BE True, Pure
Strong
and
Brave
Issue #11 January 2024
PL P
E L C R A
Contents Current Affairs
03 Shaping The Future for Migrant Workers 05
Debunking Fake News about Flowers growing in Antarctica
PL Affairs
08 What do we do in PL Parcel? Highlight Piece
11
How to adapt to Secondary School Life?
Art Piece
13
Singapore Art Week 2023
Healthy Mind, Healthy Body
15
Journey to Self Love
Written By: Chloe Peh (3.4), Elizabeth (4.2)
Designed By: Jean Wong (4.3)
Shaping the Future s r e k for migrant w or
coffeetable in comm on ar ea!!
Recently, a CNA article was published about a re-designed dormitory room for migrant workers in Singapore. The project named Project Commune, implemented by The Dormitory Association of Singapore Limited, was commissioned by the government who then announced higher standards for new dormitories following the pandemic. In this article, we will cover what is the significance of this and what it could mean for the future of migrant worker dormitories in Singapore.
Through the eyes of our migrant workers
Before we touch on Project Commune, it is important to understand the purpose behind the initiative. Migrant workers are often taken advantage of in the working scene, as they have long working hours, low wages, inadequate living conditions, and insufficient rest days. These issues can affect their physical health, mental health, and overall quality of life. For example, the stress of being in a foreign country and barely speaking the language can lead to a variety of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Furthermore, they are often discriminated against and alienated by many residents in Singapore due to negative stereotypes and associations. .
Project Commune
In 2022, the project won the Singapore Good Design Gold Award as it not only upgraded the living areas and facilities of the migrant workers, it also increased resident and migrant worker connections as well as cultural improvements. The initiative required visiting seven dorms and interviewing the migrant workers and managers.
dorms prototype@The leo
A meeting with 40 stakeholders was arranged to address the identified issues while balancing meeting the needs of migrant workers, the bottom line of dorm operators, and regulatory compliance. The prototype room in The Leo dormitory featured new flooring, a makeshift dining area, and sound-insulating call booths, which helped to strengthen resident relationships.
Project Commune resulted in cultural shifts in dorms, with PPT Lodge 1B in Seletar trying a "stamp tour" to assist new residents in finding their way about. Dorm operators and managers were urged to redefine their responsibilities at work, resulting in new techniques for connecting with residents. A handbook was established to direct residents, and some operators began offering more private spaces. Aside from already being a massive upgrade from their current living conditions, this project was a huge step taken by the government in improving the well-being of migrant workers and their connections with other residents.
tour p m sta
nual a m +
Hope for a better future for migrant workers
However, with the newly built prototype room and Project Commune, the future for Singapore’s migrant workers seems to be improving bit by bit. By upgrading living conditions, prioritising wellbeing and comfort, this sets a new high standard for future dormitories to be built in Singapore. Companies can take this as an opportunity to use this prototype room as a model to embark on future dormitory projects. The project promotes interactions between migrant workers and residents, and by learning about their respective cultures, misconceptions and stereotypes can be avoided and lasting bonds can be forged between them. migrant's photo of them at dorm
Conclusion In summary, Singapore’s government is now providing
more support for DASL who have stepped in to take more action on improving the lives of its workforce members, especially the migrant workers. This means that we can hope to see future generations of them being able to experience a higher quality of life in dormitories, with a greater sense of belonging and comfort.
Ng, A. (2023, December 16). A migrant worker room in Singapore was redesigned to feel like home. Could this be the future for dormitories? CNA. https://cna.asia/46YFF3B
DEBUNKING: Global warming causes flowers to bloom in Antartica Last year, in 2023, there was an Instagram post that caught the attention of many. It quickly gained more than 2,000 likes in only two weeks. The post included a picture of plants growing on land surrounded by icebergs floating around in the distance.
A claim about flowers growing in Antarctica? The post included the text, “Flowers are now starting(sic) to bloom in Antarctica and experts say this is not good news… This would be the first evidence of accelerated ecosystem response in Antarctica that is directly associated as a consequence of global warming, according to Nicoletta Cannone, a professor of ecology at the University of Insubria.” However, this myth was then debunked as it was later revealed that it was just a stock photo of icebergs floating in the coastal area of Greenland.
