July 2015 - Temasek Polytechnic

stop Press
campus newspaper
July 2015
Produced by Communications
& Media Management diploma
students of Temasek Polytechnic
Student exchange
TP & UWA mark 10th
anniversary of student
exchange programme
Health advisors
2
Student Health Advisors
based on campus to help
those with health issues
Study hard, play hard
3
Meet a pair of TP seniors
who game competitively
while keeping up their grades
TP the best in SG, again
9
Team Temasek footballers
win 4th title in 5 years
in poly-uni-ITE games
10
TEMASEK POLYTECHNIC TURNS 25
TP celebrates silver jubilee
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong guest of honour at opening concert
NURUL ASYIKIN YUSOFF
T
emasek Polytechnic (TP) officially kicked off its 25th anniversary celebrations with an opening
concert on the morning of April 29.
Auditorium 1 came alive with performances by TP’s talented students and
staff, past and present.
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok
Tong was the guest of honour. It was
Mr Goh, then Prime Minister, who had
officially opened TP’s current 30-hectare
campus by Bedok Reservoir in January
1997, two years after it was ready.
TP was established as Singapore’s
third polytechnic in 1990, operating
from five satellite campuses. Today, it has
a student population of over 16,000 enrolled in its 51 full-time diploma courses, which span six schools. The opening
event also doubled as a tribute to TP’s
pioneers, people who have been with the
school since its establishment.
“TP pioneers set the vision, galvanised the team and community, and
dedicated themselves to establish the
polytechnic when not many knew the
Temasek Polytechnic name,” said cur-
Launching the 25th anniversary celebrations were (from left) Principal Boo Kheng Hua, Founding Principal, ESM
Goh Chok Tong and Chairman, Board Of Governors, Lee Kok Choy. PHOTO: CCD
rent Principal and CEO, Mr Boo Kheng
Hua, in his welcome address.
Thirty-nine of these pioneers were
among the audience at the concert, in-
cluding TP’s founding Principal and
CEO, Dr N Varaprasad.
ESM Goh went on stage to launch
TP’s silver jubilee microsite.
The TP25 microsite features a timeline and photo gallery of TP’s milestone
events, and a section for students and
staff to submit their TP stories.
The VIPs then joined ESM Goh in
cutting a special cake made by students
from the Diploma in Culinary and Catering Management.
The concert proper began with a
performance of Hallelujah by the Temasek Polytechnic Chorale, followed
by a mix and match of modern music
and traditional Chinese instrumentals
by alumni group NEN Trio. Other performers for the morning included two
TP finalists from the Project SuperStar
2014 - Abigail Yeo and Alfred Sim.
Supporting vocals and instruments
were provided by students from TP’s
various music co-curricular activities
groups. The event ended with a dance
performance to hits from 1990 by the
TP Dance Ensemble.
Other celebratory events include the
TP 25 Hour Challenge in May, where
students, alumni and staff ran round
the clock. A musical by TP students and
staff, and a Dinner & Dance will wrap up
the celebrations in November.
Top students among 5,119 graduands
ELEVEN young men and women
topped this year’s cohort of TP graduands clinching poly-level awards.
The Lee Kuan Yew Award for Mathematics and Science went to Clarissa
Chua (Applied Science), Tessa Ong (Engineering) and Darren Lee (Informatics & IT). The Lee Kong Chian Award
winners were Jazmine Quek (Business),
Tan Xinyi (Design) and Valerie Tang
(Humanities & Social Sciences). Haley
Poh (Engineering) received the Tay Eng
Soon Gold Medal.
For All-Round Excellence, the CapitaLand Award went to Tan Yan Lin (Busi-
ness) while the Lee Kong Chian Award
winners were Shermaine See (Business)
and Estella Koh (Engineering).
Shalom Lim (Business) received The
Ngee Ann Kongsi Most Outstanding
Overcomer Award. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy left Shalom wheelchair-bound. Despite losing the ability to
write and type, he graduated with a Cumulative Point Average (CGPA) of 3.81.
“No matter what you face in life, no
matter how challenging, no matter how
terrible the circumstances are, so long that
you have the belief and faith that you can
get through it, that you can make it in life,
it will always be all right,” said Shalom.
Tay Eng Soon Medal winner, Haley
Poh became the first Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduate without
an O Level Certificate to get his Private
Pilot Licence with the Singapore Flying
Club. Haley was on the Director’s List
for two years, participated in the Diploma Plus Programme and graduated with
a CGPA of 3.96.
Haley’s advice to his juniors: “Do
not be afraid. Your lecturers are more
than willing to help if you are willing to
help yourself. So help yourself first.”
MUHAMMAD ILIYAS JUANDA
Shalom Lim won The Ngee Ann Kongsi Most Outstanding Overcomer Award. PHOTO: NURUL NABILAH
2
news
stop Press • July 2015
DRAWING SG
CLOSER TOGETHER
WE DRAW Singapore Together, a
two-day workshop on location drawing held at various sites around the
island, was TP’s contribution to
SG50, Singapore’s golden jubilee celebrations. A collaboration between
the Centre for TransCultural Studies
(CTS) and Urban Sketchers Singapore
(USKSG), the workshop was held on
May 30 and 31.
CTS senior lecturer Riordan Low
said the programme aimed to reach
out to people from all walks of life.
“We also wanted to introduce
on-location drawing to the uninitiated,
impart skills to those who lack confidence, share the joy of sketching with
peers and share a common language
with sketching enthusiasts all over the
world — and hence the title We Draw
Singapore Together,” he said.
“We are who we are because of
our history, of every culture, every
building and every street corner. The
cityscape embodies who we are and
USKSG finds those angles and records them through their meticulous
sketches.”
The six workshop sessions were
basic watercolour, careless movement with a Guan Dao pen, tones
and textures, sketching free and
loose, the secret to good composition, and expressive lines.
The workshop also ties in with an
exhibition of the same name at The
Art Gallery @ GCV, (Glocal Connect
Village). The exhibition is a brainchild
of Mdm Tia Boon Sim, who is the Artist in Residence at CTS as well as the
founder of USKSG.
Artworks by participants of the
workshop are displayed alongside
those of USKSG members at the exhibition, which is open to the public
during office hours.
“Seeing the sketches of locations in Singapore that I never even
knew existed made me more aware
of how important it is not to forget
our roots,” said Glorianne Thng, 18,
a second-year Psychology student
who visited the exhibition recently.
The exhibition, which opened on
May 20, will run until Aug 12.
NATALIE ANG
Artworks by workshop participants and Urban Sketchers Singapore members are on
display at The Art Gallery @ GCV (Glocal
Connect Village) until Aug 12.
The latest groups of students from TP and UWA, as well as alumni from earlier batches, attended the celebration. PHOTO: JEREMY LIM
TP-UWA STUDENT EXCHANGE
Exchange programme turns 10
Temasek Polytechnic,
University of Western
Australia mark decade
of partnership
JONATHAN GOH
T
emasek Polytechnic and the University of Western Australia (UWA)
celebrated the 10th anniversary of
their student exchange programme.
