Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset, School Life

Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Enduring Raja Block Stairs
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Aiko Yeo (23A01B) and Justin Cheong (23A01C, Peer Helper)

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/riadvice and we’ll give them our best shot. This column will be published at the end of every month. 

No cuz why does 7th floor of raja block exist??? Every morning, you have to venture into the faraway land that is the Y1-4 Campus. THEN, you have to climb 7*2=14 flights of stairs. Each flight of stairs have 12 steps! We have no business climbing 12*14= 168 steps at EIGHT IN THE MORNING 😤 Not to mention having to carry ~30 (science class things) lecture notes up 7 floors and we aren’t even allowed to use the lift!

Frustrated Frank

Dear Frustrated Frank,

We completely understand how you feel. As a former Y1-4 student, one of us also had to experience the pain of having to make the daily pilgrimage up to his classroom on the sixth floor for a year. Be it Raja Block or any other block in school, every one of us has to face the dreaded flights of stairs every single morning, hauling our sleep-deprived bodies up seven stories right when we’re at our weakest mentally and physically. 

Continue reading “Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Enduring Raja Block Stairs” →
Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset, School Life

Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Pride’s Predicament
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Nor Akmal (23S03A) and Faith Wan (23S02B)

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/riadvice and we’ll give them our best shot. This column will be published at the end of every month.

how do i manage my large ego?

Arrogant Anon

Dear Arrogant Anon,

Everyone has an ego. After all, your ego is your self-esteem: you need to believe that you have the potential to keep taking on new challenges so that you don’t stagnate within your comfort zone. A high self-esteem is also crucial for positive mental health and well-being. It enables you to value yourself and maintain a healthy level of confidence.

Continue reading “Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Pride’s Predicament” →
Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset, School Life

Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Compatibility Concerns
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Raphael Niu (23A01A)

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/riadvice and we’ll give them our best shot. This column will be published at the end of every month. 

I feel like my girlfriend and I are not very compatible, and I’m not sure if a breakup is right: she hasn’t done anything wrong, we haven’t fought, and I don’t want to break her heart…

Brooding Boyfriend

Dear Brooding Boyfriend,

We all enter relationships hoping for a happily-ever-after, but the unfortunate reality is that few relationships, if any, are that smooth sailing. For many lovers, there will come a time—after days of banal conversation or an explosive fight—when the prospect of leaving flashes across their minds. 

Continue reading “Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Compatibility Concerns” →
Commentary, Op-Eds, Opinion

Things Left Unsaid
Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Edna Lim (22S03F)

All quotes in this article are kept anonymous to protect the identity of our interviewees.

At some point of time in our lives, we’ve all had the experience of wanting to express certain things but not being able to say them: because we lack the courage, because we’re trying to protect someone we love (ourselves included), because of the fear of it being awkward, or because it’s just too late to do so. 

The implications of withholding our thoughts might not seem significant at present — not saying anything hardly seems to affect us or the relationship. But when we no longer have the chance to say these things, the lack of closure can lead to a buildup of regret and grievance when we remember the time we had taken for granted. That is why we should say the things we want to say, before our chances start to turn away. 

Continue reading “Things Left Unsaid” →