When I first got the invitation to write for an NTU-USP blog, I was told to write about my recent “success” in getting work awarded by the Global Undergraduate Awards. While the process was a mere submission – and some formatting to “deface” my creditors, i.e. my instructor Professor Nick Prior, it didn’t feel much of an achievement for me; I did my best trying to write an essay for a sociology course during my study abroad semester in Edinburgh, and that’s about it. But it may be ungrateful on my side to discount those who made this seemingly small award possible based on my undervaluation of it.

First, it’s needless to say that without NTU-USP, SOH and undoubtedly their support, this couldn’t have been possible. I am a philosophy major. So, it seems odd that it was my work on sociology that got awarded (which also means my work on philosophy needs more work). As such, I have NTU-USP and SOH to thank for (sometimes, painfully) forcing us to take up courses beyond our majors. Furthermore, without the comfort and privilege of the Study Abroad Programme, I wouldn’t have the opportunity or the confidence to venture into courses beyond my “expertise” – I have also taken courses on social anthropology, which one wouldn’t easily find locally.

Next, this blog post made me realise the importance of venturing beyond what we think we’re capable of. It also made me realise that regardless of what we think we’re made for, we could always achieve more than that; that we’re capable of innovation and creativity so long as we try. Going into a course titled “Popular Music, Society, and Technology,” I had (and still have) minimal knowledge of “popular music,” “society”, and “technology.” I think we NTU-USPians often feel this way when we take on any electives. But I think if we’re perceptive and receptive enough to take on new content and challenges, we may find ourselves discovering aspects of ourselves that we thought were closed to us. And I think NTU-USP (and SOH) does a great job guiding us there.

Finally, coming back from an academic hiatus made me realise that we shouldn’t impose a “time limit” to our learning. Two years ago, when the pandemic hit, I was urged by my mentors to persist and finish my degree as soon as possible. I made the tough call to return to my home country and was “locked” there for two years. I was forced to take a break from school. While my learning slowed down then, I never stopped reading and researching the things I find interesting – I’m recently interested in neo-Marxism, money, and sociological issues on labour. I believe those two years contributed to my “achievement” as much as the support I got from my instructors and NTU-USP. I’d like to believe that those two years gave me a more mature (and admittedly more cynical) outlook on life and my work as well.

I’d like to thank NTU-USP, SOH, UOE, and Prof Nick Prior for making all of this possible.

For those interested in my work, click here. It is an essay about how we could understand “virtuality” in the context of popular music. I analyse the tension between the virtual and the real, and the relevant sociological problems created by this tension through the Japanese virtual idol Hatsune Miku.

Submission by:

Ang Wei Xiang Philo, Year 3, PHIL

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

137 days, that’s how many days I spent in the US. My first travel since the Covid pandemic hit, I was beyond excited to finally get out of Singapore! Now, as I’m packing my luggage to move out of Rodin College Hall, I can’t help but think how fast time flew by.

Throughout the semester at the University of Pennsylvania, I have been motivated and encouraged by faculty and students to think outside the box and think on our feet. The faculty at Penn are incredibly passionate about their various subjects, and I liked how they were so approachable and friendly! Particularly in Wharton, there is a concept of ‘Faculty Lunch’ where professors can bring a small group of students out for lunch. The idea is for professors to become closer to their students, understanding their needs and any difficulties they are facing. The lunch session allowed me to better understand the background of my professor and respect him a lot more!

I took one module under the School of Arts & Sciences, ‘Language, Society, and the Human Experience’. It was definitely an eye-opening one as we delved deep into how language shapes and forms culture in different societies, and the innate need for humans to chunk out and categorise what we call the ‘flux of life’.

Also, the difference in school culture was a huge one: students in UPenn tend to place a stronger focus on work-life balance. One of my biggest takeaways was learning to have more fun while having the ‘work hard play hard’ mindset. Many students have commitments outside of academic work, be it sports and clubs, part-time work, or others. It was inspirational to see how they place the emphasis to enjoy themselves while studying hard. Hence, I tried to adapt to their lifestyles, and I realised that this lifestyle greatly improved my productivity and mental health – I was able to set aside relaxation time and have adequate sleep while being able to balance schoolwork. This is a habit that I hope to bring back to Singapore!

Being in such an international school allowed me to mix with students from different backgrounds and learn to be more culturally sensitive. The many events on campus celebrating different religions and festivals made me more aware of such groups, especially since these events were open to all with a focus on educating and sharing the knowledge of these diverse groups.

Last but not least, we cannot forget the travels! This was my first time traveling to the States, and it has really left me in awe. Over the past 5 months, I was able to witness the greatness of nature (stargazing in pitch-black surroundings at Yosemite, climbing Stone Mountain in Atlanta), experiencing city life (embracing the hustle and bustle in New York City), and immersing ourselves in diverse cultures (trying Mexican food, learning about the French influence in New Orleans). This has truly been an experience of a lifetime!

*Special thanks to Noel, Wee Kuang and Hsien En for being great UPenn buddies! (and Justin for joining us occasionally!)