Australian High Commissioner, Mr
Philip Green, was the guest of honour at
ceremony in February. Students, alumni
and staff of UWA Arts Faculty and TP’s
Communications and Media Management (CMM) attended the event.
In his welcome address, Director of
Business School, Mr Daniel Yeow, noted that CMM students have benefited
greatly from the exchange programme
and that each group comes back with a
broader perspective of other cultures.
He also thanked the UWA staff for their
role in enriching the students’ lives.
In his speech, Mr Green praised the
exchange for having such a healthy relationship and commended the effort
to improve the education of youths,
through such value-added experiences
which he saw as relevant to an increasingly globalised world.
Each year, up to 20 students from
the Diploma of Communications and
Media Management travel to Perth for
three weeks as part of the Global Citizenship Cross Disciplinary Subject
(CDS). Once there, they are exposed to
historical, cultural and literary perspectives on Australia, with a particular focus
on aboriginal history and culture.
More than 400 students have taken
part in this programme since its inception.
On their part, UWA students come
over here to use CMM’s MediaBiz Studio
facilities and complete a TV-and-Video
Production module as part of their undergraduate degree. Under the guidance
of the lecturers from CMM, the students
produce a variety of projects including a
studio-based talk show and a TV drama.
CMM junior Dazale Choy, who went
on exchange last year, gave a short presentation during the celebration event.
“It was a great experience where
we got to learn so much about Australian Culture. I am really thankful for the
opportunity to travel overseas to learn
about different cultures,” said Dazale.
Sarah Ison, one of the students from
UWA’s latest batch reflected on her experience in TP.
“The course offered us the invaluable opportunity to experience as close
to a real-life broadcast studio as possible
and never have I been lucky enough to
participate in such a close simulation of
this media environment,” she said.
“It gave me the clearest idea of what
this industry actually looks like and in
turn, a clearer idea of my future as well.”
In addition to the exchange
programme, since 2007, the university
in Perth has been offering a scholarship
each year to one CMM student to pursue
a Bachelor of Arts in Communication
Studies.
Asked about the future of the partnership, the Dean of UWA Faculty of
Arts, Professor Krishna Sen, said: “I
would like the exchange programme to
be the basis of a stronger and more diversified relationship.”
Key participants at the ceremony included School of Business Director Daniel Yeow (fifth from left);
TP Deputy Principal Edmond Khoo, Australian High Commissioner Philip Green and UWA Arts Faculty
Dean Prof Krishna Sen. PHOTO: JEREMY LIM
news
stop Press • July 2015
3
STUDENT WELLBEING
Health advisors available on campus
Qualified nurses at
Student Services office
offer free professional
help to TP students
SHREYA JAGDISH MALLABAD
I
f you wish to kick your smoking
habit or tackle your weight problem,
you can now seek free professional
help on campus.
Since April, the Health Promotion
Board has stationed Student Health Advisors (SHAs), who are qualified nurses,
at the Student Services office.
Mdm Rohani Ashaari, who is one of
the SHAs based here, sees smoking and
obesity as a behavioural problem than an
actual health issue.
“We are not forcing them to lose
weight or to stop smoking. We make
them realise that there are benefits such
as looking and feeling good by making
small changes to their lifestyle.”
The process of weight management
and quitting smoking spans a period of
six months.
During this time, the health advisors
will keep track of the student’s developments, but this is largely dependent on
Mdm Rohani Ashaari (left) is one of the advisors at the Student Services office. PHOTO: RACHEL CHOO
the students’ personal commitment.
“It is a very personalised structure.
If the student wants to see us more often
then, he or she can. No problem. We are
here to help,” said Mdm Rohani.
Second-year Veterinary Technology
student, Carla Guiterrez welcomed the
initiative.
“I guess the health programme is
good considering that like in any school
there is a small population of students
who can’t afford professionals to give
them advice on their lifestyle or to help
them get started on their diet. So, I think
this is a great thing to start in TP.”
The programme is an ideal support
system which is especially important
when one is trying to get rid of a habit
like smoking, or trying to lose weight.
“Personally, I think it is all right that
they have implemented follow-up sessions so that patients won’t go back to
square one after the whole consultation,”
said Jordan Chuang, a second-year Retail
Management student.
For weight management, students
can expect personalised consultations
where SHAs would help review their
daily meals intake.
A schedule will also be drawn up
for the student to follow, which will incorporate exercise and the appropriate
amount of calorie intake.
“We realised that many students
were using the wrong methods in their
bid to lose weight. We are proposing a
safe and sustainable way of keeping up
with their image,” said Mdm Rohani.
Health promotion talks are also conducted for students to raise their awareness of health topics which include
healthy eating, healthy lifestyle and stress
management.
Mdm Sathiabama, parent of Hospitality & Tourism freshman Aarti Chandrasekhar, supports the programme.
“It’s a good thing that these nurses
are there to help out. And it is also good
that the school is doing something good
out of this.”
For appointments, students can call
the SHA office at 6780 4286 or email
[email protected].
TPSU D&D: A dream come true
JOSHUA CHUA
THIS year’s TP Dinner and Dance
organised by the Students’ Union featured the theme of Rêve Monde, which
is French for “dream world”.
The event was held at the Shangri-La Hotel, and was attended by a
total of 335 students and staff.
The emcee was Ben Choo, a Communications & Media Management
alumnus, who has hosted events such
as the TP Open House, and the School
of Business talent show, Bizfactor.
Asked about this year’s theme, the
organising committee chairman Louis
Pang said: “We felt that Rêve Monde
acted as the catalyst of our childhood
dreams, and it’s the first time we see
characters that inspire us to do great
things, things that we never imagined or things that we never dared to
dream.”
The theme was widely incorporated
into the programme for the day. Prior
to the event, mascots dressed as characters from fairytales were featured on
the official Rêve Monde Instagram page
(@revemonde) to promote the D&D.
The mascots were also in attendance on the evening itself and helped
set the tone of the event.
The performing CCAs for the evening followed closely the event’s theme
as well.
The acapella group dressed up as
princes and princesses, while the Fusion Percussion band came as Peter
Pan and the Lost Boys.
Mohamed Azeem bin Ibrahim, a
member of Fusion Percussion
said: “We decided to perform
as Peter Pan and the Lost Boys
as it was easy to get the props.
“Structuring
the
performance was difficult as we had to
make use of the stage, which was
unusually shaped as a T.”
The guests came dressed to impress for a shot at winning some special awards such as the Best Dressed
Table, the title of King and Queen, as
well as the title of Prince and Princess.
Attractive lucky draw prizes were
also given away. The top two prizes
were an iPhone 6 and a PlayStation 4.
Said 18-year-old freshman Julian
Wong: “It was really fun to go there
and experience the vibrant atmosphere
of the whole evening. It was a new experience for me dressing up, as I went
as a Monkey God, but it was great to
see everyone dress up and have a good
time together.”
Guests came dressed in line with the theme
Rêve Monde. PHOTO: DIGITAL MEDIA CREW
“We felt that Rêve
Monde acted as
the catalyst of our
childhood dreams.”
