelings, they are living beings too,” the 48year-old added.

Life is not easy for people with mental health conditions. Spitz’s mother, for example, frequently has panic attacks and suicidal thoughts. Meanwhile, my brother battles social anxiety every time he is in a crowd.

However, having people by their side makes all the difference in their lives.

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GRAPHIC: KELLEY LIM

Removing exams and rankings could be counterproductive Edwin Chan ON 28 Sep, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced several changes to our examination system in a bid to shift students' emphasis away from grades and back to learning.

All graded examinations for Primary One and Two students will be removed starting next year. Report books will no longer underline failing marks, highlight overall total marks or reflect class and level rankings. Over the next three years, mid-year examinations at transitional years such as the Primary Three and Five, as well as Secondary One and Three levels, will also be removed.

In place of these would be nonweighted assessments, class discussions and class work to support students' learning and to inform them of their progress.

While these are measures to encourage learning, removing examinations might have its detriments.

Studies have shown that examinations help with the retention of information and that healthy competition can motivate students to do better. Therefore, there is great value in keeping examinations, class and level rankings. The lack of graded examinations and rankings might result in students nottaking their learning seriously.

Not surprisingly, despite Educa-

tion Minister Ong Ye Kung’s reassurance that the changes will “not compromise on academic rigour”, many parents are still concerned that this will not prepare their child adequately for the major national examinations.

In a survey by tuition agency Gavin's Tuition, 90 per cent of 130 parents surveyed are worried that they cannot assess how their children are doing in school without examinations or other key indicators like class, level positions and overall total score.

This is despite the fact that students would still be given nonweighted assessments, quizzes and homework. In fact, parents are already seeking tuition centres that hold in-house examinations, which might cause more stress for students, according to an article by TODAY last month.

The value of exams The removal of examinations might be counterproductive for students as research has shown that examinations can benefit the learning of students in many ways.

According to a 2007 study by the Washington University in St. Louis, tests improve students’ retention of lesson content — a phenomenon psychologists call the testing effect.

Frequent examinations and tests serve as checks for students to gauge their level of understanding on a particular topic. The constant

evaluation helps teachers to better identify students who require more help. Another study by the same university found that classroom testing is highly effective.

In the study, students who were tested frequently performed significantly better than students who were merely provided readings, as tests allowed them to organise their knowledge and use acquired information to generate new ideas more effectively.

The absence of examinations in Primary One and Two could create room for complacency. Without these checks in place, students might think they are doing better than they actually are.

When these assessments are introduced in Primary Three, students might also find themselves struggling to cope with the pressure.

They are then left with three years to condition themselves for the eventual Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE).

Frequent graded tests could therefore benefit students in the long run, even though they might cause initial stress.

Competition motivates In addition, the inclusion of class and level positions promotes healthy competition that according to multiple scientific studies, motivates students to learn.

For example, a 2013 study by the Hamdard Institute of Education and

Social Sciences identified competition among students as a method to improve motivation.

The study recommended that teachers should administer a test to students weekly or monthly, and then return the copies with feedback on how they can improve, and the student’s position in class.

Frequent tests and examinations serve as checks for students to gauge their level of understanding on a particular topic.

More importantly, teachers should mention in class why the performance of a particular student is good so that the class can learn collectively, according to the study.

Being aware of one’s standing in class could serve as a motivating factor for students to want to work harder and do better.

However, what will benefit students more is a supportive learning environment.

Examinations should not cause much stress if parents are encouraging, provide constructive feedback and work closely with teachers to identify how their child can improve.

Celebrating the children’s successes outside of the academic

realm could be a good way to encourage learning too.

Grades and examinations could be removed only for subjects that are meant to promote holistic education. Currently, some of these subjects such as Civics and Moral Education, Health Education and Music are graded. As these subjects will not be tested at the major examinations, not grading students in these subjects could help to reduce emphasis on grades.

Instead, MOE could implement non-weighted quizzes and class discussions to these subjects to encourage participation. Frequent feedback sessions could also be held, where students help one another work on their weaknesses.

This model of teaching could reduce the pressure that students face as they no longer have to work towards acing these subjects. They will then find more joy in attending these classes, which could help to nurture their passions and interests.

More time can then be placed on studying for the other examinable subjects.

Thus, while we should keep the existing assessment metrics and system, parents can share the responsibility with schools to place less emphasis on grades.

A supportive and nurturing environment is crucial in promoting the joy of learning, instead of merely reducing the competition associated with examinations.

