Education in the UK

By Ashley Ng

The long-awaited article on education in the United Kingdom is finally here!

Oxford

As many of you may know, Oxford was where the world-renowned Harry Potter movies were mostly filmed at.

The Divinity School

Two scenes from Harry Potter films were shot in the Divinity School: Hogwart’s infirmary (The Philosopher’s Stone) and the ballroom dancing class scene (The Goblet of Fire). We also visited the Bodleian library, where we found out that Oxford actually houses the world’s largest collection of books, holding every book published since 1602. The library takes in 200,000 books every year which results in the search for 2km of shelving a year. All of their books are housed underground and there are no browsing of books in the Bodleian library.

Our discussion with students from OUMSSA

Aside from visiting the Bodleian library and the Divinity School, we also had lunch with a few students from the Oxford University Malaysian and Singaporean Students’ Association (OUMSSA). We got to know more about the lifestyle there and what it took for them to study in such a prestigious school. These are some of the responses we’ve got when we asked them to share a little:

1. Firstly, to apply to any UK universities, you have to apply through the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS), filling in your personal details, writing a personal statement and indicating the 5 universities you wish to apply for. Bearing in mind that the same one personal statement will be sent to all the 5 universities, hence your chosen courses should not vary too much.
2. Once you pass this round, (for Oxford) you are required to attend an interview round. Most of the undergrads we spoke to said that they did their interview through Skype, instead of flying all the way down to UK for a face-to-face interview (which will not be an added benefit unless you want to look at the facilities and explore the campus). The interview will be conducted by two professors. They would present you with a question (depending on the chosen course), and you will have to talk them through your thinking process. Along the way, they may prompt you to help you through, but the main focus of the interview is more for the professors to see how you think and how you would function under a tutorial setting that is more student directed (instead of the teacher spoon-feeding you and students passively sitting there receiving answers)
3. Oxford is like the SMU of UK. Oxford, itself, is a town, with shops and houses situated around the university and colleges scattered around the town.
4. Riding a bicycle is very common there. Not many cars are allowed in the streets of Oxford, hence foot traffic is extremely common. Your lectures may not be held in your college, hence you may have to cycle or walk to another college for your lectures, before heading back to your college for tutorials with your professors.
5. Being a Singaporean will not subject you to discrimination or hinder your learning in any way. There are many Singaporeans currently studying there, and with the help of OUMSSA, you will be well taken care of!

 

Cambridge

In the World University Ranking, Cambridge is ranked above Oxford.

Punting

In Cambridge, one of their unique cultural experiences is punting, where a boat is manoeuvered down the river by a person sticking a long stick into the riverbed and pushing the boat along. Although we did not get to try it out, it seemed very exciting. In addition, we did visit King’s Chapel to listen to the Evensong, which is basically a series of evening prayers conducted in a set form, especially that of the Anglican Church. There are many of such church processions occurring throughout the day in different colleges.

Cambridge has many connections to Singapore. Our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong graduated from Trinity College in Cambridge. The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew also visited the Bridge of Sighs in Cambridge. In fact, one of our own teacher, Mr Lye, also graduated from Cambridge!

One of the stories I can recount from the walking tour around Cambridge is that there used to be a group of people, who named themselves the Nightclimbers. Why the Nightclimbers? They would scale the large facades of buildings and carry out their shenanigans at night. One of the hilarious things they did was changing the Sceptre, Edward the III is holding in his right hand, to a measly chair leg.

Trinity College, Edward the III in the middle of the building

Besides these, there are many more interesting stories that our tour guide, Mr Steve, told us. He said that between 1904 and 1974, there were 22 nobel prize winners from Cambridge. Some of their discoveries may be familiar to you: for the splitting of the atom, discovering the double helix of the DNA, discovering electrons. Such discoveries and realizations truly shaped the world we live in. We even visited the very bar that Crick and Watson (the 2 astounding men who discovered the double helix of the DNA) came to have lunch, The Eagle.

We ended off the day listening to bell ringing at St. Mary The Great. They were not by your typical handbells, but were real, massive church bells! We could not enter the place where the physical bells were situated, but the demonstrators were tugging on the strings at stipulated times and strength in order to make the bell ring at a very specific time and way.

