NUS Residential Life

New to campus living and wondering what to bring to your hostel? Moving into a hostel in NUS for the first time can be daunting, especially when you are not quite sure what items to pack. To help you settle in with ease, here is a compiled list of 10 essential items you can consider bringing to your hostel! From storage trolleys to laundry pods, this list of items will come in handy as you transform your room to a home away from home! 

1. Storage Trolleys  

Most rooms have limited space, making it challenging to store your belongings especially if you tend to keep lots of items around. A storage trolley allows you to maximise the room space with its multiple tiers where you can store items such as skincare, haircare and laundry essentials. It not only maximises the use of space, but also allows for easy access when you are using these products every week. The ability to move it around also means that you can easily reconfigure your space.  

Source: IKEA

2. Laundry Pods 

Moving into a hostel means having to do your laundry in a shared laundry room. Depending on your schedule, doing laundry can sometimes take up more time than you expect. Laundry pods eliminate the need to store multiple powders and detergents around, and having to measure them as these pods are already pre-measured. Just pop one into the washing machine and wait for your clothes to be ready! While laundry pods do simplify your laundry routine and save up some space in your room, do also note that they cost more than traditional laundry powder and liquid detergent. 

Source: Honeycombers

3. Shower Basket  

Most rooms do not come with an attached toilet, and that means having to carry all of your toiletries and clothes to the shared toilet. Instead of juggling everything while making your trip to the toilet, bring all of your body soap, shampoo, conditioner etc using a shower basket. A shower basket makes your trip to the shower more convenient and also keeps you from scattering your toiletries all over the room. You can also bring a small waterproof bag to store your towels and clothes and hang it in the shower!  

Source: Amazon 

Pro tip: Use a shower basket that comes with holes to allow water to seep through! 

4. Shower Slippers 

Wearing shower slippers in the shower helps keep your feet clean and reduces the risk of slipping in the shower. Waterproof slippers that are easy to dry are commonly worn among students who stay in the hostels. Shower slippers also provide essential hygiene in the communal toilets! 

Source: Amazon 

5. Air (De)Humidifier  

Depending on your room’s humidity level, using a dehumidifier or humidifier accordingly can create a comfortable living environment. For most rooms, a dehumidifier helps to prevent mould and odour, whereas for some rooms, a humidifier can help prevent dry skin and irritated sinuses. Some humidifiers can also act as an aroma diffuser, enhancing the fragrance of your room!

Source: Shopee

Source: Muji

6. Extension Cord 

There can be a limited number of power outlets in your room and with the number of devices you might have to charge, an extension cord will come in handy. An extension cord provides you with extra plugs and keeps your wires and power setup organised.

Source: PowerPac 

7. Floor Wiper 

Dust and dirt can quickly accumulate on the floor over the weeks and using a mop might not be as convenient given the trip to the toilet with a bulky mop and bucket. Most students instead use a floor wiper that can be used either dry or wet, depending on your preference and needs. A floor wiper is compact and can easily reach into tight corners.

Source: Amazon 

8. Water Jug 

Staying hydrated is extremely important and for most hostels, there are designated areas to fill up your bottles with drinking water. This means that some rooms may be further away from these areas and making multiple trips down to fill up your bottle may be inconvenient. With a water jug, you can reduce the number of trips to the water dispenser and instead have easy access to water.

Source: Tupperware 

9. Insecticide 

If you are not a fan of having insects in your room, an insecticide will be your life saviour. Hostel rooms can often attract various insects depending on your room’s location, so having an insecticide on hand allows you to prevent insects from living in your room. With an insecticide, you can ensure that your room remains pest-free and be able enjoy your stay without the worry of any unwanted visitors.

Source: Baygon 

10. Reusable Containers and Cutleries 

Reusable containers and cutleries will come in handy if you are going to be packing food back to your room frequently. Using your own containers is not only environmentally-friendly, but also saves you money on disposable alternatives that come with a surcharge (usually around $0.30). Additionally, your container will come in handy when your neighbours are sharing extra food! 