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Canteen talk on the latest measures put in place by MOE "I am for the removal of exams.

It will help to make learning more enjoyable and effective."

Alfred Huang, 22 Year 2, Computer Science and Engineering

"I think class positions should be abolished because they might cause animosity among children. Instead, they should learn how to collaborate with their peers."

"I feel that merely removing indicators for Primary One/Two is a knee-jerk reaction and does not remove the underlying problem that young children are still constantly held to expectation to compete."

Siti Aisyah, 20 Year 1, School of Humanities

Marie Ng, 25 Year 3, School of Humanities

"It is important for schools to start examinations at the lower levels to ease students into this system rather than abruptly introducing them to exams at Primary Three."

Goh Pog Siew, 22 Year 3, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Louder than words

ILLUSTRATION: CLARA TOH

勇夺100公里马拉松冠军 ­— 刊19页

新闻

教学与研究可以并重 陈纬铨 ● 报道

教职人员亦可为采取新颖、创 新、依据健全教学法则的教学 方法而获得奖助金及奖项。” 此外，为了提高教学质量， 大学也实施了翻转式课堂模式 （flipped classroom model）。 甘教授说，这模式要求学 生进行批判性的思考，交流想 法，并且作为团队，运用知识 来解决现实生活中的问题。 甘教授强调，在任何世界一 流的大学里，教学和科研都必 须齐头并进，这两者并不是两 码子事。 他说：“好的研究人员也是 优秀的教师，反之亦然。教授 在各个学科进行前沿研究的当 儿能更好地为学生提供新鲜的 知识和见解。教授对研究的热 忱也会渗透到课堂，提升学生 的学习经验。”

最

近，社会科学院讲师胡君 杰助理教授的一篇评论文 章引发了学生的反应。 他在于9月30日出版在亚洲新 闻台网站的文章里说，过度重 视大学排名，可能会导致大学 将研究优先排位于教学，投入 大量的资源促进研究成果，而 因此忽略了教学。 对于这份报道，受访的南大 学生有不同的看法和意见。有 些学生说，注重研究固然可让 学生联系学习的知识和实际用 途，有些学生则担心这会影响 教授投入教学的时间和精力。 最新的泰晤士高等教育世界 大学排名（The Times Higher Education World University Rankings） 当中，南大排名第51位，新加 坡国立大学则排名第23位。 目前, 大学排名对研究产评价 偏重。研究引文对大学的评估 占了60%的分数，但教学措施只 占了30%。

促进研究并非弊端 一些受访学生赞同大学用世界 排名做宣传，也表示促进研究 能够帮助学生得到更全面的教 育素质。 人文学院三年级生黎思颖 （25岁）表示，南大注重大学 排名是合理的。 她说：“从某种程度上说， 当我知道我大学的排名在过去 几年在排名有上升趋势时，我 感到很有动力。” 人文学院四年级生林毓净 （22岁）也说，她注意到校园 内的巴士常常贴有广告，强调 南大所获得的排名。 她说：“南大是一所技术大 学，重视研究是一定的。新闻 也会经常提到大学研究的创新 和突破。” 一些学生也认为教学素质 并没有因重视研究而下滑。南 洋商学院三年级生杨恩佳（21 岁）说自己的姐姐五年前曾就

In summary 一些学生认为促进研究能让学生从中获益，有些则担心教学素质可能会因校方过度投入于研究而下滑。 图片：黄淑玲 读同样的学系，这几年来的教 学素质仍保持着良好的水准。 杨同学说，多数教授们乐于 回答学生们的问题，有些也不 介意抽出课外的时间继续让学 生询问。 黎同学也认为研究及教学有 相辅相成的作用。她说：“教 授的研究可以加强教学，因为 学生可以通过研究运用所学的 知识。” 有些学生则认为促进研究可 让教授获益。 南洋商学院三年级生李雪绮 （21岁）说，让教授们参与研 究过程，能让他们对所教导的 科目更加有热忱。 李同学说她其中一位教授曾 提到，南大的教授们大多选择 教学或研究两种轨迹。 这显示，有一些教授固然会 更投入于研究工作，但仍会有 教师着重培养并提升教学的内 容和素质。 ​

