Are Singapore's Roads Still Safe?

You would think that in a law abiding and safe country like Singapore, people would make an effort to follow simple safety procedures. However, on the 28th of october, a woman was spotted trying to eat, drink and text all at the same time. She, of course, wasn’t succeeding, proceeded to clumsily drop her phone in the process. In this day and age, with our various devices to distract us, the number of road accidents seems to get higher and higher. Shockingly, the multitasking lady didn’t seem to notice that her actions could have led to her death.

Even with the knowledge that this is dangerous, people still seem to multitask while driving. Singapore is supposed to be a ‘safe’ and secure place, so how is it going to maintain this stature if it’s citizens appear to not care about their lives and their country?

This was not the only witnessed offender on the streets; A man was seen driving at high-speed while trying to drink soda and another sighted trying to read what appeared to be an email on a smart device. With the high toll of road accidents these days, people should start looking away from their screens and to the real world, as the wrong turn of a wheel can change everything.

Spirit Days at UWCSEA

On the 28th of October 2015, at UWCSEA east campus, all middle school students got the chance to dress up for twin day. Twin day was one of the three dress up days decided by the middle school community. The two other dress up days included Pyjama Day and Halloween Day. Spirit days at UWC represent the community and brings everyone together. Everybody asks each other about their costumes and there is a big buzz around the middle school. When the day finally came when middle school students could dress up, students and teachers would comment on unique costumes and talk about all the small things. On student said “I love seeing everyone dressing up, everybody put so much effort into everything!” Another said “”It’s so exciting to dress up! It makes school much more fun.” Students at UWCSEA love spirit days because it brings everyone together.

Spirit days don't just bring students together. Spirit days bring classes and whole grades together. One of the grades in middle school that really glued together were the Grade 8’s. There was lots of pressure on the Grade 8’s as of the dragon’s cup. Dragon’s cup is an new exciting and exhilarating competition between the Grade 8 Mentor groups. On the 28th of October, each mentor groups were going all out on costumes to win the most dragon points. Dragon points are awarded to the mentor groups that has the most people dress up and also with the most spirit, skill and determination throughout the day. Whichever mentor with the most points at the end of the year wins a trophy and a pizza party. By adding dragon cup points, most Grade 8 UWCSEA students wanted their class to win so everyone tried to some up with the best costumes. This shows grade school spirit but does this mean that students are just putting on a show for the points? Or for actual team spirit. Does this mean that spirit days are going to better with dragon points on the line. Will spirit days never be the same again?

Spirit days might never be the same again and neither might someone’s purity. Do parents have a say in spirit days? Do they have a say on whether or not you're going to do your homework? Most mothers would say something along the lines of “Why are you sending so much time on that costume! Why not do your homework! Don’t you want to get a good grade?” Others would say something like “Get your priorities right! You don’t need to know how to be a fashion designer, you just need to know how to do math so you can get a good job!” Spirit days are supposed to be fun but then why would someone be getting told off for spending lots of time on a costume? Just to get the dragon points. To solve this problem, someone would have to stop the dragon cup. But would that be the right decision?

Student Cycles Off A Cliff During Camp

On Saturday the 31st of November 2015 at around 1 pm, Shawronna Sengupta, a student from UWCSEA was involved in a serious cycling accident while on her Grade 8 Chiang Mai camping trip. The class 8ReM , Shawronna’s class, were considered lucky to be the first class to go on the Grade 8 Chiang Mai camp of the academic year but for the testing of the equipment for reports to their friends back in school in Singapore.

During their curriculum week cycling activity, the brakes on one of the bicycles were malfunctioning, causing a disability to slow down to turn. This resulted in Shawronna Sengupta cycling off the edge of a small cliff, much to the shock of her friends behind her. Luckily, the slope wasn’t very steep and Shawronna did not fall into the water at the bottom, however, the bicycle rolled over her, compressing five of the vertebrae on her spine. The ambulance was called and unlucky Shawronna was declared unable to continue with the camp. She was flown back to Singapore after being in the Chiang Mai hospital for a few days. Her classmates were told later on that she wouldn’t be in school until a week after their camp finished and they had arrived back in Singapore. She would also be wearing a back brace for 3-6 months, rendering her unable to do sports, however, it was announced that there would be no permanent damage to her spine.