Look out for Bring Your Own (BYO) container discounts too! 

And that concludes our list of 10 essentials to pack! This list is not exhaustive, and you will figure out what else you will need as time goes by. More importantly, we hope you will enjoy your stay in NUS! 

As another academic year draws to a close, we celebrate the achievements of yet another batch of graduates! The current graduating batch of students has experienced university life like no other, as they entered NUS during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. Let us hear from three students from the class of 2024, who will share their unique experiences, insights, and the impact their time at NUS will have on their lives.

Jessica Thee 

For Jessica Thee (Economics), residing in Residential College 4 (RC4) for two and a half years was a major highlight of her university life. Identifying as more reserved in nature, Jessica was not particularly active as a freshman as it was difficult for her to participate in activities alone. Coupled with a late move-in to RC4 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many opportunities to make friends were closed off for her. However, with the help of a few friends she initially made in RC4, Jessicia eventually managed to open up and made even more friends. With their encouragement, she decided to join the then upcoming RC4 orientation camp as an orientation group leader (OGL).

RC4 Orientation Camp 

It was the RC4 orientation camp that marked the start of Jessica’s friendship-making journey in NUS. Through joining the camp as an OGL, she not only made more friends, but also realised that she did not have to be afraid of signing up for activities alone as every other participant is usually very chill and friendly. The friends she made from this camp quickly became some of her closest friends in NUS. From trauma-bonding through the difficulties of managing a committee to joining interest groups together and jamming to music, Jessica made many fond memories with her friends. “I will forever be very grateful that these friends approached me and talked to me even when I was pretty quiet, and jioed me to do activities together often. If that did not happen, I don’t think I would have enjoyed my stay as much and would not have thought of applying for senior retention as well,” Jessica reflected. Indeed, it is the people that matter!

Late-night talks and a hair-dyeing session 

Jessicia also shared a few of her favourite memories with her friends at RC4. Like many night owls, she enjoyed jamming to music at night with her friends. These jamming sessions would turn into late-night talks that would extend into the next morning when they caught the sunrise together. “It was a pretty healing experience for me as we usually do it after our exams have ended and it is nice to catch up with one another while having a jamming session,” she added. Jessica also had movie nights planned with her friends during their stay at RC4. These movie nights helped her unwind after a long day of studying and exposed her to various movie genres that she most likely would not have watched otherwise. After the movie ended, they would come together to discuss the movie too! 

In preparation of RC4’s formal dinner, Jessica helped her friend dye her hair. “It was funny as we were all inexperienced, but we just wanted to try out the box dye for fun and since formal dinner was happening soon, they thought of helping one another dye their hair, and I just offered to help as well. My suitemates were always having random spontaneous ideas and this is just one of the many weird but interesting activities we did together,” she recounted.  

For Jessica, being part of various committees has also contributed to her favourite memories. As part of RC4’s College Student Committee, she had to pack and distribute welfare packs, which was cited by Jessica to be one of the most logistically-tiring events. However, as tiring as it was, she still found joy in packing and distributing them especially when she did it with her friends. Jessica was also involved in Arts Night 2022, as part of their logistics committee. She spent hours contributing to the decoration for the Arts Night, and the time and effort eventually paid off when she saw how beautiful the decorations were in real life. “I felt the most satisfaction seeing our crafts come to life and seeing that our decorations really played a part in creating a suitable vibe around the whole college during Arts Night. The neon light boards that we set up were left in the lift lobby as an official decoration of the college now, which made me feel very proud as we spent the most time decorating and trying to set that up,” Jessica shared.

