The Furen Press - The 3rd Edition

THE FUREN PRESS - III Edition

Investing In Knowledge

The synergy of teachers and students investing in knowledge results in greater success in their future.

Be Productive, Inquisitive, and Confident.

Song Review: Let Me Go by Daniel Caesar

By Lily

Racial Harmony Day

On Racial Harmony Day (21 July 2023), students were encouraged to dress in traditional clothes.

Wang Aoxue, from G-1224, wearing the horse-faced skirt (⻢⾯裙) decided on her choice as “It was the most typical style of women’s dress in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The prints on the skirt are symbolic designs widely used in Chinese culture; the peony represents wealth while chrysanthemum symbolises longevity.”

Through this dress-up activity, she got to learn more about the practicality of traditional dress designs and hope that more people get to learn more about the beauty of Chinese traditions and culture.

Students in Furen Dressing Up Costumes from Different Traditions

Photos by FIS

Wang Aoxue in Horse-Face skirt, middle left Li Zhuoxuan in Ru skirt, middle right

Another student, Li Zhuoxuan from G-1221 wore a traditional dress called Ru skirt(襦裙), with its origins from the Tang Dynasty with over 1500 years of history. Apart from the fun factor in dressing up, it was also a special experience for them to learn a little more about the different Chinese dynasties through traditional costumes.

“Singapore is a multi-racial and multireligious society. Therefore, racial and religious harmony is vital for Singapore’s social cohesion,” as cited on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ website (28 September 2022). Racial Harmony Day is observed every 21st July in Singapore to celebrate the harmony amongst the different races and religions. It is also celebrated in Furen to teach the students the importance of living in harmony and cohesion with people of different cultures and backgrounds. This is taught through news of the riots that took place in Singapore on this day in 1964 how the fragile fabric of society can be easily torn apart.

Photos by FIS

New Learning Experience in Furen

The ongoing July-August 2023 study programme is not the first educational tour organised by FIS. These study tours started prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and were stopped once they hit. The objective of these tours is to allow for teachers to connect with students from other countries, specifically targeting the Chinese mainland market. Past educational tours had also included students from Taiwan. Organising study tours also promotes the FIS brand.

Study tours are conducted in English with focus on local contents covering topics on pronunciation, leisure activities, food and drink, transportation, arts, local cultures and traditions, local wildlife, environment, health and fitness. As part of the program, apart from classroom sessions, students would also visit tourist attractions related to the content of the course; such as the Merlion Park and Chinatown.

More such programs are organised during the months of July and August taking advantage of the summer holidays in China when the students are taking a break from school. There are also plans to extend this program to include students from other countries in regions as well.

Photos by FIS

Ms. Samie Ren and students from China in activity-based-learning English classes

TaylorSwiftinSingapore

Taylor Alison Swift, an American singer, songwriterandactressbornonDecember13,1989, is one of the most well-known performers around. With a total of 589 awards and 1147 nominations, this megastar is mostly recognised for her song-writing, artistic reinvention and influence on the music industry. Taylor started her music career at the young age of seventeen years old after fiveyearsofguitarlessons;sheusedtoplayin local coffee shops before her professional career.

On July 17, 2023, tickets for her concert in the Singapore stop of the “Eras Tour” were released for sale. The tour kicked off in March 2023 and will end in August 2024. The “Eras Tour”includesmorethan100concertsaround the world including the United States, Europe, SouthAmerica,Australia,NewZealand,Japan and Singapore, with Singapore being the only stopinSouth-EastAsia.

TicketsfromSGD108toSGD348weresoldoutalmostimmediatelyonthe first day of release. Organizers claimed that 22 million people were competingfortheonlinepre-ordertickets.TaylorSwiftplanstoperform six nights in Singapore at the National Stadium which can hold up to 55,000people.Withatotalof330,000seatsforthe6nights,itwouldbe more than the total number of seats sold for her stop in Tokyo, Japan. ThetourhasalreadymadearecordofUSD1billioninticketsalesandis stillincreasing.

Game Break!

CanYouFindAlloftheWords?

'Hardest Degree Subjects' by Oxford Royale Academy

Do not underestimate the course content of your major, but do research and be well informed. If you want to know why the above-mentioned majors are difficult, read more at oxford-royale com/hardest-degree-subjects/

EXERCISE

By Huang Yi Jie (G-1118)

Q: Why teenagers need to do daily exercise?

A: Adolescence is an important stage of human growth and development, doing daily exercise and sports are really important for teenagers. Besides physical health, mental health should also be maintained. Exercise can strengthen the development of muscles and bones, cardiopulmonary function, boost your immune system and maintain a healthy weight. In addition, exercise can help improve mental health as it reduces stress, increases self-confidence, and develops teamwork and leadership skills.

