Commentary, Nationally Speaking, Op-Eds

On Singapore’s 47th and the Shindig Going on in London Right Now
Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Lye Han Jun (13A01A)

Being confronted with the national flag at every turn for the past month or so should have clued you in, but here it is anyway: our illustrious motherland turns forty-seven in a couple of days.

Tomorrow, Raffles Institution will be celebrating our nation’s 47th birthday with a concert featuring the usual suspects—Chinese dance, Raffles Rock, et al.—a familiar litany of performers. Overall sentiment seems to be grudging: why should one be required to stay back in school to celebrate a nation that one will leave at the drop of an A-level certificate for posh universities abroad? Then again, seeing as this gives us an extra day off, you have to admit that this is a pretty sweet deal. And speaking of sweet deals, our trusty councillors have been selling muffins and Koi bubble tea at cost price to try and generate hype.

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Commentary, Sports

IHC Day 4, Girls’ Soccer: Not Just a Man’s Game
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Jonathan Tan (13A01C) and Zara Nicole Toh (13A01B)
Photos by Chen Zheng Wei and Ng Siyuan from Raffles Photographic Society

(IHC Day 1 and Day 2)

IHC Day 4 kicked off with a line-up of only one event: Girls’ Soccer. This ensured that the attention of all the supporters would be centred on the main field as the girls from each house battled it out to prove that girls too can play soccer.

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Commentary, Please Mind the Platform Gap

Please Mind the Platform Gap: Relationships in RI
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Please Mind the Platform Gap is a fortnightly column aimed at preparing Year 4 RI and RGS students for the challenges of JC life. Written by Year 5s from Raffles Press who have “been there, done that”, each piece covers a different aspect of life “on the other side”. This week, we bring you the truth on the dating scene in JC.

By Kimberley Yeo (13S05B)

No more sneaking around Far East Plaza or Junction 8 required, kids: JC brings Rafflesians together in more ways than one. For many of us, most interactions have been limited to schoolmates, and some have even spent all ten of their schooling years in single-sex institutions. Fortunately, however, the beauty of the Integrated Programme means that friendships remain solidly intact within the same school campus. One may be overwhelmed by the loud, oblivious boys or the giggly yet aloof girls, but most of us will still have our old schoolmates nearby. (Along this same thread, spare a thought for your new non-Raffles Programme friends who have had their close friends spread across the island and are now faced with the daunting task of meeting 1,200 new faces.)

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Commentary, Sports

IHC Heats Up!
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Jonathan Tan (13A01C) and Zara Nicole Toh (13A01B)
Photos by Claudia Koh, Sim Xiang Rong, Deng Jia and Zhi Xuan from Raffles Photographic Society

The handball event was destined to be the centrepiece of Day 2, with its prime location at the netball court, attracting even more onlookers than Day 1’s Soccer event. The courts were surrounded on all sides by supporters, comprising reserves, house representatives and ordinary students – even ushers for PTM who were dressed in formal attire crowded around, savouring the action. People who wanted to avoid the crowd planted themselves on the second floor to get a bird’s eye view.

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Commentary, Sports

IHC Begins!
Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Jonathan Tan (13A01C) and Zara Nicole Toh (13A01B)
Photos by Nandaru Annabil, Chen Zheng Wei, Zhi Xuan, Naman Shah and Edwin Chow from Raffles Photographic Society

The IHC Soccer event was perhaps the most appropriate curtain-raiser for IHC Sports 2012 as it took centre stage in the Main Field on the Wednesday, 25th July. It did not disappoint, serving up some exciting action between the houses, with mere goal difference separating most of the houses at the end of the round-robin matches. Continue reading “IHC Begins!” →