Tenbyzine Issue 3

S S U E#3 1 8 t hAp r i l 20 1 6I

Ani ns i del ooka t

MUS I CTECH

S P I WT E I RV E NT EI V I S U XCL E

CREATORA NDDES TROYER POEM

Welcome to our THIRD issue of Tenbyzine! Once again, my name is Rachel, and it is with great pleasure that I introduce myself as the editor in chief for our school’s first established magazine.

We’ve come quite a way since the prior issue, and it is indisputable that this second milestone we’ve achieved is attributed significantly to the original and authentic literary creations of our young writers as well as the onerous and tedious behind-the-scenes labour executed by our tireless designers Raegel and Syuen, who have expended many-an-hour working to put together a magazine worthy of your attention.

We've worked hard to cover a selection of genres that may pique your interests, so be it whether you prefer perusing pages of informative texts, school-related articles or creative literature, there's bound to be some pieces that engage you.

Though our magazine may face a slight stagnation in the coming issue due to the imminent examinations, we will nonetheless strive to uphold the quality of our work, and we sincerely appreciate your selfless support in its production: read, contemplate and contribute (if you haven’t already). We pray that you enjoy and savour every article that we have to present to you that is packed not only with the writers’ sweat and labour but also with the thoughts, feelings and beliefs that they wish to convey to open-hearts and minds.

And, dear readers, remember, never underestimate the pen of a young writer.

As always, more powerful than the sword.

Rachel Ng

Designers

Syuen Chia & Raegel Cha

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A Beginner’s Guide to MUN

DofE: Adventurous Journey Hack

8

How To Prepare for Interviews

10 Music Tech : Recordings

11 What to wear during MUNs? 12

DofE: The Highlands

How I Learnt to Be AMAZING 14

Semantics: What Do You Mean? 15 This Path Unravels

SHE

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Creator & Destroyer 18 Requiem

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20 True Feminism 22

The Role of Media in Society

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Step Up and Smile

By Keisha Wee

WHAT IS MUN? MUN, an abbreviation for Model United Nations, is an educational experience and simulation in which students learn and debate about diplomacy, politics, world issues, international relations, and the United Nations. It is basically a smaller-scaled version of the United Nations. MUN is most commonly found in middle schools and colleges as clubs or after-school activities. Students of all ages, ranging from as young as 11 to as old as 25, can participate and represent their schools as a delegation. Most often, a HOD, which stands for Head of Delegation, will take charge in organising the school’s group delegation. The group delegation represents the school as a team.

When students attend conferences, they are called delegates. Most councils can have up to more than a hundred delegates who can represent countries, factions (in the case of a Divergent Council), and significant people (in the case of a Historical Council). There are many other possibilities, depending on the type of council.

COUNCILS AND PROCEDURES. There are two types of procedures in MUN that are applied in conferences: THIMUN and HMUN. THIMUN stands for The Hague International Model United Nations while HMUN stands for Harvard Model United Nations. Any of these procedures can be used for different councils.

There is a variety of councils that is standard in every MUN conference. The number of possible committees in Model UN is very large, limited only by the creativity of conference organizers. Crisis Councils always have a Crisis Director. The Crisis Director updates the council on latest developments and events.

Some examples of councils are: UNHRC (United Nations Human Rights Council), UNGA (United Nations General Assembly), ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council), SPECPOL (Special Political and Decolonization Council), DISEC (Disarmament and Security Council). These councils are real ones, used by the UN to regard and handle problems that fall under each category. Some fictional councils can include: The Idea Of Immortality, Divergent, and more.

MUN Conferences are organised by a group of administrators known as the dais. A dais is led by a Secretary General (sometimes 1 or 2). Each committee or council has a chair. A chair is a member of the dais that enforces the rules of procedure. A delegate may request the committee as a whole to perform a particular action, known as a motion. The aim of the committee is to write a resolution(s) to address the issue (topic) they are trying to solve. If the resolution is not passed, the committee fails.

WHY YOU SHOULD BE ACTIVE IN MUN. MUN equips you with skills that you can use in the future, in ways such as but not limited to: 1. Building confidence 2. Improving speaking skills 3. Improving your English 4. Giving one a feel of the United Nations conferences and debates 5. Procurement of knowledge through extensive research and debating 6. Ability to meet new and different people from around the world or from different schools

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Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journey Hack

By Krystabel Kok

Are you a Year 11 student intending to stay on at Tenby? Or are you simply someone thirsty for adventure looking to join the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the near future? If so, I'd strongly recommend you read this guide as you are highly unlikely to find tips like these anywhere else online (I've tried).