— Organising committee
chairman Louis Pang
4
school focus
stop Press • July 2015
INFORMATICS AND IT
DESIGN
turn for
the best
NISHA KARYN SREENIVASAN
Taking a
PHYLLIS LEE ZHI NING
IAN HARTONO BUDIANTO TK did
not end his secondary school life on a
happy note. After receiving his GCE O
Level results, he admittedly broke down
in disappointment and sorrow. That was
the moment when he decided that he
had to change, and chose to do something different.
“With IT growing, I saw a huge potential in this diploma. It’s overlooked by
many people, so I decided to take that
opportunity and try it out.” With that,
he started his journey as an Information
Technology student.
Since stepping into Temasek Polytechnic, the 19-year-old has committed
to his motto to “strive for greatness”.
Academically, he is already on the Director’s List.
“Being on the Director’s List is
something special to me,” he said.
“And it feels great, because when I first
stepped into poly, I never expected to be
a top scorer.”
An A*STAR Award recipient, Ian
will soon be posted to intern with the
Bioinformatics Institute where he will be
developing 5 apps for the department.
Communicating with
words and pictures
Last August, Ian and three of his
friends started preparing for the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2015, which requires
students to complete an original technology project from scratch.
With 6 months of preparations, the
team managed to get into the finals, but
lost out there.
Devastated as they were, they entered the Land Transport Authority
Hackathon. Since they saw a lot of potential in their idea, they brought it forward to this competition.
Their refined idea of using a predictive analysis to more accurately estimate the crowd level of arriving buses
through an app, clinched the title of the
Best App for Public Transport.
“This competition has really made a
huge impact on my life. It was a great
achievement, and we got to shake hands
with the Prime Minister. That was one
of the highest milestones that I’ve ever
reached.”
Outside of school, Ian does lead an
active lifestyle as well. He is into running
and basketball.
His other hobby is collecting figurines. He goes for limited-edition Marvel, Digimon and Japanese figurines.
“PHOTOGRAPHY isn’t my hobby. It’s
my life. Because a hobby is something
you can stop doing when you want to,”
insists 19-year-old Design student Daryl
Kang.
This makes it hard to believe that Visual Communication was not among his
top choices when he applied to the poly.
“I like to tell people, I didn’t choose the
course, the course chose me.”
In secondary school, Daryl was fixed
on the idea of an education in psychology. He never thought he would end up
in the course he is in now, but he has no
regrets.
While being able to tell a story
through his photos, Daryl also has a flair
for painting a picture with words. His
passion for the English language was ignited by his Secondary 3 teacher, Ms Tan
Kim Mooi.
Daryl recalls that the first thing
Ms Tan said upon entering the class
for their very first lesson was: “Everyone is going to score an A2.”
By the time he got to Temasek
Poly, Daryl was one of the most
well-spoken students in class, often prompted to represent his
groups for presentations.
“My dream is to communicate
with the world and with people of different cultures,” he says enthusiastically.
“I believe the best method of communi-
cation is all-rounded, so it includes languages, verbal communication or visual
communication.”
His communication skills were tested last year when he entered the YMCA
Plain English Speaking Awards Contest.
Daryl had made it to the finals of the oratorical competition but couldn’t clinch
the top spots.
“I thought I could have been in the
top 3 if not for nervousness. I was the
only poly student there. So when I got
on stage I thought, ‘Damn this is real
man’ and froze for five seconds. Well,
that got me in the gutter with the judges.
They said it affected my stage presence.”
But there will surely be more opportunities for this third-year student to use
his communication skills.
ENGINEERING
Active lifestyle of service and sports
PHYLLIS LEE ZHI NING
B
ack when Yukie Tan was in secondary school, she was a rather
quiet person. As soon as she entered Temasek Polytechnic (TP), her personality took a complete turn – becoming outgoing and friendly, not at all afraid
to meet and interact with new people.
The third-year Aerospace Engineering student recently became the president of the Love Initiative for Engineering (ENG LIFE) Club.
A community-focused group, ENG
LIFE organises events for the needy and
elderly in Singapore. Engineering students are then encouraged to help out at
these events, in turn increasing the civic-mindedness and volunteerism spirit in
the school.
The club has also won a number of
awards for its community contribution.
Yukie admitted that initially she did
not want to join ENG LIFE, with her
heart set on another club. But now, she
regards the main committee members
of ENG LIFE as her family.
“As compared to
organising events, I
think we went on
more outings instead,” said the
2 0 - y e a r- o l d
with a laugh.
“So we are
very bonded.”
Yu k i e ’s
sense
of
service and
compassion
was definitely
developed in the
club.
“For my first
event, when I saw all the
elderly smiling at the end, I was
very grateful for what we did for them.
It’s something I really want to do all over
again, even though it’s tough.”
Apart from community work,
Yukie also leads an active
lifestyle by participating
in sports.
Part of TP’s
Archery team, she
has participated in last year’s
POL-ITE
Competition.
She aims to do
better for this
year’s
event,
hoping to have
more
training
sessions to improve her skills.
Outside school,
Yukie has been dragon
boating since her secondary
school days. In fact, she had taken
such a great fancy to the water sport that
she started rowing with nEbO Dragon
Boat Team in 2013, shortly after TP’s
Regatta.
So, who exactly inspires Yukie to do
all that she does? “It’s always the seniors
that I’ve worked with. They’re always the
experienced ones who help and guide
me.”
With so many obligations, one may
wonder how Yukie gets through all her
activities and completes her school work
at the same time. “Full commitment,”
she declared with confidence, “If I say I
will do this, I’ll just make sure I get it
done. It’s part of my responsibility.”
“It’s something I
really want to do
all over again, even
though it’s tough.”
school focus
stop Press • July 2015
5
APPLIED SCIENCE
Inspired by family, peers
PHYLLIS LEE ZHI NING
A
BOUT five years ago, Joy Sim’s
grandmother suffered from diabetes. Painful insulin jabs often had
to be administered into her body, prompting her to make a change in her diet.
Out went all the fried and unhealthy
food, and in came more brown rice and
vegetables. She succeeded in getting rid
of the need for diabetic medication,
building up her health through a better
diet. Now, at 96 years old, Joy’s grandmother is still strong and healthy.
Seeing her grandmother beat her
illness sparked Joy’s interest to study
nutrition. Currently on her internship,
the final-year Applied Science and
Nutrition student has come a long way
since she entered Temasek Polytechnic
(TP) through the Direct Polytechnic
Admission exercise.
Joy is on a four-month stint at the
Dietetic and Food Services department
in Changi General Hospital since April
6. She revealed that she is working on a
renal project, where she has to create a
database for food that are high and low
in potassium and phosphorous.
Apart from being on the Director’s
List in her first year, she has been active in the TP Green Interest Group, of
which she is the current President.
Since young, Joy’s father would always bring her to Tioman Island in
Malaysia to enjoy its beautiful beaches
and do snorkelling.
This brought Joy closer to nature and
wildlife. Hence, she joined the interest
group, participating in various projects,
including the Horseshoe Crab Research
and Rescue, International Coastal Cleanup and Project ECO.
“What motivates me is that I’m able
to inspire others to want to do more for
the environment. It can be daily things
that really impact our environment, like
not littering and not wasting food,” she
explained.
