Current Media Issue 15 - Memories by Current Media

RMIT HANOI CAMPUS ISSUE 15 | DECEMBER 2016 THE MEMORIES EDITION

CurrentMedia

Current Media

Current Media is a free, student-run publication for the RMIT Hanoi community

EDITORIAL

DESIGN

TRAN BAO CHAU

NGUYEN HA THUY LINH

NGUYEN NGOC ANH

DO HAI NAM

President/Writer s3575399@rmit.edu.vn

Editor-in-Chief s3578273@rmit.edu.vn

Lead Designer s3575391@rmit.edu.vn

Designer s3503260@rmit.edu.vn

NGUYEN VU MAI ANH

NGUYEN TUAN PHONG

TRAN THU NGUYET

NHU HUONG TRA

Writer s3535683@rmit.edu.vn

Writer s3461777@rmit.edu.vn

Designer/Writer s3515392@rmit.edu.vn

Designer/Writer s3575424@rmit.edu.vn

DANG NGOC MY

NGO HUONG NHI

NGUYEN DIEU LINH

TRAN LE PHUONG THAO

Writer s3575393@rmit.edu.vn

Writer s3578332@rmit.edu.vn

Designer s3501321@rmit.edu.vn

Designer s3515496@rmit.edu.vn

TRAN THU HUONG

NGO BA SON LAM

NGUYEN VINH GIA HUY

NGUYEN HUONG MY

Writer s3608113@rmit.edu.vn

Contributing Writer

Designer huypon18091996@gmail.com

Designer s3640733@rmit.edu.vn

DO HOANG TAM

TRAN LINH THAO

Designer s3618952@rmit.edu.vn

Designer s3634079@rmit.edu.vn

SPECIAL THANKS to Tran Huyen Trang for the beautiful collection of antique clocks.

NGUYEN DO QUYNH LIEN

NGO HA ANH

Designer s3410599@rmit.edu.vn

Contributing Designer

NGUYEN HOANG NAM

NGUYEN THANH LONG

Photographer s3548184@rmit.edu.vn

Photo Editor s3638843@rmit.edu.vn

EMAIL currentmedia.rmithn@gmail.com FACEBOOK fb.com/CurrentMediaRMIT WEBSITE currentmediarmit.com

(*) Please note that the views expressed in these pages are the personal views of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the views of RMIT management.

Contents D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

If anything, technology didn’t ruin me, or at least not in the way she thought it would. Constantly having a memory tin that’s so close to me only made me feel every emotion more intensely. So, I quit the moping and decided to video call her. I knew then that she’d berate me for sleeping at a ridiculous hour, but I smiled to myself anyway. Thanks, technology.

20 Perspective

5 Comic

22 Perspective

6 Campus Report

24 The City

8 The Talk

26 Entertainment

14 A CHAT WITH NADJA

BLESSED ARE THE FORGETFUL CORNERS OF NOSTALGIA

COOL GROOVES

28 Entertainment

12 Insider’s Story

30 Around the World

14 Short Story

32 Fun Facts

16 Photography

33 Crossword

18 Cover Story

34 Community Submission

MY YEAR ON EXCHANGE TOGETHER TOGETHER

IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME REMEMBER YOUR HEARTBREAKS

MEMORY TIN

10 Tips

MEMORY TECHNIQUES TO CONQUER EXAMS

Fast forward until now and I am 7000 km away from home. Just last night I was still lying in bed with my phone in hand and my thumb flicking — but this time it wasn’t aimless. I had just finished up all the work for the semester and finally got some down time after roughly 40 hours of no sleep. Back aching, fingers shaking and eyes blood-shot, yet I couldn’t fall asleep. All of my temporary worries were gone and feelings of emptiness started kicking in. I scrolled and scrolled, through cute photos of my mum and our cat, through archived heart-warming texts, through meticulously organized photos of every meetup I went to the previous year. I craved hearty family meals, craved the clear Hanoi nights where I drove around West Lake with my best friends, craved the furry feline paws that wrapped around my arm every night… all of it. Vivid colors and sharp details made it all felt so close, yet not close enough. How can a lifeless light-emitting surface ever replace the real people in my life? At that moment I suddenly felt like my grandmother, also wistfully looking through my own memory tin but this time all by myself.

4 Editor’s Letter

CHILDHOOD MYTHS

I do admit that scrolling aimlessly on the phone wasn’t the best thing to do at that moment. There is no doubt that the smartphone has become an inseparable part of my life as well as millions of millennials; we utilize it for almost all of our daily activities, be it navigation, communication, entertainment or simply just to look up a place for lunch. The convenience that it provides is so abundant that it resulted in many of us becoming addicts, or, as some would call: "slaves to technology". Although this is a very real issue, it is also one of the only modern technology-related problems that receives ample media coverage. This does nothing but portray technology and millennials in a bad light: that we simply ignore the entire world around us and only really care about our phones.

FLASHBACKS: A MAGIC SPELL IN SCREENWRITING WHERE DO MEMORIES GO?

THE AMAZING MEMO-RY

WINTER SPOOKS

REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST

Editor’s Letter T H E M E M O R I E S I S S U E

Memories are strange. We don’t so much relive them as feel them rumble in our bones. Memories aren’t always nice—many try to get rid of them since they can remind us of such pain and horror—but they aren’t always dark either. My first memory ever was dosing off with my cheek pressing against my mother’s chest as her steady heartbeats lulled me to sleep. For the longest time, the rhythm of her heart was my lullaby. Indeed, memories can be violent and unforgiving, but alongside them is a lifetime of delicate moments that fill us with eternal tenderness. They can be as grand as a trip across the globe or a hard-earned victory, but most of the time they’re as fleeting as a look, a touch, a smile . . . That’s why us humans are so obsessed with memories and the past. Memories fade. We can’t hold on to them forever. And yet they play such a crucial part in making us who we are today. But if all memories eventually fade then how do we continue to grow? By making new memories. That’s the beauty of it all: the holes where old memories have left in our hearts will eventually be filled with newer, more wondrous memories, and it’s these new memoirs that will make us truly whole. Current Media’s 15th issue “Memories” isn’t only a reminiscence of the past, but also a celebration of the future—of youth and opportunities for new memories to be created. It hopes to remind us all that memories, no matter how ugly or beautiful, shape our past, present, and future. May we never forget our own history, for for “Without memories, we have no identity.” — Nguyen Tuan Phong