研究及教学质量差异大 生物科学院三年级生林毅荣 （24岁）说有些教师的研究能 力及教学质量有很大的差异。 他说：“在科学领域，教 授们进行自己的研究，对自己 正在研究的事物充满热情。但 是，如果他们不能传授他们的 知识，就不能转化为教学。” 电机与电子工程学院四年级 生庄达（24岁）表示，即使教 授进行高难度的研究，他们也 可从基本的角度思考课题，以 便更加了解学生。 胡教授在评论中也提到，研 究显示本地大学因过于注重排 名而多数聘请拥有高引文数量 的海外学术人员，而忽略了较 少知名度的本地教授。 林同学也表示，由于一些国 外教授的主语并非英语，与学 生的沟通能力可能因此较弱， 课堂上或实验室内会较难理解 教授的要求和指示。

目前，大学已有通过每学 期的教学评估，收集学生的反 馈，以确保教学水准。 艺术、设计与媒体学院学三 年级生陈军鹏（25岁）说学生 有责任认真完成教学评估, 让学 校知道如何做出调整, 以帮助未 来的学生。 化学与生物医学工程学院 四年级生王伟豪同学（24岁） 也认为教授不只应该研究能力 强，教学能力也需有水准。

维持教学水准的措施 常务副教务长（教育）​甘 灿兴​ 教授表示，大学现已有措施以 维持教学水准。 他说：“南大教学学院（NTU Teaching Academy）通过把拥有 最佳教学实践的顶尖教授和讲 师带到同一处，帮助提高教学 水准，以便其他教职人员向他 们学习。” 另外，他也认为：“所有

IN SEPTEMBER, Assistant Professor Woo Jun Jie from the School of Social Sciences wrote in a Channel NewsAsia opinion piece about how an overemphasis on university rankings and research may have adverse effects on students and faculty.

Currently, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings bases 60 per cent of its ranking on research output, and 30 per cent on standard of teaching.

To this report, students have mixed reactions. Some say professors conducting research can impart new insights to students, while some believe the research expertise of professors does not equate teaching ability.

NTU’s Deputy Provost (Education), Professor Kam Chan Hin, says teaching and research must go hand in hand, and that the university has measures in place like the NTU Teaching Academy to maintain high standards of teaching.

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南大学生勇夺100公里超级马拉松冠军 卓思恬 ● 报道

社

会科学院四年级生陈文 德（25岁）于10月7日在 支持者的欢呼声中冲线，赢得 2018年新加坡超级马拉松（2XU SG-Ultra Marathon）冠军。 陈同学在9小时53分钟内完成 100公里超级马拉松，比第二位 冲线的选手快了约1个小时，背 后付出了艰苦的训练。 为100公里超级马拉松准备的 6个月以来，边修着两个专业边 写着毕业论文的陈同学还要每 周练跑80公里。周一至周六， 陈同学凌晨5时起床，开始跑步 与核心训练，早上8时就和其他 学生一样上学，傍晚还和校队 一起练习。 饮食方面，除了避免碰酒精 和油炸食物外，他没有太多的 讲究。 他笑说：“我吃很多，每次 饿我就吃，不会计算卡路里。 因为身体需要很多的营养来应 付每周80公里的训练。” 陈同学说，超级马拉松的 速度掌控十分重要，一开始绝 不能跑太快。若一开始出现问 题，整个过程都会很痛苦。 他将10到12小时之间需要的 食物和水装在跑步背心的口袋 里，满怀期待地出发。

6个月的艰苦训练后，陈文德终于勇夺新加坡超级马拉松冠军。 图片：陈文德 然而，他刚完成四分之一路 的路程我都是一个人。” 程，在补给站喝过水后，身体就 半途中，有两位同是运动选 出现了状况。他的腹部感觉很不 手的朋友来为他加油打气。他 对劲，但当时前方还有75公里。 们为陈同学带来了红牛、运动 他坦言曾想半途放弃，但集 饮料还有马铃薯泥，骑着自行 中于跨越前方的每一步，终于在 车陪伴他跑过长达20公里的距 樟宜海滨公园看见洗手间。腹部 离，一边也在网上为他做直播。 的不适舒缓后，身体渐入佳境。 除了朋友的支持，家人的 然而，比起体力的挑战，更 鼓 励 也 是 他 的 巨 大 动 力 。 他 大的困难是孤独。“每个跑手之 说 ： “ 身 边 的 人 传 达 的 正 能 间都拉开了一段距离，所以90% 量，让我更勇敢地去尝试之前