Q: What types of exercise and sports should teenagers be doing？

A: There are many kinds of exercises and sports which one can choose from. Sports that involve cardio, strength training, flexibility training and balance training. Aerobic exercises such as running, swimming and cycling can improve heart and lung function, and enhance endurance. Strength training like weightlifting, push-ups and squats can increase muscle strength and bone density. Flexibility training such as yoga and stretching can increase joint and physical flexibility and balance training like tai chi and jump rope can improve body control and coordination.

Q: How much time do teenagers need each day to do exercise and sports?

A: According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, adolescents should workout at least once a day, 60 minutes of mid-range, highintensity physical activity. This can be divided into several short periods of time, e.g. - 20 minutes of cardio, 20 minutes of strength training and 20 minutes of flexibility training each day. In addition, teenagers should minimize extended periods of sitting and inactivity, and should get up and move.

Q: Why are more and more teenagers unwilling to take the initiative to exercise?

A: In my opinion, there are three reasons why teenagers are unwilling to pay attention to the benefits of exercise. First of all, it is because of the pressure of academic achievement. We are expected to prioritize our studies more than anything else, and we need to appropriate a large amount of time daily into learning and gaining this systematic knowledge. Only then, can we attain good results, and only when we have our desired results, can we reach the requirements when applying for a university. This is one of the reasons why the number of students participating in sports has not increased.

The second reason is due to the development of electronic devices and technology. Activities like watching a video or social media posts on their mobile devices, are short-term relaxation or relief from stress for students. It is easier for students to escape the boredom of schoolwork by turning to their mobile devices than it is to do some exercise. Watching short video clips or playing video games will cause our brains to release a happy hormone called dopamine a little faster than exercising. As an easy escape, we will surely choose methods that are less strenuous or troublesome than having to change into proper attire before doing workouts or exercises. When we spend time on these electronic devices, we get to enjoy and allow our brain to experience happiness slightly faster.

The third reason, in my opinion, is due to the parents. When their children do not put in effort to study, parents, especially in China, will transfer them to cram schools. Cram schools are for students who are aiming to significantly improve their grades in order to gain a higher chance to be enrolled into their university of choice. In this highly competitive environment, parents do not encourage their children to be involved in any activities other than academic related, for it may affect their studies.

I think the above 3 points mentioned are the main reasons why students are not participating enough in sports.

I believe sports are beneficial not only for students, but for everyone. So, I encourage all teachers as well, to take care of themselves by exercising and relaxing their tense nerves. I have also seen students who need more time to learn, having to stay up late studying. When students do not have enough sleep or an irregular sleep cycle, it would lead to a condition called hyper ketosis, a condition which can lead to problems with the nervous system, affecting their bodily functions. So, everyone, you should look after your own body, make some time to exercise and help improve your physical and mental health.

JOIN OUR SCHOOL CCAs THAT FOCUS ON HEALTH!

ACTIVE LIFESTYLE LEAGUE (ALL)

BASKETBALL CLUB

FOOTBALL CLUB

BADMINTON CLUB

HIKING CCA

DANCE CLUB

HARRY POTTER FEEL

THE TRUTH IN THE STORY

Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by J.K. Rowling from 1997 to 2007. The first six sets the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the main stage, describing the young student wizard Harry Potter in Hogwarts six years of learning life and adventure story; the seventh book depicts the second war and the inevitable confrontation with Lord Voldemort, the most heinous wizard who tried to take Harry's life several times.

Joanne Kathleen Rowling, a.k.a J.K. Rowling is an English novelist, film writer, and producer, representing the Harry Potter series. "Harry Potter" has sold more than 400 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling books of all time, and one of the highest-grossing films of the time.

Having read "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,", I was deeply enchanted by the magic in the book, especially when Harry Potter rode a broom flying freely into the sky, taking me into my own world of imagination.

The most impressive thing about Harry Potter in this particular book is how it depicts his strength and courage. The pain and suffering from his childhood created his unyielding character in dealing with difficulties. For example, in the chapter Two-faced Man, Harry tries his best to protect the Philosopher's Stone and fights bravely with Voldemort. His mental bravery is worth learning from and should be taken note of.

We will face all kinds of difficulties and challenges in our studies and in our lives, with adversaries sometimes as powerful as Voldemort. However, as long as we face them bravely and do our best to overcome them, the final victory will surely be ours.

Joanne Kathleen Rowling (Photography Debra Hurford Brown © J.K. Rowling)

Photos from Canva

by ZhangZhaohanqing

T H E S H A W S H A N K R E D E M P T I O N

To be honest, this is the first time I have watched the movie "Shawshank Redemption", however, I have read the book. Usually, movies, including this, are made for the audience to easily understand and grasp what the story is about, compared to books. The director of this fascinating movie that was released on September 22, 1994, is a famous one called Frank Darabont, an American film director, screenwriter and film producer.