Nguyen Ha Thuy Linh, Editor-in-Chief

4 Memories

COMIC

Memories 5

CAMPUS REPORT

CAMPUS REPORT words by Mai Anh | layout by Pug

INFINITY CHALLENGES RMIT students are not afraid of going beyond their limits. In July, RMIT Sport & Recreation Hanoi organized indoor and outdoor physical challenges to encourage RMIT students to test their limits, both physically and mentally. The event attracted 16 teams including RMIT staff: each 3-person team took part in four indoor and outdoors challenges in over 40 days. There were 90 training sessions along with 41 games like solving quizzes, rock climbing and water games. The time and sweat paid off, because this journey taught us about the importance of collaboration, and that it’s never too late to overcome our weakness.

PERSONAL EDGE 2016: LEADERSHIP EDITION Last semester, thanks to RMIT Careers and Employability Service and Business Club, we had 2 days with memorable experience along with a big, amazing surprise in week 7. We learned eye-opening lessons behind successful leaders, how to create a perfect elevator pitch, wine appreciation and the creativity needed in solving problems, all highly essential skills needed in a future leader. The big surprise that RMIT Hanoi and Business Club brought was a field trip to Ciputra to engage in physical and entertaining activities like golf, dancing, and fashion workshop. To Bui Cong Thang, it was a fantastic experience: “It was so much fun. I loved the dancing and the games! It’s totally worth it to spend two days on learning new things and making new friends”.

6 Memories

TALENT MAGNET Building a network is essential for our future because while our knowledge in university will be useful, in the end, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about creating relationships and greats impression on people who may employ us. In August, RMIT Careers and Employability Service organized a networking event in Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel to give all RMIT students an opportunity to meet with young, successful individuals in various industries, and most importantly, a chance to introduce ourselves, to connect with other people. That night, we all dressed professionally, listened to seniors sharing their wonderful experience, and vice versa, we let them know who we are and what we can do because they may contact and help us in the near future. When an opportunity knocks, open the door and take one step closer to your goal!

RMIT HANOI OUTING: VRESORT HOA BINH Work hard, play hard! After long assignments and exams, we deserve time to ourselves. Student Council chose VResort, a place with beautiful landscapes, along with exciting activities such as Trace Hunter and Neon Light Party for RMIT students to bond and forget about all of the stress so we could sing and dance like we only live once. The best part of university life is letting ourselves be free!

Memories 7

THE TALK

a chat with

nadja

We all have a “sticky” relationship with assignments and finals. When they hit, our minds would jump around like an agitated squirrel in a cage trap. “It scares me.” “I don’t know how to approach it!” “This sucks and I don’t wanna do it!!!” Don’t pack yourself up in a briefcase – there’s always something you can do. Everybody needs a little help sometimes, but smart people will reach out and make themselves be heard: “Hey! I got this problem. Can you please help me out?” Never again in your life will you find so many resources in one place like in “Student Academic Success”. By taking full advantage of available resources, we’re well on our way to a more enjoyable learning experience in university. Time to find out what’s so juicy about SAS from Nadja Laurente - our Learning Advisor on campus!

8 Memories

Interview by Huong Tran Designed by Haanh

Hi, Nadja! Q: Can you tell us what SAS is about? A: Student Academic Success is a team of Learning Advisors at RMIT Vietnam. Our goal is to empower students with the skills, strategies and knowledge of HOW to succeed in their academic courses. We offer a range of study support services to meet a wide variety of learner needs. Apart from one-to-one learning and language support with a Learning Advisor, we also train students to support each other (PASS and SLAMs). These two are our biggest peer-to-peer study support programs that are quite preferred by students because they get to work with upper level students who have taken courses in the first few semesters and actually did well in them. Q: What are the most common problems faced by students? A: Oftentimes, SAS Learning Advisors encounter students who seek help with course-specific concerns like writing better assignments with regard to structure and content, referencing and paraphrasing their writing work, understanding required readings and articles, organizing and moving forward with group tasks, and even managing their time effectively for the entire semester. Sometimes, students have other inquiries and are referred to either the Library or to English teachers, who are also hosting the Learning and Language Studio (Level 2). Q: How can students overcome them without being miserable? A: RMIT students need to remember that “they are not alone” in their academic journey! SAS and its services will help them find a way through certain course challenges like getting started with their writing draft, critically reading many academic articles or polishing a final draft to ensure that it merits a high mark. They can also develop useful skills for effective and responsible learning to succeed in university. Students would usually come in for an appointment with a very puzzled look, and then

half-an-hour later, leave the room all smiling and knowing what to do with their course requirements. Q: What is it like working in the SAS Team? A: It’s been so rewarding and at the same time challenging, but in a positive way. We’ve got a great team of “superheroes” who are talented and experienced in their field. Each member has a specific power to address specific needs of students. My manager is an expert in peer tutor support and collaborative learning; another colleague is skilled in project management and implementation; one works with vast amounts of data and another is a “maths wizard”. On the other hand, it’s also challenging because of the physical distance between me and the rest of the SAS team in Saigon. It is quite difficult in terms of communication and sometimes, to just ‘connect’ with them on a personal level. Nevertheless, working with the Student Academic Success is (I think) one of the best jobs at RMIT because of the support and service we extend to students. Q: In your opinion, what makes university life the fondest memory of every student? A: For me, I consider university life as that preparation phase for every individual in their learning and understanding of the world around them before actually heading out to the real world. It’s during university that most things start to make sense, at least for me they did. You’ll learn things about yourself that you never knew. My experience as a university student more than a decade ago taught me about achieving my personal goals even when my family, friends or the world tell me I can’t. That’s why SAS Team is working harder everyday to help you achieve the best learning experience possible while you’re here. Thank you Nadja for sharing your valuable insights! So next time, don’t keep struggling on your own. Get help from SAS before it’s too late! Your life is easier with the contributions of others.

