Raffles Press

Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset, School Life

Aunt Agony & Uncle Upset: The Importance of VIA
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Liu Yong Zhe (23S03H, Peer Helper) and Sabrina Tong (23S03Q, Peer Helper) 

Cover Image by Johnathan Lim (23S03M)

Your resident Aunties and Uncles are back with our Ask Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset column, this time as a collaboration between Raffles Press and Peer Helpers’ Programme (PHP)! Ever wanted to rant about that someone you just can’t stand? Overwhelmed with too many feelings? Submit your confessions to tinyurl.com/RIAAUU and we’ll give them our best shot. This column will be published at the end of every month. 

How important is doing VIA for scholarships, university applications and etc?

Troubled Timmy

Dear Troubled Timmy,  

Let’s get straight to the point. You came here to find the answer to the question that plagues every JC student while they mug for their A-Levels, arguably the most critical examination in their lives: how important is doing VIA? We’ve all heard the horror stories of people accumulating dozens of hours of VIA, and perhaps you’ve been feeling a little inadequate that you can’t do the same for there are only 24 hours in a day. But rest assured, for it is not the be-all and end-all of things.  

In fact, there is no straightforward answer to your question, since the importance of VIA varies in different scenarios. The short answer is that VIA is important, but not a golden ticket to success. 

Continue reading “Aunt Agony & Uncle Upset: The Importance of VIA” →
Commentary, School Life

RI Open House ‘23: WRIte Your Story
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Venkatesan Ranjana (23A01D)

The morning of 13 January saw a steady stream of visitors flowing into RI from our Marymount gate, as prospective Year 5 students and their parents were greeted by our Befrienders stationed near the registration booth, while the rest of the campus thrummed with anticipation.

Indeed, the whole school seemed to be revitalised by the fresh faces and the excitement in the atmosphere—a welcome feeling for those of us who had only experienced school events in  the pandemic era. The 2023 RI Open House, with its theme of  “wRIte your story”, was certainly an all round success for both visitors and the student body alike, with its multitude of highlights that delighted and captivated attendees.

Continue reading “RI Open House ‘23: WRIte Your Story” →
CCA Previews, CCA Previews 2023, Please Mind the Platform Gap

CCA Previews ‘23: Film Society
Reading Time: 2 minutes

By Karina Soetama (Chairperson)

We hope you enjoyed our video preview! If there’s anything to take away from it, it’s that film is remarkable. In fact, it’s remarkable that any films are ever made at all. Every moving part needs to work seamlessly together in order to tell a cohesive story. With this knowledge, it is no wonder that the art of filmmaking is often compared to magic. And with Film Society, you’ll get the opportunity to learn that magic, too.

Continue reading “CCA Previews ‘23: Film Society” →
Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset, School Life

Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Self-Esteem Struggles
Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Raphael Niu (23A01A) and Sabrina Tong (23S03Q, Peer Helper)

Cover image by Johnathan Lim (23S03M)

Your resident Aunties and Uncles are back with our Ask Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset column, this time as a collaboration between Raffles Press and Peer Helpers’ Programme (PHP)! Ever wanted to rant about that someone you just can’t stand? Overwhelmed with too many feelings? Submit your confessions to https://tinyurl.com/RIAAUU and we’ll give them our best shot. This column will be published at the end of every month. 

I HATE MYSELF
— Stuck In My Own Skin

Dear Stuck In My Own Skin, 

All of us in RI have probably experienced some degree of self-loathing from time to time. It’s hard not to, especially when you’re rushing tutorials late into the night, berating yourself for not having started earlier, or when you’ve gotten a less-than-satisfactory result on your Economics paper after you’ve spent hours poring over lecture notes and essays on IVY. It doesn’t help that your classmates seem to be breezing through their schoolwork while simultaneously juggling multiple commitments, while you feel like you’re floundering under the sheer volume of expectations placed upon you.

Continue reading “Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Self-Esteem Struggles” →