By Soh Ying Qi (18A01C)
If you had asked me in 2017 where I saw myself after graduating from JC, my answer would not have been “slumped in a chair in Parliament House, nursing a mild fever at nine in the morning”.
Continue reading “exPress Mail: The Choices That Define Us”
By Gladys Koh (26A01B) and Sreya Areekkara Poduvattil (26S03P, Peer Helper)
“I feel unwanted. Whenever I converse with people I want to know better, they aren’t interested in continuing the conversation. What should I do?”
Anxious Andy
Dear Anxious Andy,
First of all, let me assure you: you are not alone in this matter. Feeling unwanted in conversations can turn into a crippling, unbearable train of thought that is difficult to shake off.
However, contrary to what you may believe, many who seem to have their lives together—with perfect social circles and friendships that seem to come naturally, have felt exactly what you’re feeling now.
Continue reading “Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: Breaking The Ice”
By Sonia Chang (26A01A) and Shamitrra D/O Aruchunan (26S03P, peer helper)
“I feel that some of my classmates are not willing to share their notes or academic preparation with me, and I know it’s not an obligation but I would find it so much more helpful if they were more generous. What should I do?”
~ Bothered Ben
Continue reading “Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: When classmates gatekeep their notes”
By Tan De Ting Trina (26S03N, Peer Helper) with Jaden Lum Zi Jun (26S05A)
“I can’t control my impulses, especially when it comes to spending time on recreation instead of important work. How do I improve my self-discipline?”
Passionate Pam
Greetings, Passionate Pam!
We get it: JC is a time filled with stress, commitments, exams, stress, worksheets—oh, and did we mention stress? It’s only natural that it becomes harder to say no to the gremlin on your shoulder luring you to your phone, or to that last Netflix episode you were going to save for the weekend.
This tiny gremlin on your shoulder is a little someone we’ve named Ew. Much like the Serpent in Eden, Ew is the amalgamation of all of one’s temptations, and the reason why you can’t bring yourself to get tasks done. Fret not, because for every Ew, there are 20,000 ways to slaughter it—but for efficiency’s sake, we’ll only cover the most pertinent attack strategies in this article. As with all strategies, you’ll first need to address the root causes.
Continue reading “Aunt Agony and Uncle Upset: 10 Ways to Kill Ew (the Impulse Gremlin) — A Guide to Self-Discipline “
By Bertram Wang (26S06H)
“The bird that pokes its neck out gets shot first.”
This Asian proverb warns against standing out as a target in the crowd. It reminds me of a strikingly similar image: a lone raised hand in a full but silent lecture theatre. But compared to the bird’s fear of being shot to death, what are we students really afraid of being “shot” by—metaphorically?
This fear—a tension in the air, a reluctance to seize the moment, a hesitation to speak up—isn’t a phenomenon confined to lecture theatres. It reflects a broader societal characteristic: a “shy culture” embedded in our reserved Singaporean upbringing. Shyness may be natural, but when it becomes cultural and collective, it’s worth asking how it shapes our communities—and whether it should.
Continue reading “___ Culture: Felt but Unspoken”