Hi there Victorians!

Quick Intro

First off, for those who don’t know (which is probably every single person reading this right now), I was the Chairperson/President/whatever-you-wanna-call-it of Subjectif from 08/09. Back then, there was a period of time when Subjectif had exactly one member: myself. If you read the recent post by carousels, you’d know that Cosiety (as Subjectif was known as back in the day) died out in 2007, shortly after the server which hosted the school blog went down. It was almost as if Subjectif ceased to exist when 2008 began, meaning that everyone who entered VJC in 2008 had no idea that there was even a school blog. It was only through sheer luck that I knew a senior who was part of the withering CCA and thus joined it with 2 other friends. Not long after that, both of them decided to quit and there were even talks of closing down the CCA.

Breakoff rant… and a little history

Now here, let me just say I personally feel that Subjectif is unique to every other CCA in VJC as no other CCA gives its members the ability to reach out to every single Victorian with such ease. Probably no one who’s currently attending VJC knows what the old Cosiety blog was like back before the server crashed in 2007. I too wasn’t around (was from 08S56) when Cosiety was still alive and kicking, but all the seniors whom I talked to about the old VJC blog had nothing but glowing praise for it. It had been the main source of information for anything and everything going on around VJ, chocked full of blog posts, pictures and videos. In fact, Cosiety’s old Youtube account is still very much in existence. Though it hasn’t been updated in quite awhile, you can get a sense of what it used to be like.

Click here for Cosiety’s Youtube page. And here’s a good video to start with:

Needless to say, I believed that Subjectif as a CCA had limitless potential in that it could really make a huge difference to the lives of Victorians. Thus, I decided that I would try my best to resuscitate the CCA and bring it back to its former glory.

Memories… memories…

Anyway this post isn’t just about Subjectif, though I just realised I’ve been going on a really long rant about it. Rather, revisiting this blog just earlier tonight seemed to open up the floodgates in my mind as tons of memories I had of my time in VJ came flooding back to me.

Attending the seemingly mundane tutorials and lectures in VJ were probably the most fun I’ve ever had throughout my schooling life.

Then there were the outings to Parkway for lunch during 3-period long breaks, a luxury I had only during my first year.

Attending orientation as a freshman once, and getting to be an OGL not just once, but twice (we had double intakes, and J1s who entered the school during the first intake were OGLs for the second intake students), and the immense amount of fun I had during those precious few days.

Attending CLIC, our annual leadership camp, as a camper in my first year. Furthermore, I had the privilege of being a facilitator of the camp in my second year. The experiences I had while attending, planning and executing the camp are invaluable and have thought me plenty of lessons that will last me for life.

Then there were the A levels… well, I don’t have anything good to say about that part…

My point is this, treasure your time as a Victorian. Many people have probably told you this already, but I’m going to reiterate it here again: the 2 years are going to whiz by in no time at all. The experiences and interactions you have with the friends and teachers around you on a daily basis might seem to be nothing out of the ordinary now, but soon they’re just going to become mere wisps of memories as you trudge on through life. For many of you, your time in VJ might be filled with some of the most memorable and fun experiences you’ll ever have.

One shot!

With regards to CCAs, 2 years is going to seem even shorter than it already is. Think about it:

Many of our athletes will only get one shot at the national championship as most of them only compete at the national level in their second year.

For our performing arts groups, there’s only going to be one SYF every 2 years. Which means some J1s who enter VJ in the year when SYF is going to be held might never get a chance to compete in SYF during their time in JC.

For leaders of clubs and societies, they effectively only get one year to fulfill the visions they have for their CCAs. Take it from me, if you really want to mould your CCA into what you have in mind for it, you have to put in extra effort to ensure it happens. When you take office in late Term 2 of your first year, it seems like you have plenty of time to do what you want. However, before you know it, all CCA activities will halt in late term 3 for Promotional Exams as well as Prelims. Before you know it Term 2 of your second year is going to come and you’re going to have to step down.

Boy do I miss VJ

I miss VJ. Practically everyone I know does as well. It’s hard not to, especially when we watch the above video and remember how whacky, crazy and carefree we all were just months ago. Even though we graduated from VJ just a couple of months ago, it feels like ages ago when we could run around, screaming cheers and in general doing silly stuff without people giving us a weird look. In fact, VJ is probably the only JC where we could walk around the school with badges pinned all over our shirts and people would laugh instead of scoff when they saw us. It’s for reasons like this that I can truly say I’m proud to be a Victorian.