“It’s a very fulfilling experience,
learning how to lead my team and instilling passion in sub-committee members
to want to do more on their own. After
all, a better future starts with us students;
we have the power to make a difference.”
Saving the Earth is one goal for Joy,
helping the community is another. Last
year, she shaved her head for Hair for
BUSINESS
Balancing
work, play
CHARMAINE SIM
“WORK as hard as you play! It’s
the Yin and Yang of Poly
life! it’s a lot more enjoyable when you have the
best of both worlds.”
This is the advice Ms Shazlin Bte
Shahril Shintaro, 18,
a second-year student
of Retail Management
wants to give her peers.
Shazlin is the epitome of a model student as
not only does she excel in her
studies, but she also shines in her
Co-Curricular Activity (CCA).
She is a top student in the course and
has been placed on the Directors’ List.
As a member of the Guzheng ensemble,
she and her fellow musicians clinched
a distinction and gold award for the
Singapore Youth Festival 2013.
Shazlin said that her CCA training
days are usually her no-work days since
she would be too tired by the time she
reaches home.
Hence, she makes it a point to complete her school work ahead of time.
The mindset that Shazlin entered TP
with was “telling myself that you either
make it, break it or become painfully
mediocre.
“Wearing whatever you want to
school doesn’t equate to not studying just
as hard as you did when you wore uniforms and attended morning assemblies.
I felt that TP would be an excellent place for me to develop myself and show
my full potential. It’s a
less rigorous learning environment.
You get to work
and play, just build
your own pace
and follow it.”
She sticks with
this mindset till
today.
Shazlin is not just
all for work though, she
also cares for the community.
She went for an overseas community project to Chiang Mai, Thailand, last
March.
It was high on her bucket list.
“I don’t think any human being
should feel accomplished without having done something for the community
at least once in their lives.
“It’s easy knowing that I’m a privileged Singaporean, but to actually feel it,
it takes some form of eye-opening experience or a heart-wrenching encounter,
or even a few moments of reflection.”
Hope, contributing towards the
Children’s Cancer Society.
She shared: “I’ve always
wanted to shave as I had a
childhood friend who was diagnosed with leukaemia, but
only had guts to do it last year.
“Shaving was one thing, having to deal with stares from people is another thing. I definitely am
a much more confident person, not as
worried about my appearance, but more
about who am I as a person. Although
my hair has grown, I will always remember this life lesson about acceptance.”
Joy added that TP nurtured her confidence through the Student Leadership
Programme (SLP).
While participating in the SLP, Joy
also came across the National Youth
Achievement Award. She is now pursuing the Gold Award, and has since completed four out of five categories.
She’s left with rollerblading under
Skills section which she would be completing next year. Rollerblading is one of
Joy’s favourite hobbies as well. “When I
rollerblade, I always feel very free. I can
express myself through it.”
HUMANITIES AND
SOCIAL SCIENCES
EUNICE CHIN
DARIUS NG, a senior from the Diploma in Early Childhood Studies says his
greatest joy comes from the children he
works with.
“It’s a joy to watch them learn and
grow as they play and work together with
the other teachers and myself.”
However, early childhood course
was not the goal from the beginning
for this Early Childhood Development
Agency Training Award recipient.
In fact, he enrolled in the Diploma
in Early Childhood Studies with hopes
to branch out and study psychology in
the future. But now he says he has found
his calling.
The ECDA Training award offers
course sponsorship, learning resource
grant, study allowance and funding for
professional development. Upon graduation, the recipient will have to serve a
bond to the Early Childhood sector for
each year of support received.
Working with children is definitely not an easy feat and coupled with
school work, it is almost a double
jeopardy. However, when the workload proves too much to handle,
Darius says, as a Christian, he finds his
drive in God.
“It’s a divine experience that picks
me up in the hardest times of academic life. And classmates who are working
“It’s a very fulfilling
experience,
learning how to lead
my team and instilling
passion in sub-committee members to
want to do more on
their own. After all,
a better future
starts with us students;
we have the power to
make a difference.”
Joy of
working
with
children
together with me, they spur me on to be
the best for them,” he said.
Darius is now interning at Little
Skool House By The Lake in Yishun.
He said: “It’s amazing how much energy they have. I find myself being tired
out by them quite often despite being left
with a great sense of satisfaction and joy
in my heart at the end of every day. It’s
the greatest challenge and the best experience I’ve had
so far.”
6
snapshot
stop Press • July 2015
FRESHMEN OLYMPIAD
Applied Science drummer providing the beat for his
cheering team.
Business School lost out to the Humanities & Social Sciences School in the deciding Caterpillar race. HSS became
the overall champion of the olympiad.
(Above) School teams gearing up for the Caterpillar race. (Right) TP Salvo Drums
& Dance Ensemble provided performances at the event.
(Above) Humanities & Social Sciences School showing support
for their team from the stands.
(Left) Design School won the Best-Spirited team award.
TEXT, PHOTOS: JAMIE LEE, DARYL ENG & BASIL CHOO,
LAYOUT: ILLIYJN ANUWAR
This year’s Week Zero Freshmen Orientation went beyond campus. Instead of
the regatta at Bedok Reservoir, an Olympiad was held at Jalan Besar Stadium.
The Olympiad, on April 17, saw teams
of freshmen from all six schools compet-
ing in the different telematch games, such
as the hot potato challenge and the caterpillar challenge.
The Humanities and Social Sciences School emerged as champions of the
Olympiad after a final game of Caterpil-
lars decided a tie-breaker with Business
School.
The School of Design and the School
of Informatics and Information Technology won Best-Spirited and Best Cheer
awards, respectively.
opinion
stop Press • July 2015
Why are we so
disconnected?
DINIE ZAINUDIN
Junior, Diploma in
Communications and Media
Management, School of Business
F
amilies crowd around
tables, the sound of cutlery meeting plate fills
the air. It’s a familiar scene,
but there’s something missing:
Conversation.
There’s no chatter, and each
family member’s face is illuminated by the light of their mobile device. Is there any wonder
why Singaporeans are perceived
to be cold and aloof ?
There are several possible
reasons for this, and our smartphone habit is a major factor.
Our having easy access to
smartphones, and to the latest
gadgets on the market, is a major reason for this.
NOT SO SOCIAL
Singapore is one of the most
technologically advanced countries in the world and has the
highest smartphone penetration
rate in South-east Asia, with
nine out of 10 respondents
having access to a smartphone.
We have early access to new
gadgets.
“Our priorities
seem to be skewed
as a result of
our constantly
being online.”
Our priorities seem to be
skewed as a result of our constantly being online, with social
media replacing social etiquette
at dinners, for instance.
Singaporeans tend to post
anything and everything that happens around us to social media, or
straight to STOMP (Straits Times
Online Mobile Print), when we
witness something shocking or
even dangerous.
Some go to extremes, posting controversial images or
opinions just to get views – a
high-profile example is teen
blogger Amos Yee, who was
convicted in court recently for
making offensive remarks and
circulating obscene imagery.
STUDY, STUDY, STUDY
But before even smartphones
arrived, this disconnect began
within us early on. From our
very first day in primary school
day, the pressure to do well is
there, with hours upon hours
of homework, not to mention
co-curricular activities.