Regardless of the convenience of watching movies, I prefer books as they give readers more space for imagination. Even though the actors did show interesting chemistry, there were missing scenes from the book that I think were significant to give a deeper understanding of a character. Nevertheless, his movie gave us a lesson about moving on and being positive all the time in our lives, even though there are many difficulties and obstacles waiting on our way.

This movie is about a man named Andy Dufran (played by Timothy Francis Robbins), he was incarcerated in Shawshank prison because someone killed his wife and the wife’s secret lover. He was found guilty for a crime he did not commit. On the evening when the murder occurred, he was drunk and had thrown his gun into the river. The real murderer had picked it up and had used it to kill his wife and her lover, implicating him in the murder. However, since he was alone the whole evening, no one could stand up for him and he was found guilty and put into prison. While doing time, he made many friends including Ellis "Red" Redding (played by Morgan Freeman). He tried to make the prison life better than before and gave hope to many prisoners. Finally, he escaped from the prison.

Music review-Let Me Go

Briefintroduction:

‘Let me go’ is one of the songs from Daniel Caesar’s third studio album

‘NEVER ENOUGH’, released on April 7, 2023. Although it was only released two months before the rest of the album, the song is still one of the best tracksofthewholelisteningtrip.

A great R&B song never fails to build emotions through the melody Starting with notes oozing from the piano keys, ethereal vocals soon catch my ears, bringing me into the theme of the song Followed by rhythmic beats of drums, strumming of guitars and the bass lines harmonizes the ensemble of angelic voices and musical instruments into a simple but beautiful structure. Overall, the sadness and the gloomy mood the melody expresses are like a heartbreaking but gentle letter combining with the lyrics

Just like the name of the song, Daniel directly points out the feelings of being in a possessive relationship You can easily build a story based on these lines, such as

‘I’m tryna breathe, why don’t you let me?’

The desire of escaping and the disappointment towards the partner are the gist of the song. To be honest, the lyrics are decent, but I was hoping for more from it.

EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY

WHAT IS THE CONCEPT OF MEMORY AND HOW MEMORY CAN BE INFLUENCED BY FACTORS SUCH AS SUGGESTIBILITY OF EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY?

"PERRY MASON: Hamilton, I believe that my client is telling the truth when she says she was nowhere near the scene of the crime.

HAMILTON BURGER: Perry, why don't we let the jury decide?

PERRY MASON: Because, Hamilton, I don't believe there is going to be a trial. You haven't got a case. All you have is circumstantial evidence.

HAMILTON BURGER: Well, Perry, I suppose this is as good a time as any to tell you. We have someone who saw the whole thing, Perry. We have an eyewitness!"

40 Studies That Changed Psychology

"And, as the mysterious music rises in a crescendo, we know that this is going to be another difficult case for the most victorious fictional lawyer of all time, Perry Mason."-

Memory is a complex and integral aspect of human cognition, allowing us to store, retain and retrieve information from past experiences. However, memory is not just a simple, objective playback like a video cassette, but rather a dynamic process influenced by a variety of factors.

- excerpt from Perry Mason (1957 TV Series)

There appears to be similarities in the way by which humans and computers process information: encoding, storage, and retrieval. It encompasses multiple stages including encoding (acquiring of information), such as if a child hears the word “time” and writes down the word “time”, this mean that they are able to encode the word; consolidation (stabilizing memory), such as if you spend hours doing exercises regarding the pythagorean theorem; and retrieval (accessing stored information), such as recalling the scene of you tripping over a rock in front of your friends. Memory isn’t a reliable reproduction of events but a reconstructive process influenced by cognitive processes, emotions associated with the memory, and external factors.

INFLUENCE OF SUGGESTIBILITY IN EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY

Eyewitness testimony plays a crucial role in legal proceedings. The presence of a single eyewitness to a crime has seemingly changed a weak case into a nearly airtight one. Why do people believe that eyewitness reports provide such strong evidence in criminal cases? The reason is that we tend to believe how a person remembers an event must be the way it actually happened. However, it is often subject to various influences, such as suggestibility. Suggestibility refers to the susceptibility of memory to be altered or influenced by external cues, leading the individual to incorporate false information to their recollection of the event.