所害怕的挑战。” 赢得了冠军的那一刻，他 说：“我感觉好不真实，也真 的真的很累。” 机械与宇航工程学院四年级 生吴敬贤（25岁）是陈同学的 室友，也是前去支持他的朋友 之一。他说：“我起床时就看 见他得了冠军的消息，真的很 为他感到兴奋。这是他第一次 获得超级马拉松冠军，我觉得 是很值得纪念的一刻。” 陈同学与长跑的缘分始于一 个与理工学院朋友的2.4公里的 挑战，那是他第一次认真看待 跑步。后来经友人邀约，他也 完成了人生中的第一个半马拉 松，开始迷上了这项运动。 在荣获新加坡超级马拉松冠 军后，他的下个目标是挑战香 港超级马拉松。 对陈同学而言，跑步是挑战 极限及发现自己的方式，也是 人生的一种哲理。 他说：“在长跑途中，你 须承受未曾经历的黑暗，那种 精神疲劳真的会把生命一层层 地剥落，直到剩下最重要的部 分。你会经历一种宁静，集中 的状态，仿佛是一种‘道’。” 他鼓励所有对超级马拉松有 兴趣的人常常保持谦虚的心态 做好身心的准备，过程中也绝

不要陷入自怜的负面漩涡里。 “面临极限想要放弃时，我 常在心中默念这句话，‘你的 身体仍完好无损，你要继续’ 。人生也会将许多的困难抛向 我们，但是只要身体还是健全 的，一步一步前进，你终会达 到目标。”

In summary A FINAL-YEAR student from the School of Social Sciences, Lester Tan, emerged champion at the 2018 2XU SG-Ultra Marathon, by completing 100km in 9 hours 53 minutes.

The 25-year-old went through six months of intensive training, including running 80km every week, often around 20km at a time, while studying for his double major programme in Public Policy and Global Affairs, and Philosophy.

He shares with the Nanyang Chronicle the physical strain and loneliness he experienced during the run, what motivated him to keep going, and how his love for the sport began. He plans to conquer the Hong Kong Ultra marathon next year.

娱乐

《星梦情深》让你陶醉于爱情及音乐 布莱德利库柏（Bradley Cooper ）饰演的杰克逊捧红了艾莉 （女神卡卡, Lady Gaga 饰），让

图片：华纳兄弟

如

果要选出今年最好看的 电影，《星梦情深》（ A Star is Born）绝对是其中之一。

她如愿以偿地成为“明星”。 杰克逊因与艾莉相识相恋， 使他重新找回了对音乐的热忱。 艾莉也因为这样，而展开了自己 的明星路。 但一个明星的诞生，却也是 另一个明星的坠落。原以为他们 是彼此的救赎，但俩人却在相爱 的过程中，渐行渐远。 《星》的情节至今已是第四 次搬上大银幕。要再翻拍出新意 正是库柏面对的挑战。 故事尽管是相同的，但库柏 却透过结合现代元素，呈现出属 于他的故事。 库柏从演员变成导演，这也 是他的导演处作。他在电影里也 化身成一名摇滚音乐家。库柏低 沉、浑厚而又磁性的嗓音让人眼 前一亮。没看过库柏演戏的人大 概会以为他是名职业歌手。

而女神卡卡在演技上也有 很大的突破，她从一个喜欢写 歌、爱唱歌的青涩女生到后来 成为一夜爆红的职业唱跳歌 手，每一个不同时段的女神卡 卡，在情感上的把握都拿捏得 恰到好处。 此外，电影中库柏和女神卡 卡的演唱会，都是真实的演唱 会。而台下的“歌迷”，都是 女神卡卡的真实歌迷。 值得一提的是，演唱会的录 制都是采用现场收音的方式进 行的。对于女神卡卡来说，也 许不是问题；但对于非专业歌 手的库柏来说，是一个考验。 但事实也证明，两位主角都在 这方面发挥得很好。 音乐这一元素在《星》中占 据着相当重要的部分。 电影中库柏和女神卡卡合唱 《Shallow》这一首歌，作为这部 电影的主题曲，歌词仿佛也在 诉说两位主角的故事：一个郁

