F all 2020
10th Edition
TBH Fall 2020
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Preface
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reetings, fellow students of SIM-UB! As we usher in the closing semester of the year, Fall, and all of its beauty, we would like to take this time to share how our team has felt and what we have experienced during this lockdown. For starters, we had to work within the four walls of our homes, whether it be designing this amazing cover page you see, or writing about various time capsules over the decades. Truth to be told, it was challenging at the start, having to orchestrate various parts of the magazine and conveying ideas through the only platform we know, Zoom (and the online fatigue is REAL). Enough about the blues and glooms about this phase - on the bright side, this copy marks the 10th edition of The Buffalo Horn (TBH), hurray! Our humble beginning could be traced back to simple school newsletters covering school events and crossword puzzles to lull the afternoons away. Fast forward to what you see now, the magazine encapsulates student life in another view with trendy lifestyle content, what’s new in the neighborhood, and a different theme for every copy. This edition of Time Capsule touches on beauty, fashion, and gaming trends that were once (or still are) popular, and even old wives’ tales that we grew up with (pg. 37-39). The team also reminisced about their trips abroad pre-circuit breaker (pg. 22-23), we cannot wait to travel when the pandemic ends! Moving forward, our wish is to be back on campus, doing life together, and to continue creating fresh content just for you So do keep a lookout, because there is more to come! Stay safe, stay healthy, and we wish you nothing but the best in the coming year ahead. With love always, Andrea and Cindy Special thanks to: UBSC Publications team, past and present, for keeping TBH alive and thriving. Ms Katie and Dr. McKelvey, for both of your continuous contribution and support. Student Development and the school staff, for your encouragement and support all these years. UBSC EXCO, for challenging and motivating the team to achieve greater heights.
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Table of Contents FALL 2020 BUFO DRIVE
Events Personal Social
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DAY
WEEK
MONTH
YEAR
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NIGHT SHIFT DO NOT DISTURB
November 2020
MERCH DESIGN COMPETITION! LET’S SEE WHO THE WINNERS ARE! DEETS IN THE ARTICLE
MEET THE TEAM! Editors
Photographers
Designers
Marketing
Journalists
Videographers
04 10 Spring 20’
Fall 19’
Spring 19’
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Meet the Team Director’s Note Intercultural Game Night
Merch Design Competition Put Your Game Phase On! Throwing it Back
The New Normal Fashion Flashback Beauty: Timed or Timeless Back to Film-ture Old Wives’ Tale Time Capsule -Real Thing
Fall 18’
Spring 18’
Fall 17’
Spring 17’
Fall 16’
Spring 16’
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Jae-lyn
Lead Journalist
Brandon Journalist
Alice
Designer
Russell
Andrea
Hui Xin
Germaine
Lead Designer
Journalist
Journalist
Tanya
Daphne
Designer
Darius
Marketing
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Diyanah Syahirah
Designer
Mavis
Marketing
Editor
Journalist
Bell
Designer
Natalie
Marketing D e s ig ne d b y D iy a nah Sy a hira h
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Cindy
Noor Hadaina
Zakkiethunnisa
Nadihah
Editor
Journalist
Jayden
Designer
Lead Designer
Journalist
Jia Hui
Videographer
Alyssa
Marketing Lead & Designer
Dao An
Photographer
Ya Ting
Videographer
Joel
Photographer
Dana
Marketing
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Editor’s Note Director’s Note www.ubsc.com/directorsandeditorsnote
Home
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Following
or the tenth edition of The Buffalo Horn, we celebrate its growth and changes through exploring the concept of ‘Time Capsule’. Hence, we have invited faces of SIM-UB to reminisce their growing up years by writing a letter to their 10-year-old self.