Hiking is no easy task; especially when you have to travel a whopping 45 kilometres in 18 hours over the course of 3 days. However, the Adventurous Journey proved to be more than just three days filled with suspicious insect bites, leaky tents and sore ankles. It gave us Silver Awardees the opportunity to practise self-sufficiency, to enjoy the panoramic scenery and to deepen existing friendships. Of course, in order to fully enjoy the splendours the trip had to offer, we must first be able to get pass over any hurdles along the way. Thus, out of the kindness of my heart, I will be sharing with you tips and tricks I learnt about surviving the Adventurous Journey that I have either experienced first-hand or have been advised by the DofE guides themselves to avoid...

(Sorry kayakers, this article has been tailor-made for hiking only. You‟re on your own!)

1. Pack light You may be deluded to believe that,”Oh, my bag will surely get lighter. After all, we‟ll be consuming the food as we go along, meaning less weight.” I‟m sorry to burst your lightweight bubble, but your bag does indeed get heavier: far heavier. It will rain. Clothes get wet. Tents get wet. Your possessions will get drenched faster than you can even consume your heavy tinned food. It is important to remember that you will be carrying your bag with you throughout your arduous hike, and that the heavier your bag, the more tired, bruised and miserable you will be. Bearing the weight of a 15kg bag on your back will certainly prove to be a suffering (believe me). Therefore, pack either thin or dry-fit clothing that dehumidify very quickly without much exposure to heat. Track pants when wet weigh as much as and can be used as a heavy duty weapon if swung correctly, so pack tights or shorts instead that will dry in a much shorter time. You really only need one set of hiking clothes. Even if you feel the lingering stench of your body odor is strong enough to repel pests, just wear the same thing and console yourself with the fact that everyone else more or less smells just as repulsive as you do. Additionally, try to avoid packing too much tinned, readyhydrated food, unless you are absolutely certain that you are going to consume it all.

Understandably, don‟t go to the extent of packing so light that you starve by day and shiver by night. Simply pack smart and you cannot go wrong.

2. Dinner, not breakfast Dinner will be your most important meal of the day; (Breakfast must relinquish his title, here!) in the evening light, you will be replacing all the energy and nutrients you have lost throughout the day.

Maggi mee will simply not suffice, plus it takes up a ridiculous amount (and irregularly shaped) space in your bags. Slow-burning carbohydrates such as rice or pasta will be necessary, as well as sufficient amounts of protein. This can be found in certain pasta sauces with minced meat and the like. To go with rice, one may choose to have tuna, „bak gua‟ or something similar.

3. Essential Equipment There are a few items vital to your health, safety and comfort during the trip. These are:    

Ankle high hiking boots; Walking stick(s); A foolproof windbreaker (Uniqlo ones won't work!); Waterproof pants.

Hiking long hours puts an immense strain on your ankles, thus if your boots aren't ankle high, your assessor will simply say, “Thou shalt not pass!” Furthermore, you risk being seriously injured. Also, the walking sticks will serve to distribute your weight - in turn putting less strain on your ankles and/or to help you balance when ascending or descending steep slopes.

If you are hiking during the monsoon season, a totally waterproof windbreaker and a pair of waterproof pants will be your best friends. I have encountered enough friends getting totally soaked through while wearing their apparently waterproof windbreakers in torrential downpour who were cold, wet and miserable. So ensure that your windbreaker can sustain the harsh realities of Malaysia‟s bipolar weather before you begin your perilous voyage.

4. Teamwork Make sure that your team comprises of people that you get along with and understand well, as you will be spending copious hours with them prior and throughout the trip. Plan your meals carefully and try to distribute and share items whenever possible. Most importantly: remember to pay each other back!

I was privileged to have such an understanding team. We shared out the weight of the tent by dividing it into its parts, sacrificed our own rations for each other and even sang High School Musical and Disney songs along the way. You cannot be selfish throughout the expedition. Is someone tired? Bring forward the next break. Not everyone may be as fit as you nor match your speed, thus it is only right that the slowest person is in front in order to set the pace for the rest.

Someone else forgot their bread? Do not hesitate to give them a slice (although they really should have remembered). Leaky tent? Help your poor drenched friend dry up the puddles, no matter what unearthly hour it may be at night. Your teammates will play a major role in the success of your journey. Pick them wisely.

My lovely team.

Now you should be well prepared and ready to go for your Adventurous Journey! Good luck and have fun pack light.

When you get to the age where you start applying for entrance into different schools, scholarships, leadership roles or internships, chances are you’ll need to go through an interview first. Having been through successful interviews for scholarships and numerous leadership roles, I am happy to be able to share the little knowledge I have about tackling interviews.

Interviews can be nerve-wrecking and scary but the good news is that some questions come up time and time again so you can prepare for it. My first advice is to always prepare for an interview so here are some tips to help you!

What the interviewer asks: What are your strengths and weaknesses?

What the interviewer really wants to know: Are you capable of doing the job?

What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?

What would your friends consider as your best qualities?