The Bell Ringers

Here is a demonstration of how the bells are rang:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of-T3T-dwws

Walking along the river at night was another sight to behold, with beautiful white swans gathering by the riverbed and the gleaming white reflection off the water surface. The cool breeze was blowing as we held our cups of hot chocolate and gathered at a field near the river. It was truly the full Cambridge experience.

Beautiful Swans at the river

 

Imperial

At Imperial, we were brought around the campus by two students studying Medicine. They were very friendly and personable, and we struck up conversations with them very easily. I found out that the interview round in Imperial is fairly more straightforward as compared to that of Oxford, where the interviewer will ask simple questions like, “Why are you interested in this course?”. (Although Imperial also does not have business course for undergraduates)

Imperial college is located near many fascinating museums, the Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and the National History Museum. In addition, since the college is located near the Royal College of Music, they have the advantage of being able to hold an interesting BSc Physics and Music performance course.

 

London school of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Firstly, LSE has a wide variety of courses to choose from (not only econs). It is located in the heart of Theatreland and many theatres, such as the Duchess Theatre and the Theatre Royal are just a stone’s throw away.

 

We were brought on a short tour of the campus and what amazed me the most, was the astonishing library. It was like a shopping mall for books. The comfortable seats, the wide collection of books, the spiral platform leading from one level to the next, the lifts! It was the ideal place to study and collect research materials.

The library at LSE

But, what if you are studying there and suddenly you miss Singaporean food? Have no fear! There is actually an Old Chang Kee located a few minutes away from LSE! The delicious curry puffs and a refreshing bowl of Laksa will be sure to keep your homesickness at bay.

Old Chang Kee visit

Some important things to note when writing your personal statement for this school is that:

1. 75-90% of your personal statement should be about your academic achievements
2. 10-25% should address relevant extracurricular activities such as voluntary/charity work, work experience, internships or paid employments, sporting achievements and social activities, additional positions of responsibility etc.
3. The school would really like to see that you are deeply passionate about the course, so be sure to find a way to show it!

 

Through the Lens of an Art Student

 

By Kylin Lew

 

The 12-day trip to the UK in June was one that was saturated with art, in all its forms, which made for an interesting and memorable trip for everyone, especially so for the art students.

This memorable trip really allowed us to interact with the artworks there in a special and tangible way, which made the artworks come to life even more. We visited numerous art galleries and shows, including the prestigious Tate Britain and Tate modern, where we spent most of our time getting excited about the amazing artworks in the exhibition. We even had the chance to look at original artworks by artists in our syllabus and would spend up to half an hour in front of such works, bending down to peer at its details, moving back to look at it in its scale and size, and discussing every detail about the work, moving from room to room with awe.

Of course, we could not miss out on the UK’s art schools as well. We had the opportunity to talk to students and admissions officers from prestigious art schools like Goldsmiths, the UCL Slade School of Fine Art, Royal College of Art, the University of Birmingham, and the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford, to learn more about the programmes each school offers, and to hear firsthand from the students what life in their schools is like. We even got to visit some of these campuses to see their artworks, including the Master of Fine Art degree show in Slade, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in the University of Birmingham, and even had a preview of the Extension Degree Exhibition in Goldsmiths.

We also got to talk to two artists, Alvin Ong and Tal Regev, who are currently based in London, in the latter’s art studio, and learnt about their journey as art students and artists.

Overall, going to the UK, especially London where the arts scene is flourishing, to learn about art was truly an amazing experience. Not only did we get to view artworks in the galleries, but we also got to explore the possibilities of studying art in the future, which made the trip extremely unique for us.

Through the Lens of a Music Student

 

By Joan Tan

This trip has been a really valuable experience for me, both as a music student and as a person. For one, it has exposed me to the different teaching pedagogies that different music universities in the UK adopt to teach music, which reflects their beliefs and values pertaining to music and what music is about (for example, teachers would offer students alternative ways to interpret a piece or a passage of music, allowing students to explore what would be the best way to perform the section and have an interpretation of their own). As a J2 student who wishes to pursue music in the future, the trips to the different music conservatories and universities has made me think more about what I want to gain out of pursuing a degree, be it specialising in a particular area of music or gaining a broader understanding in the field of study. It has also given me a better understanding of the future career paths in music, and what life in the UK is like in general.