“It wasn’t only scary for her,” says one of Shawronna’s friends, “it was a traumatic experience for everyone else in the class as well, especially the people who were cycling behind her. This rang true as the people behind her witnessed her cycling off the cliff at top speed. Shawronna fell off, screamed once, shouted that she was not dead, then started talking about how much her back hurt, not knowing how much damage was caused at that point. Everyone spent the rest of the day shaken and careful. Shawronna had sustained multiple other serious injuries over the course of her 13 years. Her bad luck just kept continuing.

Teenage Insecurity

Oh the things we do to fit in. We go so far but really? How far are we going?

It’s a Wednesday afternoon and a girl is crying in the bathroom alone because she doesn’t feel good enough. She put in so much effort into studying at home but she get’s a 4 in her test. She decides to lie to her parents because she doesn’t want to let them down. She lied to the people closest to her. But why?

Feeling like you're not good enough is very common. A middle school student quotes, “Because we have access to the internet, we have created this perfect body image that nobody can achieve”. This evidence signifies that if a girl doesn’t feel like she meets the standard of the perfect girl, then she is useless and isn’t perfect but then again, nobody is perfect. Middle school girls can feel many different ways. Like they’re not smart enough, popular enough, fun enough, good enough for anyone and anything. They can feel like this at home, at school, with their friends and when they’re alone.

More and more teens are feeling insecure everyday and one of the main factors of this is social media. Most girls have social media. According to Jon Negroni, he says that “Bragging can cause low self-esteem. As a result of this, it’s not just bragging anymore, it’s become a social competition.” Teens go on social media and see what other people are doing and how much fun they’re having. This causes them to feel left out and them wanting what that person has. But why would we want what others have when we could have just as much as them.

Why can’t we accept what we have and what we don’t have. Why do we have the want for everything else? Why can't we accept what we have and who we are and not try to change because everybody is perfect and nobody should have the want to change to get someone’s approval.

Social media does have its’ pros and cons for example seeing what your family is doing and keeping in touch with friends but then again, social media can lead to insecurity and in major cases depression. Social media can be perceived in many different ways, many good and many bad. That’s all up to the person who is affected by social media in the first place.

Another factor that plays a big role with insecurity and teens is not talking to their parents/ guardians. 7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or measure up to their parents expectations. What is revealed here is that girls need to talk to their parents about their expectations and what they can and cannot achieve. Being scared about your parents is not the way to go. The top wishes among teenage girls is to communicate with their parents better.

This indicates that if teens just talked to their parents, they wouldn’t have to be insecure about most the things they are with. They wouldn’t need to be scared of not looking good enough for their friends, for getting the best grade on a test and fitting in. Because if girls just talked to their parents, they could receive some great advice which would help them in the future, for anything. Talking to your parents could be the easiest remedy for teen insecurity.

If you are feeling insecure for whatever reason, try talking to the people closest to you. For example your parents/ guardian, teachers or friends. They will understand what you're going through and will want to help you as much as they can. Another thing to try is disconnecting from social media for a while. Enjoy your life as it is and not what other people are doing in tiny minescule pictures on your screen. If you want to wear something or do your hair in a different way, just do it. Nobody should care what people think because if you like it, then that's what matters. What matters is that you're happy and that you are living life to the extreme.

We need strong empowered woman in this world and if girls are feeling insecure about how they look, the world is going to crumble. Yes boys do work and put in the effort and woman can do the exact same thing as them and in some cases, even better. If girls are insecure, the school will struggle. No one will have a strong opinion about how girls are treated and act making the boys push the girls around. Girls should be able to stand up for themselves but if everyone is insecure and afraid, then how are girls going to stand up for themselves in the real world past school?