The reason suggestibility is such a challenging occurrence is because the memories we have gleaned from outside sources appear to be just as genuine as our own. For instance, consider the story of a "false veteran" that Daniel Schacter details in his book, The Sevin Sins of Memory:

"On May 31, 2000, a front-page story in the New York Times described the baffling case of Edward Daly, a Korean War veteran who made up elaborate but imaginary stories about his battle exploits, including his involvement in a terrible massacre in which he had not actually participated. While weaving his delusional tale, Daly talked to veterans who had participated in the massacre and “reminded” them of his heroic deeds. His suggestions infiltrated their memories. 'I know that Daly was there,' pleaded one veteran. 'I know that. I know that.' (Schacter, The Seven Sins of Memory, 2001)

"Suggestibility: The tendency to fill in gaps in memory with information from others that may well be incorrect." -PsyBlog

One of the numerous factors contributing to the suggestibility of eyewitness testimony is the presence of leading questions or suggestive interview techniques that impacts memory recall. The studies conducted by Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer focus on the power of questions containing presuppositions to alter a person's memory of an event. Loftus defines a presupposition as a condition that must be true for the question to make sense. Loftus and Palmer gave two explanations for this conclusion:

Response-bias factors: The misleading question may have influenced the subject's answer, but did not alter their memory of the incident.

The memory representation is altered: Suggestibility has altered one's perception of the incident and is then stored as a false memory.

Mistaken identifications, influenced by suggestive procedures or misinformation, have been a contributing factor in numerous wrongful convictions. The Innocence Project reports that mistaken eyewitness identification played a role in approximately 70% of the wrongful convictions later overturned by DNA evidence.

Recognizing the unreliability of memory and the impact of suggestibility is crucial for the legal system. Techniques such as cognitive interviews, which encourage open-ended questioning and minimize suggestive prompts, can enhance the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. Moreover, educating legal professionals, jurors, and the general public about the limitations and vulnerabilities of memory can foster a more cautious and critical approach when evaluating eyewitness testimony.

1. 2.

(Modern therapy)

(Washington Edu) Elizabeth Loftus

John Palmer

CAN GLOBAL WARMING FORCE FUNGI TO TURN US INTO ZOMBIES?

Copyright © BMC

Tiny organisms that are invisible to the naked eye, such as bacteria and viruses, can cause immense harm to our bodies that are a thousand billion times larger than these microorganisms. For instance, there is the plague-causing bacteria that wiped out over 50 million people, in a Bubonic Plague also known as the Black Death. Then, we know the infamous coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which caused around 7 million deaths globally, reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) as of 24, May 2023. These organisms that can cause harm are called pathogens, and the pathogens that we did not have to worry about – are the fungi.

Fungal infections are on the rise but not as deadly as the agents that caused various outbreaks in our pandemic history. This is because these invasive fungi cannot survive in our bodies with temperatures that are too high for them to manage. This was a relief when our global temperatures were as low as 13.74 degrees Celsius in the 1900s. In January 2023, there was a mere rise of 1.2 degrees which seemed too small to concern ourselves with. Even so, this small change has a domino effect on our environment and is responsible for threats such as global warming and climate change.

Nang Phoo Myat Thiri Hlaing/ Lily (G-1224)

Photo from 2022 BMC Ecology and Evolution photography competition

Attribution: Roberto García-Roa

The collateral damage of global warming includes melting of ice caps, collapse of Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems, sea level rise, erosion, heavy downpours, floods, and drought. Warmer temperatures may render these fungi heat-resistant as it is natural for species to thrive in a world with finite resources and gradually evolve via natural selection.

Briefly, natural selection is a process in which nature “selects” the individuals that are fitter to survive and reproduce, for passing on their advantageous traits to the next generation. As they are passed on, the coming population has positive traits more suited to the environment. However, if the environment were to change rapidly, some species that cannot adapt fast enough (evolve) may be wiped out into extinction.

There are over 6 million species of fungi in the world, and only about 120,000 have been discovered. Fungi generally include yeasts, moulds, and mushrooms, and out of them, a species of yeast called Cryptococcus neoformans is capable of turning its adaptive responses into overdrive when temperatures get warmer, reported in a study from Duke University School of Medicine. Therefore, there are intense changes in its genes resulting in a mutation. In fact, mutations occur in our bodies all the time, although most of them are not harmful, some can result in a malignant tumour which then forms cancer. In spite of that, mutations can be beneficial, evidently in most bacteria when they gain resistance to antibiotics, meaning they develop the ability to resist the drugs that destroy them.

Photo from The University of British Columbia (Faculty of Science: Microbiology and Immunology) Submitted by Ivachon

If one species of parasitic fungi were to gain heat-resistance, they may be given a chance to invade human bodies in search for nutrients. Native to the Amazon rainforest, the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus infects ants, feeds on their innards, travels to the brain and takes control of their behaviours via muscles like a puppeteer. Several other species infect flies and cicadas, eventually turning their victims into zombies while they flourish by penetrating the exoskeletons of the insects. It cannot be said that humans too will not be the victims manipulated to provide a breeding ground for the fungus. Inspired by the cordyceps, a critically acclaimed television series, The Last of Us, shows how the main characters survive in a dystopian world with the zombie fungus being one of the largest threats to human existence.