Advice for incoming and current students 

Having stayed on campus for two and a half years of her university life and making the most out of it, Jessica highly recommends the once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Staying on campus gives a unique experience that you would not get elsewhere. Having friends that you meet daily just to have a meal together or study together is something I would miss, and I think it is a really good experience since I don’t think I would be meeting my friends daily anywhere else. This is really an advantage that only being in proximity with your friends can give. Realistically speaking, staying on campus is especially good if you do not stay near campus as well. You can save a lot of travel time by staying on campus!” Indeed, being able to stay in a hostel in NUS has many perks! Lastly, Jessica also gave some insightful advice, “Join as many activities as you can handle while you still can! Even if you are not staying on campus, there are a wide range of NUS CCAs or committees that might interest you! As much as results are important, I think having fun in university is also very important as these are the memories that will stay with you after you graduate.” 

Plans after graduation 

Jessicia will be embarking on a graduation trip to South Korea with a friend she met through an online Economics orientation back in 2020 when they were both freshmen. “I think it’s quite amazing that we hit it off so well and stayed close throughout our four years of university as we attended classes together. We have always thought of going to Korea together after graduation. After coming back from my graduation trip, it will be time to face reality and step into the workforce,” she shared. What a long-lasting friendship they have! We wish Jessica all the best as a working adult in the workforce!

Jessica (first row, second from left) with her fellow RC4 friends at RC4’s formal dinner.  “As RC4 is a huge part of my university life, I don’t think I would have had this much fun in university as well.” 

To all NUS students, especially the freshmen, don’t be afraid of going into a camp or any event alone! As we’ve learnt from Jessica, you might just start your friendship-making journey through that very camp or event! 

Shirmin Lim 

For three years of her university life, Shirmin Lim (Life Sciences) was one of the residents who stayed in Prince Georges’ Park House (PGPH), now known as Pioneer House. Some of her favourite memories during her stay includes late-night cooking sessions, weekly hangouts with her fellow housemates after frisbee training, Christmas party and gift exchange, and Inter-House Games. What an exciting list!  

When asked if she would recommend the experience of staying on campus, Shirmin shared some in-depth advice from her perspective, “Definitely! But you need to put effort into getting to know your neighbours, residents and participating in interest groups and events. Having your own space can also give you a sense of ownership and independence. Staying on campus also shortens your travelling time and gives you many opportunities to meet new people! But of course, meeting people on-campus doesn’t just mean meeting other hostel residents — simply spending more time on campus gives you more chances to interact with other students as well.” 

Meeting people in NUS 

For most people, university is the place where one begins to meet a diverse array of people. And such was the case for Shirmin, too! One of the things that she is grateful for during her time in NUS was getting to meet so many people, regardless of the place they met and the duration of the interaction. “They probably don’t know but many of these interactions helped define my journey in NUS and made it memorable,” she shared.  

What she would have done differently 

With travel restrictions in place during the Covid-19 pandemic, there was no saying when overseas programmes would return, which is why Shirmin used up quite a bit of her units left for unrestricted electives on Design-Your-Own-Course (DYOC) and edX. However, she still had sufficient units for an agriculture course that took place in Hokkaido during that summer. In retrospect, Shirmin felt that she should have spent more units on overseas courses instead. She also occasionally thinks about her missed opportunity to go on a semester exchange programme (SEP) to Sweden. However, she managed to make the most out of her stay in Singapore, making her ultimately content with her decision. 

Plans after graduation 

For Shirmin, life after graduation is full of possibilities! She intends to gradually look for available jobs on the job market while she weighs out her options and decides whether she wants to further her studies.  

Shirmin (last row, second from left) with her PGPH Frisbee friends. 

A word of advice from Shirmin to incoming and current students: Don’t be afraid to try out new things! Be it a new CCA, an opportunity or an event, you might have an enjoyable time & make memorable memories & even meet like-minded friends! If anything, it serves as an experience! There is no harm trying!