Why should we give you this scholarship/position?

How you should answer: Tell them about your strength- especially those that are relevant to the area you are interviewing for. It is very effective for you to use an example of when you have successfully applied your skill; it is not enough for you to just say you have a skill.

Interviewers often smile upon candidates who have strengths like  Good communication skills  Problem solving skills  Team player  Initiative to learn  Good attitude  Determination If you’re asked about your weaknesses (which they often do in my experience), only list out one or two weaknesses that aren’t essential to the job/role. Explain to them how you are working on overcoming this weakness. Interviewers like to know that you are always looking for ways to improve yourself.

What the interviewer asks: What are your goals?

What the interviewer really wants to know: How ambitious are you?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

How you should answer This is where you show how enthusiastic you are to get on. Be careful of sounding over-ambitious by saying things like ‘I want to be CEO of the company in three years’ but also avoid sounding passive: ‘I’m not sure..I’ll see where the wind takes me.’ Think short-term and long-term goals. The short-term goal could be getting through after that interview!

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What the interviewer asks: What makes a good team?

What the interviewer really wants to know: Can you operate effectively in a team?

What makes a good team member?

What makes a good leader?

How you should answer: Team-work is a highly valued skill everywhere. Interviewers like to know that you are capable of working with people with a range of different personalities. Some interviewers will give you a situational question and will judge your ability to work in a team by your response.

What the interviewer asks: What is your favourite book? (Follow up

What the interviewer really wants to know: Are you an all rounded individual?

question: What bias do you think the author has?)

If you could only use three words to describe yourself, what would they be?

What do your friends think about you?

How you should answer: Personality questions help interviewers know how well you know yourself- how self aware you are. Selfawareness is a great quality to have as it means you can look at yourself critically; you’ll be able to correctly differentiate your strengths and areas you need to improve on.

When it comes to interests, interviewers want to know that you’re actively involved in the things you say you’re interested in. For example, if you are applying for an internship at a bank, they would want to see that you’re generally interested in banking by reading up on certain areas of economics (you can prove this by naming the books you have read related to banking.)

What the interviewer asks: Why do you want this role/position/scholarship?

What the interviewer wants to know: Do you know what you are signing up for?

What can you contribute?

What do you think the main challenges will be?

What will the main tasks and responsibilities?

How you should answer: This is where you can show the interviewer you have done your research about their area of work and how you are exactly the person they need. Think about new ideas you can present to the interviewer about the field you are applying for. If you’re applying to a school, suggest some ideas on how you could make good contributions for the school. This is a very important thing you should try to do at interviews. It shows you’re already thinking about how to do your job well before even getting it!

Now you are ready to tackle any interview that comes your way!

By Alesha Wong 9

Dominic Seow

Music Tech Recordings

Ever since Tenby introduced the brand new A Level subject, Music Technology, the music studio has been flowing with young audio-technicians recording and editing their coursework mixes. As one in the first batch of music tech students, I have personally experienced the trials and tribulations faced when it comes to laying down tracks in the studio.

Recording sessions usually take place after school, when the environment is much more peaceful and less distracting. It’s crucial to pick out suitable times to record; background noises can easily effect and ruin the finished product’s sound quality. Such sessions would approximately take up to half an hour or even 6 hours straight, however long it takes to get it right. One of the joys I find when it comes to getting an electronic copy is mic'ing up the instruments which involves exploring different types of microphones along with styles of mic’ing a specific instrument up.

However, it can become quite a tedious and frustrating process.

Failing to achieve and capture the sound you really want can pan out in different ways. Microphones may not work out the way you desire them to. I’ve even experienced accidentally using a microphone the wrong way around, as well as the cleaning up process which could take up to an hour’s worth of your recording time, but it's extremely important for the equipment to be placed back where it was, so others and yourself find it all in order the next time.

Mixing is probably the most time-consuming stage when it comes to our coursework, taking weeks to get the right sound. Organising and color-coding separate tracks plays a helpful role as well, saving the time and effort searching for specifics, and allowing you to edit, cut, equalize and mix. All in all, it’s been fun being the Tenby Music Tech pioneers. I’d recommend this experience to any muso!

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What to wear during

MUN Conferences?

MUN is an abbreviation for Model United Nation, essentially the mini-version of the United Nations conferences whereby debates are conducted based on current world crises. Due to the increased popularity of MUN at Tenby, fellow students might want to know some useful hacks on presenting great first impressions during the conferences. One of it them your attire. So, let us list down all the possible outfit-of-the-days to set your journey ahead on to some fun and fruitful debates!