OPHIOCORDYCEPS UNILATERALIS

Last but not least, it is to be reminded that global warming is not an issue to take no notice of. Intertwined ecosystems are unbalanced due to destroyed habitats, ultimately having disruptions on several food chains. Moreover, there are many countries that suffer from famine and starvation due to floods and droughts, which are the consequences caused by warmer temperatures and rapidly shifting climates. Thus, we are responsible for limiting our carbon footprint by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and other gases that are efficient at trapping a large amount of heat in our atmosphere. It is our duty to protect ourselves, against from as little as pathogens to advanced natural disasters and protect the home we all reside in.

Creator of the photo: Linden Gledhill (Copyright: Linden Gledhill)

The Neural Basis of Decision Making

UNRAVELING THE INTRICACIES OF CHOICE

By Alice Qu (G-1117)

In the midst of absolute darkness, a flick is followed by a wisp of dim orange flame. The warmth was transient He flicked again, and the flame died quickly in the cold damp air. Holding an utter bit of hope, the trembling thumb pressed but struck no spark How long will our protagonist keep on flicking before he finally gives up and labels the lighter useless? Even the tiniest actions require decision-making

Our daily lives are filled with numerous tiny fork roads: either we keep on flicking the lighter in hoping that it works or opt for other options. Or wider fork roads: whether to get a job after uni, or continue into postgraduate studies How does our brain decide which route to take? How does it value risks and rewards? Pros and Cons? What extraneous factors affect our decisionmaking process? Does our brain always take on the most beneficial route?

Biases, both conscious and unconscious, significantly impact decision-making processes. Cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias (if you already believe lefthanded people are more creative than righthanded people, whenever you encounter someone who is coincidentally both creative and left-handed, you will use this piece of evidence to support your already held belief.), and availability bias (such as plane crashes on the news can cause people to be afraid of flying, however, the likelihood of dying in a car accident is far greater than dying as a passenger on a plane.), can lead to a distorted evaluation of information, favoring ideas that confirm pre-existing beliefs or relying on easily accessible information These biases can hinder objective decision-making by limiting the consideration of alternative perspectives or neglecting important but less accessible information.

Canva

Canva

Decision-making and emotions are connected such that our emotions influence our choices and priorities. Studies on risk-taking behavior show that emotions have an impact on decisions

Negative feelings like dread or anxiety cause people to prioritize risk avoidance and thus make more cautious decisions. Despite the fact that driving has a much higher death rate than traveling on an airplane for a given distance, some people still choose to drive out of fear.

Positive feelings, on the other hand, might motivate people to take more chances in search of prospective rewards, such as exhilaration or reward anticipation. For instance, someone who is going through a bipolar manic/hypomanic episode (characterized by euphoric mood, boosted self esteem and extended period of excitement without a specific cause), may have unrealistically optimizing view regarding their current financial state, and thus is likely to undergo ridiculously extravagant spending sprees by which they are unable to pay back after their manic/hypomanic episode had gone by. Emotional states can bias decision-making by altering risk perception and preference formation

Decision-making does not occur in isolation but is often shaped by social influences. Social contexts can impact decision-making through conformity, social comparison, and social norms The presence of others can induce conformity bias, leading individuals to align their choices with those of the group, even when it contradicts their personal preferences.

"You have all the time in the world to explore all the "wrong" decisions Stop fixating on making that one decision that will change your life for the better."

"What's with the fun in life if you know all the right steps to take?"

For example, if you go to your first day of work dressing casually and see that your colleagues are all dressed more formally, you might change the way you dress to fit in. This idea of “not wanting to stand out” is why most people conform to the majority. Social norms, established by cultural or societal factors, can also shape decision-making by setting expectations and guiding behavior. If you live in a culture that has a custom of tipping, then you ’ re more likely to tip at restaurants or services than someone who has never been exposed to that culture, to tip service providers, to initiate that action

By unraveling the neural mechanisms underlying decision-making, we gain valuable insights into human behavior. By knowing factors that may affect our decision making process, we ’ re able to avoid external (conformity) and internal factors (bias and emotion) as well as to originate previously made illogical decisions. We come closer to unlocking the mysteries of the human mind and the factors that shape our choices, ultimately illuminating the profound

"It is completely fine to not have the courage to make the hard choice. Just know that when you do wanna have a try, anytime is the right time."

"You don't have to regret over how your life could have been if you made all the "right" choices, every path has its beauty:)"

- Alice Qu

Before we rush into the discussion of whether the arts are of importance, I’d like to deconstruct what art means and how it saturates our lives. According to Oxford Dictionary, art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. What’s more, when we focus on the most essential part of arts, the ability of conveyance, no matter if it’s justasimplethoughtorheavyemotions,when that spiritual thing comes into another mind, that is to say, when another individual is analysing it, it has reached the field of philosophy,wheretheartshaveanothername called aesthetics. With that basic agreement, let’snowtalkabouthowaestheticslivesinour lives,whichcertainlyprovesthesignificanceof artsinanaturalway.