Joel Lim 

For all of his four years in NUS, Joel Lim (Pharmaceutical Science and Film Studies) resided in Eusoff Hall. As a veteran resident of Eusoff Hall, Joel looks back on his four years in Eusoff Hall and reflected, “I think my batch, being the “COVID batch”, would agree that our freshmen experience was a, to say the least, different experience. Back then, being fresh out of the army, the biggest worry on my mind would not just be about making friends, but making the best of the little opportunities I had due to the pandemic. Hall back then to me was the easiest solution, giving a platform for me to easily build relationships and serve as a place where I could try out new things and of course, have fun.” Apart from his growth as a person, Joel is also grateful for the friends that stuck with him through thick and thin. He added, “My parents used to say that university friends are the ones that you will remember and are the ones you call when you really need someone to back you up. I think that is definitely true. So much can happen in the span of four condensed years, and even more so in Hall where we see each other basically 24/7. Friends have come and gone, and whether for the moment or for life, I’m undoubtedly thankful for each and everyone of them that have impacted my life.” Joel’s ability to articulate his gratitude in such heartfelt words is reflective of his growth as a person.  

Core memories made in Eusoff Hall 

To Joel, four years is “a bit of a blur of many moments”. Of these many moments, he cites his little conversations with his friends that took place in the wee hours by the benches as one of his favourite memories. Apart from these heart-to-heart moments, he also fondly recalls walking barefoot into the dining hall, the innumerable Halloween pranks and even attempting a hall-wide trickshot with a frisbee. Joel definitely had a fun four years at Eusoff Hall! 

Studying and new hobbies 

When asked what he wished he did in his four years in NUS, but didn’t, Joel felt that he should have studied a tad bit harder to graduate with an honours of a higher class. “ Although, “pushing yourself” is one thing, I think this probably alludes to me needing to plan, prioritise, manage commitments and make my life better,” he reflected. 

Other than studying harder, Joel wonders what it would have been like if he explored even more activities than he did. “I definitely did my fair share of everything in Hall, dancing for the first time in my life, playing in a band, but perhaps now having graduated, it’s just a thought that is at the back of my head like what other things could I have done! I’ve heard stories of my other friends having tried out all the sports in Hall, exploring fun and new hobbies like climbing and bouldering, and even wonderful people who conquered literal mountains.” Well, Joel, you can still try out many more hobbies after graduation! 

Advice for incoming and current students 

As someone who has seen his own growth throughout these four years in NUS, Joel says, “The biggest advice I heard from a graduating senior when I was in Year One was, “you do you”. Back then of course I didn’t really put much thought into it but now in hindsight I think that’s something that really helped me through these four years. One way or another, these four years aren’t going to be completely smooth sailing. Don’t try adopting strategies, mindsights, or plans you see your ‘successful’ friends doing. I think finding your own pace, and way of living is extra important, and if university is a place of learning, take all that time to learn about yourself, what motivates you, what helps you work etc.” Indeed, everyone’s lives are different and learning to make decisions based on our own circumstances is a skill! 

Plans after graduation 

Joel is currently applying to do a Post-graduate Diploma in Education, and hopes to teach under the Ministry of Education (MOE) afterwards! He is also enjoying the “free” time before work starts!  

Joel (front row, second from right) celebrating his birthday with his Eusoff Hall mates. “Enjoy the last few years of freedom! After University there is basically only mundane work out there for you, so treasure the little time you have left! It will fly by super quick!” 

As with most students from the class of 2024, Covid-19 definitely impacted their university life in the first few years and shaped their academic and personal growths in different ways. However, they managed to make the most out of their four years in NUS and we are so proud of them! As Jessica, Shirmin and Joel, along with the rest of NUS’ class of 2024 bid goodbye to their university lives, we wish them all the best as they start their new chapters in their lives! 

While time flies when one is having fun, summer vacation is three months long and lots of things can be done in that period! Regardless of whether you are trying to spend a productive or a restful summer, why not try volunteering this break? With the myriad of volunteer opportunities offered to youths in Singapore, there is something for everyone. Get started by checking out this list of volunteer opportunities!  

NUS Toddycats! 