Most of the MUN conferences have similar dress code, which is to wear formal attire. But what does formal attire mean? Jeans and tees or suit and tie? As MUN is a formal event, proper clothing should be worn by delegates, with that entailing non-revealing and non-offensive garments. For gentlemen, their outfits are fairly simple and straightforward, which is a shirt, a tie, a pair of trousers and of course, a pair of smart shoes. There isn’t much variation of outfits as they are restricted to limited choices, but this means they can wear the same outfits over the course of three days without the hassle of putting together new pieces for each debate session everyday.

For ladies, this must be a big crisis to be solved before facing the debate. Again, revealing clothes should not be worn, so spaghetti straps, see through shirts and super short skirts are a big NO NO for MUN conferences. However there is quite an array of potential outfits for girls, such as shirts and pants paired with flats, strap tops with pants or even short-sleeved button-up’s with skirts. Popular outfits amongst the female delegates are most likely strap tops with a pencil or flare skirt, dresses, and tops with long skirts.

An extra tip for shorties like me, heels can be worn during the course of three days to boost your height.

If you hate heels, flats can be your alternative too! It does not really matter what combo you choose, so long as you are comfortable with it when travelling around.

In addition to that, blazers and cardigans are highly recommended to be worn during the conferences for a few reasons. Number one, the blazer itself is designed to make everyone look confident and formal.

This will help give other delegates and chairs a better impression of you. Number two, conferences are usually freezing as they have amazing air conditioning facilities, and blazers will defend you from the cold and prevent you from shivering or potentially getting sick from the extreme blaze of AC. And lastly for photo taking purposes, blazers will make everyone’s outfit presentable for commemorating memories since it usually suits every clothing you would wear, so investing in a blazer brings benefits upon yourself.

As for social night attire, such is usually subjected to the theme of the conferences which from hosts to hosts. These are the suggestions that I would recommend you wear during this event.

Hopefully this humble dummies’ guide to “What to wear to MUN conferences” will help you to gain your self-confidence, make great impressions of yourselves and make new friends with fellow delegates and chairs. Good luck!

As MUN is a formal event, proper clothing should be worn by delegates, with that entailing non-revealing and non-offensive garments.

Law Ruo Xie

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Some people call it an experience, whilst some call it an amazing journey, while others call it a beautiful nightmare.

But for me, it was all of the above.

If I had to describe Cameron Highlands in one word: tranquil, with puffs of white balls crawling over the of green hills of variant meridians, towering over us puny beings, and the sounds of nature humming softly around in spite of the locals going about their daily business. Miles of what seemed carpet green-coated the hillsides, consisting of nothing but rows and rows of tea bushes that stretched on farther than the eye could see.

We left school early in the morning on the 27th February.

Leaving the comfort of my bed was hard, especially at 5.30AM where there’s 5 hours left till 10.30AM, the preferred get-up time. Bracing myself for the three-day twonights trip, I go to school prepped and (hopefully) ready.

Parents gathered in the foyer, bidding their farewells and quadruple checking to see if their son or daughter brought enough mosquito repellent for the trip... and off we went.

By Ryan Tan

The journey to Cameron was tiring though not uncomfortable, despite that feeling of exhaustion that takes over when you sit down for 2 and a half hours straight.

Stopping by a rest-stop was the only relief that our feet had over the course of the bus-ride. Lunch too was bought from the stalls of the rest-stop. However, for some unlucky fellows who didn’t think of bringing money- like myself - we had a great time staring at the sumptuous, aromatic curry puffs and the crackling goodness of ‘keropok’, or prawn crackers. Fortunately, there exist kind souls in this world who offered us a free drink on the drive there, bless them.

After what seemed to be forever, we finally made it to the starting line in the quest of our Duke of Edinburgh trip. There we were greeted by our D.O.E guides who would be looking after us during our trek and stay up on the hills. With everything checked and ready, we set off on foot to our first campsite. A 7-kilometre trek uphill took us from the middle of the highlands where the town resided, up to the Boh Tea plantation, where we camped on a football field next to a tea-drying factory.

During the trek, we were exposed to an array of farms dedicated to fresh produce of various greens that go to our wet markets and supermarkets, together with damp, cold, mist that enveloped the entire mountain with its clammy, soggy embrace.

Along the way, we met this dog - which probably belonged to someone - and named him Rex. With a blue, rustic collar and a face full of enthusiasm, he was our trusty companion who followed all of us on our three-days two-nights adventure.

After reaching the campsite, we pitched our tents and sat together for a first-day’s dinner, which consisted of pasta and chicken noodles (maggi), and watched the magnificent red orb descend over the cerulean skyline, huddled together over the warmth of the flame from a gas stove.

Night came, and it was freezing. At a cool estimate of 16 degrees celsius, the groups whined in agony as the cold seeped into their aching bones. On top of that, it rained during our slumber, and completely soaked the unlucky shoes of those who left them out to air and dry them, but with the air being so moist I doubt any drying succeeded.