郁不得志，另一个疲惫于当下 的生活，都同样被搁浅在岸边 挣扎着。然而他们在遇见对方 以后，成为了彼此的寄托，逃 离岸边。 电影带出的“莫忘初衷”这 一课题也值得我们一再深思。 艾莉品尝过一炮而红的滋味 后，似乎渐渐地迷失了自我。 杰克逊几次提醒她，要诚实地 为自己而唱歌，为唱歌而唱歌。 但成名后的艾莉，已经不再 像第一次踏上舞台和杰克逊唱 歌那样地纯粹了——就像她和 杰克逊的感情一样，一开始都 是纯粹的，只是到了后来在各 种外来因素的影响下而变质。 总的来说，《星》是一部尽 管翻拍了第四次仍然是值得大 家去观看的电影。观众除了能 够享受两位主角的歌声之外， 还能期待俩人之间所擦出的爱 情火花！（文 / 吴诗蕾）

In summary A STAR is Born, the musical romance drama with a star-studded cast, follows troubled country musician Jackson (Bradley Cooper) as he falls in love with a waitress, Ally (Lady Gaga), and encourages her to pursue her singing dreams. However, as Ally’s music career takes off, Jackson’s life spirals downwards, straining their relationship.

Cooper’s stellar voice and Gaga’s impressive acting are surprising highlights of the show.

As Cooper’s directorial debut, he brings a fresh interpretation in this remake of a classic movie, through performing new songs with Gaga, such as the hit tune, Shallow. Amid the glitz and glamour, the movie encourages us to cherish the people we love, and to stay true to ourselves.

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新加坡大学生应该加强了解亚细安

插图： 许敏慧

今

年，新加坡出任亚细安 （ASEAN）的轮值主席， 以“坚韧团结创新求变”的口 号引领亚细安。 话虽如此，2017年一项研 究却发现，新加坡与其他成员 国相比，对亚细安的看法最负 面。根据亚洲新闻台今年9月 份的报道，新加坡年轻人普遍 认为亚细安区域是“荒废”及 “落后”的。 南大学生对亚细安的认识 也很有限。就读南大社会科学 院四年级生陈逸祥（24岁） 说：“班上同学对亚细安没有 深入的认识，只是简单地知道 亚细安是由十个国家组成的组 织而已。” 计算机科学与工程学院二年 级生陈志明（20岁）也说：“ 我认识的朋友只对马来西亚比 较了解，但不会聊起其他亚细 安国家。” 其实，亚细安一直对东南亚

区域扮演着至关重要的角色。 历史上，亚细安在约50年来 以中立的国际立场成功维护了 区域的和平，而如今在国际政 治上也占有一定的地位。 因此，身为大学生的我们有 必要更了解亚细安。

在亚细安职场上更具优势 于1967年签署《曼谷宣言》 后成立的亚细安共有十个成员 国。其主要宗旨是推动地区经 济、社会及文化方面的合作， 以及维护地区的和平与稳定性。 事实上，亚细安的经济正 在蓬勃发展，也有更多的跨国 公司争相在亚细安各国进行投 资，创造就业机会。 当亚细安在全球经济的地位 越来越重要时，对亚细安局势 的了解将使我们未来在职场上 更具优势。 根据亚洲开发银行估计， 亚细安经济将继续维持高增长

率，并且有望在2030年成为全 球第四大市场。 亚细安与东亚经济研究中心 （ERIA）2017年的报告也显示亚 细安地区的年轻人当中，有87% 认为自己未来会与其他亚细安 的公民一起工作。 任教于南大公共政策与国 际事务学的瓦纳瑞博士也说： “新加坡在东南亚地区做了很 多的投资，这将让新加坡学生 有机会前往亚细安各国工作。” 而其中一个大有潜能的亚细 亚国家就是越南。 电子与电机工程学院三年级 生达克（23岁）是南大越南学 生交流委员会（ NTUVSIC ）的 主席。他说：“越南的经济正 急速增长，并走向全球化，从 前的渔村现在已经发展成为港 口。隔几年再到越南，又会看 见全新的样貌。” 达克同学也说，越南有众多 跨国公司前来投资，创造了许 多条件优良的高技术就业机会。 况且，新加坡约5百万人口的 购买力非常小，整个亚细安市 场却有超过6千万的消费者。 到过泰国玛希隆大学（ Mahidol University）进行交换的社会 科学学院三年级生拉希德表示 将来想要到海外发展生意。她 说：“新加坡市场小，我想到 其他消费市场大的国家如泰国 或印度尼西亚进行投资，所以 了解它们很重要。” 因此，了解亚细安不仅能拓 展就业机会，有意创业者对区 域的认识也是知彼知己的优势。