(If anyone actually suffered read through this entire rant post, please leave a comment below!)

In conclusion…

I shall now end of this really really long rant with those fateful 3 words that you hear at the end of almost every single speech our Principal gives. The 3 words that you hear all the time but never really ever get tired of. The 3 words that some might even call our college’s motto…

FULL DAY!

Oh wait that’s 2 words……….Oh well

The first week after orientation blurs right past. But something floats ominously way back on everyone’s minds, despite the hefty piling up of To Do’s, thanks to the brutal plunge into studies. An unspoken fustration, a silent anticipation…

Where is my OPAC?

I’d been disappointed outraged by the absence of this coveted shoebag (with contents included) during JCO, until the rumour that the entire shipment had been held up during transportation in China. The mental picture of authorities barring a box of harmless water bottles and bandanas from moving through the gantry was laughable to say the least. Nevertheless, I begrudgingly accepted the SPEARCA shirt in all it’s duo-coloured glory which served to pacify my cries of ‘I want my jotterbook to write this down in!’ for about a minute.

Somehow, the sizes of the shirts managed to get messed up so badly that some got shirts disproportionate to their body size. Tunics were the fashion statement in SPEARCA.

When Victorians are disgruntled, they take to the virtual world.

Facebook groups sprouted like saplings from seeds: ‘I WANT MY OPAC!’ and ‘MY SPEARCA TEE CAN FIT AN ELEPHANT’…
They had members chorusing their assent as numbers increased drastically with each ‘join group’ click.

And eventually, we all got our OPACs. Yay! (I’d like to say that it was the fruit of our complaints, but nah.)

What’s next? How about a group for your favourite drink mix from the fruit stall in the canteen? Nothing’s too ridiculous, and I’d join the one that says ‘apple-orange-grape jelly ftw!’

The Bizarre Behaviour of Singaporeans

Observations made by a German national who has lived in Singapore for 9 years.

44 years of economic and material success have spawned some very strange behaviours among Singaporeans.

They spent so much to buy a house or flat, furnished it up like a palace, but spent their time outside, most of the time at work.
And the maids are the ones enjoying the million-dollar or multi-million-dollar assets..

Then they pay so much, the highest in the world, for a car only to park at home.
Too expensive to drive, too many ERPs and car park charges to pay. And they are encouraged to park their cars at home and take public transport, being cheaper and more convenient.

And when Singaporeans travel, instead of seeing the places, they went shopping.
The best part is that they would head for the cheapest bargains, buying stuff that they could get in Chinatown or pasar malam, at even cheaper prices. But they are still happy that they got a bargain.
And while the heartlanders are busy trying to make a life here, being told to bust off if they are not happy, which they could not, the rich and presumably very happy and contented citizens are buying up properties overseas just in case they need to make that escape from this paradise.

While many Singaporeans are thinking of jumping ship, or preparing to jump ship, hoards of new immigrants are rushing in to take their place in this paradise.

And to top it all up, they keep complaining about the govt and all the policies that they found unpalatable, but come every election, they will vote and return the govt to power.

Strange Singaporean behaviours!

(credit: Email from OOCL company)

“I was thinking how a man could spend thirty years in prison, and come out and forgive the men who did it to him…”

– Francois Pienaar (Invictus)

For various reasons, this line said by Matt Damon really struck a chord in my heart.

Can you imagine…

Stuck in a tiny cell for 27 years! That’s practically my entire life. Not to mention the tiny space…I would have hyperventilated and died of claustrophobia in just under 2 hours…

Jailed for no good reasons, merely because you happen to hold very different (but noble) views from the Powers-that-be…

Estranged from family and friends for decades…

Hard labour under the hot sun every single day…

Classified as the lowest of the lowest, worse than the crap of society… devalued because of the colour of your skin…

Probably yelled at constantly by your jailers…

Complete loss of freedom…

Overwhelming feeling of injustice and even helplessness…

Extreme loneliness…

I don’t know about you, but I for one am completely amazed that he could simply forgive his enemies, work with them and treat them decently.

He brings to mind another person I admire a lot. Corrie Ten Boom – she and her family helped and even hid Jews from the Nazis during the Second World War but because of their involvement, the entire family was arrested. Her elderly father died in captivity, so did her beloved nephew and sister who died in the infamous camp, Auschwitz. She herself was sent to Auschwitz where she suffered terribly under the Nazis. After the war, she became a messenger of forgiveness and went around speaking to people about forgiveness, once even personally extending forgiveness to an ex-SS officer  who had treated her with brutality.