I think this trip also made me think a lot about what I define as Music, or rather Art as a whole. When we think about Art/Music we often look at the final outcome of the process, be it the artwork shown to us, or the music that is played. But this trip allowed me to delve deeper and changed my perception of what this should be defined as. The thought struck me that a piece of good art or music should not just be defined by the physical outcome alone, but also by the concept and idea that stems from it. It was just a thought, but moment of inspiration that gave rise to a piece of art or music, maybe that alone is Art as well. On the whole, it was a really fulfilling and enjoyable experience, and I’ve learnt a lot!

Through the Lens

By Ashley Ng

Have you ever been down a real coal mine? Watched a dramatized tour in a museum? Have you ever been to Oxford, or Cambridge, two of the most renowned English universities? Well, on 29th May, 19 students from our school had the privilege of going on a 12-day tour of the UK as part of the Eunoia GO Programme with Mr Lionel Lye, Ms Ang Siew Ching, Mr Xie Zhi Zhong and our tour guide cum teacher, Ms Elaine Low.

Once we stepped out onto UK ground after a 14 hour long flight (transiting in Dubai, so yes, we’ve unofficially been to Dubai too!) we were greeted by the 14˚C temperature and refreshing winds. The first few days went past like a blur, including a range of activities from a walking tour of the city of Manchester to many museum visits. Personally, the most interesting visit was the trip to the People’s History Museum, where a dramatized story about suffragette Hannah Mitchell, a historical figure famed for fighting for suffrage, was presented to us. Along with other important women, she struggled to get women the right to vote and was an outstanding northern socialist, feminist and had a cultural as well as political vision. I was really drawn into the storytelling and the costume really packs a punch. She engaged us by asking us to hold up banners and yell “Votes for Women!”, and at that point, I really felt like I was being transported back to the 1930s and felt the same sadness and pain when women were dragged out of the meetings because of their campaigns and imprisoned for their freedom of speech.

 

An actress playing the role of Hannah Mitchell in the retelling of her story as a suffragette

 

On the 3rd and 4th night, we stayed in a slightly more uncomfortable hotel, with no air-conditioning. You might be thinking, “Hey you morons, why not open the window, its cold enough outside.” But we lived in fear thinking that if we do open the windows, some insect would fly into our rooms and jeopardize our good night’s rest. Meanwhile, a big black spider was terrorizing another room till 1am but still remained uncaught. Despite this “new” experience, however, there was also a beautiful area of greenery just behind our hotel room that more than made up for it. The sunset there was amazing and would douse the area with hues of pink and orange and make everyone glow a nice golden colour. The white and yellow flowers dotted the grass and it was really a sight to behold. For these 2 nights, we were dressed in comfortable attire, donning slippers and a cup of hot tea or coffee, and we gathered at the field listening to presentations about Oxford and Cambridge traditions and top British contributions to the world.

 

The really beautiful field behind our hotel

 

We also visited Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Are you looking to study in the UK? Need more information on how to apply or how life is like? Look forward to our future posts about education in the UK and some colleges we’ve visited there!

 

Taking the Underground, aka the tube was another exciting adventure. For most of us, it was our first time taking the Underground. (Two words: exorbitant prices.) A trip down a few stops of the Victoria and the Northern line would cost a whopping £2.15 (almost S$5). We used approximately £20 travelling to and fro from Brixton to around Covent Garden for 3 days. But, the trains are usually empty and it isn’t hard to find a seat as trains come every 2 minutes. It came as a shock to us when we were told that train drivers are earning more than teachers in the UK. Could the high transport cost be due to the high cost of labour? Highly so. 

 

 

Moving on from that however, the theatre scene there is spectacular as well, and we were lucky to indulge in many theatrical productions while we were there! It was just yet another one of our unforgettable experiences here. (More to come in future posts, along with a run-down of the musical we watched, Matilda, and the spectacular play, The Play That Goes Wrong.)

All in all, it was an exciting and wonderful trip, with daily half an hour briefings in the morning and many walking tours, amazing scenery, cool weather, laughter in the hotel, spotting of actual black and white cows (and sheep) etc. Look forward to our future posts on this fun-filled adventure!