Submission by:

Sam Xin Qian, Year 3, ACBS

Charles Handy said that “The best learning happened in real life with real problem and real people and not in classroom.” I feel like this quote aptly summarises my internship experience in university. I had the opportunity to work in HealthServe. It is an organisation that seeks to meet the needs of the migrant workers in our community through the provision of medical care, counselling, case work social assistance and other support services. I was with them as a Casework Intern in 2019 and as a Communications and Engagement intern in 2020. In addition, I also had the opportunity to have a short internship with Trampolene in 2021. Trampolene is a research & technology organisation that provide solutions that seeks to bring change and positive impact to the lives of the underprivileged, disadvantaged, and vulnerable. In specific, I got the opportunity to work as a Job Coach for young adults with special needs in Trampolene.

These internships helped me realise my passion for community service. It first started in the internship with HealthServe as a Casework Intern. I worked closely with the Migrant Worker community in Singapore. I did simple things like translations, case intake and accompanying our migrant brothers around places in Singapore. It was an opportunity to witness their plights so up close. It made me realise that I was very sheltered from the real world out there and that I took so much for granted. It showed me that I had a lot of misconceptions about our migrant brothers. It also taught me that life is just not fair. These men who work so much harder than any of us, sacrifice so much are yet stuck in a life with so much pain and get so much less. After the 3-month stint, I went back as a Communications and Engagement Intern when Covid hit in 2020. This was probably the more emotionally taxing round with HealthServe, because it was very tough seeing the way the brothers were treated during the pandemic. They are often the main breadwinners of their families back home, and they had it very hard because many lost their jobs in the pandemic. They could not even go back to their country to make some form of living for their families. In addition to this they were shuttled from place to place sporadically for quarantine and testing purposes by people who did not speak their language. During this period, I manned the hotline on weekends, and received messages like “sister, here very difficult, I am going crazy” really broke me. While the news glorified that these workers got to stay in hotels and eat hotel food during quarantine, they failed to show how much they struggled because this was not the conditions they are used to. They were not used to staying in aircon rooms and eating continental food three times a day. Like any of us, when they were unwell, all they wanted was the comfort of home and home cooked food. While difficult, it was an eye-opening experience. It was disillusioning and showed me what the world is truly like. While I witnessed a lot of injustice, I also got to see a lot of good. Many people, from very different walks of life, put their own struggles aside and came together in the form of volunteers and donors to help our migrant brothers. I saw that sometimes tough times bring out the best in humanity as well.

Similarly, my internship with Trampolene broke a lot of the stereotypes I had in my head about individuals with intellectual disability. It taught me that we need to look beyond what appears to be, so that we can truly appreciate someone for who they are. It taught me to be observant and patient. And above all it taught me the power of being calm when incidents occur. Initially when our trainees threw tantrums, I would get frazzled along with them (which did not help the situation). I learned how to stay calm and think clearly in stressful situations.

It was from these internships that I learned to be more perceptive to the people around me. When I started to see the people around me, I guess inevitably I saw their pains. So HealthServe was my first attempt in trying to do more for the people around me. While I really don’t think I am doing enough for the community now, I do try my best to put aside some time to serve the people around me. It made me more patient. It showed me that there are people who have it hard and taught me to see the silver lining in every situation. It also showed me what I am working for. Initially studying was just for grades, to make my parents happy. But these experiences taught me that with education I can help so many more people and do so much more for the world.

Submission by:

Priyadharshini D/O Chockalingam, Year 3, PSY (2nd major in Biological Sciences)

TOPS Day -10

The test line on the COVID-19 ART test cartridge was an alarming deep red. My weeklong overseas research trip to Ipoh with NTU-USP (called Travel Overseas Programme for Scholars, or TOPS) was in 10 days. If I test positive on the COVID-19 PCR test before the trip, I cannot go. Hoping for some assurance, I scoured the internet for answers. COVID- era air travel was already cumbersome in itself; navigating the unwieldy bevy of rules and requirements regarding post-recovery travel made me even more apprehensive.

Disheartened but not discouraged, I contacted my NTU-USP peers whose TOPS plans were made uncertain by COVID, too. Together, we discussed a plan to overcome this – take a COVID-19 PCR test first, then consider an ART if we could confirm that the “recovered travellers” concession applied to us. A sense of hope sparked amongst us. “Stay Positive, Test Negative” was our philosophy, our mantra, and our Telegram Group name. If I could just stay positive, maybe everything would turn out well.

TOPS Day 0

My PCR test did not turn out well. As I had not yet recovered for 11 days, the “recovered travellers” concession did not apply to me either. It was now official. I would miss TOPS 21/22 in Ipoh.

With a heavy heart, I confessed my predicament to my peers in NTU-USP. A few others from the stay-positive-test-negative gang were in the same boat. We wished our peers safe travels and wondered how best we could support our peers’ research from Singapore.

