Category: Human Interest

Commentary, Human Interest, Staff Features

So Long, and Thanks for All The Yong Tau Foo

By Emily Ni (20S03C), Kelly Leong (20S07C), and Ng Ziqin (20S03H)

Friday, 31 May 2019. The school was teeming with the restless energy of staff and students who were counting down the minutes to (relatively more) freedom. This very date marked two lasts. For the staff and students, it was the last day of school (until Term 3 started in a month’s time); for the RI Yong Tau Foo aunties, it was their last day of operations.

Like most RI students, the writers of this article were devastated when we found out that the Yong Tau Foo stall was closing. One rapid cycle through the five stages of grief later, we made the journey down to the Yong Tau Foo stall on its final day of operations to speak to staff, students, and of course, the Yong Tau Foo aunties.

Continue reading “So Long, and Thanks for All The Yong Tau Foo” →
Commentary, Human Interest, Nature Features

Once Upon(d) a Time: Y5-6 Raffles Biodiversity Pond

By Tay Jing Xuan (20S03C) and Ng Jing Ting (20A13A)
Special thanks to Raffles Science Institute and Mrs Christina Khoo 

It’s the same dreary routine every morning—half-asleep, you walk through Marymount Gate, and follow the sluggish crowd of students trailing downtown to the parade square. And before you know it—golly gee! You’ve walked right past the Biodiversity Pond (or, in the fabled case of an unfortunate student, right into it). If you’d opened your eyes a little wider amid your sleepy haze, you might have noted the understated beauty of its ecosystem. But perhaps you don’t, and instead you glance at the pond and snicker at the half-faded sign that heralds the “testicle-eating” pacu, note the scraps of soaked bread floating on its surface, and proceed to forget about the whole scene altogether.

Few actually stop to wonder—exactly what goes on in and around the pond, besides catfish glancing the surface from time to time and mosquitoes flitting about the boardwalk? Raffles Press is here to fill you in on those questions, with the help of a few dedicated individuals, including the pond’s very own caretaker, Mr Lim Bah Hock.  Continue reading “Once Upon(d) a Time: Y5-6 Raffles Biodiversity Pond” →

5km², Commentary, Human Interest

5km²: Homegrown Organic Bishan Boy

By Ian Michael Yam (20A01A), Rachael Koh (20S07C), Sarah Lok (20A03A) and Michele Pek (20A01A)
Special thanks to Damien Yau for taking time to let us interview him and share his insights; without him, this story would not have been brought to light.

5km² aims to discover the unexplored places and untold stories of the Bishan community, spoken through words and photographs. Raffles Institution has been rooted here for 29 years, and many of us spend disproportionately more time in school than at home; yet, most of us don’t really explore the places around us past Junction 8, or maybe even S11. This begs the question: as residents, how much do we actually know about Bishan? What hidden gems does the unassuming 5km² area around us hold?

Continue reading “5km²: Homegrown Organic Bishan Boy” →
Commentary, Human Interest, Student Features

Ramadan in Retrospect

By Huang Beihua (20A03A), Coco Liu (20S06L), Sarah Lok (20A03A), and Emily Ni (20S03C)

Photos courtesy of Nurinsyirah Binte Nasser (20S03K) and Nurin Hasha Binte Jubir (19A13B)

For the more astute, you probably noticed that something was amiss when you clicked on this article: all four authors have distinctly Chinese surnames.

You might be wondering why four Chinese students are writing this article, when we probably don’t know much about the Ramadan experience. To a certain extent, you’re right. Apart from being aware of the fact that our Muslim friends go through a month of fasting every year, we never fully understood what exactly Ramadan entailed beyond that.

Continue reading “Ramadan in Retrospect” →
Commentary, Human Interest, Staff Features

A Love Greater Than Words: A Tribute to Auntie Ah Huay

By Megan Soh (20A01B), Mah Xiao Yu (20A01B), and Coco Liu (20S06L)
Photographs courtesy of S Rahul (19S06A) and Ting Hou Yee (19S03S) of the Raffles Photographic Society

24th April 2019 was a special day. Red and white balloons lined the staff lounge windows, flowery decorations hung from the walls, and a mini-buffet with an array of Chinese snacks was set up in the middle of the lounge. In one corner, teachers unabashedly belted out Mandarin songs into a microphone. Others milled around with drinks and snacks, occasionally exclaiming at the sight of old friends and colleagues who had left the school. It was like Chinese New Year, only come two months late.

Continue reading “A Love Greater Than Words: A Tribute to Auntie Ah Huay” →