Book an appointment on SAS website or shoot them an email: sas@rmit.edu.vn Stalk their Facebook: fb.com/SASVietnam Find them on Intranet: staff.rmit.edu.vn/student-services/student-academic-success

Memories 9

TIPS

MEMORY TECHNIQUES TO CONQUER EXAMS

WE ALL KNOW HOW IT GOES. We sweat buckets over learning and memorizing definitions or formulas just to

forget them all the next day. “I’ve read this 10 times, I’m not gonna forget it,” our traitorous brain whispers every time, but it’s not until we’re reading the first exam question that it goes, “Just kidding LOL!” Reading something over and over again the night before the big exam is actually the worst way to revise. The human memory system has separate parts to process different types of information (trust me, there are scientific models and stuff), but you aren’t gonna remember any of the data unless you process it again and again. And I mean process, not stare at words until your eyes water. Down below are some memory techniques I have actually used myself in dire revision times. Experiment and have fun!

10 Memories

THE METHOD OF LOCI Perhaps one of the oldest and most powerful memory techniques out there. The basis of this technique is linking the things you need to remember to places that you already know really, really well. Loci means “places” in Latin, ‘nuff said. Since most people tend to pick their homes for this technique, I’ll use the home to demonstrate, but you can use whichever place you like. First, imagine your home. Second, imagine walking from one point of your house to another point, e.g. walk from the front door to your room. How many things do you see as you go? A door, a table, a staircase? Good. Third, associate those things with what you need to remember. Door is Keyword 1. Table is Keyword 2. Staircase is Keyword 3. Now every time you close your eyes and walk from your front door to your room, you’ll remember those exact three keywords. Feel free to map a longer path if you need to remember more items. Walk around your house, walk down the street, your choice. Literally ‘A Walk to Remember’, yes?

THE MUSIC METHOD There are two ways to use this technique, either you replace the lyrics with the words you need to memorise, or try to associate your academic text with the song’s lyrics. The first one is pretty straightforward – just like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and the English alphabet – while the second one is more complex, but it can generate some hilarious and imaginative things. I once learned definitions of memory techniques using David Guetta’s She Wolf where I associated the method of loci with the line “I felt like a deer in the lights” because I thought loci sounded like Loki and Loki’s helmet looked like deer horns. It’s better if the song has different verses, so songs like Alan Walker’s Faded won’t work too well because the same words are repeated over and over. Okay? Go and try to memorise the TEARS Model using Aqua’s Barbie Girl.

THE DRAWING METHOD Self-explanatory. You draw whatever you need to remember. Sometimes being tactile with your learning is good. Learning the TEARS Model? Begin by drawing a giant tear then some serious-looking or super attractive stick figures inside of it, along with their corresponding definitions. You’ll be surprised how much fun it is. Furthermore, this is essentially the foundation of the infamous mindmapping every single student has done at least once in their lives. Mind maps are used to organise the massive amount of knowledge we have acquired on a specific topic, so that we know which comes first or how many points we need to make when we talk about something. It’s no more than a tool to help our thinking become more logical. Start with the biggest topic in the middle, then start drawing smaller branches for related, but more specific topics, then map even smaller, more detailed branches for each one. Even though the drawing method can be done with any kind of pen, colours sometimes help, so do doodles. Don’t be scared of being called childish. Turn words into drawings when you see a chance. It’s worth it as long as we can remember our lessons and get good grades, right?

Memories 11

INSIDER’S STORY

MY YEAR on EXCHANGE words PHONG NGUYEN layout ANHS

Phong (right) was an exchange student in MELBOURNE & winner of RMIT’S MY EXCHANGE MOMENT

12 Memories

he year I went for the exchange program was, just as advertised, the best year of my life. I learnt more and matured faster than I’ve ever had. Filled with precious memories and even more friends, it had exceeded all of my expectations. But of course, we’ve all heard disheartening stories of students studying abroad who retreated back into a bubble of familiar things. And to make the most out of an exchange program, I personally believe you need to really step out of your comfort zone. Unfortunately, I can’t really give advices on how to do this because I don’t want to insinuate that how I live is the only right way to live. However, I’ll share with you my story and how I lived. And perhaps upon reading it, you’ll find the courage to step out of that comfort zone in your own way.

It was the coldest day that winter when I arrived in Australia. I especially remember the distinct feeling of sadness and uncertainty towards my future. The impact of both the change of weather and the culture shock hit me hard despite all the preparations. And at least for the very first month, I was most of the time depressed. There were millions of things to do as expected when you start a new life in a new country, and the stress of it all might get you down. Having my hands full, I decided to save the sightseeing for later and took time to settle instead. Once the foundations got there, life got better. I made my first local friend four weeks into the program. We were doing our group assignment together when I asked him out for a drink because I’ve just had it with works. I complaint about life, university and the teachers but I must have been particularly thorny that day because he thought it was hilarious and we were fast friends. After making that first friend, I found making friends much easier. He introduced me to his friends who then introduced me to their friends who then introduced me to their friends. Not all of them became my friends, of course, but some of them did and that’s all that matters. I’m a curious person who loves learning. And whenever I’m with them I’d ask a lot of questions about life in Australia. Their answers entertained me and on the other hand my reactions entertained them. I was just myself most of the time but as it happens every time you spend a lot of time with anyone, you are influenced by them and so the Aussie in me had been awakened. Having all these new friends, I ended up going out a lot. But going out was expensive in Melbourne and soon enough I could no longer afford to do it. So of course, I applied for jobs. With help and advices from all my new friends, and another dozens of CVs being handed out, I landed a job as a telemarketer. Not fancy I know, but it paid really well! Not only that, having a job equipped you with important skills, new work friends and fun stories to tell your other friends. Once you started earning money, you might get addicted to it and it’s important to not be. You’ll need to find time not only to study but also to experience life, and work is very time consuming. This was a lesson that I had to learn after I was burned out after only one month! Once you found a good balance, life would become really amazing. You’ll have friends to go out with and money you earned yourself to do so. All that’s left to do is just making great memories! I always kept an eye out for new things to experience. If you’re an artsy person like me, Melbourne will be heaven sent. Around every corner will always be a different thrift shop or a record store for you to discover and everyday there would be a film festival, an exhibition or a concert for you to see. Volunteering, like I did at the local radio stations, will also be a valuable learning experience and is a good way to