Growth in False News We have all heard of fake scoops all over, however what is with the recent growth of fake news on social media platforms? According to a research team from USC Marshall School of Business and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences results show that 15% of habitual news sharers tend to spread 30-40% of fake news on social media. Oftentimes, social media platforms encourage users to post often to garner attention or ‘clout’ and it is with this structure of social media that encourages more users to spread these news. These users would then find more striking or sensational news that would be more appealing towards social media users. When these fake news appear on their algorithm, social media users are incentivised to share the post to others as it appears to them as ‘trustworthy’.
Negative Effects of False News In the context of flowers growing in Antarctica, fake news has caused distress among users, giving them the impression that temperatures are rising due to climate change. Apart from causing panic for social media users, fake news has the potential to spread harmful news that may encourage hate speech or discredit science. For example, there were plenty of posts encouraging anti-vax spread throughout social media platforms during the Covid pandemic, which created an influx of misinformation on vaccines and promotion of home-remedies that probably did more harm than good. Some users who believed the posts ended up refusing to take the vaccine out of fear. Others who were incentivised to believe that the vaccines were harmful, began to target people out of hatred. Therefore, misinformation has the power to alter someone's thoughts, beliefs and perceptions towards others and it can impact the world in serious global situations.
With regards to the claim of flowers growing in Antarctica, no one knew whether it was a real phenomenon or whether it was just another misinformation. So how do you identify whether an article is false? A way to do so is to check if images are authentic. In this case, experts were consulted to find out if the flowers seen in the picture posted together with this claim were able to actually withstand the harsh conditions of the Arctic and grow there. Contrary to popular belief, the flowers that were said to be blooming in Antarctica was just due to photoshopping, and was not actually a true claim. Additionally, always develop a habit of checking other sources regarding an allegation. Are reputable news or media outlets zooming in on this story as well? Are credible sources cited within this story? It is always beneficial to fact-check content and not just believe what the eye sees. Also, correlating with the news that flowers were blooming in Antarctica, although picture proof was shown, it may not always be accurate. Do remember that it is a good sign if professional news agencies are publishing a certain story as well.
Conclusion Many people now consume and get information from online sites or social media, but it is not always easy to determine the credibility of an article. There are many believable fake news out there like this one. Despite many being convinced by claims of flowers growing in Antarctica, it turned out to be false information. This reminds us that not everything we see is true. Fake news relies on believers reposting, retweeting or otherwise sharing false information. If you are not sure whether an article is genuine, give it the benefit of the doubt, pause and think before you share. This is crucial so as to prevent misinformation online. Together, we can stop the spread of false news on the internet by remaining vigilant at all times.
Written by: Chloe Chan (3.3), Chloe Peh (3.4), Tan Sheena (4.8) Designed by: Pooja (2.8), Ameya (2.8)
Sources: Petersen, K. S. (2023a, October 7). Global warming is affecting Antarctica, but image of flowers is from elsewhere | fact check. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2023/10/07/false-claim-photo-shows-flowers-blooming-in-antarctica-factcheck/71067338007/ Climate conspiracy theories flourish ahead of COP28. The Straits Times. (2023, November 22). https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/climate-conspiracy-theories-flourish-ahead-of-cop28 Medzerian, D. (2023, December 8). Study reveals key reason why fake news spreads on social media. USC Today. https://today.usc.edu/uscstudy-reveals-the-key-reason-why-fake-news-spreads-on-social-media/
What do we do in
PL PARCEL?
Since the inception of our very own student-initiated project, PL Parcel, many articles have been produced by our team and read by PL-Lites. Well, have you ever wondered what we do behind the scenes at PL Parcel? In this article, we will be talking about some of our writing and designing processes that our team goes through before publishing.
