July 2014 - Temasek Polytechnic
Transcription
July 2014 - Temasek Polytechnic
campus newspaper July 2014 ASPIRE Special Game Review: Hearthstone We Are Singaporeans Working before pursuing a degree Casual strategy game with Warcraft characters CMM students attend filming of game show 3 8 A toast to this year’s top graduands 11 By: Gordon Sia T emasek Polytechnic’s 11 top graduands for this year were honoured in a special ceremony on May 20. They had won a range of awards – The Lee Kuan Yew Award, The Lee Kong Chian Award, The Tay Eng Soon Gold Medal, the CapitaLand Award for All Round Excellence and The Lee Kong Chian Award for All-Round Excellence. Coming from different backgrounds, these students strived to be the best that they can be, motivated by their passion and drive for a better future. Recipient of The Lee Kuan Yew Award for Mathematics and Science, Muhammad Faias is a perfect example of this. Since childhood, Faias had always dreamed of becoming a pilot. Getting in to TP’s aviation management course brought him closer to his dream, which was strengthened after his father’s passing just before his O level exams. Travelling from Yishun to Tampines everyday, he remained positive and juggled his time between studying, CCA involvement and later flight training at the Singapore Youth Flying Club, exceptionally well. He was rewarded with a GPA of 4 and a private pilot licence at the end. Lo Siu Yen, recipient of The Lee Kong Chian Award says: “Passion is really the key to excelling at what you’re doing.” Siu Yen is a skilled designer and conceptual thinker, who won a bronze in the Crowbar Awards and received the prestigious Philips Design Excellence Photos: Khairul Ameer CMM graduand Juliana Chia receiving the Capitaland Award for All-Round Excellence from TP Principal and CEO, Mr Boo Kheng Hua, during the pre-graduation ceremony. Work with passion and dedication, that way you’ll enjoy your work. - Lo Siu Yen Award.“No matter how much passion I have and skills I acquire, the most significant thing I learnt at TP is the importance of hard work.” It paid off for Siu Yen as she made it to the Director’s List for two years and graduated with a GPA of 3.9. Another success story would be Juliana Chia, recipient of the CapitaLand Award for All-Round Excellence. “Knowing what you’re good at and time-management is very important,” says the top student from the Diploma in Communications and Media Manage- Award winners The Lee Kuan Yew Award F Muhammad Faias Lee Li Ting Peh Bi Yin Jody The Lee Kong Chian Award Loi En Qi Janine Jared Kang Chern Wey Lo Siu Yen Quek Kai Yu Capitaland Award For All-Round Excellence Chia Yanting Juliana The Lee Kong Chian Award for All-Round Excellence Ee Lee Yee Yen Mei Yi The Ngee Ann Kongsi Most Outstanding Overcomer Award Nurul Nabilah Mohamad Fuad ment. Besides obtaining a GPA of 3.98, Juliana had participated in a variety of cocurricular activities including the Overseas Community Project with involved caring for abused elephants in Thailand. Inspired by the passion of the student leaders in project Jumbo II, she joined the Community Service Club as VicePresident. As a capable leader, she eventually became the president of the club. She has also served as the Managing Editor of this campus newspaper. So, what are some tips students F Muhammad Faias who scored a perfect GPA and a pilot licence was one of The Lee Kuan Yew Award winners. could use to perhaps emulate these outstanding graduands? “You need to ask people whenever you don’t understand, that is the only way you would learn something,” offers Juliana. Ee Lee Yee, recipient of The Lee Kong Chian All round Excellence award, says: “Working hard and working smart is important as well, time-management is very important too.” Siu Yen believes with a good attitude, anything is possible. “Work with passion and dedication, that way you’ll enjoy your work.” A total of 5,375 students graduated this year. The main graduation ceremony on May 26 saw the Minister for Communications and Information Dr Yaacob Ibrahim presenting the top awards. New award: Most Outstanding Overcomer Inspiring IIT student Nurul Nabilah N urul Nabilah, is a deserving recipient of the Ngee Ann Kongsi Most Outstanding Overcomer Award which was presented for the first time. The wheelchair-bound student who is only able to use her right hand, was born with a condition called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, where the newborn’s joints are curved or crooked, resulting in decreased flexibility. But that did not stop her from doing the best she can. Nabilah was attached to the TP-IBM IT service and management center for a 10-week internship and went on to do another 3 months at IBM, which later offered her a full-time job. “Everyone was encouraging and helped out a lot during my time in TP. “I am extremely grateful for everyone and their unwavering support,” said Nabilah who is an inspiration to her peers. - Gordon Sia Nurul Nabilah, who was born with joints disability, won the new award 2 Stop Press :: July 2014 TP Stargazers - new astronomy interest group By: Brina Tan & Nicole Tan T P Stargazers has seen a bright start attracting 274 new members during the recent CCA Fair in April. The mission of the Temasek Polytechnic Astronomy Club is “to bring the wonders of the universe closer to all”. The Astronomy Club was set up this year by Asher Lim, a finalyear student from the Diploma in Financial Business Informatics. The soft-spoken youngster was extremely enthusiastic and passionate when he was explaining his fascination with the subject. ‘‘Astronomy is one whole host of exciting interconnected subjects which allow us to see ourselves in something that is, in fact, far greater than we hope to understand,’’ he said. As it is a relatively young interest group, the club is still waiting for approval for funding from the Student & Alumni Affairs Department (SAA). Meanwhile, it has planned a wide array of activities for the club members, ranging from stargazing nights, visits to the Science Centre Observatory and Astrophysics Department. The Club will also seek collaborations with other local polytechnics, Junior Colleges and universities while reaching out Photos: Nicole Tan at the same time to Primary and Sec- Some of the 274 pioneer members of TP Stargazers at their inaugural meeting ondary Schools. A number ing to far flung countries such as HaThe members of the astronomy of students from waii, Korea and Japan and United States. club also hope to spread their pasthe club will be Asher’s ultimate goal for the club is a sion and knowledge to more, if not all heading to Port trip to the National Aeronautics and Space students through more of such talks. Dickson on their Administration, better known as NASA. Even though they have already own, as part of However, the issue of fund- achieved a record number of registrants, a programme ing does not seem to be slow- they are still hoping to reach out to organised by an ing them down a n yti m e s o o n . a larger percentage of the student external organisaT h ey h ave invited Prof. population. tion, Cosmocraft. Phil Chan, Professor of PhysThe talks will be open to TP The Club itself is ics at the National University of students and not just limited to the thinking of head- Singapore to deliver a talk on July 2. members of the astronomy club. Salad Bar re-opens to good business By: Jeannie Sing S alad Bar, the western food stall in Mensa 2 reopened on April 1, in time for the new semester. For five months, there was a hiatus because the owner had to go for a surgery, said Mdm Koh