Director’s Note Dear Young Kevin, Try to avoid situations involving cameras, at least until you are in your 20s. In 50 years, people will laugh at the horrendous fashions of your youth. Also, don’t become a fan of the Boston Red Sox or the Buffalo Bills — they’ll only break your heart and ruin your life. Do not be afraid to follow your dreams, wherever they may lead. There will be obstacles and detours along the way, but the path to success is seldom linear for anyone. Keep moving forward, be open to new opportunities as they arise, and eventually you will reach the destination of your dreams. Regards, Dr. McKelvey Dr. Mckelvey, Resident Director, SIM-UB Programs Letter to My 10-Year-Old Self
Dear UBSC, Horn Staff, and SIM-UB Community, Throughout its existence, the Buffalo Horn has highlighted the achievements and interests of our SIM-UB community. As we celebrate this milestone, we remember our resilience, resourcefulness, and mutual concern for each other as we live through the COVID-19 pandemic while still thriving as an active and engaged academic community of inquiry. Here’s a tribute to the creativity of our UBSC Publications team that no pandemic can dampen the enthusiasm for carrying on this rich SIM-UB tradition! Dr. Kevin F. McKelvey Resident Director SIM-UB Programs Dr. McKelvey Congratulatory Letter
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H Dear 10-Year Old Katie, Right now, I know you’re eating 10-cent Ramen noodles daily. Maybe chill out on those a bit. Also when you turn 16, avoid snowboarding that season or you’ll enjoy a lifelong knee injury. Start wearing SPF please! Drink more water. Things are about to get rocky for a bit. Channel all that teenage angst into productive and creative outlets. University will be life-changing, take all the opportunities that come your way – good or bad. Remain spontaneous in everything else. Your odd, incoherent pattern of decision-making will take you around the world. It will provide you with tremendous fulfilment and love. You are on the path you’re meant to be on, even if it doesn’t seem like it. The setbacks and heartbreaks are all just part of the ride. Enjoy it. I mean it about the SPF. Sincerely, Older Katie
Dear UB Family, The Horn has been a welcome contribution to our community and achieving double digits in a publication is no simple feat. Thus, it is an honor to congratulate the UBSC team and UB Horn staff on the 10th edition of the UB Horn! The UB Horn has been monumental in setting a tone, engaging the student body, and carrying out SIM-UB traditions in every issue. In uncertain times, we look forward to familiar and steadfast traditions to carry us through. Those who have contributed to the collective creativity and hard work should be incredibly proud. Look forward to issue 11, Ms. Katie Fassbinder Assistant Resident Director SIM-UB Programs Congratulatory letter
Katie Fassbinder, Assistant Resident Director, SIM-UB Programs Letter to My 10-year-Old Self
To my 10 year old self,
Greetings!
Coming from an older version of yourself, I hope that you put more time and effort into your studies, because when you are at the age of 10, you will not grasp the severity of good grades and how it can alter your life in later years. But, as always, remember to have the most amount of fun that you can have. Explore your limits, step out of your comfort zone and learn to enjoy the little things. Life transcends your PSLE aggregate. It transcends conformity and mediocrity. Savor those carefree days and fond memories. You are only 10 for a year, so make the best of it. In fact, make the best out of every year, month, week, or day, for as long as there is breath in your lungs. 10 is a wonderful age. Because before you know it, you are in your twenties and writing a letter to your younger self and thinking of how fast time flies.
My name is Russell, and as the current President of SIM- UB Student Council, I would like to congratulate The Buffalo Horn for publishing its tenth edition this semester! On behalf of the SIM- UB student body, as well as the SIM- UB Student Council, I would like to thank the Publications department for their consistent and undying efforts that were dedicated to the production and success of The Buffalo Horn. To commemorate this achievement, this TBH edition looks back on some of the trends that occurred in the past, to allow us to take a trip down memory lane and bring back the warmth of nostalgic memories. Grab a copy and let us support The Buffalo Horn as it works its way towards the next edition!
