Stepping into University as a freshman was nothing short of scary. For 20 years, I had navigated life from primary school to my 6 years in Temasek Junior College, and it seemed as if things were almost always safe and predictable. Yet here I was on the precipice of something new, something unprecedented and a complete blank slate – university life.

Amidst all the fear, fast forward a few weeks into university and here I am, fork in one hand scooping sambal kang kong and laughing away with my USP friends.

What happened to all that fear? How was it that I was able to make safe transit into university life, and especially into the hearty scene of being seated in the Crespion canteen surrounded by the boisterous laughter of friends around me? My answer will always ring clear as day: I found a home in NTU-USP.

From the very start, NTU-USP was the close group of friends and classmates that I never knew I could have. Shuttling to and from classes, walking home after 7.30pm from the Hive, we would often spend dinners discussing what we learnt or just laughing about our day. Since day 1, I knew that I had stumbled on a forever home of wide-eyed learners, individuals with passion and thirst to live like I had never seen before. To me, I knew for sure that this was going to be home for the next 4 years of my university life. Amidst the confusion of being a freshman and navigating the NTU campus, learning how to buy groceries or top up air-condition cards, NTU-USP and its many opportunities for us to be together allowed me to feel right at home with my cohort mates. With each month, my friends and I found more things to be thankful for and we clung onto the precious memories we made during TOPS trips, late night runs to the supermarket or even just spending time laughing over our confusion during NTU-USP modules. Being able to discuss issues or plough through life dilemmas with a community of people so close to my heart has been an absolute dream and the idea of facing a gargantuan unknown world with these friends by my side just makes life a bit more palatable.

As they say, tough times don’t last, tough people do. To me, NTU-USP has been that vivacious community of people, hustling against the pessimism of the real world to instill the importance of being a keen but down-to-earth learner in the age of global instability and change. Not only has NTU-USP maintained its promise to provide a safe space for holistic development, but it has also continued to persist in its efforts for the many lives it has impacted over the past 10 years. Our recent milestone celebration was an affirmation of NTU-USP’s progress over the past 10 years and how far NTU-USP has come as a community. Gathered in an auditorium packed full of friends, family, alumni and faculty, tears were shed as the humble beginnings of a programme dedicated to making a difference in this 21st century were reminisced. There was never such a strong feeling of home and warmth that coursed through me as I stood on stage greeted by smiles, shouts and excited whispers from the crowd of NTU-USPians. Familiar hands wiped their eyes and hugs were exchanged as faculty came on stage to receive their awards. Sitting backstage while waiting for my cue to emcee, I heard the crowd clapping and cheering, and I just knew in my heart that this community was the place I had always dreamed of and wished for.

The NTU-USP experience has certainly been a dream for me and for the many students who will pass through its gates, I am sure that there will always be a place for them to find community and to find a home. Looking back at my decision to join NTU and the feeling of being on the precipice of something new, I am thankful for the kindness and the warmth with which I can lean on and embrace NTU-USP as home.

Submission by:

Gabrielle Chin See, Year 2, CS