Interested in helping to enhance the well-being of Singapore’s natural environment? As volunteers with the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and the Department of Biological Sciences at NUS, Toddycats! offers volunteer programmes targeted at conservation. From tree planting to beach cleanups, NUS Toddycats! provides various programmes for interested youth to join.  

Source: NUS Toddycats!

University-YMCA (Uni-Y) 

Even if you have not volunteered before, you would most likely have heard of YMCA! The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Singapore is a volunteer-based Christian organisation that seeks to improve the lives of the less-privileged. Among the vast profiles they work with, YMCA also provides financial assistance to needy families and training opportunities for individuals with specials needs. YMCA also has a women’s wing, which focuses on programmes related to women and children. Known as the Young Women’s Christian Organisation (YWCA), the organisation has volunteer opportunities such as meal deliveries and befriending the elderly. However, if you are looking for volunteer opportunities for university students, you can consider Uni-Y by YMCA! Uni-Y is the university service club of YMCA and it has student chapters in multiple universities in Singapore, including NUS. Volunteers at Uni-Y can look forward to personal development as well, with workshops, volunteer training sessions and even internships offered! 

Readability is a programme co-organised by Uni-Y NUS and YMCA, aimed at supporting and developing the early literacy skills of underprivileged children from transnational families or disadvantaged backgrounds. Readability empowers student volunteers from NUS, NTU and SUTD to nurture a greater love for reading among young children and build up the next generation through regular interactions with the beneficiaries. 

Source: NUSync 

National Library Board (NLB) 

Many university students frequent libraries mainly to study, but why not volunteer at a library too? Contrary to popular belief, volunteering at NLB isn’t limited to reading and books. NLB offers a relatively wide range of volunteering opportunities, including exhibitions and gallery support, programme facilitation and curation and more.  

Source: National Library Board

Youth Corps Singapore 

As the name suggests, Youth Corps Singapore caters volunteer programmes to youths. By engaging youths in collaborations with the social service sector, such as Lion Befrienders and Fei Yue Community Services, youths can experience volunteering. Fret not about having insufficient time to commit to the programmes, as Youth Corps Singapore offers both short-term and long-term opportunities. If you are looking to broaden your horizons and volunteer overseas, Youth Corps Singapore has such programmes too! 

Source: Youth Corps Singapore 

TOUCH Community Services 

At TOUCH Community Services, you can choose from a range of programmes to volunteer with, since their programmes include children, youth, families, seniors, and persons with special and healthcare needs. If you happen to know sign language, consider signing up for TOUCH Silent Club (TSC)! TSC is a service club under TOUCH Community Services which guides the Deaf Community in their education, vocation, recreation, and social development. 

Source: TOUCH Community Services 

NUS Students’ Community Service Club (CSC) 

NUS CSC is one of the four non-faculty Constituent Clubs under the NUS Students’ Union (NUSSU). NUS CSC currently has over 4,000 students as regular volunteers and is looking to promote volunteerism among the student population. The community service club has three arms, namely the regular volunteering programmes, special projects and exploratory programmes. Under each of these three arms, there are multiple programmes you can choose to join!  

Source: NUS Students’ Community Service Club  

While this concludes the end of our list, it is definitely not an exhaustive list. Apart from NUSync, you can also look for volunteer opportunities on websites such as volunteer.gov.sg and more. Make your summer count by volunteering! 

Missed out on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour tickets in March? Residents at Prince George’s Park (PGP) got to enjoy a night of fusion cultural performances that were just as exciting – if we may say so ourselves! Hosted by Pioneer House, performers from various interest groups of the three respective houses (Pioneer House, LightHouse and Helix House) came together on a Tuesday night to jam and dance the night away. Let’s hear from three performers about the preparation of the PGP Cultural Showcase and what the interest group experience at the houses is like!