Yours, Russell
Yours, Russell
Russell Wong, President, SIM-UB Student Council Letter To My 10-Year-Old Self
Congratulatory letter
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5.06 www.ubsc.com/directorsandeditorsnote
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Editor’s Note
Dear 10-year-old Cindy, It’s currently 4:44 PM and sleepy 23-year-old Cindy is writing a letter to you - I know there’s a lot of numbers here, for someone who prefers writing compositions to solving equations. There’s many questions I’d like to ask, such as, “Are you happy now?” “How’s school so far?”, but if I were to tell you instead of asking, then I’d say: don’t stress about what you want to do in the future, because things will unfold naturally and you will soon find out why you enjoy daydreaming and writing stories. Keep doing you, and staying true to who you really are. Things are gonna be okay, remember to breathe and take things a step at a time. You are braver than you think, and more sure of yourself than what anyone tells you. Write more, love more, and live more! *virtual hugs* Love always, Your happy older self Cindy Yong, Director of Publications, SIM-UB Student Council Letter to my 10-Year-Old Self
Dear 10-year-old Drea, It’s me! Your 22 year old self, hustling, trying to make the most out of life. Perhaps you are wondering how the older you is doing, and I want to assure you, that you’re coping alright. I remember how you struggled with your weaker subject in school. I remember how you struggled with your self-esteem. Soon, with persistence, you will grow to become better at the things you once dreaded. Soon, you will be more confident in the things that you once feared terribly. Your older self has learnt that change is indeed the only constant, but fret not for you will learn to adapt to that. People and things may come and go, but what matters is the experience. So, don’t be too hard on yourself when such changes happen. I want you to know that you are an individual who can weather the storms life throws at you. So, be strong and take heart. XOXO, Drea from the future :> Andrea Loh, Director of Publications, SIM-UB Student Council Letter to My 10-Year-Old Self
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5.06 www.ubsc.com/gamingevent All games > UBSC series > Intercultural games night
Wo rds by C i n dy Yo n g
International Student Welcome and Gaming Event
SIM-UB’s International Student Welcome and Integration Gaming Event. Organized by Students of Blake Hendrickson’s COM474 Intercultural Communication & Cross-cultural Adaptation RECENT REVIEWS:
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RELEASE DATE:
16 September, 2020
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ABOUT THIS EVENT
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ith Zoom meetings being the norm these days, gaming events and meet-ups have gradually shifted online. This was no different for SIM-UB’s International Student Welcome and Integration Gaming Event organized by students of Dr. Blake Hendrickson’s COM474 ‘Intercultural Communication & Cross-cultural Adaptation’ module. While this was certainly not the first of such events, it was notable that despite it being an online experience this time around, there was a huge turnout, and everyone had their game face on (no, literally). The event kicked off with the host, student Ken Lu, giving a warm welcome to participants, both local, international, and students from various clubs and societies, namely the SIM Board Games Society. To break the ice and get the ball rollin’, a group of student representatives from COM474 class initiated a ‘Blow, Wind, Blow’ game - for each round, one game leader would start with a, “Blow, wind, blow,” and everyone else would respond, “Blow what?”. An example during this icebreaker game was, “Blow those with colored hair!” and those with their hair dyed would have to leave their cameras on, unmute the microphone and introduce themselves. As a participant, I found this game to be rather interesting, as I never knew it was possible to play the game of ‘Blow, Wind, Blow’ without being physically present in the same space; it is usually played with those fitting the description having to get up quickly and move to a vacated seat by another player. D e s ign ed by Tanya Ute Pend a r i es
As the evening progressed, all participants were split into various breakout rooms. We continued to engage in online activities, such as Skrribl.io, a multiplayer drawing and guessing game platform where each player takes turns to draw a selected term (from three available words presented), and guess other players’ given words. To win the game, you have to collect the highest points over three to five rounds. Bashful of me to say this, but I won - twice! Another game that we tried was Code Names, and it was challenging and interactive. Originally a card game for four to eight players, Code Names requires two teams to compete by each having a “spymaster” who gives one-word clues that might point to multiple words on the screen. Players have to attempt to guess their own team’s words while avoiding selecting the words of the opposing team. Surprisingly, this activity was less rowdy than the previous one. It definitely required more thinking caps and creativity. Thanks to Dr. Blake, I was able to virtually hop to other breakout rooms and interact with more players, both local and international students alike. Needless to say, the gaming event was an overall success - many students felt open and comfortable in communicating, though we began as strangers, there was a sense of familiarity and homeliness. It was a good opportunity to reach out to people across cultures and nationalities, and for once, I did not feel a tinge of Zoom fatigue.