Call me petty, call me foolish but there are things that people said or did in the past that I can’t completely let go, no matter how hard I try, and there are some people whom I would give an arm and a leg not to see for the rest of my life… and to be very honest, when certain memories play back in my mind, I get rather agitated again…I’m definitely not the poster girl for forgiveness…It has always been a hard thing for me to do, especially when I perceived I have been unjustly treated.  I’m not proud of that… but the reason I am saying this is because it really brings to mind the “smallness” and “meanness” of my heart compared to giants like Nelson Mandela and Corrie Ten Boom.

What else can I say? I am totally blown away by their graciousness. Yep, Nelson Mandela…a new guy to add on to the list of people I admire and respect

An education at the most prestigious schools in the world, such as the Ivy League in US and Oxbridge in UK, is coveted by many students. However, is the exorbitant cost of attending such schools and trying various means to distinguish oneself during the application process causing good education to be available to only the affluent?

For instance, to get into US universities, students must take the SAT Reasoning Test and at least 3 SAT Subject Tests. From personal experience, this reporter has discovered that taking SAT 1 can cost more than $150 per sitting and no fee waivers are available for international students. While those from rich and influential families can easily afford to repeatedly re-take the test until they achieve their desired scores, the majority of students, who come from lower to middle class families, do not have such a privilege. Since College Board’s score choice allows students to choose which scores to send to universities, this undoubtedly grants students from affluent backgrounds a distinct advantage as they can re-take the test numerous times to ensure good results.

What about  certain American exams that tests students’ understanding of introductory level college work? This reporter has gathered from her inquiries to various sources, including College Board and Singapore American School, that the registration fee for 1 of such exams is a costly S$220. Of course, since no one takes only 1 such exam, the registration fees alone can cost more than S$1000. This is not including the fees for the preparatory courses and the costs of reference materials. Can a middle class family with average incomes of S$3000 to S$4000 really afford to pay such an expensive amount simply to give their child an advantage over his peers, considering their not insignificant household expenses?

Furthermore, it has been reported in the Times that a disproportionate amount of students accepted to Oxbridge come from affluent backgrounds, despite such students being the minority of the total British student population. In addition, many successful applicants to Ivy League colleges hail from exclusive New England boarding schools and elite New York college preparatory schools where tuition fees can easily cost up to S$50000 per annum.

This begets the conclusion that the educational system is structured in such a way that students from well-to-do families are unfairly advantaged. However, instead of becoming demoralized and dejected, students from less affluent families should use this to motivate themselves and work even harder to gain recognition so as to prove that success can be achieved by the less wealthy as well. This is certainly what this reporter will do.

On 12 January 2010, Haiti’s Capital, Port-au-Prince was hit by an 7.0mW earthquake, devastating millions in an already devastated country.

For slightly more than a week, we’ve been seeing the images of the destruction in the news.  You might think that the disasters of the past few years have numbed me but I can’t just look past all the pictures of pain and not feel anything. Honestly, it rips away at my heart. I wish I could be there to ease their anguish; to be a comfort. Millions have been forced out of their homes to live in large and often overcrowded refugee camps.

You know, those people who died? Think about it. Not long ago they were eating, working, breathing…living. Now their breath has left their bodies and they lie in mass graves. They were people with families, hopes and dreams. Life is so fleeting. One day we might be around, the next we might not.

But there is still hope. People all around the world are rallying together to donate and help these Haitians. There has been a global outpouring of help from various nations and the cash keeps coming in. People have been pulled out of the rubble, alive and kicking after 11 days.

Today, the survivors of the earthquake live. Tomorrow and in the future, they will be stronger than before. The human spirit will triumph.

–

On 3 Feburary, Subjectif will be selling badges to raise funds for the victims of the quake. Open up your hearts and wallets to give. Let’s help them rebuild. Thank you.

09S39 is holding a Fundraiser, and are giving away handmade golden ribbons for those who donate at least $1. Please support them too!

There is nothing more to the cheers and calls of “Full Day!” than the very thought of lazing around at home early in the morning with no soporific lessons, castigating teachers and omnipresent assignments to complete. Haha, it’s full day today, we’d smugly tell our friends in other schools and our chagrined parents.

Half day? Sure, why not! From school, we load onto any incoming buses (much to the dismay of disgruntled passengers trying to nap) and head off to PP, where groups of smiley Victorians, grinning at their good fortune, take up seats in every eatery from PastaMania to Macs to the food court (everywhere else is taken!).