Pioneer House 

For Rachel Ou (Year 4, Life Sciences), the Cultural Showcase was a huge learning experience. “I’m really happy with the performance we put up! It was also nice to see the process of our item coming together over the few months of preparing for the showcase! After all, it is a learning journey and a new experience for most of us,” she shared. As the dance captain of Pioneer House Dance, Rachel was also one of the choreographers and performers at the Cultural Showcase.  

Preparation for the Cultural Showcase did not come easy as Rachel had to come up with a storyline for her choreography. Despite the challenges, she found the preparation process amusing. “I think it was quite a funny process for me and my fellow choreographer. I really wanted to choreograph “Don’t Blame Me” by Taylor Swift, so we started from there. We then sat down to choose another song, and we ended up with “Ex-calling” by 6LACK because we liked the song,” she laughed. Combining both songs, they wrote a storyline of the dancers being desperate exes. The desperation was strikingly conveyed through their dance performance! 

Other than a storyline and choreography, Rachel also had to decide on the outfit theme with her team. “We were searching for flowy oversized shirts and ultimately decided on maroon and brown because we thought these colours could match each other and they seemed to tie in with our storyline as well. My fellow choreographer decided to name our item “red flags” from there,” she shared.  

Rachel (bottom row, first from left) performing “Ex Calling” by 6LACK and “Don’t Blame Me” by Taylor Swift with fellow Pioneer Dance performers. 

Pioneer Dance holds dance sessions once weekly, where short choreographies are taught. Instead of having open classes every week as usual, the interest group spent most of their sessions this semester preparing for the Cultural Showcase. Last semester, Pioneer Dance also spent much of their time preparing for their Halloween performance. The amount of effort, time and dedication poured by every performer into their performances is admirable! As part of Pioneer Dance, Rachel reflected, “I think the fun parts are getting to bond with the other members during our sessions and the show day itself!” 

LightHouse 

For Teh Chern (Year 1, Mathematics), the Cultural Showcase was a successful event. “The audio, the lighting, the decorations, everyone put in the effort to make it a success. We had so much fun performing on stage too,” he fondly recalled. In LightHouse, residents can join the band-jamming interest group Soundhouse to meet liked-minded peers and form their own bands within the interest group, and that was exactly what Chern did. Together with his band “Fortnite Skin Collection”, they played the last songs of the showcase, “Give Me Novacaine” and “She’s a Rebel” by Green Day.

When asked about the preparation for the event, Chern shared “We had more performers as ours was a collective performance where we switched performers for different songs. It wasn’t easy for everyone to get together to practise, but we managed to pull everything off during the actual showcase.” Soundhouse’s performance at the Cultural Showcase consisted of nine performers in total. 

Held two days before the actual event, the rehearsal had to coordinate nine bands and dance teams. With audio adjustments and sound checking coming into the picture, the rehearsal took almost half a day to complete. Despite the long hours, Chern noticed the tough job the event team had to take up. “Props to the event team who had to move and prepare all the heavy equipment during the rehearsal and the actual day itself,” Chern acknowledged. The famous Chinese proverb that says “Ten years of practice for one minute on stage” has never been truer! 

At Soundhouse, the band usually meets up once a week for around two hours to jam to songs that they are in the mood to play for the session. 

Chern (second row, second from left) with fellow Soundhouse performers Namit, Zhanhong, Kishan, Erwin, Roma, Alyssa, Letizia and Nicholas (in clockwise order).  

Helix House 

For Rachel Tan (Year 3, Electrical Engineering), the Cultural Showcase was an exceptional experience. “The experiences and bonds formed were priceless. The performance turned out great as well, with the audience hyping us up. It felt like our efforts paid off due to the great turnout rate and crowd response. It was also the first time performing for some of the Helix dancers, and they enjoyed this performance opportunity,” she shared.  

As Helix Dance Society’s Interest Group Leader, Rachel also choreographed part of the dance item and coordinated the dance practices and performance for the showcase. At the Cultural Showcase, the respective dance interest groups of Helix House and LightHouse came together to deliver a joint performance. 

Just like every other performer, Helix Dance Society practised for hours throughout the semester, even late into the night at times.  