who helps to run the stall. Salad Bar remains a popular choice among students and it is the stall with the longest queue during lunch hours. Most students are drawn to the Photos: Syahir Lee salad, a fresh addition to go with their western meal. Despite the closure, business has been “normal, almost the same”. There are no changes to the pricing but there are new items on the menu. No special publicity was done but Mdm Koh said: “People would buy when they see the new menu.” Salad Bar is also the only stall Business student Ng Li Xuan and her friend Alethea Tang regularly patronise at the Mensa canteen. They agreed that the price is “reasonable” and the food is “not bad”. They enjoy the “Carbonara, Mango Salad and Fish & Chip”. Alethea added: “My 23-yearold brother who graduated from Temasek Poly still misses Salad Bar.” Students not bothered by food price increases By: Jeannie Sing T here has been an increase in food prices in various school canteens but this change did not seem to affect or bother students. For most stalls, the increase ranged from 10 to 50 cents. Second-year student Tiffany Yap, 20 said she would consider 50 cents to a dollar increase as significant. Owners of Drinks/Desserts stall in Mensa 1 (level 1) said there has been a 10-cent increase in hot drinks since last year”. The price for a cup of coffee and tea is now 60 cents and similarly, Kopi-O and Teh-O prices are also up 10 cents. Over at Flavours canteen, price increases were more prominent. New price stickers covered the old price but most owners said that price changes were made some time back. Owners of Asian Delight said: “No, we did not change our price. Nasi Lemak is still $2.” However, it was spotted that the price stickers that overlapped the amount on the menu reflected an increase. For example, Lontong is now $2.20 instead of $2 and Tahu Goreng is now $1.60 rather than $1.50. In general, most owners were hesitant to reveal much and go into details about the increase. Mr Ang, 60, who manages Claypot Delight said that the price adjustment made to Claypot Mixed Vegetables with Rice/Noodles/Bread, was necessary . It is now $3 after a 50-cent increase. All the items on the menu are now $3. Mr Ang justified the higher prices, saying: “Food cost and labour cost all went up”. Stop Press :: July 2014 3 Applied Study in Polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education Review (ASPIRE) Committee was set up this year by the Education Ministry. Chaired by Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah, the committee’s primary focus is on the upward progression of Poly and ITE students. T emasek Poly has been actively involved in helping to gather feedback for the ASPIRE committee. Alongside other Polys, it has carried out various surveys and facilitation sessions. Giving an update in Parliament in May, Ms Indranee Rajah said her committee has reached out to more than 2000 stakeholders from the 5 polys and ITE, including students, parents, staff and alumni. It has also surveyed more than 10,000 polytechnic students, 4,000 ITE students and some 600 parents. The committee’s main focus is on the upward progression of students. Among the strategies it is looking at is providing viable paths, for example, where students may work first and consider progression in various ways later. TP’s senior lecturer, Mrs Mary Thomas, who is in ASPIRE’s engagement committee, noted that many Poly students want to head straight to a university after a diploma. She said: “Polytechnic students need to be master craftsmen and hone their skills in the industry they are trained for so that they know exactly what their interest is before they head for further education.” The steering committee is also looking at continuous upgrading and how companies can partner educational institutions in training. TP organised various facilitation sessions with parents (above), alumni, staff and students. Two Temasek Poly alumni who took a different route after poly instead of going straight to university are Matthew Seng and Nadia Natasha. Stop Press journalist Samuel-Roy Supramaniam inteviewed them for this Special. Advantage of working first M r Matthew Seng graduated with a Diploma in Information Technology in 2007 and was awarded the prestigious Silver medal. When asked why he chose to study in TP, the down-to-earth alumnus simply said: “It was in close proximity to my house back then and it’s a good polytechnic”. Mr Seng enlisted in National Service promptly after graduating and two years later he had to make a difficult decision - study IT in a university or stay in the working world. Eventually, he chose the latter and decided to work as a software developer. Mr Seng recalls that his family was not exactly in the best of financial circumstances for him to further his studies at that time. “So it was really a no-brainer for me,” he said. He added that other than the incentive of a pay cheque that comes along with working as opposed to studying for a degree, entering the industry first would allow young people to gain valuable exposure and skills in the working world. That is the practical side of Mr Photo: Matthew Seng Seng - to see the value of really appreciating the skills needed in industry and to see how he could contribute to its growth. He says this will be a plus for those who want to continue furthering their studies after working as they would already have had some first-hand experience of the skills needed in the industry. Mr Seng praised the polytechnic course for being highly relevant in his career, adding that “it was really a kickstarter for me in programming”. He said that the polytechnic internship also helped to point him in the direction to make the right career choice. While he was working he multitasked and has obtained a Microsoft Certification in Web Development and is currently the Project Director in Innexus Consulting. Today, he is pursuing a part-time degree course in IT Computing at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM). He remains grateful to his polytechnic lecturers. “They are dedicated lecturers who played an instrumental part in shaping who I am today. “Most importantly, they gave me a fishing rod and taught me how to fish, metaphorically.” His advice to current poly students: “Stop Procrastinating. Really understand things and do your best in everything you do.” Ready-made for industry M s Nadia Natasha, who graduated in 2011 with a Diploma in Communications and Media Management (CMM) is a driven young woman who is steadily making her way up the career ladder in the media industry. Having interned at MediaCorp, she was invited to join the company as an Assistant Producer after finishing her diploma and is now a Studio Director for Channel NewsAsia, making waves in the media industry. This same confident director of one of the busiest and widely-viewed television station in Asia was not so sure as to her goals at first. Ms Nadia recounted her early thoughts after graduating from TP and having to face the working world: “Although I knew that I wanted to stay in the industry, I was unsure of what exactly I wanted to do.” So she decided to work instead of taking the “usual” route of getting a degree first. She says she has no regrets as going straight into the industry allowed her to discover her interest and define her strengths and work on her weaknesses. She says it has provided her with valuable experience that she would not have been able to get had she gone on to pursue a degree. Ms Nadia shared that the things she had learnt in TP, and the polytechnic experience, played a