In my TOPS Pre-Trip Projection, I had promised myself I would be open-minded towards the unexpected events faced in this trip and grow as a person from it. I took solace from the fact that, overseas fieldtrip or not, I had attained my TOPS objectives regardless.

TOPS Day 1

Watching my NTU-USP peers’ Ipoh escapades on social media was bittersweet. On one hand, everyone had made it to Ipoh safely and were enjoying their trip and research, which we never took for granted, especially for pandemic-era travel. On the other hand, the thought of what could have been nagged louder at the back of my mind. Oh, if I could just not have taken that PCR…

Stay Positive, Test Negative.

Wait a minute. I can just take an ART test instead, right? Today was my 11^th day of recovery, so I qualify for the concession. No, that wouldn’t work. All Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights were probably fully booked and far too pricey.

Wait – how about a non-VTL flight? It should be cheaper and have vacancies, and as a recovered traveller, I am exempted from mandatory quarantine even if the flight is a non-VTL, right?

There was a lifeline. I rushed to take a supervised ART – negative! I took the plunge and booked a non-VTL for the next day. It felt too good to be true – after all that, somehow, I would still make it.

Sadly, it was another false dawn. The airline sent me a pre-departure checklist which contained an obscure traveller pass needed to enter Malaysia for non-VTL travellers. Reading the online government portal issuing this pass felt like a dagger to the chest – the approval period for the pass was “up to 14 working days”.

I felt dejected. A final nail in the coffin for my TOPS journey; maybe it was just never meant to be.

TOPS Day 2

“Zaheen, your mom told me you’ve been stressing out about some overseas trip. Where was it again?”

“I’m sorry Dad, it’s 2 am and I need to sleep. I don’t think I’m going anyway.”

“Hmm… I found a VTL ticket to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow. You sure you don’t want to go?”

“What?!”

I ran to check. It was true – departure time was 7 am, and the ticket price was reasonable.

“Are you crazy? This flight is in 5 hours. I have nothing prepared at all.”

“I don’t need to be crazy; you do. Are you crazy?”

Stay Positive, Test Negative.

I was.

All I could remember about the flight to KL was showing papers, napping, beautiful dawn skies, then napping again. I probably confused the airport doctor by fist-bumping the air when my on-arrival test was negative. The treacherous bus trip from KL to Ipoh probably deserves a blog entry of its own.

I made it to TOPS in Ipoh in one piece. Entering the hotel for the first time felt surreal. My NTU-USP peers helped me settle in immediately, and I began my research proper the next day.

It was not over yet. I still had peers in Singapore eager to follow my path. However, this time, they knew, it was never really about the testing negative. It was always about the staying positive.

My journey in NTU-USP so far has been nothing short of eventful. In my freshman year, my time in the Business Managers subcommittee and the Freshman Orientation Programme (as a Chief Programmer) allowed me to work with others on my interests. As a sophomore, I have had the privilege in serving the club, initially as vice president and director of the Alumni, Career & Student Outreach subcommittee, followed by taking on the president’s role midway.

There have been many ups and downs, highs and lows, which I find a rollercoaster highly apt in its description. “Why a smooth sailing rollercoaster?” you may ask. Rollercoaster rides are known for their thrilling, suspenseful nature, zipping through loops and navigating sharp turns at death defying speeds. Accompanied with the ear-piercing screams of the thrill seekers around you, smooth sailing would be the last phrase you would associate it with.

However, I would like to present a different perspective of rollercoaster rides, how it relates to my experiences and what we can learn from it. From a macro perspective, rollercoasters let us experience “fear” emotionally and physically, without the possibility of dealing with any real consequences. This draws parallels with my leadership journey – where I experienced “fear” by being put in unfamiliar situations. For example, having to juggle a Top 4 and a Director role implied dealing with more stakeholders than usual, adding on to the workload.

Nevertheless, there were no hard expectations placed on my team and me since our time in service was meant to be a learning experience. Experiencing these scenarios allowed me to constantly reflect on my actions and emerge as a better person. In this respect, smooth sailing meant having a safe environment, to explore reasonably, knowing that I had room to make mistakes. From a micro perspective, smooth sailing could come in the form of the rollercoaster ride. Knowing that the well-oiled rollercoaster machinery is working in sync gives one the confidence to enjoy their ride. Similarly, serving the community in my capacity has taught me to be more appreciative of the people we work with, our subcommittee members. My experience has taught me a view – that we should and must work for them, different from the traditional hierarchy. For their tireless effort which gives forth to proposals and events, for their enthusiasm that injects the vibrancy and energy into the events. The next time you see your fellow USPham, give them a pat on their back and ask them how they are doing. These small acts foster a community spirit, serving as a source of motivation.

My rollercoaster ride has been nothing short of eventful, proving to be smooth sailing in the whole scheme of things. I am grateful for the adventures I have been through, and the people I have worked with. Here’s to an equally (or more) eventful latter half of my university journey, and for you, the reader, to create your own smooth sailing rollercoaster ride, too 😊.

Submission by:

Martin Kok, Year 2, ACBS