We’re trained to avoid socialising too much by both the
education system and our parents, ironically.
This work ethic guides the
average Singaporean through
their life, and they end up
spending more time on work
and less on the children, leaving them to be brought up by
either domestic helpers or
their grandparents. It’s no
surprise that there is very
little talking at the dining
table, then.
unhappiest nation in the world.
The same poll found that Singaporeans are also the world’s
most emotionless populace.
It’s fair to say that money
plays a major role in this, as Singapore is one of the most prosperous countries in the world,
as well as one of the most expensive cities to live in.
We might be less happy
compared to other countries,
but we do have a better system,
facilities and privileges.
The question is whether
we are able to enjoy life
here fully, and
I feel that
we should
m a k e
more of
an effort
to
be
less cold
a n d
aloof,
by connecting
with others more in
real life, face
to face.
We can
start with our
own
family
dinners.
Social media has changed
the way we view others
ANDY SNG
Freshman, Diploma in
Law and Management,
School of Business
S
ocial media has its merits. It can be an extension of your being, and
it’s useful for information
gathering and connecting
this diverse world.
But it has devolved the
way we see others.
Social media began as
a means to enhance networking and our connecting with others.
Facebook, for example, was hatched as a
way to help male undergrads at Harvard
get dates.
When it grew in
popularity beyond
its college dorm
cradle, it became a
platform for people
to keep in touch with
distant friends and relatives.
These days, instead
of reaching out to
s o m e o n e,
UNHAPPY
SINGAPORE
In a 2011 international survey conducted by the respected
Gallup Poll, Singapore was ranked the
stop Press
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[email protected]
Facebook has become a game
centre for simple browser-based diversions, which
constant requests to crush
candy or some other meaningless task.
Facebook has lost its authenticity, which frustrates
me to no end.
With smartphones common these days, instant messaging apps like WhatsApp
and Viber have made it easier
for us to connect with friends,
instead of on Facebook.
In addition, more people are turning to the next
generation of social media,
services such as Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, where
users share excerpts of their
daily lives in pictures and
short videos, allowing them
to reach out to others who
are experiencing the same
thing.
NOT KEEPING IT REAL
But people don’t use these
platforms to reach out as
much as to vainly portray idealised versions of themselves
online, in my opinion.
This self-centeredness
feels insincere and forced,
hence my misgivings about
social media in general, which
seems to have taken over every aspect of our lives.
On social media sites, you
could just focus on the highlights of your day, superficially. People can’t really discern
how you feel, and can’t really
help you with the problems
that you have.
Thus, the idea of social
media as a means to reach out
to others is lost. Many even
brand those whose posts are
emotional and “depressing”
as “attention-seekers”.
The alternate view of the
world that online social media has provided us is slowly
consuming us. We’ve arrived
at a point where many believe
that their online profiles define them, and it has changed
the way we view others.
ARTWORK: ILLIYIN ANUWAR
editorial team (July 2015)
managing editors:
Nurul Asyikin Yusoff
Nur Farah Salleh
news editors:
Iliyas Juanda
Jamie Lee
school focus editors:
Phyllis Lee
Charmaine Sim
snapshot/opinion editors:
Rachel Oh
Siti Rauzah
tech editors:
Chan E Hueen
Mahirah Alip
sports editors:
Shawn Russell Gilbert
Ashwini Thanabalan
7
life editors:
Mindy Tay
Emily Leong
photo editors:
Siti Alawiyah, Marian Govin,
Rachel Choo, Shakir Saifuddin
designers:
Tiara Natasha
Iffah Durrah
Illiyin Anuwar
Victoria Neo
Siti Mas’udah
Naadhirah Razak
Alicia Tantriady
supervising lecturers:
Tamil Selvan
David Ngiau
8
tech
stop Press • July 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY
Ditch the DSLR
Carousell your
way to more savings
LECTURERS seem adamant
on burning a hole in our pockets. They ask us to buy textbooks that are worth a fortune
and, somehow, we find ourselves barely using them.
The good news is that
you need not waste money on
new books any longer with
Carousell’s marketplace for
Temasek Polytechnic.
If you haven’t been keeping up, Carousell is a Singapore-based online flea market
where you can sell your used
and unwanted goods, or buy
someone else’s used and unwanted goods.
It brings thrifting to a
whole new level, especially
with the handy app. Getting
on board Carousell is easy:
1. Download Carousell
from Apple’s App Store
or Google Play Store.
2. Sign up for an account
3. Go to Me
Settings
Share Settings
Join Your School’s
Market
4. Select Temasek
Polytechnic (duh)
5. Enter your student
email, verify your account and ... voila!
You’re a Carouseller
Not only can you find
textbooks there, but also
items being sold by students
from Temasek Polytechnic.
Now that you can access the marketplace that’s
exclusive to only us TP kids,
there’s no need to bother
with postage or mailing fees.
Simply arrange a meet-up on
campus.
It’s more convenient
and safe, not to mention you
spend most of your time here
anyway.
Currently, our campus’
marketplace boasts more than
100 listings of textbooks.
Who knows you might just
be able to snag a good deal
there or, even better, earn
a quick buck by selling your
unwanted goods.
MAHIRAH ALIP
CAROUSELL, NOT CAROUHELL
As with any marketplace,
there will be a few unethical
dealers out there. Here are
five tips for a better shopping experience:
Do your research
All sellers’ feedback can
be accessed from their
profile page. Read the reviews, both positive and
negative, tosee if the seller is trustworthy.
Google the image
If the seller uses a picture
he copied from Google,
chances are that the item
he’s selling won’t be true
to the picture. Ask the
seller to take a photo of
the item to see if it’s in
good enough condition.
Watch the wording
If the post says “Supplier
claims product is authentic”, the likelihood of that
is as much as me hanging
with Taylor Swift: Zero.
Register your mail
or meet in person
Don’t take chances, especially if you paid a fortune
for your item.
Ask questions
Do not hesitate to ask for
measurements, materials, or anything to help
clear your doubts.
Remember, Carousell is a
one-to-one platform, so be
friendly and polite always!
Compact System
Cameras offer more
features for less
than trusty DSLRs
MAHIRAH ALIP
P
hotography’s never been
more popular and democratic, thanks to smartphones allowing everyone and
their grandmother shoot whenever and whereever, and then
share it all on Instagram.
Those who want to get serious about the craft will naturally think about getting a trusty
DSLR (digital single-lens reflex)
camera to capture better images.
Besides, those DSLRs look
professional and make you look
like a real photographer whenever it’s hanging around your neck.
DSLRs, however, are over
rated. They’re heavy, bulky and
cost a bomb, especially at this
point in time, with the arrival of
a new, better option: The mirrorless Compact System Camera
(CSC).
Unless you’re a professional shooting for National Geographic, here are three reasons
why you should get yourself a
mirrorless camera.
1. IT’S CHEAPER
Not everyone can afford a
DSLR, not when it costs way
over S$1,000. Being students and
still depending on your parents
would mean you won’t have the
means to splurge on luxurious
things. Of course, CSCs have
their higher end alternatives but
most mirrorless cameras won’t
cost as much as S$1,000.
