In the light of RA recruitment currently taking place, we’re bringing back the *drumrolls…* RA Spotlight series! Get to know your RAs on a more personal level in this series of interviews and learn about (and from) their experiences. This week, we have the talented Yosika Yogiaman from Prince George’s Park Residences (PGPR) sharing about her internships, cooking, martial arts, dancing and sources of motivation! 🙂
Can you spot Yosika? Yup, she’s right in front!
Let’s start by talking about your internship. Can you tell us about your internship experiences?
Yes, I am now interning in FrieslandCampina. It’s a Dutch-owned company, an international company in the dairy industry. If you don’t know the company’s name, in Singapore you should know their product, Dutch Lady, which is very famous. Before this, I was in Nestle as a quality assurance intern, which was my second internship. My very first internship was before year 1 started; I was an assistant engineer in a semiconductor company. Yup, so that’s my rather long history of internships!
So what are your internship responsibilities now in Friesland Campina?
I’m in the processing technology team. Technology now allows us to use computer simulations to predict the outcome of the diary processes. In doing so, we prevent any mistakes that may occur during the processes. Mistakes cost the company lots of money and time. Thankfully, we now have computer simulations to help us avoid that.
I understand that you enjoy cooking! Where do you get your recipes or inspirations?
Mostly YouTube and Facebook. There are so many cooking videos on Facebook now, that are only one or one and a half minute long, so I just follow those videos. I realised that actually using just 3 to 4 ingredients is already sufficient to prepare a nice meal. So my motto for cooking is to just make it simple, easy and quick!
Some people feel that cooking on campus is too much of a hassle. What do you like about cooking that makes the trouble worth it?
I think… it’s a hobby, it’s an art. And the satisfaction that you managed to create something. I mean I can just buy the food, and sometimes the cost of the ingredients that I bought is even higher than buying the food outside. But it’s worth it because of the experience, and the number of “likes” on my Instagram and I can show off to my friends like, “hey dude, I’m cooking” *laughs*
And then everyone will be like “give me some!”
Exactly… Really it’s just to make people jealous. *laughs* But I honestly do think that it’s a good practice. Next time when I go for exchange, summer programmes, or even if I’m lucky enough to have job opportunities overseas, I know I can survive. For example, my colleagues have shared with me that in Europe, most people do their own cooking, which is very different from what we are used to in Singapore.
Yosika’s cooking. Photo courtesy of Yosika Yogiaman
Can you tell us about your hidden or not-so-hidden talents or hobbies?
I was in the school Taekwondo team in JC. I’m not a black belt yet, but during my JC days I won 9 medals; 3 bronze, 3 silver, and 3 gold. When I joined NUS, I was in the varsity team as well, and I brought home 1 bronze medal for teamNUS. But then I got injured and had to stop… So I switched my focus and turned to dancing! That’s how I ended up in NUANSA, which is an annual arts and cultural event by a group of Indonesian students in NUS. I started off as a dancer and I ended up becoming the dance director in 2015.
So how different are your experiences as a dancer and then the dance director?
Of course they are very different! As a dancer you just need to focus about your movements and how you fit into a team. But when you become a dance director, you’re responsible for a lot of things, like ensuring cohesion between dance, music, and storyline. There are also a lot of meetings that you have to attend. People skills are also of utmost importance, like how I need to ensure that everyone reaches a consensus despite having many differing opinions.
Yosika as NUANSA’s dance director. Photo courtesy of Yosika Yogiaman
What motivates you to keep going, despite tough times? I understand that last semester in particular was really difficult for you.
What kept me going was my friends, including my current boyfriend – he was my best friend as well. Last semester was so tough and so rigorous. I had lectures and labs in the morning and in the afternoon. At night, I had RA events and RA duties. On top of that, I still have dance practices and meetings, which sometime dragged until 2-3 AM. The crunch time was when once, I couldn’t sleep well for 3 days at a stretch, because of my ultra-packed schedule. I think that’s why I fell really sick. When your mind is tired and stressed, it will manifest in your physical well-being as well. I have been so lucky to have had a strong, close-knitted group of friends who were there for me throughout, in every way – whether it’s bringing me food when I was sick, or simply sending me a text to check in. I appreciate all of it.
Despite all these demanding challenges, you’ve still chosen to remain an RA. There must be a reason. What do you think is the best thing about being an RA?
I think the most rewarding experience is having known a great team of people.. I am currently an RA in PGP Residence 1, and I really like my RADs and my team. Certainly we have a lot of difficulties to overcome, and the occasional complaints from our residents are inevitable too. But as a team, the job becomes fun and definitely more meaningful. We never play the “tai-chi” game when it comes to responsibilities – everyone plays an equal part. So simply put… I’m never alone. Even though it’s tough, I’m not alone. That’s the most meaningful thing to me about being an RA.
Do you have any words of advice for those considering to apply as RAs?
My advice is just go for it. Just go for it, because there is so, so much to learn. Maybe you think that you can change something here. Or perhaps you want to know what it’s like to become part of a team bigger than yourself. Or you just simply want to learn about organizing events for your community. If these resonate with you, join us, because this is the place that will groom you to become a true leader.
RA applications are open until 12 February 2016! Check out our features about our RAs at: https://blog.nus.edu.sg/reslife/category/features-interviews/ra/