Helix Dance Society mainly holds two sessions a week. On Tuesdays, they hold joint practice sessions with Lighthouse’s dance interest group. During these open class joint sessions, the regular members will teach various choreographies to the attendees. Apart from regular members, dance professionals occasionally teach choreographies during the open classes. With such variety of practice sessions, members can then explore more genres and eventually find their preferred dance styles.   

Rachel (front row, third from left) with her fellow Helix Dance Society Performers. 

What a night for the PGP residents! We hope that through this article, you managed to gain some insight into what the interest groups at the houses are like! Like the CCAs offered in Halls, the interest groups at PGP are just as active and diverse. With interest groups ranging from sports to crafts and ground-up initiatives, residents are spoilt for choice! Apart from the existing interest groups, residents can also start their own. In fact, all three houses have seen new interest groups formed just over the last year!  

Choosing a major in university may be one of the most significant decisions a student can make as they navigate their way through their academic journey. Shortlisting a handful of majors and ultimately deciding on one or two may seem like a big step in shaping your future career. Behind every faculty, major, and degree, there are bound to be unique trials and triumphs to be faced. Let’s hear from some of our fresh undergraduate students, who are also residents of the various hostels in NUS! 

Architecture (College of Design and Engineering) 

For new Architecture student Xing Huiying (Year 1), striking a work-life balance has proven to be difficult for her. From design projects to technical drawings and model-making, the Architecture programme is highly intensive. “Managing this amount of workload can be quite challenging for me, especially when balancing it with other commitments. I’m always struggling to manage my time effectively to meet deadlines and juggle multiple projects simultaneously,” she confessed. Considering the amount of work students from the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) must grapple with, it is no wonder that the stereotype of CDE students not getting sleep exists. 

While there may be inevitable struggles Huiying has to go through, there are also as many moments of joy as an Architecture student. “One such moment is when I see my hard work come to life. For architecture, we always have a final presentation for our projects. After countless hours of hard work, we present our design to our peers, tutors and professors. I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment after the presentation as all my hard work and dedication are finally paid off,” Huiying shared. All the blood, sweat and tears poured into Huiying’s numerous projects eventually culminated in joyful feelings! 

As a Helix House resident, Huiying has met a few fellow Architecture students to study in the lounge with, which in turn motivates her to study. The power of study buddies! Apart from having neighbours as her study buddies, staying on campus has made Huiying’s commute more convenient. “It helps to save a lot of time as I don’t have to travel all the way back to my house, which takes about an hour, so I’m able to spend more time on my project,” she shared. When necessary, Huiying also stays over the weekend to work on her projects.  

Huiying (second row, second from right) at her final project review  

A word of advice from Huiying to fellow Architecture students, and students considering majoring in Architecture: 

Pursue Architecture only if you have a genuine passion for it as it is a demanding and competitive field that requires dedication, perseverance, passion for design, as well as a strong mentality to deal with pressure. I do have friends and studio mates who are not interested in Architecture, but they chose it because they had “no choice”. Ultimately, they end up struggling a lot and plenty of them are considering changing majors. 

Political Science and Second Major in Philosophy (College of Humanities and Sciences/Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) 

From struggling to keep up with weekly readings to entangling in disagreements, to receiving unexpected grades, Alisya Binte Mohamed (Year 1) has had her fair share of hurdles to cross. She elaborated, “It can seem like an exaggerated stereotype that students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) have to read 10,000 readings before the next week, but it can be true to some extent. Being a Political Science and Philosophy major means that I am bound to meet people from all walks of life, people with different ethos, values and ideologies. This can oftentimes mean major disagreements. I thought the Humanities were subjective, but sometimes I get a shock when I get a grade I least expected.” 