The Samsung NX3000,
launched only last year costs
only S$699 and, according to
Straits Times’ Digital Life, is a
“great value for money for those
looking for their first
mirrorless camera”.
Light painting with the live bulb feature. PHOTO: STEVE HUFF PHOTO
different lenses would take up
lesser space in your bag than a
DSLR.
Think about it, do you really want to carry around a bulky
camera the whole day out?
3. THERE’S LOTS
OF COOL FEATURES
As a result of its mirrorless design, companies are able to implement cool new features with
their CSC.
Focus peaking, for example,
highlights areas which are in focus, which is especially handy
when taking videos.
A Zebra display can also
indicate areas that are close to
burning out with flashing lines.
For some Samsung CSCs,
you can connect your camera
with your smartphone and use
your
smart-
phone as a remote or even as a
live viewfinder.
Olympus CSCs boasts a feature called “live bulb” which allows you to see the image build
up on the camera screen (or a
smartphone connected by WiFi) during long exposures.
The live bulb feature enables for far easier light painting
shots such as the above.
So before you start on your
quest to become a great photographer, be sure that you are well
equipped. What’s even more appealing is that you get all these
pros of the CSC and without
compromising the image quality.
That’s right, even professionals are turning to mirrorless
cameras because of their combination of image quality, excellent
motion-capture ability and the
availability of excellent optics.
2. IT’S MORE
COMPACT
AND LIGHTER
A normal DSLR
with standard kit lens
could weigh up to
half a kilogramme.
In comparison, the
Samsung NX mini
can easily fit in your
pocket. A typical mirrorless camera with three
The Samsung NX300
debuted last year and
costs only S$699.
tech
stop Press • July 2015
9
COMPETITIVE GAMING
Serious fun, serious business
TP seniors pursue their
gaming passion while
keeping their grades up
EMILY LEONG
probably one of the biggest challenges
around,” he said.
League of Legends (LoL) gamer
Godwin claims his group assembles for
practice sessions with no fuss. He said:
“It’s about the passion. We’re all committed to this because of our passion.”
sk any parent (or lecturer), and
they would probably frown at
the mention of competitive
gaming thinking that it’s a huge distraction from school work.
Temasek Polytechnic seniors Godwin Choo and Calvin Wong prove otherwise. Calvin, for one, has topped the
Media and Communication Technology
diploma at the School of Engineering in
the past two years.
It’s all down to discipline and time
management, unlike with computer
gaming addicts.
“I spend about three to four hours
on weekdays, and seven to nine hours on
weekends,” said Calvin, an avid Defense
of the Ancients 2 (Dota2) player.
Godwin, who is studying Law and
Management at the School of Business,
spends up to 20 hours gaming on an av-
Competitive gaming, or e-sports, has
surged in popularity since late last decade, with international tournaments
common. A global phenomenon valued at billions of dollars, e-sports tournaments fill sports arenas such as New
York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Dota2 and LoL, both strategy-based
team games, are among the most popular
in the e-sports world.
Godwin, who’s known as “Daimidaler” in the community, said that he
started playing competitively to face the
best players out there, gain recognition
and, perhaps, some income.
As Nyan Zone captain, Godwin
even engages a coach for his team.
Besides, as Godwin put it: “If you’re
already good at something, why not aim
to be the best?”
A
VALUED IN BILLIONS
Calvin Wong games competitively while also topping his diploma at the
School of Engineering.
PHOTO: EMILY LEONG
erage day, which he cuts down to about
six hours during school days.
Calvin said that it’s more difficult to
schedule practice time with his gaming
team-mates, with everyone busy with
school work during semesters.
“Scheduling with my team-mates is
“If you’re already good
at something, why not
aim to be the best?”
— LAW senior Godwin Choo
10 GOOD REASONS TO STAY INDOORS THIS YEAR
1 2 3 8
Batman: Arkham Night
Release: June 23
The much anticipated third
instalment the iconic Batman
trilogy is finally here. With
the same meaty combat style
Rocksteady Studio incorporated in the first two games,
Arkham Asylum and Arkham
City, this is a must-have.
The Phantom Pain
Release: Sept 1
Devil May Cry 4:
Special Edition
Another must-buy, even if the
S$40 playable teaser of the
game burnt a hole in the pockets of many fans. Sadly, after a
long and fruitful collaboration,
this instalment will be artistic
director Hideo Kojima’s last
game with Konami.
First released in 2008 to critical
acclaim, the game is making a
comeback with a special edition. It’s highly likely that hackand-slash masters Capcom will
deliver a satisfying experience
with the latest graphics.
Tom Clancy’s The Division
Release: 1st Quarter 2016
Release: June 2015
The game’s release was just
delayed in May, but it still
makes the list out of pure love
for Clancy. It was announced
three years ago, so the game’s
delay is alarming. Sounds similar to another Ubisoft game —
remember Watch Dogs?
6
4
9
5 7 10
Assassin’s
Creed Syndicate
Release: Oct 23 on PS4
& XBox One, TBC on PC
Assassins’ Creed Unity disappointed many with its graphical issues and heavy memory
demands, but Assassins’ Creed
Rogue, released on the same
day as Unity, was a success,
raising hopes for Syndicate.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Rise of the Tomb Raider
Release: Nov 6
Release: December 2015
After the hit-and-miss Call of
Duty: Advanced Warfare instalment, Activision is teaming
up with Treyarch again. Hopefully, the renewed partnership
will revitalise Call of Duty and
keep it from becoming just
another franchise.
Tomb Raider has delivered its
fair share of enjoyable puzzle-solving as well as horrible
glitches over its two decades.
The previous instalment met
with mixed reviews online, so
gamers might want to consider
revisiting better, older instalments.
Just Cause 3
Five Nights at Freddy 4:
The Final Chapter
Who can forget the grappling
hook and the parachute of
Lost Cause 2? Fans of the
series can be glad as there will
be new and improved chaos in
Just Cause 3, with the promise
of an abundance of explosions.
The indie series has been
criticised for its weak story,
but gamers have come their
own theories — the Game
Theorists, most notably, analysed the entire series to piece
together a chilling storyline.
Release: 4th Quarter 2015
Release: Oct 31
Street Fighter V
Release: March 2016
A must-buy for die-hard fans
of this franchise, which began
in 1987 in arcades. This Capcom game will be available
exclusively on the PlayStation
and Microsoft Windows.
CHAN E HUEEN
10
sports
stop Press • July 2015
FOOTBALL
TP confirms IVP dominance
“We felt that we made
Temasek Polytechnic
proud because we
brought glory back
to the school.”
2015 crown in Games
for polys, unis and
ITE is Team Temasek’s
4th in the last five years
DARYL ENG
— TP footballer Royce Chua
T
here can be no doubt about it:
Temasek Polytechnic (TP) is a
force to be reckoned with in Singapore football.
Team Temasek won three straight
football titles at the Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) Games titles from 2011 to
2013, with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) breaking the streak last year.
Normal service resumed on Jan 29
when TP edged Republic Polytechnic
(RP) 7-6 in a penalty shootout, after a
1-1 draw after extra-time, to bring the
S R Nathan Cup back to Tampines.