First of all, it is undeniable that we are living peoplewholiveinatangibleworld.Ashistoryas well as human existence being recognized, we have learned about cultural accomplishments from the cultural artefacts left behind including architecture and antiques, for example, the Greek Parthenon, the Rosetta Stone, the Taj Mahal, the Roman Colosseum and Sanxingdui which dated back to 2,800 BC or even earlier. Each of these iconic structures and precious relics is a piece of art that conveys important messages about the time, place, and context in which it was created. That is to say, all of these things are solid evidence of past civilizations. There is a song in the famous musical Hamilton called “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”,thearchitecturedid,andtheantiquesdid The people back then not only created those things for recording or some other utilitarian uses but for the desire of aesthetics as well, especially the ones related to religion and storytelling

PHOTO-CANVA

Second, art brings relief to us, the ones that believe in no religion in particular When we feel like living is an ascetic practice, art becomes a way of penance. As Angel Fernandez,associateprofessorofartfromTarrantcountycollegesaid:“Artmakeslife more manageable, tolerable, and enjoyable.” Have you ever had a time when the stressisabouttakingyoudownandyoufeellikeyouareontheedgeoffallingapart? That is when most of us would like to turn to the shield of art, where we can shift cognitive focus, or let’s just say take a break from reality that upset us. No matter whether it is the visual arts such as painting, the ones of arranging with sounds like music,orevenaromatherapy,allkindsoftheseartistictherapiesworkbystimulating the senses and therefore evoke a pleasant feeling brought by hormones, which is produced by the stimulation mentioned before. Hence hold you back to a more peacefulpsychologicalstate.That’swhywecallitarttherapy.

Art Therapy and the Brain: An Attempt to Understand the Underlying Processes of Art Expression in Therapy: Art Therapy: Vol 21, No 3 (tandfonlinecom) As mentalities ever exist, mental issues correspond as well, and art is pretty much the closest as well as easiest self-enlightenment resolution to operate for the public. In short, arts can be used to create a unique cognitive shift into a holistic state of mind called flow, a state of optimal engagement first identified in artists, that is mentally pleasurable and neurochemicallyrewarding.

PHOTO-CANVA

As I have spent that much ink above “flattering” what arts make to life, I am sure there must be a voice holding its loudness against the overrated position of art. For those opinions standing on the other side, I assume that they hold this prejudicethatartwillnotdirectlyimprove the well-being of society, especially in a material view, for which I doubt to say whether they agree on the concepts of mentality or even just the definition of arts. Art forces humans to look beyond that which is necessary to survive and leads people to create for the sake of expression and meaning, this sophistication of spiritual desire is what makes humans differ from animals in general.

Art is a grand subject with nothing dimmer than life itself, what we are talking about right now, word combination for instance, “this article” in other words, is all the gifts from the consciousnessofhumanbeings Artisthe metabolite of it, as a species that generates and embraces admitted cultures,wecannotbeindependentfrom arts and we should pay enough respect and awe to it Please, appreciate but do not ruin artworks instead when visiting a museum,respectbutnotscornwhenwith incomprehensive knowledge. Watch and learn, we are all beginners at any time when facing this elusory motif, the world calls for a better ambiance for arts and all

PHOTO-CANVA

PHOTO-CANVA

Implications of Neuroplasticity for Learning and Healing

By: Alice Qu (G-1117)

Have you ever heard of the idea that it’s best to learn instruments and languages at a young age? So our parents forced a million extracurricular classes just so that we can grasp these skills before our brains become “fixed”. Those who were lucky enough to slip away from it cry with crippling self doubt while watching prodigies monopolizing their field of interest, regretting non-compliance when they were younger As if you are a predetermined fiasco if you weren’t to master skills before the connections formed between brains and nerve cells becomes fixed and that whatever childhood trauma caused brain damage is down to accompany you for the rest of your life. But what if I told you that the power to change your brain and transform your health lies within your own hands? Neuroplasticity, the brain's remarkable ability to change and adapt in response to experiences, has revolutionized our understanding of learning and healing.