While having too many disagreements can pose a struggle to Alisya at times, she enjoys engaging in such discussions where various enlightening views are brought up. In order to propel the discussion further, Alisya jokingly mentioned that she enjoys playing devil’s advocate. On top of such discussions, Alisya enjoys seeing her learning bear fruit. “I’m happy when I get to apply a political or philosophical theory to real-life contexts. I know people can get tired of Political Science majors talking about politics, but when you realise that almost everything in life can be seen through a political lens, it’s so enlightening. This also means that I finally understand a concept,” she reflected.  

As a resident of Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), Alisya finds her hostel to be in a prime location. “Everything is a stone’s throw away, including my examination venues.” Despite being the only Political Science major in her friend group in RVRC, Alisya has no trouble studying with them. “Everyone is so willing to be my support system even when I have to write back-to-back 3000-word essays while they have to do their 3000-word report. It is also really convenient to chat about exam matters before an examination in my room,” she shared. 

Alisya (bottom row, first from left) with her RVRC friend group, celebrating one of their birthdays in RVRC. 

A word of advice from Alisya to fellow FASS majors: 

No opinion is wrong (unless you haven’t read the required readings before class), so speak up! That’s how you get to learn.  

Data Science and Analytics (College of Humanities and Sciences/Faculty of Science) 

As a fresh Data Science and Analytics major, Chaemin Lee (Year 1) has never learned coding before. This intensified her academic difficulty in the beginning. “Taking both R and Python courses in semester one was quite a task for me,” she shared. Indeed, coding is never easy, especially for a beginner! 

While Chaemin had to overcome her struggle with coding, which makes up a huge bulk of her major, she fondly remembers a success story, “I once came up with a solution for a CS1010S assignment after spending 8 hours on it.” What a feat – considering the amount of pain, perseverance and patience Chaemin must have had in order to successfully complete her assignment, despite the difficulties she faced throughout those 8 hours!.   

To Chaemin, staying on campus makes going to classes extremely convenient for her. “Lecture theatres and tutorial rooms are very close so I can spend more time studying,” she noted. Chaemin is a resident of UTown Residence, which is located in the heart of UTown. 

Medicine (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine) 

Widely known as a highly demanding course, Adele Lim’s (Year 2) experience is testament to this sentiment. Apart from the academic stress that comes with being a medical student, having to balance life outside of school can be difficult for Adele at times. “Given the pretty high workload of my course and the huge amount of content to cover, there is quite a bit of academic stress especially nearing the examination period. With the relatively heavy schedule of lectures daily, there is also the challenge of being able to balance my time between school and other aspects of my life, such as playing sports or hanging out with my friends,” she shared. 

Despite the inevitable academic demands, Adele finds joy in putting her learning to use. “There are allocated sessions where we are attached to hospitals to practice our physical examination skills. To be able to successfully complete an examination on patients, who are extremely patient with us, and interact with them brings me small moments of joy. I also think that being able to witness how our learning from lectures translates to real-life conditions patients face puts things into perspective and reinforces the relevance of what we’re learning now.”  

Although it is well known that staying in Hall requires one to be actively involved in its activities, and that most medical students choose not to stay in Hall, Adele has stayed at King Edward VII (KEVII) Hall as a Year 1 student. As KEVII Hall is located near the Medicine+Science Library and the Medicine buildings, Adele has managed to get essential extra sleep since it only takes around 10 minutes to travel to class. She has also managed to study in the library with her friends till late since their hostel is within walking distance. Adele highlighted, “More importantly, staying on campus with friends also has its perks. We can hang out in the wee hours and take study breaks together. Having a good support system has been essential in making sure that I don’t get burnt out during the school term. The occasional welfare provided by Hall was also nice. It acted as a morale booster to me.” 

Adele (bottom row, first from left) making a meal with her friends at KEVII Hall. 

A word of advice from Adele to fellow medical students: 

There will be some compromises that will have to be made along the way, but it is a process of learning how to prioritise different things at different points in time. I think it’s always important to have balance! To have a life beyond school with interests that keeps you going and connections that bring joy. School might be tough, but we are tougher!