 

Parting the Yellow Egg

by Shania Sukamto

 

OMU Japanese Omurice Restaurant

It was midnight. I was hungry. Do I leave the comfort of my bed to cook up a storm in the kitchen? Nope. Will I turn in and await dawn? Can’t. So obviously, I resort to the most logical and mature solution — binge-watching food videos!

 

representation of self; hunger pangs do incite late night delirium

 

That night, I chanced upon a video of the whimsical Chef Motokichi making his internet famous Omurice. Like a true artist, he dons an iconic red beret as he carefully assembles the elements of his masterpiece. First, he deftly flicks the omelet in a pan, then carefully transfers the fuwarto parcel to the bed of tomato rice. In one swift motion, he slices (wait since when could an omelette even be sliced?!) it. Being a huge fan of Japanese food, eggs and all things photo-worthy, I was undoubtedly captivated!

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu5zGHjRaMo

 

To my pleasant surprise, OMU had just opened its first outlet in Singapore at Suntec City Mall. Here you can choose either a curry, cream, classic tomato, demi glace or Hayashi sauce base and add toppings like hamburger steak, eggplant, katsu etc.

 

I ordered the Curry Sauce Omurice with Pork Cutlet (usually $12.80++ but there is an ongoing lunch set for $13.80++$2 that includes a drink).

 

I have to say that the items looked way more sumptuous on the menu, I was expecting Monster Curry-sized dishes… Also note that the standard Omurice on the menu does not include the insta-worthy “lava egg”. For that, there is a $2 premium.

 

Here is a video of my Omurice minus the stylish flick of wrist action. Perfectly glossy on the outside, almost like a Japanese plastic display but bursting with silky eggy-ness in the inside. The extra $2 is indeed worth the experience/ boomerang content/texture. However, the curry was not as rich as I expected and the cutlet had a hint of staleness… I also wished that they more generous with the curry sauce. To sum it up, the elements were individually rather lackluster. There are other places that could offer Omurice of the higher standards like Ma Maison or Watanabe Coffee. Yet, when assembled with the Lava Egg it beckons a visit.

 

We also ordered the Cream Sauce with Bacon & Mushrooms and Hayashi Sauce Omurice (also under the set lunch menu). I loved how you could have two contrasting options within a plate. Its thinly sliced beef was especially tender and gave the Hayashi sauce a kick of umami. The tomato fried rice tucked inside the Omu was a bonus! This dish definitely made up for its curry counterpart.

 

 

Overall, I had quite a toothsome adventure would recommend it for the splitting Lava Egg experience. With plethora of toppings (just don’t expect too much from the Katsu) and sauce options, there’s no other place in Singapore that specializes in this Japanese staple like OMU.

 

Agony Aunt Agatha #5

How do I start opening up to people cause I find it difficult to trust people with my thoughts and emotions   

Trust is something that builds with time and it’s not something that should be forced. But to start yourself off, always start small, and with people that you are not only close to, but that you also most importantly feel comfortable, safe, and happy around. Make the effort to start sharing small details about yourself, and have faith that it will start branching out, maybe even be the trigger for a long sharing session if you’re lucky. Even if the conversation doesn’t start off like a sharing session, you never know what could come out of it. Trust is also a mutual thing, and shouldn’t be one-sided; take what they share with you as cues to do the same if you feel ready to, and invite them to respond similarly with your own sharing. It’s easy to feel like you’re being too much, or that everybody is out to get you, but it’s really not the case. Most people enjoy making friends and earning trusted ones. That said, however, do be careful with who you choose to open up to. Make sure that they care, and always keep an eye out for how they are receiving the information, especially if they seem uncomfortable if you are moving too quickly, or if they seem like a good option to talk to just because they’re charming. Opening up to people, and having people receive you, takes time. You don’t have to rush anything, and you don’t have to always throw yourself and everything about yourself at people, but the fundamental baseline is that you must try to be yourself around people. The more comfortable you naturally feel around people, the more open you will feel, and the more ready you will be to share more about yourself with them. So don’t be afraid to take the initiative to strike up a conversation and share that first little bit of information about yourself! We wish you the best of luck~