Full Day is definitely something to celebrate about, and it’s a Victorian tradition steeped in our legacy. Well, sort of.

Hang on. Has the school management created a compromise? What is this SWAT (Student Welfare something) concept of coming to school later on Mondays at 8.40am instead of the usual 7.40am? Could this be a little victory on the side of Mr Chan, the teachers and the canteen stall-holders whose food had been cooked when a spontaneous Full Day is declared? Might there be no more Full Days, only 1-Hour Days? You decide. (:

I have long suspected that the terms CIP hours and T3A were the focal points of any student-initiated activities. Phrases like ‘it’ll look good on my portfolio/testimonial/record’ are probably common when making any big decisions regarding a commitment of time and effort. 

But was volunteerism and passion really dead? Would anyone make sacrifices just to pursue something he or she felt strongly about, even if it meant that no one else would notice? I ventured to find out if this materialistic world as we know it is really a slightly more civilised Hobbesian ’survival of the fittest’ anarchic society of ‘what’s in it for me’, rather than an ideal community of compassion, virtue and moral values we claim to know, but conscience denies.

vSparks is a project that is undertaken by IP3 students upon their ‘graduation’ from the safe, comforting nest of an IP cohort that aims to be the spark that ignites a flame in the community. Along with the VCSD portal of T3As and e-CIP entry, the surreptitious connotation of the importance of community involvement has ironically capitalised the very idea of volunteerism.

I have great respect for volunteers who made it into the history books with their selflessness and altruism - Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale – and those of our time as well. A friend of mine is so passionate about saving the environment that she speaks strongly about her cause to anyone who cared to listen, and acts upon her word too. In one of her testimonies, she spoke about a campaign on using reusable glass cups from the drinks stalls instead of the typical one-use plastic ones (they are available on request) and the measures she took to ensure that no electricity in the school was wasted through needless air-conditioning and lights when a room is uninhabited.

I have big dreams for my vSparks project (which I shall not unveil for now), and I aim to make it a successful not simply because I want to, but because it’s for the common good.

I like writing.  But when it comes down to matters-at-hand, I’d have to say that I have this interesting relationship with the pen and the paper. It’s rather sad, actually, when I compare my handwriting with my other classmates. They have the most brilliant, elegant and legible handwriting. Mine’s the complete opposite. I really detest like the sight of my own handwriting – it’s probably the typical teacher’s nightmare. Quoting them: ” too tiny”, “ant-like”, “hard to read!” Pathetic, I know. (But I’m sure some of you can identify with this!)

Don’t blame me for not trying to improve on my handwriting. I’ve done it all before. When I was 8, I had this terrifyingly embarassing experience. There was this old and rather picky teacher called Mrs. S. One day, she called me up to the front of the classroom. Being the little innocent and happy girl that I was, I presumed that she was going to award me for handing up my homework on time; for being attentive during lessons and more. I was so wrong. She announced to the class that my words were flying off the line. Can you believe it? She demanded that everyone wrote neatly, with each letter placed firmly on the lines we were supposed to write on. What was more incredulous was the fact that she made me extend my arms and do a flapping  motion, just like a bird. I had no choice but to comply, and I stood there flapping my wings, looking like a complete fool for half an hour before she let me return to my seat with a firm warning to write neatly for future assignments. From then on, I tried.

Primary school, Secondary school passed and my handwriting morphed to fit the style of the year. You know how people write their ‘n’s, and they end up looking like ‘h’s? Sad to say, it always fell into the messy category.

Today I write my essays on my trusty laptop. Which makes the situation worse. But I like doing things this way. Teachers, sorry for my terrible handwriting! I promise I’ll try my best, I really do!  But there are no guarantees… (especially when I’m churning out a 1000+ word essay in a short amount of time)

I was at the Singapore Flyer and to go with your free beer, there was free hand sanitizer and masked staff (I’ll deal with swine flu another day, promise) greeting dear tourists eager to spend a small fortune to fly up 100 metres to stare into nothing really nice in particular.

According to their website,

“Besides spectacular views of the entire Marina Bay, visitors will be treated to other points of interest around this landscape of water and gardens, such as:

Collyer Quay
Named after George Chancellor Collyer, the chief engineer of the Straits Settlements in the 1860s, Collyer Quay is a road that houses landmarks such as Clifford Pier, Change Alley and Ocean Towers. Until the late 1960s, the front of Clifford Pier was a car park where mobile food stalls arrived after office hours, and was a late-night haunt for musicians and an assortment of night birds.