major role in helping her to adapt well to the fast-paced studio production work. She remembers vividly how she and her peers used to complain about the strict guideline on work discipline. But now she admits that it has allowed her to be professional at work. Ms Nadia gave some credit for her success in the workplace to her lecturers. “I couldn’t have asked for better mentors than the lecturers. The CMM diploma is definitely a stepping stone for starting in the media industry”. Starting out from a studio classroom in TP’s Business school to landing the job of a Studio Director with Channel NewsAsia, Ms Nadia’s story is a testament of how the right mix of passion, purpose and potential can really bring you to places. While emphasising continuous learning, Nadia certainly gives the thumbs up to polytechnic education. “Being poly students equipped with specific skills, we will be able to adapt quickly to changes and that will give us an advantage in our job progress.” Photo: Nadia Natasha school Stop Press :: July 2014 4 Ready for any challenge By: Brina Tan J It is important to be kind in life and never give up. days, he has always aimed to be a good leader joining the National Cadet Corps(NCC) in order to By: Nicole Tan W ith a ready grin, Eliza Liaw’s friendly and cheerful demeanour puts a person at ease right away. “I guess I would describe myself as someone who is passionate about design,” says Eliza, when asked to talk about herself as a person. “I love what I do, and I strive to do my best,” adds the final-year student from the Diploma in Interior Architecture and Design. This year, Eliza’s passion for designing led her to take part in the March Spatial Design (SPADE) Awards 2014, a competition organised by the Interior Design Confederation of Singapore. It is an international spatial design competition, opened to all full-time tertiary students pursuing a spatial design related discipline. The competition aims to showcase the best design ideas in projects that entail strong spatial content. Eliza represented her school in the Hospitality Category and managed to bag a merit award for her efforts. “I never expected to win an award,” shares Eliza. “I already felt extremely honoured and grateful that my project was one of the few chosen out of the many submitted.” Aside from school work and projects, Eliza has a hobby in cooking and baking. “It gives me some peace of mind when I’m not drowning in projects,” she says. “And it’s something totally different from what I do in school, so it counts as some time away from my hectic schedule.” Asked about her coursework she said: “Design isn’t something that you literally study for; it’s the yearning for new experiences and knowledge that really helps you to be a better designer.” Design ust #yolo and do it. That is how Aaron Ong would describe his personality, giving a twist to the Nike tagline. And it fact, be it sports, music or studies, the third-year Psychology student can do it all. Apart from being on the Director’s List in his Freshman year and being on the TP scholarship, Aaron is also the Vice-President of the TP - NYAA Student Interest Group. He has also recently completed his first marathon last December - the Standard Chartered Half Marathon. Since his secondary school Humanities & Social Sciences Rolling, training the mind By: Shawn Russel W hen Shermaine See was young her parents would take her along for a game of French Boules or Pentanque. She has since rolled her way into representing Singapore in the sport. The third-year Diploma in Business student is now a member of the NSA Sports Boules Singapore. Petanque is a sport whereby the goal is to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground. The game is normally played on hard dirt or gravel, but can also be played on grass, sand or other BUSINESS “work on the qualities that his smarter peers lacked”. However the drive became intrinsic when he learned about being a leader and being recognized as one. Aaron has also been a member of the main committee for the school of Humanities and Social Sciences for two consecutive years and he is constantly seeking to improve his leadership qualities. As a testimony to his leadership abilities, Aaron has also achieved the CCA Merit Award for Leadership. The avid sports lover is also involved in basketball, running, and football. He has also recently picked up boxing and Cross-Fit, a fitness programme that combines a variety of workout. It’s a feat that he credits to proper time management. Apart from keeping him fit, these activities have helped him in other areas too. “It is because of such activities, I feel that I have had a good head start in terms of ball-sense, stamina and being selfless in team sports.” Furthermore, he has also dabbled in cooking and photography. His love for cooking came from his secondary school days when he took on Food and Nutrition for his O levels. He explored baking and cooking on his own free time and soon kindled his love for it. He also believes that he should always capture important moments of his life for memories. Even though Aaron admits that he is not very good in photography yet, he says that his love for photography comes from trying to bring out the feelings of the photo, and also unexpectedly …… Instagram, the photo sharing social media application. Aaron believes in tackling problems head on and not worry about future problems as he believes that facing these challenges will eventually make him a stronger person. He believes that everyone will have their fair share of troubles and difficulties in life. Thus, his motto is: It is important to be kind in life and never give up. A yearning designer surfaces. Petanque is similar to other sports in terms of the level of commitment required of the players. The intensive training sessions usually take place four times a week. Shermaine still attends at least three sessions each week at Toa Payoh, on top of other commitments such as basketball and school work. She said it’s a tough act. “I have to maintain my GPA, and still go for basketball and pétanque training. I reach home very late every night, and I have to do my tutorials before I sleep.” Shermaine admits that she is not the best when it comes to time-management. She is, however, trying her best to work on this by having more self-discipline. Shermaine believes that Petanque has strengthened her mind in more ways than one. It has taught her to concentrate under harsh conditions such as having to play in the scorching sun and persevering on despite being tired, and still be able to react and think quickly. “It really helped to train my mind. We have to be mentally strong to stay focused despite being lethargic and worn out. It’s really draining having to stay focused under the hot sun and still keep your muscle memory to make sure the balls you throw won’t be wild. It requires a lot of thinking as well.” 5 Stop Press :: July 2014 Going places trail with lofty career goals By: Ainslyn Lim N nent multi-national aerospace company. By: Lena Lim T he term FBI often leads people to think of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. But in TP we also have an FBI – Diploma in Financial Business Informatics, offered by the School of Informatics and Information Technology (IIT). “I chose FBI because it sounded really cool,” said Victoria Lee, a finalyear student. But, of course, apart from the interesting acronym, Victoria had other reasons when she decided to join this particular diploma. “Well, personally I love both the finance and IT sector. When I looked at the scope of the FBI