区域日益紧密相连的命运 随着亚细安各国互免签证，加 上各国经济的发展、科技的进 步以及交通的便利，亚细安的 人们命运日益紧密，人口的流 动也更频繁了。

能抵御大国的影响。亚细安可 以推动区域开放的经济政策， 领导多边合作。” 瓦纳瑞博士也解释，新加坡 需帮助亚细安各国达至经济独 立，以至于无需任大国的经济 筹码摆布，这对区域的和平与 稳定性很重要。 他相信，这时代不再是以国 家利益为主，而是一个注重区 域性的时代，因此身为未来领 袖的大学生应学会提高区域性 的思考方式。

善用亚细安的平台 今年八月份，陈逸祥同学代表 新加坡与南大出席了在缅甸仰 光举办的第二届亚细安学生流 动性论坛（ASEAN Student Mobility Forum）。他发现，亚细安为 大学生举办了许多活动及交流 机会，新加坡学生却毫不知情。 例如亚细安大学联盟（Asean University Network）每年提供“ 亚细奖学金”，南大学生也可 申请到亚细安的大学当交换生。 除此之外，亚细安每年也举 办一系列值得关注的活动，如 亚细安大学运动会、亚细安学 生领袖论坛以及短片制作、写 作比赛等。 他说：“我们不知道这些机 会真是吃亏。我国缴了亚细安 的会员费，我们有权参与这些 活动与比赛，从中获益。” 本来对亚细安不太关心的 他，在该论坛里了解到亚细安 的运作方式，也学会与来自不 同国家的同学一起达成共识并 建立友谊的重要性。 他说：“参与了这个论坛 之后我完全对亚细安改观了， 我能够从不同的角度看见亚细 安。通过与其他学生的互动， 我与他们建立了友谊。我觉得 亚细安是建立在人与人之间的 友谊上的。”

“我觉得亚细安是建 多元文化是亚细安的瑰宝 立在人与人之间的友 论及亚细安最美丽的，莫过于 谊上的。” 她多元的文化。认识并学会珍 陈逸祥（24岁） 社会科学院四年级生 近日，面对中美贸易战、保 护主义兴起与各个大国势力的 影响，亚细安的局势更加变幻 莫测。此刻，互相依赖与扶持 是亚细安能否克服困难的关键。 瓦纳瑞博士说：“新加坡国 力虽强，但仍是小国，要与其 他国家合作，团结力量大。我 们的团结程度将决定我们是否

惜亚细安的多元文化，既能让 我们能以不同的角度思考，广 泛交友也能丰富人生。 印尼多姿多彩的传统舞蹈、 柬埔寨的古老文明、泰国的街 头美食等都是值得我们去发掘 与体验的文化。 亚细安各国有多元文化之 余，其实也有许多共同之处。 来自缅甸的南大数理科学院 三年级生文雪·心悟（21岁） 说：“我们有很多相似之处。 缅甸人和印尼与马来西亚人一

样喜欢峇迪，和泰国过一样的 新年。而泰国和寮国的语言几 乎相同！” 来自泰国朱拉隆功大学的交 换生纳博克（22岁）认为看重 家庭是亚细安人民的共同点。 他说：“我们在组织家庭后 仍然和父母同住在一个屋檐下 是很正常的事，但是在西方社 会就并非如此。而且，我周围 多数的人都会因为想和家人一 起住而考虑回国工作。”

“新加坡国力虽强， 但仍是小国，要与其 他国家合作，团结力 量大。我们的团结程 度将决定我们是否能 抵御大国的影响。” 瓦纳瑞博士 公共政策与国际事务学教师 论及亚细安共同的文化，陈 同学则表示：“在论坛中遇见 的学生都非常愿意互相了解以 及互相尊重。我也发现，比起 物质上的追求，他们更加注重 的是社会的进步，民主的价值 与正义等。” 亚细安不仅文化紧密地联系 着，在区域经济及安全方面也 息息相关。我们应打破对亚细 安的固有观念，主动认识这片 共处的区域。(文/卓思恬）

In summary IN THIS opinion piece, the writer targets the misperceptions that Singaporean university students may have about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) being “backwards” and encourages them to actively understand more about the region.

ASEAN’s economy has been developing rapidly, suggesting the growing employment and new market opportunities that students can find in other ASEAN countries. Furthermore, the strategic alliance between ASEAN states is vital in a time of protectionism and trade wars.

There are also many ASEAN scholarships, exchange opportunities and regional competitions that students can participate in, and diverse cultures and traditions from these countries that they can learn to appreciate.