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MERCH DESIGN COMPETITION Words By John Paulo & Su Hui
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ou are what you wear. SIM-UB has always had a strong school culture and our student body embodies it innately through their spirit, and physically through our school merchandise. Our first-ever merchandise design competition started in August 2020 with the intention of letting every student have an opportunity to showcase their creativity by designing merchandise that represents our school spirit. We received many amazing submissions and are proud to announce the grand winners as voted by you, the student body! We want to once again thank every participant who has submitted their designs and every student for voting. Cop your very own limited edition merchandise through our online store on Instagram, or in-person this Spring. We look forward to serving you during our merchandise sale!
T-SHIRT The main focus of this design is the word ‘BUFFALO’. The horns and tail on the characters ‘B’ and ‘O’ respectively mimics the eye-catching features of a buffalo. This also ties in with the horns and tail of our UB mascot, Victor E. Bull. Additionally, the design features a ‘Go Bulls!’ signature inspired by our
home campus’ UB Buffalo Bulls football team. This t-shirt was purposefully designed to be simple, yet visible and aesthetic. I hope you guys appreciate it as much as I enjoyed designing it.
DESIGNED BY: JOEL WONG (COMMUNICATION MAJOR)
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chdesigncompetition
HOODIE The main focus of this design is the word ‘BUFFALO’. The horns and tail on the characters ‘B’ and ‘O’ respectively mimics the eye-catching features of a buffalo. This also ties in with the horns and tail of our UB mascot, Victor E. Bull. Additionally, the design features a ‘Go Bulls!’ signature inspired by our home campus’ UB Buffalo Bulls football team. The colors that I have
selected for the hoodie are part of the UB primary palette (Blue and White), which further emphasises our school pride and recognizability. This hoodie was purposefully designed to be simple, yet visible and aesthetic. I hope you guys appreciate it as much as I enjoyed designing it.
DESIGNED BY: JOEL WONG (COMMUNICATION MAJOR)
MISCELLANEOUS - TOTEBAG
Mildly inspired by Animal Crossing, the big idea behind this tote was to illustrate a straightforward and relatable life as a student of SIM-UB, using everyday habits & scenarios. The main character of this comic is a gender-neutral, curly haired Buffalo based
on the Bison. The three scenarios illustrated are: queuing up for a cup of coffee/tea before class, sitting in a chilly classroom, and oversleeping for classes. Our everyday activities are what makes our student life memorable.
DESIGNED BY: LOW WEI XIN (COMMUNICATION MAJOR)
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PUT YOUR
GAME PHASE ON Words By Na di h a h
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020 has most definitely been a very complicated year for most of us, especially with the challenge of the circuit breaker phase. If asked what we did during the two-monthlong, never-ending circuit breaker, the majority of us would have different answers. But all of them would center around the same concept — nostalgia. With the time we had on our hands, and the looming boredom that filled our days, a trip down memory lane is hard to miss. Personally, being trapped in the house with limited options got me delving deeper into the memories of my childhood games — such as Club Penguin and Neopets.
P ho t o Cre dit s : Clu b P e ng u in M o u nt ains , Clip a rt M a x
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D e s ig ne d b y A lic e M a y
THE TREND: ANIMAL CROSSING Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the Nintendo Switch was on the rise at the time, and I was one of the many victims that succumbed to the adorable visuals of the game. As an avid fan of The Sims series, a life simulation game, Animal Crossing had gameplay that really resonated with me. The concept of real-time simulation and the control I had over the aesthetics of my gameplay had me hooked. What appealed to me was the cute animal characters (especially Roald, he’s my favorite) and their delightful waddling and expressions. These lovable creatures triggered dormant memories and reminded me of my childhood days spent at the computer playing a variety of games on multiple online platforms. It reminded of the waddling penguins in Club Penguin, the detailed rooms and characters of Habbo Hotel, the colorful creatures that inhabited the magical lands of Neopets, and many more. I was surprised to discover that some of the aforementioned games above were still playable (except for Pet Society, which was a real bummer since I took a long time trying to recover my Facebook account). Most of these games have gone through some major changes since then. As such, I found myself drowning in nostalgia as I wandered the digital world of tween-friendly gaming sites once again.