The next few days flew by like a breeze, ending the expedition with an impressive total of 45kM of land covered within the span of 15 hours solid slog, and then the bus came and took us all home like it was just a fleeting dream. I miss hiking through Cameron Highlands, but what I will miss most is the vibrancy of the Sixth Form coming together, laughing together, eating together, and just having fun during our stay up ‘on the Highs’.

Thank you to Mr Brandon, the award assessor for our trip, for organising the campsites and every little part of the logistics, and the teachers who accompanied us on our odyssey; it was a lot of fun getting to know you all as people and not just as teachers that teach me in school! .:-)

HOW I LEARNT TO BE AMAZING I am amazing. But believe it or not, I wasn’t born that way. As with many things, I had to learn. It does sound weird, telling you how I ‘learnt’ to be amazing, because I realise most people see it as a sort of gift, as if maybe you were born with it (which, admittedly, some people seem to have been). To me, however, how amazing you are isn’t just about surface achievements or talent. I don’t care how many exams you’ve aced, how many followers you have on social media, or how many people you can impress within 5 minutes of getting to know them. I see ‘amazingness’ as more of a skill. Something to be learnt, to get accustomed to through years of experience and hardships. I’m sure a lot of you out there are confused now, so let’s begin with me.

‘Love yourself and be comfortable with who you are’.

I’m sure most of us have heard this one before. In this form or another, something about this just screams ‘yeah, motivation!’ And that’s what everyone wants, right? To be motivated. To be empowered. Why should you care about how other people see you? It’s all about self-empowerment, being brave, putting yourself out there, and anyone who doesn’t agree can just suck it up and deal with it.

So naturally I grew up, like most kids, thinking that I had to block out and brush off opinions and comments I didn’t deem ‘worthy’ of or ‘beneficial’ to my self-esteem, which was pretty tough for someone like me, but I seemed to be doing absolutely fine… at least that’s what I thought. Of course, it didn’t take me long to admit to myself how unhappy thinking like this had made me. Instead of bringing me out of my shell, it actually had adverse effects, succeeding only in shoving me further back in. You see, the more I started to build a defence, the more it made me realise how unstable and insecure I was. I started out owning this whole concept of ‘loving yourself’, but in just over a few months, it had made me so selfconscious, to the point where I’d dread and almost hate meeting new people or having to engage in

discussions with big groups. That wasn’t okay, and I told myself it needed to change. So I stopped putting up this brick wall, and slowly explored the other side a little. The outside. The side I had been conditioned to block out since day one. Guess what? I learnt a lot.

And it was nothing at all as I had expected.

Here’s what I learnt.

You’d care a lot less of what people thought about you, if you realised how little they thought about you.

I don’t say this to be mean, but just think about it: while you’re here styling your hair to perfection, or spending ages picking out the right outfit to wear, people in general, are too self-absorbed with obsessing over their hair, or worrying about whether their clothes match, that you’re virtually non-existent.

So instead of letting your appearance or ‘inadequacies’ dictate your confidence, start loving other people, because that’s really one of the only things they will actually notice. You don’t have to force yourself to be confident with being you, because no one is perfect, and everybody has insecurities. Instead, be confident in the fact that you know how to make other people feel good. There was an article online about this uber driver describing the excitement and privilege of driving Brad Pitt around all day, saying Pitt was ‘one of the nicest guys’, and you know, A-list celebrities, they usually are the nicest people. Reasons being, not only are they hardworking, talented and whatever else it takes, they also know how to make people feel good. Why do they keep getting job offers, bookings, shows and movies? Because people love being in and surrounding themselves in that kind of positivity.

That’s why they love working with these celebrities.

Also, smile more! When you walk down the halls, looking down because you’re nervous and think you have no friends, look up and smile. Instead of worrying about whether you’re ‘cool’ or ‘funny’ enough, start liking other people. Start sharing the love. And once you start talking to them, it’ll give you confidence, it’ll make them feel good, and suddenly thoughts of being ‘cool’ and ‘funny’ will fall secondary to the feeling you get every time you make someone’s day.

So to all you guys out there who are in the same position I was in, be selfless. Forget about the ‘standards’ you feel you have to meet. And I know that sounds horribly difficult, but it really is just for now. Trust me, I know how you feel, I’ve been there before. It took terribly long, but I started loving other people instead of myself. And when you master the skill of not only knowing how to truly love yourself, but making someone else feel good about themselves?

Yeah dude, you’re amazing.

Andrea Hare

SEMANTICS What Do You Mean?

Disclaimer: This is my very general take on semantics and may be completely inaccurate but the aim of this article is to give you an idea of what on earth it is and how it applies to you *insert smiley face*

First off, semantics can be defined as the study of meaning and the interpretation of words, signs and sentence structure. Semantics is the study of what images come to your head when you hear or see a word, a very important thing in day-to-day interactions with people that we’ll cover later.