course, it also covers finance and IT. So why not choose FBI?” Being in the FBI diploma also provides students with opportunities to broaden their horizons – one of these chances was the exchange programme with Japan’s Kunamoto National College of Technology (KNCT), which Victoria participated in last year. This is an annual exchange INFORMATICS & IT ur Amirah Bte Azman, a finalyear student from the Diploma in Electronics (Avionics), has always aimed to work in the aerospace industry. Her career choice stems from the fact that her father is a Production Control Engineer at aerospace company, Eagle Services Asia Pte Ltd (ESA), a subsidiary of Pratt and Whitney. But it seems like to Amirah, the sky’s the limit. Taking part in a survey by the Economic Development Board where she was asked to write down her dream job in aerospace industry, Amirah wrote: “I wish to become the CEO of Pratt & Whitney.” Her response was exhibited at the recent Singapore Airshow and caught the attention of Mr Paul Adams, the President of Pratt & Whitney, a promi- He contacted EDB to offer Amirah an internship in his company. Although she is undergoing internship in the company that her father works in, she does not work in the same department as him, so there’s no question of bias. She, however, adds that she would love to get the opportunity to work under her father as she feels that they would be able to build a good working relationship. Amirah is currently attached to Repair Operations and is already involved in one of the department’s most recent projects. She feels that the exposure to new fields of study and the opportunity to experience first-hand dynamic work environments have provided her an insight into the booming Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry in Singapore. Eagles Services Asia is the only repair facility that provides full overhaul to the P&W 4000 engines. The company’s slogan is: “It’s in our power”. Pratt & Whitney has proved that it’s in their ability to be a game-changer in the aviation industry with the new innovation of the PurePower PW1000G engines. This ambitious intern also has lofty career goals for her company. She said: “I would like to be able to provide constructive input, implement fresh ideas and have the final say, for the amelioration of the company.” Cool FBI ‘agent’ programme whereby the IIT students would head to Japan to visit KNCT during the March holidays. In turn, KNCT students would make the trip down to visit Temasek Polytechnic during the October break. “The students from KNCT were very welcoming,” Victoria shared. “They came all the way down from their homes to our hotel to bring us to their school.” At KNCT, the Japanese students introduced Kunamoto’s local delicacies, famous figures, landmarks and more to their foreign visitors. The exchange students also had a chance to try out some of KNCT’s co-curriculum activities, ranging from traditional Japanese activities such as tea ceremony, archery and Japanese calligraphy. They also had the chance to take part in the activities held by the Robotics Club. The highlight of the trip was the Robotics Competition. The exchange students were paired with KNCT students and through teamwork, the pairs are supposed to programme a robot to complete a race track twice in the shortest time possible. “This activity allows us to get to know more about the KNCT students,” Victoria said. “There might be a communication barrier at first, but then as time passes, we kind of bond with each other.” Victoria also added that they were able to teach the students some singlish and in return, the students taught them simple Japanese. Although they only spent two days with the KNCT students, Victoria has truly enjoyed the experience and also managed to have a lot of fun while in their company. Mature, applied leadership “L eadership does not come naturally to me,” says Adam Chiow – a final-year student from the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science. “I have to constantly apply it into my life.” Adam says that since he is the oldest in his class, “reality sinks into (him) that (he) has to lead them in the correct direction”. He wants his classmates to see for themselves if they want to have the good side that he portrays, and not the bad habits that he sometimes shows. He is the current president of Totally Pharmaceutical Science (TOPS), the interest group of his Diploma and also a member of the Student Leadership Programme (SLP). “The interest group is about bonding the whole diploma together as a group,” shares Adam. “While having fun, we are also looking into enhancing the academic aspects via mentoring programmes, as well as character development through community projects of the students and their interest for the course that they are taking.” He also went on a study trip to the pharmaceutical industry in Malaysia and together with his teammates, became first runner-up in the 60-second Science Video Competition (International Open Category). Adam says that his group did not really expect to win anything in the competition, after they had seen the better videos made by last year’s winners. Their video concept was about something relatable that happens in people’s daily lives, the colourisation of fruit – like how apples will turn brown if they were left in the air for a while. The group took about three days to complete the whole video. “I believe what could have helped us achieve that award is the reflection made by the other group during the workshop set up to prepare us for this competition,” concludes Adam. “We reviewed the videos and incorporated what we think would be good.” APPLIED SCIENCE By: Lena Lim Stop Press :: July 2014 6 More than 100 stalls were set up on May 16 during the Campus Care Network (CCN) Day, which aims to raise funds for needy students. Students from BUS, IIT, HSS and some departments participated in the bi-annual event. A total of $36,000 was raised. Divo Diva set up a booth called the Human Jukebox, where students paid a dollar for the members to sing a song in the list. A photo booth with students posing in costumes of ghosts or anime characters. Drinks and food stalls, including homemade variety, also saw good business in the crowded and humid hallways Students dressed in scary costumes roam around campus to attract other students to enter their haunted, which is a usual hit. Photos, Text & Layout: Dazale Choy, Marissa Yeo, Syakirah Iqbal, Khairul Ameer Business students selling stationery and other items such as handphone covers and socks. mind scape Stop Press :: July 2014 7 Socialising through the old fashion way No Internet, no movies, no phones By: Muhd. Hazim I realise that people these days are downright afraid of interacting. How often have we sat down in a restaurant, only to see a group of friends there just using their phones. Especially in the case of youths, I feel that despite being physically present, their minds are often elsewhere. Their eyes are glued intently to their smartphone screens, playing games (such as the widely popular 2048 or Clash Of Clans), or updating their social media accounts. They seldom interact with each other and they just can’t bear to put their phones down and bring themselves to initiate a conversation. However, I feel that the problem does not lie just with the phones, but also with the activities these youths engage in. They frequently go out for movies, for shopping dates and to internet cafes. These activities do not allow youths to interact with each other and it makes it very difficult for an individual to start a