get freebies. Don’t just stay in the city area either, life truly happens in the surrounding suburbs. Between semester breaks, it’s then time to travel! I went on a road trip with my friend in a rented car and had an adventure. We visited a wildlife conservatory where I petted kangaroos and snakes, explored secluded beaches and then signed up with a boat crew and went swimming with dolphins. Once you’ve set up a routine, it’ll be amazing how time flies. Before you know it, you’re stacked full with love and memories and friendships. Then came July. It was bittersweet I won’t lie, leaving all the friends I have come to love and a life I have built for myself. The day before my departure, I threw a house party with the best of my friends. It was a murder mystery themed dinner party that I had planned in two weeks in advance and it proved to be a success. The memories and mementos I have of that night will be something I forever treasure. I left on an early morning flight the very next Sunday, talking on the phone with the very first friend I made in Australia up until the moment I boarded my plane. In that moment, again I was sad as much like that first day when my plane

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU’RE STACKED FULL WITH LOVE AND MEMORIES AND FRIENDSHIPS. landed. This time however, I confidently walked on knowing for a fact that I have become a much better person than I was before this experience and was absolutely ready for the next chapter of my life.

Memories 13

SHORT STORY

by Mel

together together For the friends whom walked into my storms and brought umbrellas along. “Hey! You said you needed me here.” M gently touched her elbows. Yen looked back into her friend’s worrying glance. [

]

“Silence is lovely.” Yen whispered it in her mind while staring at the empty ceiling. Not exactly “silence” – Chet Baker was playing on the stereo, and outside balcony trees were whisking. Sound had always filled her world, and she needed it, too. (Like on the bus, a punk melody echoing in her mind would lighten up the same old boring trip). A suitable theme song was of great necessity, and at that moment, slow rhythm of “Alone Together” was filling the room. The presence of someone and the absence of voice. “Alone Together” was her perfect description of a perfect date. Silence and isolation seems to come hands in hands, but not to Yen. She would call friends over, just to sit in silence. No words spoken and no stories told. Hours and days passed through her mind - rainy mornings when the girls visited and ended up lying on her cushions, nothing but being sleepy. Two hours on a giant sofa, cuddling and switching between Christmas carols and melodic Soul. They would be there, just for the presence of companionship. In those days of silence, she didn’t have to think much about what to say, what to act. Who to be. She just had to be herself, and let the tranquility embrace her and caress her troubled heart. [

]

Today is another silent day. But it doesn’t feel the same. M rushed to Yen’s apartment the first thing in the morning, upon receiving a short, short message last night. “Come to my place. I need you”. But after some random greetings, Yen just left M sitting on the curtains, and returned to her desk. M tries to focus on her work, but her mind is bugged with

14 Memories

wariness. This isn’t the first silent date. Yen once cited Pulp Fiction, when M laughed about how quiet their meetings always were. “That’s when you know you’ve found somebody special. When you can just shut up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.” Yes, best friends don’t need words anymore. But today isn’t enjoyable at all. And just by looking into Yen’s eyes, M knows there were something wrong. “Are there anything you want to talk about?” M asks, again. “Just tell, don’t stay silent. You promised not to.” [

]

It wasn’t always like this. She didn’t always surround herself in silence, whether it was the peaceful tranquility, or the awkward blackout. Noisy, her world used to be. Yen remembers lively how loud it was, in the most memorable day of the last summer. She was shouting and swearing and laughing, yes, a lot of roaring laughter. Her four friends were yelling and cheering also, and for the whole night, they talked and talked. A lot of beer and somehow, she was crying like a kid. M cried too, and Yen had to pat her back. It all started when D, “The Man”, talked about his mom, and her adversity. He teared up a bit. All the family talks poured out. Those abusive relationships. Mistakes. Wounds. How much hatred and anger he had, how unstable her emotional state was. Yen shuddered – the five of them had known each other for three years or four, thousands of hours and millions of words together, but there were so much they hadn’t been able to tell. Until that night. With random happy bits and jokes in-between, when they all laughed until they’d lost their breath. Somewhere between the laughing and the sobbing and the scent of alcohol, M dropped this great piece of wisdom: “I used to hide my emotions so much. And it only made it worse. So

I promised myself to always, always express it.” Yen nodded her head, while resting her chin on M’s shoulder. “Let it be known. So we can come and try to help.” That night, when one of her friends brought her home, Yen mumbled something about always letting him know how safe and happy she would be. The following day, he would be back to France, thousand miles away and two years of separation ahead. “I won’t be able to talk to you directly. For two years, man that is long! But I would let you know the ups and downs, and the struggle. I won’t always be there, but just believe that I’m alright.” [

]

M shakes her back to reality. Yen stares at her concerned friend, then faintly smiled. “Maybe I’ve broken the promise.” “Then fix it.” M sighed. M watches as Yen tears up a bit and starts to mumble. Yen was shy at first, and wondered why she had to be timid. It is hard to crack open a locked closet, but would her friends judge her? No. M nods, like a confirmation, and caressed Yen’s shaking hands. And Yen let it all out. A hurricane in her mind and a volcano eruption in her heart. All bursting out. Words after words, stories and emotions and confusion. Soon she finds herself in her friend’s embrace. Just let it out. Just let it out. Why did she have to act strong, repressing the pain and running away from her emotions? No, she was fragile and broken. It takes immense strength to admit the maddening chaos, and to face others with bare wounds. Judgement and abandonment, we are all scared of. “But remember, you might wretched, but never lonely.”

Let it be known

Silence did make her calm in the past, and maybe someday it would heal her again. But for now, just shout loudly and cry. Let others listen. And let her listen to her own voice.

Memories 15

PHOTOGRAPHY

IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME

Why so many antique clocks? There isn’t a ‘deep’ reason really. We just loves clocks a lot. – Tran Huyen Trang.