Semantics is also the study of how the meaning of words changes over time.

For example if you were to call someone wicked, the traditional implication is that they’re a bad person or have an evil intent in their doings. Now something wicked could mean something “cool”, another example of how a word’s meaning has changed over time.

A Brief Overview Semantics can be broken up once again into two general categories: - The linguistics side - The philosophical side A core part of literary semantics is something you analyse almost every day in English class, the distinction between the literal and figurative meaning of words.

Take the sentence below for example: “Dan, you’re on fire!”

In all likelihood your friend Dan is probably not on fire, though it depends on the context of the sentence. Assuming he’s not on fire, the idea behind using “fire” is that we’ve taken the associated emotions and sensation of fire and applied it to Dan’s current state, that he like fire is “untouchable” in a figurative sense. Getting to grips with literary semantics is what will probably net you your A* in IGCSE literature, so yes, semantics is important, friends.

The philosophical and psychological part of semantics is the ability to understand words, how we use that in communication and the decisions we make based on the information we receive.

Take for instance when Mr. Butterfield said to communicate with “love” in assembly the other day.

Did you immediately think of the romantic meaning associated with “love” rather than the platonic use of “love” and find it humorous when he said we had to have “love” in mind when we talk to people? I know I did. Though we may have dismissed that assembly as “just good fun”, the core aspects and intents were incredibly relevant and extremely valuable. The choice of words you use can make or break a friendship and in the workplace could get you fired. It’s not for no reason that the expression “choose your words carefully” still is in use today.

Luke Thompson 15

THIS PATH UNRAVELS

By Katelyn

She started school with a smile, Ready to start the brand new year.

But then it faded after a while, And soon she began to shed a tear.

She was teased constantly By her so called friends Wishing silently That this would all end.

She never told anybody Of her everyday struggle.

Yet she was always ready To one day, crumble.

‘Who was she?’ you may ask, It was me, behind that mask.

By Sarah Quah

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Creator and Destroyer

By Shinissa Kaur As dawn breaks over the horizon, Memories of our past stand tall and proud, Halls of Glory. Halls of Worship Shrines in honour of the Greats.

From the banks of the Nile, To the peak of Olympus Each slab of stone a marvel of mankind.

From the hands of man, these Great Halls come crashing down. Leaving empty shells Of what once remained.

As Diana rides her chariot across the sky, only the Ghost of our past remain.

Cursing man who brings with them the Shadow of Mors Leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

And so the Ghost shall weep; weep for what has been claimed By man who could once create, but now can only destroy.

Requiem

By Zoe Cheah

Moonlight conjures her shadows

Companions for this nightly stroll

As the stars sleep behind an overcast sky,

The flowers, white roses, heavy in his hand.

The pavement glistens with ice

Like the cold surface of a mirror

As he looks down, he sees himself,

And tries to maintain his fading composure.

What will she think? Will she be waiting Under the tree where they met

Decades ago, or so it seems to him:

Time always leaves him fleeting memories.

And so he stops-

Placing the flower on the unforgiving marble

His knees kiss the ground; he stares at her headstone.

"Hello, my love, I have returned."

the truth about

feminism.

By Soo Wan Ting

Some people may think that feminism is a movement demanding more rights for women, aiming for female domination. Some people may think that feminists are extremists of women's rights. Let me tell you that those people have misunderstood the definition of feminism.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, feminism is ‘the belief in equal rights for men and women’. In other words, true feminism is where both men and women are treated equally in the eyes of the justice system, economy, and society. To put it in simpler terms, a close friend once told me, ‘It’s like 2 equal packs of nasi lemak wanted by any of you. You do not pick which because they are both nasi lemak and would make your tummy full; both would get the job done!’ Neither pack of nasi lemak gets special treatment nor neither gets treated as ‘more’.

The misconceptions about feminism are due to the fact that some ‘feminists’ hate men.

Unfortunately, this small proportion are usually the loudest. These ‘feminists’ are called misandrists, or as aforementioned, the extremists. Moreover, since the 1700’s, people have been brought up to believe that all feminist are angry, all because these feminists were fighting for the right to own property, the right to education, and the right to vote. People continue to believe so due to diagnosis bias, which basically means that a description of a person can alter how people perceive him/her. In this case, the description of misandrists used to identify feminists throughout the years has made people automatically associate feminists to power-hungry, opinionated loudmouths.

True feminists do NOT think men are evil, vile human beings that deliberately degrade women because they are scared of females taking over the world. True feminists do NOT blame men for the oppression of women. True feminists are NOT the same as sexists. For example.

Feminists believe that women should NOT have lighter punishments than men for the same act of sexual assault. Gender emancipationists believe that NO one should get an upper hand just because they were born a male or a female.