 

I’ve developed feelings for a J2 who’s in my CCA. We rarely talk but I’m keen on continuing my pursuit. Am I making a stupid decision? 😦  

Showing interest and chasing your passions is never a stupid decision; jeopardizing your priorities, however, really might be. Always feel free to expand your social circles and get closer to people that catch your interest, even or maybe even especially ones you feel drawn to – but always keep things in perspective. Firstly, consider that your studies are supposed to be first priority and getting distracted is easy. I’m sure you already know most of the pros and cons that comes with pursuing someone at this age. Also consider the impact you yourself might make on the J2, who is taking their A levels this year. You can always work on building a friendship first, and seeing how things go from there – JC is a short two years, especially when you’ll only be in the same school as your senior for just one year, but you can always stay in contact. Talking rarely is a first step, yes, but it just means there’s so much more room to grow! Secondly, be sure to keep yourself open to the way things may turn out to be, and don’t set yourself up for disappointment. Be honest and real with yourself, and treat your ‘pursuit’ as less of a ‘pursuit’ and more of an opportunity. Always remember that the world is bigger than just one person, and there are also many more fish in the sea! In the end, it will always be your life, your choice, and your consequences to bear. Follow your heart, but always keep your mind in the equation.

 

How to actually get good grades for your Promotion Exams (other then the good old mugging)?    

I am chagrined to inform you that from everything that has been observed so far, there is no such thing as scoring well for your Promotional Exams without mugging. There is, however, ways of making mugging much more manageable – and that is by maximizing your efficiency and its effectiveness enough to minimize time and energy spent on it. Everyone has a different way of studying, some may prefer merely reading and memorising the school notes, some may prefer writing their own notes to 

consolidate their learning and some may choose to do more practices in order to memorise a chunk of information. The best advice is to start 2 months in advance, space out your time evenly. You should have a calendar and separate your time wisely, maybe allocate each day for a different subject and make sure to include suitable off-days for your mind to take a mental break. Also, don’t forget to practice the extra exam packs that the school provides. Ensure that you strike a balance between your study and social life. Essentially, just customize your working style to yourself as best as possible – try out different methods if you find the ones you have aren’t working out for you. There are lots of options. Next, you can work extremely hard to memorise large chunks of information for your Promos, but if you do not prepare yourself mentally and physically before the exam, all these would regrettably go to waste. Although this may seem like common sense, you need to eat the right food, have the right mental attitude and let your body rest when it needs to when the Promos are just around the corner. Although this may seem cliche, drinking lots of water helps you think clearer as you mind will be rehydrated. Eat plenty of nutritious food In addition, you can’t afford to stay awake all night studying for an exam. WHY? Because, you won’t be able to effectively and efficiently recall information for the exam! I hope these tips have been beneficial for you. Good Luck to all on the upcoming MYEs, Promos and A Levels!

 

How to deal with a group member in PW that loves to go AWOL?    

First of all, talk to the person, ask them why they are going AWOL, is it because he/she has a problem with someone in the group? Is it because the person has no interest in the subject? Make sure that your group gets to the root of the problem. Everybody has a different working style, and while it is important to acknowledge how one works best, when it comes to teamwork, some kind of compromise must be found for the effectiveness of the whole team. The next step: address the problem. How? It really depends on the problem, having regular group meetings aside from PW lessons and ensure that everyone is contributing one way or another. If the person isn’t doing his/her work, your group should either

1. Try to confront him/her and ask the person why aren’t they doing something about PW and try to find out the root cause of the problem, tackling it from there. If they try to avoid it, just keep them there until they answer!
2. Look for a teacher for assistance in convincing them of your stand.

 

Lastly, be objective. The group leader should assign everyone a particular task and set aside objectives. Ensure that each group member finishes his/her work. As for that group member who loves to go AWOL, make sure that he/she finishes her work aside from the PW lesson. So long as the person completes the task given, there should be no reason as to why it is a problem. Good luck on this arduous journey!

 

 

Chinese Orchestra Concert Review

“Overall, I personally found the experience to be really fun! My section mates were pretty new to this instrument (Erhu) but I could teach them as I had experience. We had to synchronise our whole performance so that the music produce would not sound disjointed and we also had to take note of the dynamics, Crescendo etc. Just like our theme – ardour, the journey was very arduous as we are a new CCA.”