16 Memories

photos Nam Nguyen edit Long Nguyen

Memories 17

COVER STORY words by Linh Nhi collages by Soup

Remember Your Heartbreaks

18 Memories

There are many times when we sit alone reflecting on the lives we have lived. It is as though a mental visionary photo album stores itself upon the bookshelf within our minds. Funny enough, whether we want to remove it from the shelf or not is a choice we rarely have. Something in life spilt and burned itself into our empire state of mind, forever sealed as a memory. What is a memory? It’s so close you can almost be there. And you were there. And while the physical world may change with time, the psychic one remains. Things happen in a moment, and they’re gone the next. Each moment is final, you can’t have the same moment again. A good moment, a bad moment, a first time, a last time. A moment leads to a memory. That moment you had your first kiss is now a memory, that moment when you saw the person whom you shared that kiss is now a memory. There is an ocean full of memories inside each of us, an accumulation of riches. Heartache after heartache, laugh after laugh, and feeling after feeling. Humans are moments and memories. And it is not even that hard for one to arise, with or without our permission. A sound, a scent, a scene; these pieces of now act as a call to then. And just like that, a vision appears. All the factors of reality can reassemble those yesterdays. The pictures flash, and time in the end did not really go very far at all, like it was just yesterday. That memory gives us a portal to something gone, something we can’t get back. We are vulnerable to memories. Everywhere, at any time, that certain moment can just rotate itself back into existence the next time our bodies leave us, and return to a place we thought we had left behind. A place we thought was gone for good.

Some memories hurt like a ton of bricks and all you want to do is forget, because remembering means pain. Remembering means being forced to recognize what you lost and how you had them one day and they were gone the next. You wish you could just rip them out of your memories. Go under a knife and have them cut away every last reminder from your mind. The recess of our mind is like a room filled with ghosts. There are times when the idea of removing all the memories seem like a good idea. The movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind gave us that idea and I have heard people saying they wanted to have that machine, heck, even I have said that. But think again, do you really want to live a life like that, without memory? I remember that week when I got my heart broken into pieces, when I wasn’t able to do anything except crying in my bed for a week. It still hurts now to remember that moment, and as cheesy as it sounds, I am standing today because of that moment. If I (could) have wiped that memory clean, I wouldn’t be here believing that time heals everything. If I wiped that memory clean, I would be crying in my bed for a week all over again the next time I got my heart broken, not knowing that nothing is forever. I would be feeling the heartbreak all over again. But I won’t, because of them - memories. Memories that have taught me all the aches in the world do ease and all the hurt in the world do fade. We all will heal and we all will manage to close all the doors that our ghosts used to keep their feet in. And one day, we may skim through the radio stations, when a song reminds us of a sad moment down the bittersweet memory lane. Or we may inhale that familiar scent of someone gone. We will remember, but it won’t crush us. A small part of us may feel a tinge of heart throb, but we will remember that moment we had was good. It was real. It was memorable.

The word memory in itself is already melancholic. And we will be so grateful that we didn’t forget.

Memories 19

PERSPECTIVES

20 Memories

There were only a few days left until Lunar New Year 2016. Outside the window, Hanoi was trenched in endless drizzles; it was the coldest winter the city had seen in 40 years. Fortunately for me, I was staying indoors at my grandmother’s place, snugly covered by one of the many cozy shawls she had knitted me. We had somehow developed this tradition: I would come over, help her clean up the place before the New Year arrives, then we would both sit down and look through her box of memories: all of her old photos and letters, carefully kept inside an aluminium biscuit tin on top of the bedside cabinet. She would talk me through every single detail as she held the pieces up, like how the weather was on that day, or how excited she was when she received a particular love letter from her husband. She left many wistful remarks, sometimes stopping for a little laugh or soft sighs. I’ve heard all of this before, but I never felt that they were boring. If anything, the repetition only made it warmer. We took a tea break after the session and I, like any millennial, took out the phone in my pocket and started thumb-flicking the screen. She turned her head and gave a disapproving glance: “Technology is ruining you kids these days. Always gotta live in them cyber worlds, don’t you? You need to pay attention to real life too, else you won’t have anything to look back on. How long has it been since you had last written a letter or taken a real photo?” Hey now. I do admit that scrolling aimlessly on the phone wasn’t the best thing to do at that moment. There is no doubt that the smartphone has become an inseparable part of my life as well as millions of millennials; we utilize it for almost all of our daily activities, be it navigation, communication, entertainment or simply just to look up a place for lunch. The convenience that it provides is so abundant that it resulted in many of us becoming addicts, or, as some would call: "slaves to technology". Although this is a very real issue, it is also one of the only modern technology-related problems that receives ample media coverage. This does nothing but portray technology and millennials in a bad light: that we simply ignore the entire world around us and only really care about our phones.

As much as I love my grandmother, I have to point out that she — and those many media outlets — were probably wrong there: It’s not that millennials don’t value and record precious moments in life. We’re humans like you; of course we still do, just under less tangible forms. Instead of tattered letters and photobook upon photobook in a tin box, every fragment of our documented memories fit inside the small supercomputers that also happen to have the function of making a call. We are constantly writing messages or taking photos of what's going on in our lives, either it be this lovely dog on our way to school or a get together with a friend we won't be seeing in the next few years. And unlike letters or photobooks, these memories do not deteriorate; they will definitely outlive us. Even if our phones cease functioning, all our data can easily be backed up in "the cloud" and become digital artifacts that lasts forever. Fast forward until now and I am 7000 km away from home. Just last night I was still lying in bed with my phone in hand and my thumb flicking — but this time it wasn’t aimless. I had just finished up all the work for the semester and finally got some down time after roughly 40 hours of no sleep. Back aching, fingers shaking and eyes blood-shot, yet I couldn’t fall asleep. All of my temporary worries were gone and feelings of emptiness started kicking in. I scrolled and scrolled, through cute photos of my mum and our cat, through archived heart-warming texts, through meticulously organized photos of every meetup I went to the previous year. I craved hearty family meals, craved the clear Hanoi nights where I drove around West Lake with my best friends, craved the furry feline paws that wrapped around my arm every night… all of it. Vivid colors and sharp details made it all felt so close, yet not close enough. How can a lifeless light-emitting surface ever replace the real people in my life? At that moment I suddenly felt like my grandmother, also wistfully looking through my own memory tin but this time all by myself. If anything, technology didn’t ruin me, or at least not in the way she thought it would. Constantly having a memory tin that’s so close to me only made me feel every emotion more intensely. So, I quit the moping and decided to video call her. I knew then that she’d berate me for sleeping at a ridiculous hour, but I smiled to myself anyway. Thanks, technology.