What if most of the girls in the world were insecure, what would the world look like? Girls would have no rights or any privileges.  If you know you are insecure or know somebody who does feel insecure, talk to them and all of their problems could be solved. You just need to talk.

Unrealistic Beauty Standards In The Media

Unrealistic beauty standards have resulted in a number of young girls and women to develop eating disorders, mental and physical health problems.

With almost all magazines and media photoshopping their models to have thigh gaps and fixing all their ‘flaws’ These outrageous beauty standards in the media affect almost all children, especially young girls and teens. Showing them that this is what society expects them to look like and if they have ‘flaws’ or don’t fit into a certain weight category it will effect them in a negative way. With a lot of dangerous diets and ‘cleanses claiming that this will make you look 100 times better, ’ there is a result in a number of young girls and women developing some mental and physical health problems. Within the last couple of years society has supported the idea that the ‘thigh gap’ since then there have been a number of dangerous diets to try to achieve the thigh gap.

“I wish that I had a thigh gap” “Have you seen this model's flat stomach? I wish I had a flat stomach” “I hate my body” A young girl, who will remain nameless (age 9) Her mother responded “I think that it's heart breaking that young girls and women hate their own bodies because the media has brainwashed them into thinking that they need to look a certain way”

The UWCSEA Community Stands Up Against Cancer.

A highly anticipated event brings the UWCSEA community together as students and teachers alike shave their head for cancer with help of The Cancer Awareness GC during their lunch time to take time and cherish those who lost to hair loss cancer on March 20th. UWCSEA is definitely making a change in this world as many others need to do too.

High school, middle school and primary school students of UWCSEA gathered together in the plaza to support the 48 participants who were shaving their head for cancer awareness and more importantly to share why they we taking part in this event. Student Ali Shah from 7PGu said that he was doing this for years and now he is attached to it. Weeks before, participants we required to go around collecting donations bring the UWC community together for the greater good.

A passionate crowd stood for the duration of all 3 lunch times supporting the contributors showing their admiration for their bravery. The students came onto the stage in the tent plaza and shared a message as to why they were participating. One of the youngest students, a grade 3 child Morgan Radford-Gray participated said he was shaving his head for his friend who was currently battling cancer. After they finished, they left the stage with a smile earning a roaring applause from the audience.

This event raised over SG$ 65,000 and went towards Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) in Mumbai, India. Over the 3 years that this event has been added to the UWC community it has raised over SG$ 125,000. In addition, 19 girls shaved their long hair for the Singapore based Recycle Your Hair which makes wigs for cancer patients in Singapore.

Students are not being forced to do this in any shape or form, they are wholeheartedly, doing this out of their own will. Students find the motivation to do this for people close to them they have lost due to cancer.

Schools like UWCSEA are taking action for this deadly disease and it is bringing people closer together. Highly awaited events like these are making a difference and raising awareness about fundraisers like these in the world we live in. The world needs more events like this to make our world a better place.

Schools Not Only Focusing On Academics

Schools in the modern age are not only focusing on academics but building children up, teaching them how to cope with living by themselves in the real world. Students of 7th grade classes in UWCSA go to Sibu, Malaysia as their outbound or a week.

These students leaving Singapore and go to Sibu for a kayaking expedition. Teaching them how to live and adapt to any kind of environment, teaching them skills like putting up tents and making their own food out in the forest and kayaking through the most bloodcurdling waters. “This expedition taught me so much about adapting to living anywhere and learning how to survive with only the resources that are available to you. said Megha Jain a student that went on this trip last year, “This trip didn’t only teach me skills but a lot of things about myself, showing me my full potential.” Megha Jain added to her comment from earlier. This is a huge aspect of learning, especially here in UWCSEA.