Communication Firstly, PL Parcel has two different teams, the Writing team, and the Design team. Writers and designers work together to produce articles that fit the vision of both sides. In addition to this, our Core Team helps to vet our work before it is sent for a final vet by our Teachers-in-charge. Finally, after all changes have been made, the issue for the month is published!
Brainstorming Process Every article first starts like how any other school project would begin, with much brainstorming. During this process, both the writers and designers will put forward a multitude of ideas. There are currently 5 sections of the PL Parcel magazine —Current Affairs, PL Affairs, Highlight Piece, Art Piece and Healthy Mind Healthy Body. There would typically be 4-5 suggestions for each section, before we begin shortlisting them.
In fact, some of the topics that were originally proposed for this section were “Outward Bound Singapore Camp (OBS)”, or “Tips for group-work projects”. During a meeting, the ideas that are the most relevant and suitable for the section and month will be chosen, and subsequently agreed upon by the teachers. Once the finalised idea is ready, the writers and designers can decide on which article they wish to work on. For this month, our brainstorming was completed during the holidays!
Writing Process After roles are delegated, team members grouped together discuss the outline of their articles, as well as research on their topics using credible sources. If the team decides to conduct an interview, they would have to let the core team know beforehand before discussing the questions to ask, which would also be sent in for vetting. Members are assigned to write different parts of the article to ensure that everyone has equal responsibility in writing. After the first draft is completed, the article then goes through peer-editing, where different people writing different articles help to proofread the articles. Each article is also vetted by our teachers-incharge, Ms Reena and members of her team. Finally, final changes are made by the Chief and Vice-Chief editors, such as plagiarism checks and editing of grammatical errors.
Design Process
W D R E I S T I E G R N
Designers assigned to the same article work together to illustrate their article. Most of their illustrations are hand-drawn, and each designer gets to showcase their own artwork through this process. Every designer has their own artstyle, which makes for unique article designs for every issue! After creating a rough sketch to get their idea across, designers also choose a colour palette and send it to the Design ICs, who will then vet and provide feedback. Designers will then clean up their illustration and make the necessary changes. The designers create multiple drafts until a final one is chosen. Lastly, designers upload the completed design to a common Google Drive folder afterwards.
All in all, a lot of work is put into creating these articles. The designers and writers have to work hand in hand to produce these articles. If you would like to be a part of our team, why not try signing up for PL Parcel when are open?
sign ups
From the students to the teachers, we spend a lot of time producing these magazines, so we hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed making them!
From the PL Parcel team to you, HAVE A GREAT 2024!
Written by: Ow Yong Yu An (2.3), Karis Lee (2.3), Kathlene Ng (3.1) Designed by: Adele Wang (4.6), Nayli (2.4)
Whether as a Secondary 1 student just stepping foot into a new school or a Secondary 3 PL-lite taking on new subjects for the first time, the first month is always a period of adjustment and transitions. Hence, in this article, we will be sharing what challenges to look out for in secondary school life, as well as a few tips and tactics from seniors, for us to start our journey on the right foot as this new chapter begins!
All About Academics An integral aspect student life is learning to stay afloat within the ever-increasing workload of school. With so many subjects to juggle, examination periods and even day-to-day classes can get hectic. Thus, here are a few tips to help you excel in the new year.
Needless to say, keeping up with homework as much as possible is essential to avoid assignments snowballing with every passing day and teachers hounding us for missed deadlines. In this regard, the student diary is an extremely handy tool to log any tasks on our to-do list. Furthermore, we can use online scheduling tools such as Google Calendar and Tasks to have a better visualisation of our deadlines. This tactic can even be applied to revision to keep up with the constant progress of topics leading up to the first round of weighted assessments. Another key area many of us tend to overlook is the importance of seeking help. Our teachers are our greatest allies in the face of examinations; by paying active attention in class, engaging with our teachers and asking questions freely, we can avoid missing any important tips or information that will benefit our learning. This is reflected in the advice of a PL-Lite, Ana Ning (4.5), to “not be afraid to ask for help and go for consultations”, and Secondary 3 Peer-Lite Theodora (3.5) to “come to school with an open mind”. Being open to feedback and criticism from our teachers allows us to improve ourselves and increase our understanding of our various subjects. Stretched Too Thin: Finding a Balance Another significant issue that is commonly faced by PL-Lites is conserving our time and energy, the two being precious resources that we must make the most of. As we move into the new year, we may find more and more on our plate and have seemingly much less time to complete it, let alone enough energy to power through the massive workload. Unfortunately, it is increasingly common for students to face burnout and overwhelm amid secondary school life. Finding a balance between academics, CCAs, and other commitments within and outside of school is therefore of utmost importance. A recurring piece of advice from various PL-Lites is to manage your commitments – from leadership positions to music classes – in order to avoid being run down. Although it is good to participate actively, too many commitments can be time-consuming and may grow too difficult to manage.