The 2015 title was Team Temasek’s
fourth in five years and underlined its
dominance in football at the IVP Games,
which is contested by Singapore’s six
universities, five polytechnics and an
Institute of Technical Education (ITE)
combined team.
The key to TP’s success was the
team’s dedication, said first-team player
Royce Chua. Pre-match briefings with
GETTING IN
THE SEA GAMES
Temasek Polytechnic students lent a
hand at last month’s SEA Games in
areas relevant to their studies.
While any Singaporean could
sign up as a volunteer, hospitality
students from TP lent a hand at the
airport with athletes’ travel arrangements and Communications and Media Management (CMM) students
worked with journalists covering the
biennial sports event.
Singapore hosted the 28th SEA
Games from June 5-16, The last time
Singapore hosted the SEA Games
was in 1993.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity because Singapore doesn’t
host such major sports events often,”
said CMM junior Tesia Tan, 17, who
worked as a media relations officer.
Besides working at the airport,
students from the Hospitality and
Tourism Management (HTM) and
Leisure and Resorts Management
(LRM) diplomas also helped with
crowd control at venues.
Sho Kai Jie said that he and his
fellow LRM juniors underwent extensive training to familiarise themselves with the airport and Games
venues. SHINNIE NG
Champions, again: The TP footballers confirmed TP’s dominance. PHOTO: ROYCE CHUA
head coach and former national player Steven Tan also benefited the team
immensely as a chance to review past
matches.
“During trainings or pre-match
briefings, those issues will be rectified
so that those mistakes wouldn’t be made
again,” said Royce, a Business Informa-
tion Technology junior at the School of
Business.
TEAMWORK, RESILIENCE
Victory did not come easy in the final on
Jan 29. RP took a 1-0 lead into half-time
and Team Temasek’s players felt under
immense pressure.
“We learnt that teamwork is essential
when it comes to a final game because
we have to motivate and encourage one
another, especially when we were down
1-0,” said Royce.
In the 81st minute, School of Enginnering senior Jonathan Tan equalised
for TP from inside the box, to deafening
cheers from TP supporters.
“The goal was a huge relief for us
because we were down 1-0 and we knew
that we had to score,” Royce recalled.
“The penalty shootout was, on the other
hand, nerve-wracking.”
At 6-6 in the shootout, Team Temasek goalkeeper Shahul Rayyan, also
from Engineering, guessed correct
and dove to his left, parrying away a
chest-level penalty attempt.
“It was a more than just a victory,
it felt like a huge achievement,” said
Royce, 18. “We felt that we made Temasek Polytechnic proud because we
brought glory back to the school.”
From beginner to SEA Games gold medalist in 4 years
ASHWINI THANABALAN
TP student and national floorballer Yeo Xuan
on the court. PHOTO: LIM SAU BOON
TEMASEK Polytechnic junior Yeo
Xuan took up floorball only four years
ago. Last month, she helped Team
Singapore clinch the gold medal in
women’s floorball at the 28th SEA
Games, which the Republic hosted from
June 5-16.
The 18-year old chemical engineering student’s love of floorball began in
Secondary 2.
“Floorball requires teamwork and
is very fast-paced,” Yeo Xuan told Stop
Press. “Combined together, it’s a great
sport because we know that the feeling
of teamwork is awesome!”
Floorball is similar to hockey with
two teams of six players each, including a goalkeeper, facing off in matches
lasting three 20-minute periods. A plastic
ball with holes is used instead of a hard
hockey puck.
Making the national squad required
a great deal of sacrifice. Yeo Xuan, who
is a junior at the School of Applied Science, took part in trials in took part in
the SEA Championships and World Cup
qualifications earlier this year and last
year, while keeping up with schoolwork,
meaning she spent a lot less time with
family and friends.
And with mid-semester tests sched-
The 12 TP students who represented
Singapore at the 28th SEA Games:
Aquatics
Lee Mei Shuang
Athletics
Ng Jia Yi
Floorball
Lim Jian Hong
Yeo Xuan
Hockey
Ahmad Faris Mhd Johari
Ah Wei Ivy
Taekwondo Nur Fadzlyn
Kang Rui Jie
Chew Xin Wei
Volleyball
Jolly Zhen
Wushu
Fung Hui Xin
uled in the week before the SEA Games,
Yeo Xuan had even less time for a social
life. In preparation for the SEA Games,
Yeo Xuan trained with the national squad
thrice a week, with each session lasting two
hours, and also played in friendly matches.
The coach also arranged video analysis sessions for the team to review their
performances and identify areas for improvement.
“My coach always encourages us to
make mistakes during trainings because
that’s the only time we can learn from
our mistakes and improve on them,” she
said.
11
life
stop Press • July 2015
Best. Entrance. Ever.
CONCERT REVIEW
The Script: No Sound
Without Silence Tour
Great effects, more
drama for fans too
FILM REVIEW
Avengers: Age of Ultron
THE sequel to 2012 blockbuster The Avengers is yet
another masterpiece of visual effects, and fans will be
happy that Avengers: Age of
Ultron goes deeper into the
characters.
The critics, meanwhile,
have been generally positive,
though not glowing with
their reviews.
It’s the perfect recipe
for a Marvel blockbuster,
and Age of Ultron has already
proved itself with over S$1.8
billion in box office revenue
worldwide by June.
Written and directed
by Joss Whedon, who also
directed and co-wrote The
Avengers, the film was released
in Singapore and in most
countries on April 23.
If you haven’t seen the
movie, stop reading now as
some spoilers follow.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
opens with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), together with
Bruce Banner/The Hulk
(Mark Ruffalo), attempting
to secretly integrate an artificial intelligence into his own
global defence system.
This results in the creation of Ultron (voiced by
James Spader), a powerful
artificial intelligence that has
two goals: To create a perfect
body for himself, and to exterminate mankind.
Twins QuickSilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen),
whose parents were killed
by Stark Industries weapons
when they were 10 years old,
ally themselves with the murderous Ultron wih the common goal of destroying the
Avengers.
The fight scenes, spread
across three different continents, are visually stunning,
particularly the battle between a Scarlet Witch-affected Hulk and Iron Man in his
Hulkbuster suit.
There’s more drama too,
with insights into the Avengers’ characters. For one, when
Scarlet Witch manipulates
the team with her reality-altering powers, we get a look
into their individual fears and
desires, some of which are
downright painful (Captain
America and Peggy Carter
finally getting their dance,
anyone?). Other notable
mentions include a blooming
romance between Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow and
Bruce Banner.
This vulnerable side of
Earth’s mightiest heroes shows
that despite being superheroes
who protect the Earth, they are
still human. The sequel plays
up how relations between the
Avengers are stretched thin,
with the characters are constantly squabbling.
All this tension sets up
for next summer’s Captain
America 3: Civil War movie.
There are perhaps one
or two things that could have
been better, but Avengers: Age
of Ultron is a splendid film
overall, especially for fans.
Do remember to stay
on for the mid-credits scene
though – that’s when things
start really getting serious.
EMILY LEONG
PITCH black. Nervous chatter, some
screams. Then … “3, 2, 1 …”
The Script’s entrance at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on April 21 was one
of the best ever. The description above
might sound generic and cliched, but you
had to be there to experience it.