This isn’t the only thing that Sibu taught these kids, in fact in later years students are taken to Chiang Mai, Thailand for 10 days. Where students learn both about the culture and adventure part of Chiang Mai as their trip is divided into two parts. These trips have a tendency of being the most awaited parts of the year. “I am so excited to go to Chiang Mai, this is supposed to be one of the most fun trips.” said Mallika Shankar while crazily moving her long limbs around a student who is soon to go to Chiang Mai. ‘

All of these expeditions also have another reason to them, bonding and forming strong communities within your mentor classes.UWCSEA’s other song belief is forming close, strong bonds that you can keep forever with the people around you. They believe in forming a strong community by going on these trips. “I have noticed that these trips form bonds that can never be bored otherwise.” said a student that is about to graduate. Most students in UWCSEA are thrilled to go on these trips as they get to go with their friends. By mixing our classes each year, UWC believes in being open-minded and adapting to different kinds of people.

As you can see these expeditions play a vital role on a students year, They teach student not only a few basic skills nut build stronger bonds and communities within the school. Isn’t this amazing watching schools adapt to the modern age of learning.

Haze Affects PE Lessons At UWCSEA

As the haze continued to swoop in, the UWCSEA PE department made a plan. They decided to change the PE unit so students got more of an opportunity to learn without haze trouble. All PE units that took place outside were changed to an indoor sport, some being basketball and ping pong. The plan took place on October 28th. The idea behind this is so the students don’t only have a couple on and off days but get a whole extra unit to learn more things. The PE unit that was cancelled and changed was swimming. “It’s so you guys get a stable PE unit and not different topics every lesson” Said Taylor Smith, head of swimming in UWCSEA and PE teacher.

Adding on to that, the haze continued to ruin other sports such as after school rugby, football and more. “We haven’t been able to play properly and our finals in 2 weeks!” One touch rugby player said, wanting to kick the wall in anger. She also added that “I haven’t been able to go outside like go to the park or play games” The students continue to wait, hoping that the haze will vanish. The alternative is to play indoor sports that were meant to be outside such as football, this is proving to be difficult as all sports are forced to moved inside. We all continue to wait for this ghastly haze to pass.

Huge Crowds At Race Course Road

It is safe to say that BAS hold the biggest Durga Puja event, but that causes huge crowd problems...On the night of 23rd of October was Durga Puja, an annual celebration performed by the Bengalis “to show respect to goddess Durga” said Vivekya Bose a spokesman from BAS (Bengali Association Singapore, they were the organisers of this festival event). However at 9:15pm local time, Singaporeans noticed crowds of Bengali lined outside the event. “People were pushed and shoved as crowds of devotees tried entering the event as other tried coming out at the same time” reported Ari Gosh a devotee who had come to pay his respects. These quee caused long lines of traffic jam along the Race Course Road, as taxis stood in line for both drop off and pick up. BAS has got the best reputation as they keep making their event better and every year

All of this disarray was “because devotees of goddess Durga were trying to pay their respects” says Santosh Aar. Many devotees spotted others leaving because of this disarray. Dillip Shoshto a 41 year old man who has come to this event for the past 6 years since it started as a small gathering, he said “It has never been this crowded before, I have stood here for 45 minutes and only gotten halfway through this line”. Later Mr Shoshto added “my family had to go home so as to get enough rest for school the next day” This meant that his family would not be able to experience Durga Puja this year and have to wait for next years. Many others like Mr Shoshto’s family were unable to attend this years event.

This raises questions about what we could expect from next years event. When asked Abhijit Ghosh about next year’s event he stated “we have got something special for the public next year thanks to your funding” Could this be hinting that BAS members and the public might be getting a bigger event next year compared to the average sized one that they have been getting over the past 6 years? Some rumors went around in the event of another association that could also be organising this event next year, so could this possibly be the competition that BAS has been lacking? Returning to the event however, devotees that were able to see the event said it was beautiful and the best one they had seen from BAS.

A Quick Turnaround

A quiet conversation quickly turned sour at the Children's Shelter Foundation during UWC’s grade eight Chiang Mai trip over the extent of crude remarks being thrown at a certain individual. The trip was meant to give the students a better understanding of how to effectively take action and help a cause but instead, the opposite happened and the result was pandemonium.