Sports

Women’s football faces uphill battle at university championships

The team during their last debrief, before departing to Jinjiang, China for the university championships.

Despite fielding fewer players due to competition requirements at the Asian University Football Championship, the women’s football team remains undeterred Megan-Nicole Lye NTU WOMEN’S football team has headed overseas for the first time to compete in the Asian University Football Championship (AUFC) held in Jinjiang, China from 29 Oct to 11 Nov. But the squad was forced to compete with 15 players instead of a full 18-member squad as some members of the team were unable to commit to the tournament.

Coach Mohammad Herman Zailani, 38, said he was left with the “bare minimum of players”, with only four substitutes instead of the usual seven.

“The competition is two weeks long and with only 15 players, I really hope that my girls do not get injured,” he said.

Training against the tides

The lack of players was partly due to a rule imposed by International

University Sports Federation (FISU), which prevents athletes aged 25 and older from registering for the competition.

“I’m loving the resilient team spirit. The girls don’t really care about the score. We play for the love of football.”

Nur Syafiqah Peer, 22 Third-year student School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Captain of NTU women’s football team

Wu Yuan Yuan, 28, a substitute striker and a graduate student from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), is one of the three players ineligible to compete.

“I felt frustrated. This was my best chance to play in an international high-level competition,” said Wu, who competed in the Singapore University Games (SUniG) with the team.

PHOTOS: THEODORE LIM

Despite emerging as champions in SUniG last month, the team are the underdogs in the AUFC, facing powerhouses such as China and Mongolia. Mr Herman described preparations as an “uphill battle”.

“They have to focus more on defending and counter-attacking, and cannot expect to have the ball all the time,” Mr Herman said.

Some students from the National Institute of Education were also unable to participate due to commitments in school.

To compensate for the shortage of players, some were asked to take on new positions.

For example, captain Nur Syafiqah Peer, 22, a centre-back, is now the team’s goalkeeper.

Since there was not enough time for the team to completely adapt to their new positions, Syafiqah, a third-year CEE student, believes it is even more crucial for the players to communicate on the pitch.

“We have to focus on the ball and the game, and not the new position we are playing. In the case that someone is out of position, another player has to cover for her,” she said. “We are structured such that there will not be empty spaces. We are helping each other out this way.”

Despite the hurdles they have

Midfielder Winette Lim Siu, 20, works on her long shots to improve her offensive plays.

had to overcome, the players were excited for the competition.

“I’m excited to see how we can play to each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Fatin Aqillah Mohamed Ridzwan, 24 Final-year student Sports Science and Management

“Tactically and fitness-wise, our competitors are much better than us, so we have to be disciplined in our training,” said Fatin Aqillah Mohamed Ridzwan, 24, a final-year Sports Science and Management student. “I’m excited to see how we can play to each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

The National University of Singapore has also sent their team to compete, but both teams will only face each other if they make it to the semi-finals. The winning team of AUFC will qualify for next year’s FISU World University Cup. Regardless of the results, Syafiqah hopes her teammates will enjoy themselves and grow with the experience of playing at an international level.

“I’m loving the resilient team spirit. The girls don’t really care about the score. We play for the love of football,” she said.

Fatin added that this experience can be passed down to their juniors in the future.

“What’s important is the learning experience,” she said. “Most of the team are first and secondyear students, so I hope they can share whatever they have learned, the good and the bad, with future generations of the team.”

22-23 SPORTS

A community in cricket

The NTU cricket team, after winning their last game in the Singapore Cricket Association Division One Corporation League.

NTU’s cricket squad, which is made up of mostly international students, is a close-knit team on and off the pitch Jill Marianne Arul WHEN Vishal Raj moved to Singapore this year to pursue a degree at NTU, he was worried about not being able to find good friends. But the 18-yearold Indian national’s passion for cricket found him a family in the NTU cricket team.

Having played the sport for eight years in the United Arab Emirates, where he lived for the past 14 years, the first-year School of Computer Science and Engineering (SCSE) student was keen to continue playing it in Singapore.

“Cricket is my passion. It is a part of my life and I knew I had plans to play cricket wherever I went,” said Vishal, who brought his cricket equipment to Singapore.

After he joined the NTU team, Vishal’s teammates, who hail from countries like India and Sri Lanka, helped him to adapt to life here by recommending places for good food, advising him on courses to take in the university, as well as helping him with his school work.

In just two weeks, Vishal formed a close bond with them.

“We became a family, and that

made me feel very comfortable here,” said Vishal. “It is always a delight to be hanging around them.”