In other words:
Please rest your eyes on what we consider hip and happening: carparks converted into wonderfully named Towers and Alleys, symbolising our love for the ocean and change (take that Student Council President)

Raffles Place
Singapore’s main Central Business District, is situated south of the mouth of the Singapore River. Originally known as Commercial Square, it was named after modern Singapore’s founding father, Sir Stamford Thomas Raffles, in 1858. Retailers in the district soon gave way to the rapid development of finance houses and major banks in the 1960s and 1970s.

In Other Words:
Money, money, money
Can’t be funny
We are Singapore
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the Singapore
Aha-ahaaa
All the things Lee could do
If He had a little money
Its His Singapore

The Fullerton Singapore
An internationally acclaimed five-star luxury hotel located near the mouth of the Singapore River, The Fullerton Singapore was converted from Singapore’s historic general post office building to one of Singapore’s most prestigious hotels.

In other words:
We forgot to mention that this wonderful hotel was the headquarters of the Japanese Military Administration in World War 2. Also, the Japanese made us pay $40 million dollars for “”crimes commited by the Chinese” and the cheque was handed out on the roof. Did we mention how it was used as a hospital to treat the wounded British? No don’t worry, no ghosts.

Esplanade Theatres on the Bay
Located at the picturesque waterfront overlooking Marina Bay, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is Singapore’s most exciting performance arts venue to date. Housing a 1,600-seat concert hall, a 2,000-seat theatre and several recital rooms, theatre and rehearsal studios as well as outdoor performing spaces, the dome-shaped complex also boasts a shopping mall, cosmopolitan food outlets and an arts library.

In other words:

Merlion Park
The Merlion, a half-fish half-lion hybrid, is a commanding presence standing 8.6 metres tall on the south bank of Singapore River. The Merlion originates from the legend of Sang Nila Utama, a prince who named this sunny island “Singapura” (Lion City) after sighting a lion upon his first arrival to Singapore’s shores. The majestic Merlion has since become a popular tourist attraction for visitors.

In other words:
Observe only from the safety of the Flyer car- lightning hazard.

Padang
The Padang, located at the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District, was where Mr Yusof Ishak took his oath to become the Republic’s first president on 3 December 1959. Today, the Padang is a popular venue for sports, line-dancing and rock concerts.

In other words:
Green. Grass. Field. End of Story.

Floating Stadium

The colourful Floating Stadium, located next to the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, consists of a 27,000-person seating gallery and the world’s largest floating platform performance stage on water. Singapore’s annual National Day Parade was held at the Floating Stadium for the first time in 2007 due to the planned demolition of its former home, the Singapore National Stadium.

In other words:
We wanted to demolish Kallang in 2007, complete with a closing ceremony but we’re now preparing for Liverpool Football Club to come down in July 2009. Three cheers to bureaucracy!

“Future developments in the area include”

F1 Circuit
Singapore is proud to welcome F1 motor-racing to its streets in September 2008. A capsule on Singapore Flyer will provide the best seats in the house, with a clear view of the action from the observation wheel.

In other words:
Website outdated. Please check back next time.

New Bridge
Designed as a double helix structure, the new 280-metre bridge will link the Bayfront area to Marina Centre, completing a walking route that brings visitors to the major attractions around the bay including Singapore Flyer. The bridge, expected to be completed around 2009, will be spearheaded by award-winning architect Philip Cox.

In other words:
New York has the Brooklyn Bridge, we have the NEW Bridge which will join roads previously separated by NEWater.

Art Park
The Art Park, situated on the northern end of the new bridge at Marina Centre, will feature artworks by Singapore youths submitted during an Art Competition organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority. The competition was designed to commemorate the new bridge, which is set to become a spectacular landmark to view from the observation wheel of Singapore Flyer.

In other words:
Completely redundant, highly doubt you can even see the artwork from our record-breaking 165metre high wheel.

Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort
Singapore’s very first Integrated Resort will add a new dimension to the landscape of Marina Bay in 2010. Comprising a world-class hotel, casino, convention, leisure and entertainment facilities, and a museum, Marina Bay Sands will also offer luxury retail outlets and unique dining venues. Its hotel consists of three 50-storey towers linked by a two-acre sky garden, and will be clearly visible from the top of Singapore Flyer.

In other words:
Cranes, cranes, trucks, cement, trucks, wait did we mention cranes?