Memories 21

PERSPECTIVES

blessed are the forgetful

Lam Ngo design Mel words

22 Memories

Suppose one day you wake up, check your mailbox and see a small card that says someone has decided to wipe away all of their memories of you, and urges you to never mention your relationship with them ever again . . . How would you react? This could very well be your closest friend, your girlfriend/boyfriend, your spouse or parents. Would you run to their house and scream at them for betraying you or would you just curl up and cry in a corner and asking why they would ever do that? The idea comes from Michael Godry and Charlie Kaufman’s landmark film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, in which a certain technology that allows doctors to remove any memories one does not wish to remember anymore. Would a technology like this make your life better? Imagine having the ability to erase that one time you embarrassed yourself in front of an audience, or that one time your father/mother quarrels you for doing something stupid, or that time when your lover breaks off your relationship after years and years of devotion. “It’s beautiful, you look at a baby and it’s so pure, and so free, and so clean, and adults are like this mess of sadness and phobias, and Howard just makes it all go away.” — Marry, Lacuna (a company that performs memory removal in the movie) secretary. However, I really do not think this particular technology would help us in anyway. Memory is a peculiar thing. It can be good and bad, but it plays a big part in shaping our character. Look at all the people around you. Locke said that we were all born blank, exactly like each

other, except for the different decisions each of us would make. For instance, one “wrong” decision can be the difference between a gifted piano player and a criminal. But to wipe away our memory of making that mistake, so we can start again, would also mean deleting any personal and characteristic progress we have made until then. That gifted pianist may now be a drug dealer, but they are fully aware why they have become one, and that right there can help make themv into a better person. In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, when Joel and Clementine first met again after they’d both gotten their memories erased, they connected almost right away, and they once again became lovers. Unaware of their past mistakes, of why their relationship fell apart, they would continue to love and destroy each other over and over again. Affection is just what it is, a special connection between two people, but it is so fragile that if we decide to keep removing memories to start afresh and deny our mistakes we can never progress, and that affection can never evolve to true love. That’s why Joel and Clementine keep failing because they refuse to live with their mistakes. Only by having that chance to listen to what they honestly hate about each other, can they try to at least fix their relationship. Joel is submissive, indecisive, never wants to open to other people, and feels embarrassed of the way Clementine behaves at times. Clementine, on the other hand, is impulsive, insecure and does not really want to listen to Joel. The film ends on a somewhat happy note, as they learn of and accept their mistakes, so they can start again. No wonder the film’s main theme’s chorus consists of “Everybody gotta love sometimes.” Joel, for once, makes up his mind, and Clementine’s finally patient as she listens to what Joel has to say. Maybe they will break up and erase their memories one, or more times, but one can only hope for a better future for the both of them.

Joel: I can’t see anything that I don’t like about you. Clementine: But you will! But you will. You know, you will think of things. And I’ll get bored with you and feel trapped because that’s what happens with me. Joel: Okay. Clementine: [pauses] Okay.

Memories 23

corners of nostalgia

THE CITY

words by RONNIE & MEY designed by LIEN DO

24 Memories

IT WAS IN THE MORNING, the sun was shining, the wind was blowing, the sky was in its clearest blue — a nice typical crisp fall day in Hanoi, the kind of weather that can make me feel the nostalgia for the old capital. Taking a deep breath to fill up my lungs with chilly air, I was thinking, “How am I gonna enjoy the day? Where am I gonna go to please my feelings?” Right then, I found myself on a scooter searching for . . . what, I don’t know, let’s just go and find some hidden gems.

Mão bookstore On the second floor of an old small living quarter on Dinh Le street lies one of the oldest bookstores in Hanoi - Nhà sách Mão. It had been almost two decades since this place first established. Mão bookstore had claimed its rightful place in the heart of every Hanoian. It takes a smart pair of eyes to spot out the bookstore nameboard hanging just a bit higher than the regular head level, on a seemingly old tree growing behind a dated gate. From here on you should walk for about another 20 steps, then climb yourself up several sloping concrete stairs. Now, you are standing on a traditional Vietnamese apartment, but a rather special one; which I personally refer as ‘the book paradise’. You will find out that things are arranged rather strangely here. And by strangely, I mean extraordinarily. The place is one of a kind, at least in Hanoi. It is not just one single room to enter but several. There are room 1 till room 5. Each room displays different book genres; from self-help stories, to novels, to language books, and so on.

Trà đá vỉa hè

The thing that I find most fascinating here is the fact that there are very little book shelves around the place. Due to the lack of space, the owners cannot put too many shelves inside these rooms. However, their love for books seems to grow twice the amount of bookshelves. Books are even placed on the ground, layers by layers, making up the oh-so-called ‘mountain of books’. Entering a room filled with books and books only as such, and even living in it, is probably the dream of all bookworms. It is like a fish under water. Being surrounded by books, eating books, breathing books, this is without a doubt, the book paradise. As shared by the owner, Mrs. Mao, at first, the bookstore was a way to make a living for the family. Later on, it is run with her love for books. She wanted to create a place for people to come and enjoy not just the knowledge, but also the significantly wonderful atmosphere. Nowadays where fake books are displayed widely in the market since other sellers are in it for the benefits, Mrs. Mao wishes to preserve this bookstore a place of real-identity books, a place for readers to come to this quiet and peaceful attic, and fall for this vintage view. They find trust in the middle of this complex world. They find compassion in books. Above all, they come and stay.