Society has raised children to believe that girls should wear pretty dresses and play with dolls, and boys should play with trucks and deal with their emotions ‘like a man’. Feminism aims to reform gender roles and sexist norms and beliefs. Who said girls must know how to cook if they want to be world leaders? Who said a boy can’t be manly if he loves ballet? As feminists, you fight against these traditional gender stereotypes. If girls can dance ballet, so can boys. If boys play with trucks, so can girls. No longer do men have to be the breadwinners of the family as more strong independent women arise. On the other hand, men are able to do whatever their heart desires that once would have branded them ‘gay’.

Emma Watson is one of the many celebrities that are vigorously fighting for feminism. Besides her ‘HeForShe’ campaign, she made one of the most inspiring speeches in front of the United Nations to challenge gender equality. She highlighted problems on how society has made people shy away from their potential just because they were born a certain gender, and ‘it is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum, not as two opposing sets of ideals.’

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The quote I found the most powerful was when she called up men to join the fight for feminism. She said, ‘I want men to take up this mantle. So their daughters, sisters and mothers can be free from prejudice but also so that their sons have permission to be vulnerable and human too—reclaim those parts of themselves they abandoned and in doing so be a more true and complete version of themselves.’

This motivational speech inspired Pakistani Malala Yousafzai. When Malala was 15, she was shot in the head by a Taliban for speaking for girls’ right to education. Fortunately, she survived, and continues to fight for the right of education for girls worldwide. She was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for her actions and passion. Malala has simply said, ‘Feminism is another word for equality.’

Not all feminists are women. One of the most outspoken and influential leaders of the world, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau says ‘we shouldn’t be afraid of the word “feminist”’. In a session of Progress Towards Parity at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, Trudeau proudly revealed the world’s first gender-balanced cabinet.

This article was not written with the intentions of making all readers men-haters, or to throw a pity party for mistreated women and girls. This article was written to inform all readers on the true meaning and ambition behind the commonly misunderstood word ‘feminism’, to reiterate that, feminism is a movement fighting for gender equality, not gender domination, and to reinforce that no one should be ashamed to be a woman.

Lastly, I would like to end with a quote from Emma Watson’s speech: ‘If not me, who? If not now, when?’

Emma Watson speaking for the ‘HeForShe’ campaign

Sources: http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2012/12/reasons-people-believe-feminism-hates-men/ http://www.femagination.com/597/benefits-of-feminism-for-men/ http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/9/emma-watson-gender-equality-is-your-issue-too http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/05/malala-yousafzai-tells-emma-watson-im-a-feminist-thanksto-you http://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/justin-trudeau-i-will-raise-my-sons-as-feminists 2

The Role of

Media in Society The word ‘media’ is defined as the main means of mass communication (especially television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet). Today, media has become just as essential as our everyday needs. It has the ability to manipulate the way we think, the way we look, and the way we act. The media of today plays a significant role in the shaping of public opinion, and establishing the society that we know today.

Media is often described as the mirror of society. It shapes us into who we are. It helps us form judgements and opinions about the current affairs happening around the world, and informs us about all the latest news occurring around the world. The media influences everything from our political views, to what we decide to watch on TV. The media shows us things beyond our own experiences’ allowance, and broadens our horizons. It allows us to look at the world and identify the problems that need to be solved, and form a perspective based on what we see.

However, what people forget about this mirror is that the reflection can be distorted.

The picture the media paints may not necessarily be what is really happening, and might be instead an incomplete image. Only the pleasant parts are shown, though that might not necessarily be the truth in most of the national situations today. Choices have been made, and in the end, we see only what the media wants us to see.

Another metaphor for the media is a gatekeeper. Although we believe that the media is showing us the full picture, what we don’t realise is that the media filters out some of the truth. It filters the bad, unpleasant parts, and ultimately, gives us a distorted version of reality, one that cannot be trusted.

Media is also described as the watchdog of democracy; yet sometimes it filters out the things ‘they’ do not want us to see, and disguises the injustice, irrationality and oppression happening in society today. It can protect public interest from malpractice hide the truth about politics, or conceal greed behind the mask of integrity.

Today, media plays an essential role in society for youth today. The internet influences our perspectives on global issues, politics and many other things, as well as expanding our knowledge on the crises occurring in the world. It manipulates the way many people see the world, as well as the things around them.

Although this can be seen as a good thing, the media paints a partial image, constantly delivering modified versions of the truth that may not necessarily be entirely accurate.

Therefore, although the media plays a crucial part in the way our world is shaped, it does not always provide the public with the authentic legitimacy it should.

Food for thought…

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By Zofie Cheah

Look at your hands; think about the things that you can do with your hands: Make a sketch, play the piano, do card tricks and maybe even write a book. Look at your legs; think about all the places you could go: A stroll through Tenby square, a visit to your favourite spot in town or maybe a spot in the colour run during the recent charity bazaar.

