Author: RafflesPress

CCA Previews, CCA Previews 2022

CCA Previews ’22: Red Cross Youth Chapters (RCYC)
Reading Time: 3 minutes

By Joash Lee (22S03K), President, Raeeda (22S06A), Vice-president, Annabelle (22S03M), Secretary

Have you ever wanted to be a hero? Save a life here, rescue some kittens there? Don’t let our lack of capes fool you; everyone at Red Cross Youth Chapters is a hero in their own right! And here’s how you can be one too.

As you embark on your final lap in Junior College, numerous decisions await you at every turn. You may be wondering: what exactly is in store for you here in RI? If you are drawn to a CCA that develops your character and deepens your social competencies and skills, while making a positive difference in your society, then Red Cross Youth Chapter (RCYC) is the right CCA for you! 

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CCA Previews, CCA Previews 2022

CCA Previews ’22: Table Tennis
Reading Time: 3 minutes

By Lim Jun Kai (22A01C), Captain, Jong Yik Kiat (22S06J), Vice-Captain, Elyse Chew Wan Rou (22S03P), Captain, Qiu Yahan Olivia (22S06), Vice-Captain

“TOK TOK TOK…”, the rally resonates in the multipurpose hall. The crowd roars in anticipation as the Rafflesian at the edge of the table tennis table swings his bat passionately at the ball fast approaching. With a final swing, he watched the ball dart across the table missing just an inch of the opponent’s bat. “TOK”, the whole stadium erupts into chaos.  The sweet sound of victory echoes through the hall as the ball hits the ground.  Before the player regains his composure, he is embraced by his enthusiastic teammates.  

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Commentary, Student Features

From Diagnosis To Catharsis
Reading Time: 6 minutes

Three schoolmates shed light on their medical conditions and how their lives are shaped by them.

By Koo ii (21S05A) and Ray Lim (21A13A)
Cover image by Koo ii (21S05A), featuring art installation Only Skin Deep by Loke Sun Yi (21A01B)

“Quite bad ah,” commented the lady at the ice cream counter of a fast-food chain, after asking Loke Sun Yi (21A01B) if she had chickenpox.

The truth was, she didn’t have chickenpox. “I just wanted an ice cream!” recounted Sun Yi. Rather, she has eczema, a condition that causes skin to be itchy, dry and inflamed. 

This was but one of the many chance encounters that Sun Yi has experienced, where strangers comment on her condition. Some even “go the extra mile” to offer advice on how best to treat it. 

While such advice comes with good intentions, Sun Yi shares that it makes her annoyed and embarrassed—especially since it makes it seem as if she hasn’t been trying hard enough to treat it. Little do we know of the efforts put in by our peers to live comfortably with their conditions. 

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CCA Events, Clubs, Commentary

Writers’ Guild Anthology ’20: [lacuna]
Reading Time: 7 minutes

By Clarice Tan (21A01C), Neo Xin Yuan (21A01D) and Tan Yu You (21S03H)
Photos courtesy of Writers’ Guild

The space between two words on a page. The one-metre social distancing gap. The gaps in history and governance. These are just some manifestations of lacuna, the theme of the Writers’ Guild Anthology ’20.

The word itself has an aesthetic appeal reminiscent of dreamy lunar imagery. In truth, the dictionary definition of lacuna is simple: a blank space or a missing part. A gap. But it is the beautiful simplicity of the word that made the wondrous interpretations compiled in this anthology possible.

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Commentary, Op-Eds, School Life, Student Issues

Of (CCA) Trials and Tribulations: Dealing with Rejection
Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Neo Xin Yuan (21A01D)

Trial Outcome: Unsuccessful. 

A year ago, I was staring at these words printed innocuously on the webpage, thinking it must be a mistake.

Both CCAs that I’d tried for had rejected me. Both of which I would’ve loved to get into as they aligned with two of my biggest passions: art and writing. I tried to smile it off in front of my friends, but inadvertently, I fell in a bad mood for the next few days that slipped by. 

A friend asked me which CCA she should choose between two that had accepted her. She had more than two CCAs to choose from. It’s hard not to feel anything less than jealous when both the CCAs I’d applied for had accepted her—the same CCAs that rejected me. Later, I was notified that I was accepted because of a vacancy, but the damage had been done—for a long time, I felt like I didn’t truly belong in my club as I had been a ‘second choice’.  

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