~Phang Kang Qu, a member of Chinese Orchestra~

 

On the 13th of May, EJ Chinese Orchestra put up an amazing performance entitled Ardour at the Esplanade Recital Studio, conducted by Mr Chin Yen Choong.

 

Opening with a familiar pop song – the impossibly catchy Havana by Camila Cabello – they started the night off on a roll by revamping its swinging, saucy jazz upbeat with the refreshing lilt of the traditional Chinese musical instrument, the 弹拨, making way for a very interesting new sound. This was followed up by the playing of Subaru on the 拉弦(laxian), a piece known for its soothing melody and simplicity, a beloved favourite of the laxian section themselves that bonded together over practicing to its sweet strains, and then, rounding off, 云裳诉, or, Robe of Clouds, as composed by Zhou Yi Guo was played by the Guzheng concerto. On the Guzheng was Pauline Lee Lin Jing, and with Phoenix Gay on the piano, a feeling of grandeur permeated the studio. The orchestra had to practice this particular song many times under the guidance of their conductor to ensure perfect synchrony. It was definitely a pretty difficult piece, but they managed to perform it flawlessly and seemingly without effort!

 

After the intermission, Sydney Lai Mu-En, Ang Jiayi and Pauline Lee Lin Jing performed a Guzheng piece entitled 蝶, meaning Butterfly – a Japanese Koto piece composed by Migawa. It required a lot of co-ordination and unity to be able to synchronize the piece and play it with such emotion and skill. 马兰恋歌, the Love Song of Malan, a Taiwanese aboriginal folk song of the Ah Mei tribe, was played as well, with the 吹管 (chuiguan) and 打击乐(dajile) – percussion instruments. This was a celebratory song to bring the mood up once more.

 

Following that, the next two songs performed were dedicated to the mothers of the orchestra: 鲁冰花, Dull-ice Flower, the theme song of a 1989 Taiwanese film, where its purpose is to express their love for all mothers; and 听妈妈的话,Listen to Mother, composed by Jay Choi in 2006, in which Teng Xin Yi put her passion into an impressive rap that won over both the hype and support of her fellow orchestra members, as well as the audience. Played with absolute fervour and dedication, one could see from how deeply every musician was immersed in the music and the affection they wished to convey to their mothers. They played the piece with absolute fervour and their immersion into the song really conveyed their affection for their mothers. Towards the end of the latter piece, all the members also came together to sing an acapella version of the song. This was, as one can tell, CO’s very own unique way to celebrate this Mother’s Day by expressing their heartfelt gratitude for their mothers.

 

The last song was a SYF set piece in 2017 for Secondary schools. 焰火(Flame) was inspired by Tang Dyansty poet Bai Juyi. This piece was played by the entire orchestra and reflects the ups and downs of life and represents the lives of youths and how the flame burning in all of us will flicker at times, but ultimately burns strong. Lastly, The Typewriter, was an encore piece performed with a few members of the orchestra with a bell and a typewriter as the solo instrument. Who knew a typewriter could be an instrument too? It was an interesting finale piece where the orchestra was synchronised with rhythmic typing on the typewriter. The upbeat and quick tune drives home the essence of the working day and at the end of the piece, the typer snatched the paper out of the typewriter and exits the stage, leaving the audience in hysterics and the sudden drawback to the reality of the situation.

 

When asked about how the audience felt about the performance, Tran Nguyen Anh Thu from 18-I4 said, “The harmonies were brilliant and all the different section could blend with one another to produce soothing music.” Megan Ong from 17-I2 also mentioned, “The members were all so in-sync, and complemented each other beautifully to play such moving, emotion-invoking melodies. You can really see how much time and effort they devoted into practicing to present a marvellous performance.”

 

Overall, both the audience and the performers thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the afternoon ended with the audience scurrying around the Esplanade trying to spot their Chinese Orchestra friends to take pictures and to give them flowers.

 

台上一分钟，台下十年功. EJCO has truly shown the amount of efforts that has gone in to putting up the performance flawlessly which allowed this concert to be a success!