P ho t o Cre dit s : P int e re s t Il l u str a ted by Bel l
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THE PAST: CLUB PENGUIN As a 2001 baby, Club Penguin was a major part of my childhood. During its popularity in 2007, I remembered begging my parents for a membership, opening the doors to more in-game customization options. Seeing as I willingly invested all my free time in the game over a few years, the popularity of Club Penguin was certainly justified. With creative customization options and interactive storylines embedded into its gameplay, it was a site full of endless possibilities for a child’s imagination. My favorite minigame had to be Ice Fishing as it was the simplest one to earn coins in order to customize my avatar and igloo. Until now, its popularity has been sustained through fan-made servers, the most popular one being Club Penguin Rewritten, which is an exact imitation of the original online site (with the exception of free memberships!) for fans across all ages to play. If you wish to relive your nostalgia of the most popular online gaming site, Club Penguin Rewritten is definitely worth your time.
THE PAST: NEOPETS As much as Club Penguin has overthrown any other popular gaming site with its sustained relevance for over a decade, we can’t have a nostalgic reminiscence of cute online games without the original gangster – Neopets. Released in 1999, it was the first online gaming site to feature cute characters and allowed users to create personas to which they could customize to their own liking. The fantasy, mythical theme to the game alongside its adorable visuals made it stand out among the other existing online games at the time. Thus, it garnered a lot of attention in its year of release. Its gameplay is very similar to Facebook’s Pet Society which had a considerable amount of popularity back in 2009. The good news is, unlike Pet Society, the original server is still available for players to relive their nostalgia. Neopets has also withstood the test of time for over 20 years, and I mean literally. The website layout, as well as the old visual elements still remain unchanged to this day. To make things better, a mobile-friendly beta version will be released in 2020 to allow fans to revisit the lands of Neopia on the go. Despite the significant decrease in popularity, Neopets is still relevant to loyal fans and aims to attract more of their foregone fanbase with the arrival of the mobile version.
P ho t o Cre dit s : Nice P NG , P int e re s t , Cle a nP NG
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D e s ig ne d b y A lic e M a y
The similarities between our childhood games and the current trendy games are simply uncanny. What was it about these games that caught the attention of our 6 years old selves and why is it still popular and relevant up till today? The answer lies in the components that make up the recipe to a good online gaming site. Over the years, from Neopets in 1999 to Club Penguin in 2007, and even up till now with Animal Crossing: New Horizons in 2020, all these games have roots of the same concept – creating an avatar that serves as an escape from our mundane lives with endless possibilities based on our imagination. Even the currently trending game Among Us does not forego the concept of adorable crewmate characters bouncing around, boosting the popularity of the game. With mini crewmates as pets, this in-game purchase worth $5.99 is definitely one I won’t regret.
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Throwing It Back To The Past Decade Bufo Horn
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Throwing It Back To The Past Decade Wo rds by J a e l y n Yi e w P h o to s by Da ph n e Wo n g X i n H u i
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emember the times when people would randomly drop and do the Harlem Shake? Or how about those days when Facebook profile pictures had sappy quotes and moustache accessories and somehow they just all made sense? Aah, those were the days where the cringeworthy wasn’t only reserved for Tiktokers (no shade though). Truth be told, the decade of the 2010s produced some of the biggest fads, and I’m here to take you back to those nostalgic days and get you reminiscing about the good ol’ times.
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FUNK IT UP! From the revolution of pop music and hip-hop to the golden era of Korean pop (K-pop) dominance, the music industry has seen many ups and downs over the years. Here are some of the top songs that have defined the decade and shaped our culture, admittedly for better or for worse.