If you are a true Hanoian, or if you’ve lived in Hanoi long enough to “understand” the city, tea stalls on the pavements (Trà đá vỉa hè) will probably be one of the first things that pops up in your mind whenever you think of Hanoi culture. They are everywhere ever since our grandpa’s days, from narrow alleys to busy streets. Sometimes, a tea stall just need to be as simple as a water thermos, a teapot, and a candy box. Put everything on a small table, some plastic chairs around, and voilà, you have yourself an authentic Hanoi tea stall. Places like this attract various types of customers and could even be good sources of information. In here, strangers sit closely to each other, making small talks about any kind of stories from politics to daily life matters such as electricity price, car accidents, or how housing spreads quickly. The stall owner on this Hang Bun street proudly and enthusiastically shared, “even Le Khanh, do you know Le Khanh? The actress? She was sitting right here, right on my spot now, for filming.” Nodding her head she continued, “our store has been here for like, God, about more than 10 years.” I wondered if she ever thought about closing the stall after such long time, and she said no. Beside this stall, her husband ran another small business and even though she did not have to live a hard life or anything, she’s still there, selling “trà đá”, and listening to people’s stories “for fun”. Talking to her was real fun, especially since she talked with her hearts on her sleeves and made us feel like we have all known each other for a long time. The tea was nice, the talk was nice, the dancing light coming through the trees on the pavement was also nice, my morning was well spent and I couldn’t ask for more.

Memories 25

ENTERTAINMENT

words by PHONG NGUYEN designed by HUONG MY

NOBODY LISTENS TO 80S MUSIC TO HAVE A BAD TIME. There have been eras where being sad was cool and music had to be angsty (Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking at you emo kids), but not the 80s. In the 80s, bright colors were neat and bands sang loudly with audiences who wanted nothing but to feel good. But good times never last and 2016 has been terrible so far. More than ever, we need that good old 80s sound to spice up our lives and of course, we got you covered! So put on those cool shades and your dancing shoes because these three brand new 80s-inspired records are gonna help you make the perfect playlist to get through the rest the year strutting.

26 Memories

Emotion Side B - Carly Rae Jepsen You might know her as the Call Me Maybe girl, but Carly Rae Jepsen is much more than that. Her brand new EP: Emotion Side B proves it. It is that record. On every track, Carly Rae perfectly captures the glitz and glamour and grime and directionless sadness of those moments just before and after a love affair. Tales of broken hearts and crushes just out of reach are wrapped up in nostalgic melodies and warm synths under the infectious sound of 808 beats. It’s intimate yet explosive. On “Fever,” her voice crackles when she whispers confessions of stealing an unrequited lover’s bike, and then on “Higher,” it swells into a stomping battle cry of devotion. Carly Rae’s 2015 album E·MO·TION remains one of last year’s best pop albums despite staying mostly under people’s radar. Now with Side B, Carly Rae cements her place as the most underrated pop star ever. Best tracks: Fever, Higher, Roses For fans of: Roisin Murphy, Robyn, Peaches

GL – Touch Cruising on glowing synths, groovy drum-machines, and stratospheric vocals, the Australian duo GL’s gave us a disco dream straight out of the mid-80s. Without an inch of filler on it, Touch moves quickly through its 14 tracks of glamorous synth-pop and electronic funk, exploring all the highs and lows of life and love. The joyful beat of Hallucination – the album’s first track – is just a taste of the kind of romantic hedonism behind this dancefloor-ready record. Fun and flirty, put Touch on when you want to move to the sound of neon and dive bars and pulsating strobe lights. Best tracks: Hallucination, Grip, Scully For fans of: Grimes, Chvrches, M83

Sex on Toast - Ready Sex on Toast is a uniquely charming 10 man explosion of early 80’s funk, yacht rock and hard-edged R&B. The band’s latest EP Ready, is a collection of retro tunes meticulously crafted to make you feel cool. The songs’ complex, genre-busting arrangements are signature to the group which is made up entirely of devoted music men. If their first single “Oh Loretta!” says anything, it is that Sex on Toast’s music is like fondue: totally retro, cheesy as hell but simply delicious. It’s the quality of the ingredients that makes it work. The album is best served by candlelight with quality cheese, some wine and a couple of friends. It was made to share. Best tracks: Oh Loretta!, Doubt, Hold My Love For fans of: Prince, Frank Zappa, Steely Dan

Memories 27

ENTERTAINMENT

28 Memories

Flashbacks: A Magic Spell in Screenwriting

ometimes we feel like fictional characters are real because we can see deep into their minds, emotions and especially their memories. After all, the past is the most interesting chapter since it tells us who one is. Fictional or real, we all have a memory box to keep inside. We may not know the past of the people around us but at least we became a part of our favorite character’s life because flashback scenes give us a chance to witness their stories from the beginning. Flashback scene is a technique to connect the past and the present of a character or storyline in movies, drama or literature; and it dramatically changed the approaches to characterisation in cinema. Instead of increasingly vivid, violent scenes, the pasts or backgrounds of the characters would be revealed through memories to make the storyline more compelling. In The Bourne Identity (2002), a character was found in the sea, he’d lost his memory and couldn’t understand what was happening with him but the flashback scene at the end let the audience know who he really was and why he was shot at the beginning. The appealing aspect of flashbacks is that while we can’t touch the characters, it’s like we are the insider of their story since we knew what was happening with them, who they used to be and why they’re behaving in a particular way. In Orange is the New Black, every female prisoner has a

story of her own, and most episode isn’t just about their life in prison but also the time when they hadn’t been arrested, the person they used to be. Each personality was also revealed in the show using flashback scenes as a way to emphasize that no one choose to become criminals, but their lives are impacted by many different factors where one mistake leads to another and the consequences cannot be erased. So the power of the story sometimes doesn’t depend on the present but also the past, because it confirms who we really are. Another American TV show that effectively used flashbacks is Once Upon A Time. We’re supposed to hate the evil queen or the evil stepmother, but in this TV series, with flashbacks, we find out that the evil queen was a victim of her abusive, selfish and cruel mother. We feel empathetic with a young innocent woman who was controlled by her mother, one who only cared about the power and would go to great lengths to preserve and strengthen it, even by ruining her own daughter’s happiness. Somehow, the evil queen’s story becomes emotional and evokes the compassionate within us. She’d lost everything but no one gave her a chance to be a good person. She’s now transformed from the villain to the victim of a cruel and unfair society.