Like our phones that pop up "Software Update Available" on the window on a periodical basis, our brain also updates its software by improving cognitive abilities through exercise, sleep, nutrition, etc. But unlike our phones, we get hardware updates in addition to software updates New neuron pathways are created whenever learning happens. We're also i d t d t t it ti

“Anymancould,ifheweresoinclined,bethe sculptorofhisownbrain." -SantiagoRamon

Canva

Dr. Myles Spar

The initial theories of neuroplasticity were that our brain only remains malleable during the first few years of life, such that only young brains possessed the ability to form new connections among nerve cells, and that they would become fixed as we age into adulthood Due to the widespread belief in this theory, scientists had always thought if an adult brain undergoes physical injury, such as traumatic brain injuries, concussion, fracture, or stroke, the function of the damaged area could never be restored, because nerve cells cannot be regenerated to form new connections, and is permanently lost. Neuroplasticity actually plays a crucial role in the process of healing and recovery from injuries, including physical, cognitive, and emotional trauma. Unaffected regions of a brain injury can adapt to take on the functions of the affected regions. This process is known as "functional reorganization", which allows individuals to restore lost abilities or develop compensatory strategies.

In the realm of mental health, neuroplasticity has implications for the treatment of conditions for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). Therapeutic interventions that target neuroplasticity, such as cognitivebehavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure therapy, can help reshape damaged neural pathways to alleviate symptoms

By engaging in targeted interventions, individuals can get use to new cogntive patterns, regulate their emotions, and reframe their experiences, leading to improved mental well-being.

Please visit our school website for timely updates!

One caveat though, this doesn't mean that we can go around exposing ourselves to emotional traumatic relationships knowing that our brains will ultimately find its way to cope around it：）

Wei Elizabeth (G-1221)

AFRAID OF AI? STOP IT!

“Hello! I'm ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. I'm designed to understand and generate human-like text based on the inputs I receive. I've been trained on a wide variety of internet texts, books, and other sources up until September 2021. When you interact with me, you can ask questions, seek explanations, engage in conversations, or request assistance on various topics. I use the information provided in your inputs to generate relevant and coherent responses. However, please note that while I strive to provide accurate and helpful information, I may occasionally generate incorrect or biased responses, so it's always good to verify information from reliable sources." The context above is generated by ChatGPT in response to my request “introduce yourself within 75 words”, as you can see and realize, ChatGPT, with no doubts, is our friend.

Since the beginning of this year, ChatGPT, this specific project, has embraced soaring popularity all over the world and among different groups of people including students, teachers, and those working in some specific industries. There are some clear reasons for that, for example, some people find it such a convenient tool and play it around like a switch game, some see the possibilities in it and use it as a sort of inspector for work, some worry about the future employment prospects if the AI-based projects such as ChatGPT would have the capability to cover the needs that well. Among these, the last one seemed to be the main reason why the public cares so much they feel threatened, in many ways. Hence this essay is about to show you why it’s unnecessary to worry about.

Wei Elizabeth (G-1221)

First of all, the originality of work will still and always be valued, hence determining that the one who is doing creation will never lose his pride and the respect he deserves. Some people would say that Artificial Intelligence is taking over our foremost quality as humans imagination, yet they ignore the huge difference between creation and generation, no matter what the projects did, they are just gathering information and sorting it out in a specific form that you asked for, if you were searching for statistic then good for you that what you need and it saved your time but if you were looking for a work of originality then lucky for you there is no way out there.

That is to say, Chat GPT can be a nicer Grammarly when you are writing something but never should you be looking forward to letting it stand for you. Therefore, as obvious as it can be, AI projects help you as a lovely tool and beat you if you are making a living from cheating and sorry for that by the way from a humanitarian perspective. In addition to that, the coming of these projects is a push on the aspect of technological productivity, whilst reluctantly we have to admit the value of human labor will be degraded in some specific fields.

Second, as we have already found its role in this game, then there should be a suitable rule to match the situation. That means there exists a call for more consummate laws and regulations. Yes, chaos may appear if all these AI projects were put into actual uses widely, yet gladly they would probably not, or let’s just say years that we will be waiting for that to happen and the corresponding bounds will come into existence as well. Last but not least, as I mentioned before, the presence of AI projects such as ChatGPT is a strong push on technical productivity in general, but that is not something coming out of nowhere and there is no need to over-worry about it. People lived through the first and second Industrial Revolution and again now. Stop rumoring they would become the new species as silicon-based creatures and work.

How can humans achieve to bring self-conscious things into life without them even knowing how their consciousness was built? The nonsense collapse of itself.

"Artificial Intelligence is one of the most profound things we're working on as humanity. It is more profound than fire or electricity."

Sundar Pichai ( CEO, Google)

By Nang Phoo Myat Thiri Hlaing / Lily (G-1224)

"If You’re Homeless, Just Buy a House"

In an age where people misunderstood the meaning of free speech, there are people on the internet who are willing to say anything negative, targeting specific celebrities, as anti-fans. Although, what left me in awe were the naive comments people posted, like 'If dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago, then why is the Earth only 2023 years old?’ or ‘I think the scariest part about having triplets is having to be pregnant for 27 months.’ These statements say a lot about our society, and the one said in the title of this article, supposedly a joke, made me realise that some of us do not know exactly why there are homeless people in the first place, and the reasons why some people are in poverty

Homeless people or to be politically correct, rough sleepers, are actually misunderstood by our society They are usually considered as criminals, who are illegal consumers of drugs and alcohol. They are also seen as unemployed people who have made a series of bad life choices, thus having to face the consequences of their actions It is erroneous to assume that all rough sleepers are a group of menace to our society when in reality, people become homeless for various reasons.