The students were all from class 8REM and all were good friends. The victim in question was Nikos Antipatis the only redhead among the group. “They have no respect for gingers!” he was heard screaming at the other boys in the room as the conversation took a turn for the worst after another, Hugo Howell, said something that really sent Nikos over the edge with rage.

The witnesses at the event saw it escalate from bad to worse. At first just a few jeering remarks were thrown but soon after, a brawl initiated. One of the witnesses, Sam Potter, was lying in the bed next to Hugo when it started. “I don't know what happened, first it was a few slight remarks but then i heard footsteps and the bed next to me became a war zone” he remarked. The two students were seen grappling and punching each other like two bears fighting over a mate. The madness caused the rest of the group who were sleeping to wake up with vigour and back against the wall to avoid the flying punches. Then Paddy, who was the gappie governing the group, intervened and used his strong arms too grab them both by the back of their shirts and spread them apart to avoid further destruction.

DRAG ME DOWN(Rafting Remix) - Sam.Potterboy(feat. Faylad)

One afternoon of rafting for UWCSE students near Chang Mai soon turns into a free-for-all wrestling match. On Saturday evening during rafting the students soon started a raft race until the students unwisely start knocking each other off the boats. UWC instructors were nowhere to be found during this moment. They all wanted to win the race for their team, in the hopes of being seen as the dream team.

Witnesses report that the competitions started when the raft guides of the two boats behind, started knocking each other off the boats. However it escalated once student Sam Potter tries to drag fellow peer Fayazz Ahmed of his boat. Both falling into the ice-cold water, another student tries to help Ahmed onto the boat. Potter yet again chooses to take Fayazz out again and jumps Ahmed and his friend. They all fall in the water and a minute after everyone is falling off their boats and dragging other people down with them. The boat in front looks behind to see a scene of madness, students falling out and wrestling as the boats drift slowly through the river. Many of the students wistfully say that they had wished some of their peers in the boats behind them had joined in. The students hold no grudges and even student Sam Potter admits later on - “it was so fun!”.

Tourist Ethnicity Is A Problem Now?

You would think that by now in 2015, racism and the stereotyping of people might have diminished but this isn’t true at all. Tourists are still getting targeted in other countries because of simple differences like skin tone and language. It might not seem possible, however this is exactly what happened in mid-july at Ocean Park, Hong Kong.

A ‘mainland’ chinese tourist group was passing through the theme park when a man stopped a random indian teenage girl and asked to take a picture with her. The girl was a student from UWCSEA and was visiting Hong Kong with her friends. The situation was quite awkward and seemed to be based on the conjecture from the chinese tourist. This teen having come from an international school thought little of the event and agreed to take the picture to the surprise of many. Witnesses at the event also saw this teens friends attempt to talk to the man and his partner but were unable to make out the man’s intentions.

This may seem like an isolated incident but it’s not. A local Hong Kong resident claims that “this incident was racially motivated and this sort of thing happened all the time.” She also added that “ it was just a simple case of ignorance.”

Absolute Drama At The North London Derby

The North London Derby happened this weekend as Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs scored the equaliser as Arsenal drew 1-1 with their bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a very intense but fairly exciting grudge match that could have gone either way for both teams.

Arsenal had been absolutely dominated most of the game and matters became worse when Tottenham Hotspur star striker Harry Kane scored the opener just before half time. Almost into the last 10 minutes of the game, Arsenal made a substitution by bringing on Gibbs for Joel Campbell. This substitution proved to be a masterclass decision by Arsene Wenger, (the manager of Arsenal) because 3 minutes later, Gibbs scored the equaliser in 77th minute of the game from a tight angle after an amazing run by himself who then received the pass from teammate Mesut Ozil and shoots to score. The Arsenal fans went mad after that goal and the result stayed as the match ended 1 all. After the Gibbs even quoted “I did expect the fact that I will score but we did not get the result we wanted”. This is still a shame for the Arsenal as they have not beaten their rivals in the Premier League since March 16 2014.