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

For six consecutive weeks in July and August, the Humanitarian Affairs Asia organised 11 sessions of the inaugural Lead as a Global Citizen World Series webinars to prepare participants for a global career of contribution and collaboration.

The Lead as a Global Citizen World Series webinars are part of Humanitarian Affairs Asia’s initiatives as a member of United Nations Global Compact to support the Sustainable Development Goals on Quality Education focusing on Global Citizenship. The concept of Global Citizenship is embedded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals though SDG 4: Insuring Inclusive and Quality Education for All and Promote Life Long Learning, which includes global citizenship as one of its targets.

NTU-USP students were invited to participate in a series of webinars designed to equip them with the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development and global citizenship. Six of our NTU-USP scholars attended the webinars, where they learnt about advocacy and being better changemakers.

 Here are their key takeaways:

1. How to amicably deal with people who possess different perspectives, personalities and life views

One key takeaway we got from the webinar was advice on how to peacefully advocate liberal ideas in more conservative societies like Singapore. The panelist advised the use of soft approaches rather than hard ones to influence, educate and align the interests of the society towards the advocated course. She advised practicing tolerance in the face of opposition and to capitalise on every opportunity to engage in constructive conversations. Her advice really struck a chord as we realised that it was common for one to given in to their basal selves and engage in heated, emotional and petulant arguments instead of fixating on the larger objective that mandates taking up the mantle of the “bigger man” to educate rather than to condemn. The focus should always be on winning the hearts and minds through open conversations and to resort to condemnation as the last resort. We were also really privileged to hear the experiences of undergraduates who have first hand experience in advocating for causes that were considered social taboos in the past.

2. Small and intentional efforts lead to big changes

The talk was motivational and eye opening, as it provided a glimpse of the different professional opportunities available. It was encouraging to see that a world of opportunity awaits us and we are not limited just by the careers we see around us. My greatest takeaway was, “small steps make meaningful contributions to all of our experiences.” Speaker Reana shared that she felt like even the smallest incremental change in her life – taking up the chore of doing dishes or cleaning the toilet – taught her many essential values that she still carries with her today. As such, we learnt that we should focus on the quality of the experience rather than the professional repute of said experience.

3. Research is an integral part of advocacy which can inform efforts to make social change

​​While there are different research methodologies, there are certain guiding principles that you should keep at the back of your mind. One best practice is the cost-benefit analysis: does the risk associated with that research outweigh the benefits for the society/individual, or vice versa?

4. The importance of overseas exposure in developing cultural competencies

The seminar discussed the importance of overseas exposure in our development as global citizens, and recommended that we look for overseas internships. To achieve this, we were recommended to build up cultural competence before the journey, and to network with potential employers with bases overseas. However, one key point raised during the talk was that it was ok to zoom in on an area of the world one had interest in. Our reflections on this suggest that this is because having an interest in a certain area of the world facilitates the building of cultural competencies in that region, and narrows our options for networking, allowing us greater efficiency in the endeavour.

5. The distinction between global and local in an increasingly globalized yet culturally distinct world, and how one might seek to institute social change within said context

During the seminar, two interesting questions were raised: 1) where is the distinction between local and global; and 2) how else could we end up in a position where we can strongly influence change?

As to the first question, the panelists believed that the distinction is becoming more blurred. They stressed the need for cultural competence, because the interconnected nature of the world calls for people to ‘think global’ but ‘act local’. Lacking cultural competence in either the local situation or the target location’s situation precludes the ability to do so.

As to the second question, some of the panelists had been in positions of political power before, but they acknowledged that businesses might be another way to institute change. This is an interesting concept that could have been explored further, if there had been more time. World-spanning businesses may, in fact, have much to contribute to the development and acceptance of global citizenry. It remains to be seen how they may implement this in future.

6. The importance of Linkedin as a tool of social and cultural connectivity

Linkedin is an important platform to gain connections, don’t think of it as a hassle because it will really help you to get traction for your organisations and help you to find like-minded people who are interested in the same cause.

7. Getting business onboard to advocate for social causes alongside you can be a powerful tool for change

In that regard, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a rising phenomenon today that activists can tap on. Some countries mandate businesses to have a social reporting component so CSR is mandatory for them. Be aware of how their mission and vision may align with your social cause and network with them.

Submission by: 

Goh E- Jie Aloysius, Year 2, PPGA

Ryan Tan Swee Keat, Year 2, ECPP

Ben Tan Kai Xiang, Year 2, ADM

Priyadharshini D/O Chockalingam, Year 3, PSY

Lim Ziqian, Year 3, PPGA

Chong Han, Year 4, LMS