Now imagine, you couldn’t do any of that. On the 5th of March, I came face to face with that harsh reality.

My seat lay between Inman and a little boy who definitely looked like he needed help; he had an odd sway as he tried to sit up straight, hands clasped and not able to open, and there was a woman, who I had assumed was his aid, behind him making sure she gave him support. As I sat down next to him, I flashed him a smile and to my surprise, he gave me one back. I was surprised to say the least; such a simple act of recognition definitely made me feel that much more welcomed.

On that day, I, along with two more of Tenby’s sixth form students, Inman and Rachel, visited Step and Smile, a conductive learning centre for children with Cerebral Palsy or other motor disorders. They are based in Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, and the centre is run by husband and wife, Alan and Kiyoka Roberts.

As the kids settled down, Miss Szandra began the lesson. We all sat in a circle and behind her sat a yellow straw basket with red lining. I couldn’t really see inside it from where I was sitting so I was left dumbfounded when she took out, what looked to me like, a small green, cactus shaped ball. As she placed it in my hands, she introduced me to the young

Step and Smile

By Timothy Lo

It was the morning of the visit and I was driving myself to Plaza Damas. I had read up on the disorders before starting my journey but one thing just had to sink in. I was anxious. I didn’t know what to expect. ‘What could I do for these children? Some of them might not be able to walk, stand, maybe they might not even be able to talk.’ But alas, I arrived, flagged down by Rachel from the side of the curb, ready to face this unsettling feeling.

As we entered the centre, I took in my surroundings, a large open room with a small array of child-sized tables and chairs, therapeutic balls and a number of leg braces lining the shelves of boxes. My eyes finally settled on the children sitting at the table with their teacher showing us our seats. She gave us each an excited tone, a firm handshake and a warm smile. Her name was Ms. Szandra.

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boy. His name was Marc, and he is 12 this year. As she instructed me the exercise that she wanted me to help Marc perform, a simple roll along his foot to stimulate his muscles, I thought, ‘Alright, this should be easy...’ though in hindsight, I had been greatly mistaken.

Marc was slightly stubborn, sometimes refusing to do one or other of the exercises that he was meant to do. It wasn’t easy but with the help of his aid, we managed to complete his group class routine. Ms. Szandra sang nursery rhymes that helped motivate the kids to do their work. Inman and I felt a bit out of place, singing and clapping along to certain songs that we had never heard before but it was still, most definitely, enjoyable.

As the lesson progressed, I finally caught on to the names of Marc’s classmates, Seba and Janna. I learnt that Seba is actually from Egypt and that she is easily excitable. Janna likes drawing and she has an aunt from Switzerland. However, learning things about Marc was rather harder for he couldn’t speak well so he needed to use a laminated piece of A4 paper littered with letters, common nouns and verbs to communicate.

It was easily 40 minutes before Ms. Szandra told us that it was time for each of us to help a pupil with a special exercise catered to each individual. For Marc, that involved a commando crawl across some mats. I walked over to the other end of the 4 meter long blue padding and took my spot on the floor, kneeling down with my hands out-stretched to provide some motivation for Marc.

wanted to move forward, he’d have to sweep his hand across the floor-level and place them, one after another, in front of him, using his forearms to gain some friction to pull him forward. It was hard to watch but it made me feel happy that I was doing something to help him.

Just as Marc finished his last crawl, the teacher told me to help Marc sit up and get ready for the next exercise. I sat down beside him as he laid there on his back, hands sprawled out and legs no different. I grabbed on to his left shoulder firmly with my right hand as my left held onto his right. I slowly lifted him up, making sure he was trying to get up as well. As I lifted, I heard a small faint, almost inaudible voice, ‘hug’. I laughed as I placed my arms under his armpits and gave him a small embrace only to be replied to with a ‘thaz youg’. My heart clenched at that moment, a smile plastered on my face and a radiating wave of contentedness coursing through my body.

As the last arts and craft project came to a closing and our time together was finally up, I gave him one last smile and likewise, he did the same. I put on my shoes and waved him a goodbye wave before heading out the entrance behind Rachel and Inman. I watched as the large glass door behind us closed.

On the outside, I was smiling, but on the inside I felt constricted seeing Marc try so hard to get to me, his arms and legs moving sloppily across the floor, how when he tried to lift up his body sometimes, he’d fall facefirst on the matting and tumble like a house of cards when he tried to get back up. His hands couldn’t be spread open so when he

The time I spent with Marc was precious and I’ll hold it with me for a long time. It was that moment that I realised that believing in someone is the best thing you could ever do for a person. I would encourage anyone to volunteer at Step and Smile. It wasn’t just an unforgettable, humbling and enjoyable experience but I’m sure I have walked away with more than just a different perspective.

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