words by Mai Anh illustration by Do Nam

blank pages and repetition. We, as the audience, don’t want to spend our money and time on predictable scenarios and characters. No one will pay to watch a movie about a hero battling evil which at the same time doesn’t explain how and why he chose to do it. Vice versa, we hate the villains but even the worst people have stories about who they used to be and why they have changed. Eventually, we can’t immediately judge anyone without first listening to their story. That’s why screenwriters started to dig deeper into the memory of the main characters because everybody, even fictional characters, has a past, and how it’s revealed in the movie or drama creates the bridge between the main characters and audiences . Thanks to that, we sympathize with characters because we know what they have been through. That’s how great writers utilize the creativity of flashbacks — a magic spell to create an impact on the audience’s perception and emotions. Screenwriters are not magicians, yet their job is making their fictional characters become real. Flashbacks give them an opportunity to be creative, to bring life into their fiction. And as the audience, we laugh, we cry and we empathise with the characters, because the happiness and the pain have always been in our memories.

So why are flashbacks in films important? Screenwriters use flashback to avoid their worst enemy:

Memories 29

ie s

Go?

AROUND THE WORLD

o D e W her

en guy N g n words by pho anh Designed by Ha

30 Memories

m e M &

u Th

Cradle to Grave British Museum, United kingdom

Created by Pharmacopoeia and currently on display in the British Museum is the contemporary art installation: “Cradle to Grave”. It examines our lives and relationship with drugs from a medicinal point of view. The work incorporates a lifetime supply of prescribed drugs knitted into two lengths of fabric inside a 14-meter glass case. It tells the life story of an average person through the medication they have taken in their life, from the first injection of immunizations at birth to their very last pill for heart diseases at 87. Running on either side of the nets are personal objects, documents and artifacts that relate to daily life (eg: cigarettes, condoms, syringe needles, x-ray scans to even birth and death certificates) as well as photographs with captions written by their owners, tracing important memories in real people’s lives. Among other things the objects reveal that life is more than just maintaining a healthy body. It is about family and community, work, weddings and funerals. It is about eating and drinking and smoking and dancing. It is about our relationship with nature. It includes sadness and suffering and loss. Most of all, it’s about the significance of documenting all these precious memories.

World Memory Championships London, United kingdom

From 1991 to 2002, London was the home to the World Memory Championships (WMC), an infamous memory sports tournament featuring only the best of the best memory athletes. In recent years, the competition’s venues have expanded to Malaysia, Bahrain, and China, with memory sports becoming more popular in non-European countries. So what exactly goes on at the WMC? There are ten disciplines: 15 Min Names & Faces: Memorise either first or last name of faces in photo in 15 minutes. 30 Min Binary Numbers: Memorise binary digits in 30 minutes. Hour Numbers: Memorise decimal digits in 1 hour. Abstract Images: Memorise abstract images in 15 minutes. Speed Numbers: Memorise decimal digits in 5 minutes. Historic Dates: Memorise years of fictitious events in 5 minutes. Hour Cards: Memorise playing cards in 1 hour. 15 Min Random Words: Memorise random words in 15 minutes. Spoken Numbers: Memorise digits spoken at 1 digit per second up to 450 digits heard. Speed Cards: Memorise a pack of playing cards as quickly as possible in 5 minutes. The competitors’ job is to memorise the most amount of information presented in each of these disciplines in the shortest amount of time. Of course, in order to perform this feat, competitors all come to the tournament trained in techniques which assist their brains to memorise the data. Human short term memory can remember about 7 items in 20 seconds, but the current record-holder for speed cards at the WMC can a deck of cards (52 items) in the span of 20 seconds. Let’s have a look at WMC records to marvel at how much information the human brain is capable of memorising. 15 Min Names & Faces: 187 points 30 Min Binary Numbers: 5040 digits Hour Numbers: 3029 digits Abstract Images: 599 points Speed Numbers: 520 digits Historic Dates: 132 dates Hour Cards: 1612 cards 15 Min Random Words: 300 words Spoken Numbers: 456 digits Speed Cards: 20.44 seconds

Memories 31

FUN FACTS

The Amazing

Memo-ry by Thu Li & Thao

Long-term memory

Short-term memory Information lasts for 20s holds 7±2 Types of data: image, sound, words

Information lasts for a long time, massive number of memories stored Types of data: meaningful or important information

Photographic memory

Memory sports

– the ability to remember things after one or a few quick looks – is NOT a proven ability

is a thing. The Memory World Championship (MWC) is organised in many countries. Successful memory athletes are awarded the title Grand Masters of Memory.

Akira Haraguchi took 16hrs 30mins to memorise 100,000 digits of pi. He performed the recall process in public.

Some mind-blowing records of the MWC 2015: Alex MULLEN took 21.5 seconds to memorise a 52-card deck

Marwin WALLONIUS memorised 520 binary (1010010101) digits in 5 minutes.

SHI Binbin memorised 1612 cards in 1 hour (31 52-card decks)

The most popular number sequence used to test memory is the Pi (π) number:

3.14

15926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986 28034825342117067982148086513282306647093844609550582231725359408128481117450284 10270193852110555964462294895493038196442881097566593344612847564823378678316527 12019091456485669234603486104543266482133936072602491412737245870066063155881748

32 Memories

CROSSWORD

Winter Spooks by Thu Li & Do Nam

2 6

1 3 7

4 5

Clues cross

1. 8. 9. 10.

intense fear of something loss of memory you want to get up, but you can’t he who lurks in the dark woods to catch you in the dead of night 11. ♪♫ you give in and cry, say ‘live and let ___’ ♫♪ 12. scary movie characters love this physical exercise

down

2. *X-Files theme starts playing* 3. let Freddy Krueger come to you 4. beware of apple-giving hags; how Romeo took his life. 5. in space no one can hear you ___ 6. when aliens capture you against your will 7. movie genre of October 10. the hill doesn’t make any sound

Memories 33

COMMUNITY SUBMISSION

REMEMBRANCE OF

34 Memories

THINGS PAST

RMIT studentsĘź childhood photos layout by Tam Do & Nam Do

All photos are acquired with explicit consent.