Goals and Motivation Knowing what you want to work towards in both the short term and long term is important in maintaining motivation. Although this may seem difficult, especially in the case of deciding on future educational institutes or career aspirations, by starting early we also allow ourselves a longer runway to better prepare ourselves for the future. Beyond this, pinpointing and working out what is required of us to achieve these goals is also crucial in allocating time and effort to them. These requirements must also be taken into consideration in ensuring a goal is attainable. For example, in looking to improve subject grades from a pass to a distinction, we must be prepared to put in the hours and hard work of consistent revision and practice required. Hence, we should not expect to do so in just one term. By setting sub-tasks of smaller goals to achieve at each step, we can also help to make such aspirations feel more attainable and less daunting for ourselves. Lastly, value progress over perfection. Acknowledging small wins and accomplishments is the key to staying motivated to push further to achieve your ultimate goal.
In conclusion… Many of us may be filled with anxiety about how to better ease into the higher expectations 2024 heralds for each of us. However, by seeking the necessary help, managing our time and energy and staying motivated, we can reach our goals and find a healthy balance in our school life. Let us all rise to the challenge and make this year our year! Written by: Elizabeth Ban (4.2), Felicia Low (4.1) Designed by: Inge Hoon (4.6), Brooke Yeoh (3.1)
SINGAPORE ART WEEK So what is Singapore Art Week? Art lovers, look no further, the longest running art week is back with the 12th edition of Singapore Art Week which will start on 19 Jan. As one of Asia’s biggest, more than 400 artists will collaborate for Art Week, such as Latin Americans, Afro Asians and Southeast Asians. This includes more than 150 showcases displayed across Singapore at Marina Bay, Civic District, Bras Basah, Bugis, Gillman Barracks and Tanjong Paga Distripark.
What to expect The showcases include art exhibitions, art fairs, presentations, art studios, public art and art trails, which feature a multitude of themed artworks. These themes can range from environmental concerns to struggles against colonisations and even parent-child relationships. For example, a performance installation done by artist Tang Da Wu titled ‘Our Children’ will be displayed at Gillman Barracks. This artwork depicts a fable from a Chinese Opera in Teochew about a submissive young boy who witnesses a lamb being cared for by its mother. Aside from showing how the younger generations should be respectful and loyal, the rest of his work explains Singapore’s long history. Another example is an exhibition showcasing an artist’s take on artificial intelligence (AI) done by artists Huijun Lu and Joscelin Chew. It addresses the convergence between text and image opposing the negative ubiquitous use of text-toimage done by AI. With AI’s skill to develop images quickly and innovatively, people really question what it takes to be an artist.
One of the biggest highlights in town is the ‘Light to Night’ festival. Themed ‘Reimagined’, visitors are invited to explore and reimagine art. Buildings in the civic district will once again be illuminated by a dazzling array of light projections curated by both local and global artists. The light show will go on to feature several interactive installations as well as activities and tours.
Conclusion Singapore Art Week is an opportunity to immerse ourselves in different forms of art, expanding our horizons and deepening our appreciation for it. Not only is it a great way to nurture our creative minds and broaden cultural understanding, it also stimulates our intellect and allows us to forge meaningful connections with art and with close ones too. The Singapore Art Week event is certainly an event to look forward to this year!