conversation. You can’t talk with each other while being in a movie as you do not want to disturb the people around you. You can’t talk during shopping dates as you are always looking around searching for what you want to buy. You can’t talk when you’re in an internet café as you’re too focused on the screen and cannot be bothered with what’s happening around you. These activities do not provide a good platform for bonding with friends. If this continues, one day, we are all going be socially awkward (most of us already are). We will lack communication skills and worst of all, we will fear face to face interaction and would prefer to do everything online. Therefore, I suggest that we should promote a change of activities. No more movies, no more internet cafes, bring back the good old fashion fun. Let’s go to the jungle and set up camp with a group of friends. Let’s have a picnic by the beach, with bicycles ready to zoom off once it starts raining. Let’s play a sport under the scorching sun even though we know we are going to sweat buckets. Let’s drop the smartphones and start using our feet to explore Singapore. Let’s roam around Chinatown or Little India and observe, learn and feel the heritage of these areas. These places aren’t here just for tourists, you know. What I’m saying is, we need our youths to realise that there are certainly more activities to do than just watching the latest action film. Yes, they do take a little bit more effort, but we will realise that these small efforts are way more beneficial in the future than watching a movie. We will get closer to our friends, we will understand each other better, and we will certainly have more fun and enjoyment together. All this has to start with changing the youth’s mentality towards such activities and making them willing to take that first step in suggesting such “outrageous” activities and convincing his peers to come along. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a 2048 high score to beat. My Space is for any TP student to share his or her thoughts and experiences. You are invited to write an article of about 600 words. Please write to MySpace.StopPress@ gmail.com with subject heading “Mindscape”. Articles will be edited for content and length. You can’t talk with each other while being in a movie as you do not want to disturb the people around you. You can’t talk during shopping dates as you are always looking around searching for what you want to buy...one day we are all going to be socially awkward. Why I’m glad the 15-minute grace is gone For the clueless freshmen out there, the grace period allowed students who arrived up to fifteen minutes late for class to be marked as late instead of absent – a real convenient life-saver for someone who is terminally late. As a second-year student, I was the last batch to benefit from the 15-minute grace period. It was a luxury that we had By: Gordon Sia T emasek Polytechnic students have always been dependent on the 15-minute grace period to avoid being labelled as absent. The untimely clutches of unforeseen circumstances such as delayed buses (or oversleeping) have never been taken as seriously as they are since the start of this semester. Until then, the 15-minute buffer period offered TP students a false sense of security, giving students the impression that if they failed to turn up to class on time, there would always be a safety net to break their fall. Who would have thought the mere removal of the 15-minute grace period would benefit me. taken for granted. Being the tardy student I am, I was often late for classes and meetings and the news of the removal of the grace period struck me with annoyance. I was more than used to the additional allowance for my tardiness, as I was often around 10 to 15 minutes late – just within the grace period. Having to come 15 minutes earlier is harder than it sounds. Old habits diehard and even after a month of school, I found myself struggling daily to be punctual. However, I no longer feel the annoyance I initially felt towards the removal of the 15-minutes grace period. On the contrary, I’m glad it has been removed. What? Glad? Before you guys think I’m crazy, hear me out. My reason is simple: having the 15-minute grace period doesn’t fulfil the objective of a polytechnic education, that is to prepare students for the working world. Punctuality is an essential trait in the working world and is the most basic thing your employer expects. Trust me, I learnt it the hard way after working a few jobs over the holidays. When TP students go out to the working world, they would be unfamiliar with the very concept of punctuality, being accustomed to having a 15-minute grace period. No quarter is given in the outside world. Without the grace, I have found myself actually planning my mornings. With the morning crowd, it is only wise to do so. Three absences is equivalent to a non-graded pass. A minute is all it takes to be marked absent. All of a sudden, the stakes feel higher. The margin for error is slimmer. Of course, planning my mornings was a pain at the start. However, it has become a habit with time. All it took was to either pack my things earlier or leave my house earlier. This passed on not just to school, but to work and even meet-ups with my friends. Who would have thought the mere removal of the 15-minute grace period would benefit me so much. However, I would be lying if I said punctuality was a piece of cake. There are times I still struggle to make the 9 am classes. At least I’m actually trying now. Knowing there’s no safety net has made me do something to change myself. I’m confident that punctuality will become second nature to me. Soon. Just give me more time, okay? 8 Stop Press :: July 2014 Hearthstone: Casual strategy game By: Tan Yong Ting W hen people talk about the gaming company Blizzard, the common thought would be the games series Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo and even DotA (Defense of the Ancients). What makes all these games common is that they are hardcore realtime strategy games. However, the latest game release from the company turns out to be a casual turn-based strategy game. Hearthstone in short is an online free-to-play collectible card game featuring characters from the Warcraft series. Blizzard has previously released a similar card game but in a physical format rather than digital. Originally a pen and paper prototype, Hearthstone was developed by a two-man team. Later, an expanded team of 21 members worked on the closed beta of the online game. The game mechanics is similar to most current card games such as Magic: The Gathering and even Yu-Gi-Oh! The player draws cards that can be monsters called Minions to summon cards with spells to cast depending on how much manna they cost. The winner is the first to reduce the opponent’s health to zero through Minions or spells. What makes the game different, is its simplicity and complexity. As stated before, various characters from the Warcraft lore are in the game, with decks being themed on class specification like Mage and Warlock. This limits customisation but makes it easier for casual gamers to make simple changes to their decks. Like every card game, there are booster packs that can be purchased with in-game currency or with real money. Every card has a rarity, from the basic Free to the highest rarity Legendries. Deck building though limited has a game feature where the AI help suggests cards that are recommended to help build the perfect class deck from scratch. Before each game, the player can choose their Hero, a representation of the player that follows the class deck. For example, the popular Orc hero, Thrall, uses a Shaman deck while Malfurion Stormrage uses a Druid deck. Thrall can summon a random totem that can heal or attack, while Stormrage’s Shapeshift ability allows him to add an attack and armour bonus to either himself or his Minions. This rectifies the restriction of class deck along with the inclusion of another set of cards called Weapon. These work as equipment to Heroes, giving different bonuses like health restoration or Minions’ attack boosts. New players are given tutorial quests that reward them with special cards after each completion, thus giving everyone a chance for a head start. There are also daily quests Game Review available to keep players coming back every day to ,get a rare card they want. Numerous closed beta invites were sent to demonstrate and market the game. YouTube personality John Bain, who has harshly critique numerous games, has claimed Hearthstone to be a “ton of fun”. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft can now be downloaded free on Windows, Mac OS X and iPad. A compatible version for iPhone, Android and Windows 8 tablet is expected to be released in the latter half of this year. Facebook acquiring Oculus Rift, a virtual reality company By: Tan Yong Ting O n March 25, the online social network site Facebook had reached a deal to acquire Oculus VR, the company responsible for the virtual reality Oculus Rift headset at about US$2 billion. The headset was originally funded on Kickstarter at US$2.5 million after a demonstration of the product at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2012. As the name sounds, the Oculus Rift is the next step in future gaming where gamers can experience a stereoscopic 3D virtual reality setting on a whole new level. Oculus VR founder, Palmer Luckey came up with an idea to create his own virtual reality device after collecting and modifying past virtual reality devices at the age of 16. He later hooked up with John Carmack, co-founder of id Software and the lead programmer of Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, and Quake. The prototype of Luckey’s Oculus VR during the E3 demonstration used Carmack software and this garnered interest during the convention. Later on a developer kit version was released to backers who pledged $300 or more during the Kickstarter campaign. Various users have shown hands-on demonstration of the headset, including popular YouTuber Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie and Daniel Hardcastle, better known as NerdCubed. Though rumoured to be released in 2015, the Oculus VR team has yet to officially announce the release date of a consumer version. At first glance, it might not seem obvious why Oculus is partnering Facebook, a company focused on connecting people, investing in internet access for the world and pushing an open computing platform. However, according to the Oculus VR team, “we’re culturally aligned with a focus on innovating and hiring the best and brightest; we believe communication drives new platforms; we want to contribute to a more open, connected world; and we both see virtual reality as the next step.” As published on a blog post by the Oculus VR team: “This partnership ensures that the Oculus platform is coming, and that it’s going to change gaming forever. We’ll see you in the Metaverse!” However, the responses from several Facebook users ranged from disapproval to cancellation and boycott of the upcoming Oculus Rift headset as a result of the partnership due to Facebook’s infamous privacy scandals and focus on advertisements. Markus Persson, owner of the video game company Mojang which created Minecraft, had tweeted on the day of the acquisition: “We were in talks about maybe bringing a version of Minecraft to Oculus. I just cancelled that deal. Stop Press :: July 2014 9 New sports facilities on campus By: Jeremy Lim I n the midst of all the construction happening for the expansion of Temasek Polytechnic, students have been waiting excitedly for a number of sporting facilities that would be available for use by the end of June. The poly has been diligently working to provide a balance between academic and recreational facilties, ensuring a holistic experience for students and staff alike. Facilities such as a Sports and Arts Centre, tennis courts, basketballcourts and futsal courts will be opened to all students to book. Construction of the Sports and Arts Centre began in midOctober and has since been fitted with studios designated for the performing arts students to practise in. Sports teams like floorball and volleyball players are also able to make use of the extra venue to cater to their training needs whenever the newly refurbished Sports Complex is fully booked. The Sports and Arts Centre also has tennis courts at the rooftop to accommodate the tennis club. “With two sports halls, we would be able to cater to the demand for facilities by having sufficient facilities to assist students and club in organizing sports activities. “We hope that the increased number of facilities would encourage the Photos: Fathul Hanif development of sporting culture in TP,” Indoor courts at the new Sports and Arts Centre is one of the first be ready said Mr Tan Thian Seng, Student Development and Sports Assistant. What for the lifestyle gym goers and for the looking forward to using the new facilimost students would be looking forward “hard-core” gym goers. In addition to ties. “I feel blessed to have these sportto is the basketball and futsal courts, all the newly developed facilities, the revamped hockey pitch has been the most ing facilities in school. I’m especially exwhich are located beside the Sports and tedious construction project. cited over the upcoming gym since it’s Arts Centre. Although it has been reduced to always important for a sportsman to The two basthree quarters in size, new turf grass and keep in shape during the off-season,” ketball courts and a said 18-year-old Cheong Yu Sung from futsal court would watering system has been set up. Construction of the facilities has the School of Business. also be available not always been smooth sailing, with He added that the new sports fafor bookings and use by the end of several sites stalling due to the volatile cilities allows for a more convenient distance to the toilets and around the variJune. Furthermore, weather. The latest additions and improveous facilities. the gym has been ment of facilties could well spark a surge With the latest additions and imrefurbished and expanded and fea- in the sporting culture within TP. Re- provement of facilities, long breaks can tures two sections gardless of the delay, the students are now be fruitfully spent. Netball and hockey teams getting ready for POL-ITE games By:Darissa Lee E very sports player in Temasek Polytechnic has a common goal – winning a title at the POL-ITE games. These games are an annual competition between the various Polytechnics and ITEs. Our very own sports teams take time out of their busy school schedule to train and earn titles for the poly. Temasek Polytechnic has always been doing well in the sports scene, having a reputation for being in the Top 4 in many different sports. For example, Photos: Darissa lee Teams Netball and Hockey have all done well in the 2013/14 POL-ITE games. The TP Netball team came in second place in last year’s POL-ITE games. With the changing of their coach this year, the team feels that it will not affect its determination to clinch the champion title this time round. Vice-Captain