The audience was suitably psyched
up, with background music building up
to the opening number, Paint the Town
Green.
The Script had the crowd on their feet
throughout the two-hour concert, jumping and swaying, making this reviewer regret getting a ticket for a seat.
SITI RAUZAH SHAMSURI
UPCOMING CONCERTS
It’s been a good year so far
for music fans here with
stars like Katy Perry, Ed
Sheeran, Bastille and One
Direction having played
here already. Here are some
acts you can look forward
to in the next few months.
Kodaline
Twenty One Pilots
Aug 25, Singapore
Indoor Stadium
July 16, Suntec
Convention Centre
BIGBANG
July 18 & 19 July,
Singapore Indoor Stadium
Echosmith (pictured)
Aug 11, The Coliseum
(with special guests
Sheppard)
Aug 13, *SCAPE Playspace
The Maine
Aug 16, TAB Singapore
Imagine Dragons
Pharrell Williams
Sept 18, Marina
Bay Street Circuit
Maroon 5
Sept 19, Marina
Bay Street Circuit
NBCUniversal goes all out to woo interns
YOU may not know it, but many
the cable channels you tune into
are run by NBCUniversal International. The list includes 13th
Street, Diva, E!, Style, SyFy and
Universal Channel, as well as
news channel CNBC.
And the company, which is
headquartered right here in Sin-
gapore, is aggressively courting
polytechnic students with its
Campus2Career internship.
On April 2, students got a
briefing on the programme at
Shaw Lido, as well as a free 3D
screening of Fast & Furious 7.
Among the intern positions
available are positions in CNBC
News Editorial, CNBC Operations – Video Editing and Universal Networks Marketing &
PR. The CNBC’s Events and
Branding Marketing Intern role
was especially interesting for students from Temasek Polytechnic’s Communications and Media
Management (CMM) diploma.
NBC Universal staff at the
event readily answered eager
questions from the audience
of
students from various
polytechnics. The talk helped them
better understand their internship
options on the whole, and not just
as NBC Universal.
The highlight of the afternoon then followed, with free
popcorn and drinks to go with
the 3D movie, as well as a hamper containing a journal and
more helpful documents about
the Campus2Career talk.
JAI PRAKASH
12
life
stop Press • July 2015
CMM gets up close
with 1965 film-makers
RACHEL OH
The run was a chance for students to bond at the school and CCA levels. PHOTO: ALVIN SONG
Running
in the family
TP 25-HOUR CHALLENGE
TP family clocks
10,000km in just
25 hours, raising
S$25k for charity
EUNICE CHIN
S
tudents,
staff,
alumni
and their family members helped set a record at
Temasek Polytechnic (TP) in
early May, clocking 10,000km in
the TP 25-Hour Challenge run
and raising S$25,000 for two
charities.
The overnight run, held on
May 7-8, was organised as part
of Temasek Polytechnic’s 25th
Anniversary celebrations, which
was officially launched by ESM
Goh Chok Tong the week before.
Participants walked or ran
the circuit set up at TP’s triangular garden in scorching heat and
through rain at one point.
Student and lecturers were
scheduled to run in one-hour
blocks overnight as well, ensuring the track was never deserted.
TEMASEK PRIDE
The atmosphere was a festive
one during the day, with students
“We mostly
represent ourselves
... The TP25 run
reminded us that
we are, after all,
Temasek
Polytechnic
students.”
— RMT junior Shazlin
Shahril Shintaro
dressed in the colours of their
schools, while flag-bearers carried the flags of TP and the six
schools around the track.
One of the highlights was
the Neon Run segment organised
by the Temasek Polytechnic Student Union (TPSU).
Students taking part in the
Neon Run, which started at 9pm
on the first day, wore white shirts
and were sprayed with neon liquid as they ran the circuit.
Diploma in Retail Management junior Shazlin Shahril Shintaro, 18, took part in the TP 25Hour Challenge with her fellow
Fusion Percussion members.
Taking it as a chance to bond
as a CCA group, they ran at
around 11pm on the first night,
stop Press PDF version is available at www.tp.edu.sg/schools/bus/about-us#tab4
and Shazlin herself clocked three
rounds of the 834m-long circuit.
“I guess this run inculcates a
sense of belonging to the school.
In poly, everything is done independently — you don’t have
school assemblies, and you don’t
sing the school song every week,”
said Shazlin.
“We mostly represent ourselves, if not the course or CCA
that we’re in. The TP25 run reminded us that we are, after all,
Temasek Polytechnic students.”
Shazlin added that the event
reminded her of “the good old
secondary school days”, when
students looked forward to
Sports Days.
Asked if she would be back
for similar events after she graduates, Shazlin said she definitely
would.
AS SINGAPORE celebrates
50 years of independence
while mourning the passing of its founding father,
the home-made film 1965
couldn’t arrive in cinemas at a
better time when it premieres
on July 30.
Arguably the most ambitious local film ever produced, 1965 stars veteran actor Lim Kay Tong as the late
Lee Kuan Yew.
Students and staff from
the diploma in Communications and Media Management
(CMM) got a sneak preview
of 1965 on campus in March,
followed by a dialogue with
executive producer Daniel
Yun and director Randy Ang.
RESURRECTING LKY
Set in the months leading up
to Aug 9, 1965, the film focuses on the delicate social
fabric and racial tensions in
post-colonial
Singapore’s
population of 1.8 million.
This includes the deadly
race riots of 1964.
“The most difficult scene
to recreate was the one where
Lee Kuan Yew cried,” said
Mr Yun, referring to Mr Lee’s
televised announcement that
Singapore had split from Malaysia.
“All our reference material was in black and white.
Some prop items were already out of date, and so we
had to make them.
“We even had to find
people that matched those in
the photos.”
‘IT’S NOT A BIOPIC’
Pre-production for the film
began last November, with
most of the location filming
done in Batam.
The film-makers’ attention to detail is obvious in
other scenes as well, from
bustling street scenes with
wooden pushcarts and old
street signs to a traditional
Malay wedding.
Mr Yun stressed that
while the context is historically accurate, the film-makers
had to take dramatic licence
in creating new characters
and events.
“It’s not a biopic of Mr
Lee Kuan Yew; it’s not a political film, nor a propaganda film,” Mr Yun told CMM
lecturers and students during
the dialogue at the School of
Business.
“It’s not a docu-drama.
It’s not a movie about the
independence of Singapore.
It’s about how fragile racial
harmony can be, and how we
take it for granted.
“I hope the young people will see how it was like
for their grandparents … in
this important time that was
1965.”
Mr Yun added: “I hope
that when you leave the cinema, you will feel a bit of nationalism that has eluded us
in the past.”
FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Among the alumni who took
part in the Challenge were Project Superstar winner Alfred Sim,
who also performed at set on the
sidelines of the event.
The event ended on a high
note as the 10,000km mark was
breached towards the end of
the 25 hours, “unlocking” SG50
Giving funds for Club Rainbow
Singapore and All Saints Home.
1965 director Randy Ang (second from left) and producer Daniel Yun with CMM
juniors Rachel Oh, Louis Poh and Jai Prakash. PHOTO: SHARLENE SANKARAN