RI Events — Previews

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Raffles Community Advocates: From Foreign to Friend
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Mei Feifei (22A13A) and Noh Sangeun (23S06Q) 

A house comes hand-in-hand with family — or not, if you live in a house hundreds of miles from your hometown, with people who speak an alien language, in an unfamiliar city that has little love for you. 

This is the predicament faced by many foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in Singapore. It is common knowledge that they are often subjected to exploitation by unscrupulous recruiters, compounded by the fact that they are not protected by the Employment Act. 

But beyond the kind of blatant abuse that makes the headlines, there often also exists a subtle sense of alienation that arises from the complexities of our relationship with our FDWs.

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Commentary, RI Events, RI Events — Previews, Student Features

The Pain Behind Poise: An Interview with the Author of ‘Embrace’
Reading Time: 9 minutes

By Rachel Ho (21A01B)

The first sign was when Elizabeth Paulyn Gostelow (21A01B) had to sit on a chair during Burning Bridges, instead of cross-legged on the floor. Though it puzzled me, I never ventured to enquire further. 

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Commentary, Notes from the Underground, RI Events, RI Events — Previews, School Life

Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 Preview
Reading Time: 7 minutes

By Afeef Ikhwan (21A13B), Elizabeth Paulyn Gostelow (21A01B), and Shaun Loh (21A01A)

One metre apart.

This short distance between us has become the norm following the outbreak of COVID-19. But unlike the many brightly coloured floor markers and bolded signs around us, there’s a more invisible effect of social distancing that we don’t address as openly.

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Commentary, RI Events, RI Events — Previews, School Life

Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 Preview

Reading Time: 5 minutesBy Rachael Koh (20S07C) and Ruchira Ramaswamy (20S03A)

This year marks the fifth Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) being held in RI. Five days of sparking conversations on mental wellbeing, learning the importance of looking beyond the label, and appreciating that mental health is of essence. But we have to accept the reality—no amount of “talking about it” will ever suffice. The conversation about mental health will never be over, simply because it is not like a chest you can open up once, stow away, then dust off the cobwebs and bring out again annually. Mental health cannot be a one-off address: we have to accept that it is as integral to our lives as physical wellbeing, embrace it, not shy away from it in daily conversations, and make a conscious effort to be open-minded. With MHAW, the Peer Helpers hope not just to initiate, but also sustain conversations on mental health.  Continue reading “Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 Preview” →

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Spirit Week 2019 Preview: Get Ready to be Spirited Away!

Reading Time: 3 minutesBy Vanessa Lur (19S06Q) and Isabelle Tan (19S03S)
Photos courtesy of Jynelle Ong (19S03B) and Jiang Jin Liang (19S06N)

Who can forget last year’s Spirit Week, which saw many Rafflesians donning Raffles themed tattoos and enjoying a whole week of dress down days? This coming Monday, Council is bringing us Spirit Week 2019, with a whole bunch of fun, never-before-seen activities planned out just for you. Now, we know you will have many questions whirling in your heads about this upcoming event. Before we get into that, let’s address the most important question — what exactly is Spirit Week?

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