Elsie Hui says: “We have ample time before Polites to train with coach Vivian and to adapt to her training style”. Every team has its own challenges. According to team player Jasmine Liew, the other polys have already started their intensive training and are building up their fitness for the upcoming competition. However, Jasmine believes in her team mates and feels that with the established chemistry they have, they will be able to overcome the other teams and any challenges. Player Teo Yi Lin shares: “It is nice to have team mates who share the same passion as I do. Simple encouragements like ‘jiayou’ really keep me going when training gets tough”. With the beginning of a new academic year, the netball team took in quite a number of freshies. Will these freshies be up for the intensive training that is coming their way? We’ll have to wait and see. Living up to their reputation, the TP Hockey team also came in second place in last year’s POL-ITE games. Without a coach, it is impressive that they were able to achieve such great results. Long hours of training in the hot sun had not come to waste. Being undefeated, they made their way to the finals against Nanyang Polytechnic. Ending the game with a draw, the NYP team won due to overall goal difference. However this year, they will be going into competition with a better and more balanced squad. With the graduation of their current captain, the team might have to work twice as hard to maintain their standards. The new Captain Ray Quek says he feels a greater responsibility as the expectations are high in view of the good achievements over the recent years. “Looking at how much willingness to commit and enthusiasm the players have towards training, I believe that TP will do well because we have a good attitude towards preparation and we have started off well.” 10 Stop Press :: July 2014 CCM students working towards end–semester culinary competition Photos: Courtesy of CCM By: Jeannie Sing C ulinary and Catering Management (CCM) students are in the process of gearing up for the end-semester competition. The annual “Commis” competition involves second-year CCM students. There are three top prizes: Gold, Sil- ver and Bronze medals. Spread over the course of two days, half the cohort would participate on the first day while the other half on the second day. Second-year student Clement Tan, 18, said the competition is held in Semester 2.1. By the end of the semester, students would have completed the module of Culinary Practicum and are equipped with the relevant skills and know-how. During the competition, students are only given one chance to take the necessary ingredients and forgetting anything would cost their points to be penalised. From there, the teams are required to prepare six portions of the assigned menu within the time frame. The students are also required to wash the dishes as cleanliness was a marking criteria. Preparation start in the second-half of the semester and the students have to come out with a written proposal as part of their written project. In the proposal, students list out an ingredient list, cost of ingredients, “prep” list and also how to present the dishes. Every group is also asked to produce a timeline to keep them on track during the competition.They could also perform trial run(s). In last year’s competition, the dishes assigned were steamed aubergine for appetiser, poached salmon for entrée and apple crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Final-year student, Kyle Alywin Ong said, “On the competition day itself, you could feel the tension within everyone as we only had one shot to do this. My group was one of the later groups to go in. “When we walked in, you could see everyone rushing through. You could feel the excitement. As time went on, my group stayed focused and we didn’t have much hiccups.” You could feel the tension within everyone as we only had one shot to do this. My group was one of the later groups to go in. - Kyle Alywin Ong, Member of the team that won silver medal Everything has to be made from scratch and once everything is plated, the panel of judges; made up of chefs, would taste and give their opinions. When Kyle’s team received the judges’ acknowledgement that their dishes were “pretty good”, Kyle said: “It was like a big weight was lifted from our shoulders.” That also signified the end of their Culinary Practicum. It was a beautiful ending when they got more than they hoped for. “It came as a shock when we were announced to receive the silver award, we were ecstatic. It really showed us that hard work pays off and Commis challenge would always be something all CCM students would remember,” said Kyle. What’s in my bag? By: Carina Lim B ooks, a pencil case, lecture notes – these are the usual things found in a typical polytechnic student’s school bag. But Ang Zheng Xiang, 17, is not your typical polytechnic student. Photo: Ang Zheng Xiang Pursuing a diploma in digital film and television, Zheng Xiang holds a A full set of swim gear can be found strong passion in film making. No matter inside the bag alongside school items. where, Zheng Xiang definitely has a Not bringing my notebook by his side. “Because ideas pop out of my swimming stuff mind at random times and when I’m will make me feel at random places, I need to take down guilty...as though I notes so I won’t forget these ideas,” he said. have left a part of However, this is not the main myself. reason that makes Zheng Xiang’s bag - Ang Zheng Xiang special. Aside from stationery and books, it also carries swimming necessities like trunks, shampoo and towel. “I bring them with me to school everyday so that I can swim whenever I want to and, at the same time, I can train to lose weight,” Zheng Xiang said with a laugh. Everyday without fail, his bag is definitely packed with all the necessary items. Instead of seeing it as a chore or burden.“If I don’t have these things, my bag will be too light. So, I will feel that I am bringing my bag for nothing,” he said. Therefore, going to school means more to Zheng Xiang than just studying. It is a place for him to allow his ideas to run free and also to do what he loves – swimming. “Not bringing my swimming stuff will make me feel guilty. It is as though I have left a part of myself at home.” Photo: Carina Lim Ang Zheng Xiang with his bag which he brings to poly everyday. Stop Press :: July 2014 11 10 talents make it through Divo Diva auditions By: Carina Lim I t was an intense moment for many who were participating in the Divo Diva auditions in April. About a hundred students went for the auditions and one of them was second year Communications and Media Management student Dazale Choy. A list of the over 100 candidates signed up for the Divo Diva auditions. It was really nervewracking stepping in front of the judges. but after I started singing, I got more comfortable and all my nerves melted away. - Dazale Choy Eventually, only 10 were able to become the new members of Divo Diva – and one of them was Dazale. “It was really nerve-wracking stepping in front of the judges. But after I started singing, I got more comfortable and all my nerves melted away,” said Dazale who did not make the cut last year. The process was tough on the judges, as they had to sieve through so many applications for the cream of the crop. “It was a pity that we only had place for 10 people because there were others who were also good, but we had to make a tough call,” said Khairul Ameer, Divo Diva Honorary Secretary who was also one of the judges. Photos: Khairul Ameer Divo Diva Main Committee selecting the second round of contestants from the more than a hundred candidates who signed up to join the CCA. Many participants had to undergo a huge amount of preparation.