He sees his teammates at least thrice a week — twice for trainings and once for their weekend games.

The team also bonds over team activities outside of training, such as suppers, barbeques and their annual two-day training camp.

“We became a family, and that made me feel very comfortable here.”

Vishal Raj, 18 First-year student School of Computer Science and Engineering

Thirteen of the team’s 18 members are international students, making the cricket team the club with the highest proportion of international students in NTU. Almost 80 per cent of the team has prior competitive experience in the sport.

A batting brotherhood

Like Vishal, many members consider the team their pillar of support as they adjust to living in a foreign country.

Captain Rahul Kumar Singh, 28, who came to Singapore four years

PHOTOS: THEODORE LIM

ago, said: “I had never been out of India and I felt lonely at the start, but I found the cricket team in NTU and I think that has really given me a family.”

While the PhD student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering gets along well with other graduate students in his school, he still finds it easier to connect with those who share his passion for cricket.

“With every new team you join, it takes time to get used to everyone, but I had very good teammates who were very welcoming and supportive,” said Rahul, who is one of four PhD students in the team.

“We’re a really close team. That’s one thing we pride ourselves on.”

Giving back

Vice-captain Vidur Sharma, 21, said the cricket community is an inclusive one.

“Players from all nationalities are always welcome,” said the final-year SCSE student. “There’s always banter... That’s something we cherish and enjoy on and off the field,” he added.

Vidur decided to join the team despite having played cricket only recreationally.

“I joined for the love of cricket.

Everyone on the team plays because they love cricket,” he said.

At first, it was tough for him to switch from playing recreationally

Captain Rahul Singh, 28, (R) and Sarvesh Tusnial, 19, analysing the game from the sidelines.

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

25

CHRONICLE 04

Chirath Gunasinghe, 22, demonstrates his skills as the top batsman of NTU.

PHOTO: JOEL CHAN

Rahul, playing his last game with the NTU cricket team on 28 Oct.

Explaining cricket Cricket is played on a large field with 11 players and one substitute on each team. At the start of the game, a coin toss determines which team goes up to bat first.

The fielding team plays all 11 players on the grounds, and the batting team plays two batsmen. Each batsman stands on either side of a rectangular strip called a pitch.

The objective

The first goal of batsmen is to score a run, which happens when both batsmen run to the opposite end of the pitch after hitting the ball. If the batsman hits the ball in the boundary of the field, four runs are awarded. If the ball goes over the boundary, six runs are scored.

Deepak Sarika, 24, warming up as he waits for his turn to bat.

“Players from all nationalities are always welcome.

There’s always banter... that’s something we cherish on and off the field.”

Vidur Sharma, 21 Final-year student School of Computer Science and Engineering Vice-captain of NTU cricket team

to competitively, but his seniors always encouraged him after each training session, and would discuss how everyone had performed and ways to improve.

Now, he hopes to do the same for new members.

“I took on this leadership role (of vice-captain) because I had a sense of responsibility to the team,” he said. “I thought I should give back.

I was mentored by someone and want to do the same for the new members who join.”

The team’s chemistry was reflected on the field as they competed to defend their title as the Singapore Cricket Association Institution – Corporation League Division One champions.

Their last match of the season was held on 28 Oct, when the team won Oracle Cricket Club.

This puts them in the second place as they gun for the top spot to defend their championship title.

Powering through the first half of 2 hours 30 minutes before the match was rained out, NTU cricket played well, scoring 219 runs.

Top batsman of the league, Chirath Gunasinghe, 22, scored 88 of those runs and stayed in the game for 23 of the 30 overs.

“It was our last game, and we wanted to give our captain a good send-off, so we gave it our all,” said Chirath, a second-year School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering student.

Their second goal is to protect wickets, which are three 70cm-tall wooden poles placed behind the batsmen. If they are knocked down by the ball, the batsmen are out.

The fielding team’s goal is to get the batsman out, most commonly by knocking over the wickets, catching the ball after it is hit, or passing the ball back to the pitch and knocking over the wickets before the batsman completes his run.

Once all ten batsmen are out, or after a set number of overs, the teams switch sides. An over is completed after six balls are played.

The team that scores the most number of runs wins the match.

Cricket records

A game of cricket can last from three hours to five days, depending on the version of game played. Games that NTU’s cricket team plays usually last for about four hours. The longest cricket match in history was between South Africa and England, which lasted for nine days.