Written by: Goh Zhi En (3.8), Kayla Tan (3.8) Designed by: Ameya Anjali Vipin (2.8)
Credits: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/singapore-art-week-2024-380041 https://www.artweek.sg/
journey to
self-love
Written by: Venkatesh Kumar Haashni (2.1), Clara Xiang Yi Holmberg (4.6) Designed by: Edlysia Goh (4.4), Brooke Yeoh (3.1)
Practising self-love How many of us here have managed to live out our entire lives without having low self-esteem? Undoubtedly, a vast majority of us would unfortunately admit otherwise. Many of us are more familiar with the feeling of being critical towards ourselves compared to loving ourselves as to who we truly are. This is a toxic mindset, however, and could lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Thus, practising self-love can counter the toxic mindset of self-hate and low self-esteem. However, how do you practise self-love? This article aims to give you advice on how to start loving yourself more!
Addressing and improving a poor selfimage and self-esteem The first step to tackling a negative self-image and fragile self-esteem is to start taking care of yourself more. You might think that self-care is only in the form of doing meditation, skincare or eating healthily, but there is so much more to that! The purpose of self-care is to give yourself time to relax and make you feel good about yourself. Self-care can come in many forms, like spending time with friends, eating your favourite food and affirming yourself. In the long run, this will lead to improved self-esteem! The next step is to be less harsh on yourself. Start forgiving yourself for your past mistakes and instead work towards being a better version of yourself, as well as reward yourself for the small things that went well today. For example, treating yourself with ice cream after you manage to complete a task. These small practices make you feel better about yourself, and can lead to improved self-esteem, as well as make you feel more confident. Speaking about confidence, this article will help you understand more about creating confidence boosters in your life!
Confidence boosters in daily
There are certain things you can do to boost your confidence in your daily life. Firstly, you should take control of yourself and not let others affect you. One way to be confident is to look the part. It is often said that one should "fake it till you make it.” It suggests that you act confident and capable, even when you do not feel that way. Secondly, you should work on your self-image. Our self-image means more to us than we think. Everyone has a mental picture of themselves which determines how confident they are. If this mental picture is not good enough, you should use your mental Photoshop skills to change it to your dream self and work towards achieving that in real life. Another thing you can do is focus on solutions. If you are a complainer or focus on problems instead of solutions, you should change your mindset immediately. Instead of saying ‘I can't do this’, you should say ‘What can I do to be able to do it’. If you implement these changes in your daily life, you will be able to be more confident in everything you do.
Conclusion To conclude, you should make changes to things that are a negative part of your life and be the person you wish to be. You should also take everything positively with an open mind and take steps towards building a positive self-image by being confident in what you do. This way, you can lead a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life.
credits
https://zenhabits.net/25-killer-actions-to-boost-your-self-confidence/
Comic of the day
By Sheena Tan (4.8) Inge Hoon (4.6)
P R L O P F A P R U C N EL! G I S To prevent the core team from sending emails every time we want to recruit new members, we are launching a QR Code that will be on the second last page of every publish which leads you to a Google form so you can sign up for our wonderful PL Parcel team! Both designers and writer slots are open :)
Here is the QR Code to sign up :D
We hope to recruit members who are punctual with deadlines and responsive! More importantly, they take pride in their work and put their best effort in them :) If this sounds like you, and you have a love for designing/writing, do make sure to sign up!
ou soon as part of o y e e s o ur te t e p o am!! We h with love, core team <3
About Us PL Parcel is a student-initiated project — Our school's very own student publication! We aim to cover a wide range of content and share timely topics with our readers. We also hope these publishes can spark PL-Lites to discover the joy and benefits of reading, as well as to keep up-to-date with global and school-related matters. We'd like to thank everyone who put in the effort and contributed to this publish, and those who read our works!
PL Parcel '24 Teacher Advisor Ms Reena Kaur Editor and Asst. Editor
Elizabeth Ban (4.2) and Clara Holmberg (4.6) Content Editors:
Felicia Low (4.1) Design Editors:
Adele Wong (4.6) and Jean Wang (4.3)