“I ran through every single song in my iTunes to find a song perfect for my voice, and I practised singing it at home many times before settling for Almost Is Never Enough by Ariana Grande,”said Dazale. She and 34 other successful participants had to go through a second round of auditions. Sofia Arissa,17, from the Diploma in Early Childhood Studies said: “The second one was more scary as there was an audience. I was more nervous as there were so many other better singers so I knew I had to do my best for the second one.” CMM students attend filming of We are Singaporeans By: Yeo Yi Wei A group of privileged secondyear students from the Diploma in Communications and Media Management (CMM) recently attended the filming of Channel 5’s popular game show, We Are Singaporeans, over the course of two weekends. Hosted by one of Singapore’s most loved and recognised entertainers, Hossan “Singapore Boy” Leong, the game show has captivated its audience through the use of personalities (such as Aunty Lucy) and Singaporean Photo: Syahir Lee If their hair is even slightly out of position, the make up artists rush to the scene with hairspray and wax. - Charmane Choy Photo: Syahir Lee “icons” (such as taxi drivers) and is now into its third season. Charmane Choy, who attended the filming on May 11, was thrilled at the chance to see local celebrities such as Tay Ping Hui and Tosh Zhang (more commonly known as “toshrock”) up close. “They are soooo handsome!” she said, swooning at the thought briefly before adding, “I would have brought a better camera if I had known they would let us take pictures” Apart from getting a chance to see the idols, the filming also served as a good opportunity for CMM students to learn more about the various facets involved in the world of production, such as camerawork and lighting. “It’s not as easy as I imagined,” points out Maxine Quah, another student who attended the filming. “Everything has to be perfect, both the production team and the talents. It was inspiring to see the production team hard at work with coordination and planning, while on the talent’s end, things like their facial expressions and delivery of scripted lines. One pronunciation mistake and you know they’ll be retaking the scene.” Charmane was quick to add how she admired the production team and talents working hand-in-hand. “If their hair is even slightly out of position, the make-up artists rush to the scene with hairspray and wax. Everyone supports each other so well that you feel like you’re watching a family work together.” CMM lecturer, Mr Ignatius Teo, who arranged the trip said: The opportunity is invaluable as they get to see how a TV show is produced within a studio setting. “It gives them a first-hand look at how a production crew operates and exposes them to new ways of TV production. This visit will definitely add to their experience.” Ryan Poon was among the lucky students who went home with a limitededition board game. He said: “I left the filming today with so many things: Facts about Singapore, production know-how and this nice board game I can play with my family.” 12 Stop Press :: July 2014 Vet student releases her own EP By: Charmane Choy A bigail Yeo started singing when she was 13 years old and has taken part in a series of singing competitions. The Veterinary Technology freshman recently released her own EP. “My title song is a Chinese ballad, ‘I’m not that kind of girl’. This is my favourite song because my favourite genre of music is ballad,” said Abigail. Within the first two months of release, the song reached number four on the music charts of Singapore’s top Chinese radio station, Yes 93.3. All these achievements did not come easy for Abigail who’s a member of the TP CCA, Music Vox. The preparation for her EP was a slow process mainly because she had to juggle between school and work. “There were times when I fell sick and recordings had to be delayed,” said Abigail. Many sacrifices had been made in Abigail (right) performing in an event organised by Chinese radio staion UFM 1003 at JP1 order for her EP to be released. “I lost contact with a lot of my friends while preparing. This makes it harder for me because it made me feel like I’m all alone.” Studio recording was difficult for Abigail as she lacked experience but she was able to get the hang of it as she progressed. Even though the process was tedious and tiring, Abigail said the sense of satisfaction she got when she listened to the final product for the very first time was priceless. Her EP consists of three songs and Abigail feels that her third song Rebound gave her the best recording experience because it took the least time to complete. “The thought of finally being able to wrap up the production played a part too,” Abigail added. Handling work and school was not easy during the project and Abigail has three tips for others who want to do what she did. First tip, never leave your work to the very last minute. Secondly, always set your priorities straight. Lastly, don’t give up, always persevere because at the end of the day, you will see the fruits of the seed you plant. There were times when I fell sick and recordings had to be delayed...I lost contact with a lot of my friends while preparing. – Abigail Yeo on some of the challenges she faced in the project Distinctive sense of style Photos: Jovina Lim By: Sean Yeo Style differs between individuals. While some take pride in maintaining an overall image, others obsess over specifics. Stop Press looks at two students with their own distinctive sense of style. Jovina Lim Shu Hui, first-year student from the Diploma in 3D Interactive Media Technology Having previously worked at Topshop as a fashion co-ordinator, she is by no means alien to the world of fashion. She ensures her daily outfits are perfectly co-ordinated and is often decked out in monochrome. Photos: Ethan Lee & Sean Yeo She loves street chic style and hates polo shirts. “Black and white colours suit me best. There’s no reason to why I love street chic or hate polo tees, it just so happens I do.” she says. When asked what she loved most in her wardrobe, her answer came out simply: Basics. There’s no reason why I love street chic or hate polo tees, it just so happens I do. – Jovina Lim Ethan Lee Wei Kang, second-year student from the Diploma in Retail Management A big enthusiast of street wear brands such as Stüssy, Ethan is an even bigger lover of shoes and owns a total of 25 pairs, over half of which are limited edition. He owns shoes from a variety of sportswear and skatewear brands such as Converse, Nike and Vans. He even has a couple of shoes from luxury brands, namely Maison Martin Margiela and Pierre Hardy. Collaborations between brands gets him going gaga. He admits to queuing overnight along Orchard Road for the launch of a collaboration between H&M and Maison Martin Margiela. Designed and published by Diploma in Communications and Media Management students Designers: Muhammad Khairulameer Bin Ramlan, Nur Aqilah Bte Ramlan, Nur Syakirah Bte Mohammed Iqbal “I walked in at 8 a.m. after 17 hours of queuing, utterly dazed. Carrying the big, white shoe box home after that had me grinning from ear to ear.” I walked in at 8 am after 17 hours of queuing, utterly dazed. Carrying the big, white shoe box home after that had me grinning from ear to ear. – Ethan Lee Stop Press PDF Version: http://www.tp.edu.sg/schools/bus/about-us#tab4