Globally, many women who were forced into homelessness have experienced and escaped from abusive relationships. In the United States, it is because of racial discrimination and inequality that African American and other minorities experience homelessness. Locally in Singapore, homeless people have a low level of education, and workday salaries so insufficient that most of them survive with one meal or none at all. Common reasons include family conflicts and low sustainability of rentals, according to the National University of Singapore. Reported by Consumer News and Business Channel, CNBC, prices of private residential properties have rocketed by 29.7% in 2022 on an annual basis. Interviewed foreigners also stated that their landlords would go to the extent of doubling the rents, taking advantage of the overheated residential market.

"If You’re Homeless, Just Buy a House"

Elderly citizens as rough sleepers constitute a large proportion of homeless people, and is expected to triple over the next decade, in a study by University of Pennsylvania, University of California Los Angeles, New York University and Boston University, because it is extremely costly caring for the elderly, including giving health care and shelter.

Studying as a student in Singapore, not only are the residential apartment rental fees high, tuition fees and food prices are soaring with rising goods and services tax (GST) Influx of tourists, increase of foreign domestic workers and permanent residents (PRs) are raising the living fees unreasonably high Foreigners, including students studying abroad have to face the consequences, along with the local citizens It is obvious that the prices in general will keep increasing, as long as the global population is growing. People will have to compete for every resource available on Earth and I think one shouldn’t belittle the other for not having access to daily necessities

WORKING IN GROUPS OR WORKING ALONE?

by Zhangzhaohanqing (G-1224)

Four years ago, when the pandemic hit. It brought forth a new order of work culture. Due to governmental restrictions, non-essential businesses were required to have all staff work from home. Now, with the pandemic largely coming under control, government restrictions have been relaxed and businesses are now open for staff to be back in the offices. Solitary work mode is no longer a standard.

In some organizations, work groups are a norm and teams are expected to work together to meet business objectives. Some workers prefer working as part of a team as there are benefits of being in one. Some feel that working in a team fosters camaraderie and geniality among the team members.

With a team, workload can be shared and certain work requiring specific skills or knowledge can be assigned to a team member who is more skilled in that area. What’s more, teamwork can save a lot of time. For example, when displaying results in class, it is a waste of time to display one by one, but it is more time saving to display in a group.

However, through an interview conducted with some students and teachers, it has shown that most people would prefer working alone. As Hengjia said, “I think working alone gives me more freedom and it’s easier for me to manage her own time.”

Whether to work alone or in a group have their own merits and challenges, depending on the nature of the work or its objective. It would then be important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each mode to better decide on which to apply.

As Miss Tan said, “I will choose to use one of these two ways in different situations. If I work in a group, it's easier to connect and set things more secure. When I work alone, I can manage my time better and do not need to consider the schedule of other team members.” “Working alone also allows me to apply my own ideas and strategies to achieve objectives. Whereas, working in a team, time has to be spent trying to analyse and understand ideas and strategies from other team members.”

“I prefer working alone rather than working in a team. Whether to work alone or in a team, they are just a mode of work which workers do not always have the choice to decide upon. However, what we need to do is to try to improve our adaptability and learn from each mode of work.”

Yuxuan, who is new in FIS, also prefers working alone. The reason for this is that she thinks she can set her own pace and process without worrying about what others think. Also, in group assignments, work allocation may be disproportionate, but she does not have to worry about that if she is doing it herself. What’s more, if she is doing her work alone, she does not need to worry about socializing with others.

PHOTOS-CANVA

THE FUREN PRESS - III Edition

Writers from the Furen Press

List of Student Writers

Nang Phoo Myat Thiri Hlaing (Lily) Editor in Chief, Copy Editor

Zhangzhao Hanqing Managing Editor

Wang Jingxiao.............................................................................................................................Copy Editor

Zhang Jiayi.................................................................................................................Writer, Photo Editor

Huang Yijie.................................................................................................................................Sports Editor

Xiao Bowen News Editor

Zhou Lishun Writer

Alice Qu Writer

Wei Elizabeth............................................................................................................................................Writer

Student

THE FUREN PRESS

Write Above the Ordinary

We hope that you have found our articles entertaining yet informative and have broaden your minds. But wait, there will be more...

Surely, we will meet again in the next Furen Press Edition, perhaps a spooky one.

Front and Back Cover Photos by Furen Press