Baby - Justin Bieber I’m sure most of us were once crazy about the Biebs with his signature purple hoodie and iconic hair flip. Topping the charts in 2010 and later again in 2012 under the Hot 100, ‘Baby’ thrived. It was played on every radio station and chimed on most of our mobile phones. This allowed Justin Bieber to be the second person to surpass 10 million followers during Twitter’s early days. And I was like Baby, baby, baby, oh — definitely one of the biggest earworms in my head to this day.
Friday - Rebecca Black ‘It’s Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday!’ Remember how much hate this young teen got just for uploading this harmless music video for fun? With 1.17 million views, this song was proof of how fast social media was rising at the time, and how much hate speech the platform incurred compared to today’s self-aware ‘woke culture’. It showed that something doesn’t necessarily have to be good to get a reaction. Nonetheless you have to admit it was a catchy song even with its ridiculous lyrics on eating cereal and deciding which seat she should take.
Gangnam Style - Psy ‘Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh- Oppa Gangnam Style!’ Was this song stuck in your head on a loop like it was for me? Before the debut of global K-pop sensations, BTS and Twice, kickstarting the k-pop phenomenon was Psy with his 2.1 billion views on Youtube. It garnered attention worldwide and was many Westerners’ first exposure to K-pop. It was even sung as a cover on the popular TV show, Glee! Personally, I found it to be one of the series’ worst performances (Glee fans back me up!), and even the show’s creator himself, Ryan Murphy, agrees. But hey, there’s never any harm in having a little fun right?
Photo Credit: Spotify
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PASSION FOR FASHION The Hipster Aesthetic I don’t know about you but the Tumblr hipster aesthetic was a big thing back in my secondary school days. Unfortunately, that included nerdy oversized glasses, moustache and peace sign accessories, fringe shoulder bags, flannel shirts and beanies — yes, in this heat! Although some of these items made it through the decade, I’m afraid our past moustache obsession would have to remain in the dust. Snapback Caps Making a comeback from the 80’s and 90’s, snapback caps became increasingly more popular in the last decade due to rap artists, sports stars and other celebrities sporting the look in the spotlight. With its retro design, large bold letters and logos of favorite NBA teams, the snapback came in various colors and was a popular ‘must-have’ amongst the guys. I may be exaggerating but I honestly don’t remember seeing my male friends’ bare heads outside of school back in those days! Mom Jeans Unlike the popular ‘00s trend of skin tight, low-rise denim, the 2010s rocked mom jeans — after all, it is the high-waisted, straight legged and baggier cousin of comfort. Resurrected from the ‘80s, mom jeans used to be ‘uncool’ due to its name and the stereotype it gave moms and motherhood. It used to be perceived as frumpy and old-fashioned, fitting only pregnant women. This gave the impression that once a mom, you’re no longer considered a woman. However, as our society moved towards female empowerment with the support of the #MeToo movement, the fashion industry saw a shift towards unisex clothing and styles. Thus, reviving mom jeans and my love for comfort.
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BON APPETIT! Rainbow Everything Eye-pleasing, colourful and photogenic, rainbow food were all the rage in the past decade. From bagels to lattes and sweet looking pastries, this colorful unnatural mess was plastered all over our social media feeds and even got me craving for rainbow grilled cheese sandwiches till this day. However, like most trends, the rainbow food trend, too, took things too far. From this came the birth of abominations such as rainbow pasta, sushi and even bread! Maybe we should stick to tasting the rainbow through Skittles the old fashioned way? Activated Charcoal When the rainbow trend came to a standstill, activated charcoal, it’s very opposite, replaced it in a flash. From it came an influx of black macarons, soft serve ice cream, waffles and even cocktails! Although aesthetically pleasing and unusual, activated charcoal isn’t exactly safe for consumption despite its claims to detox your body from toxins. In truth, it actually binds to things in your stomach and small intestine, sucking nutrients out of your body instead. Hence, proving to be ineffective and potentially harmful, making it to the list of things you can see but shouldn’t touch. Matcha Matcha has been around for centuries, but its popularity only skyrocketed in 2016 when health and wellness became increasingly more important, jump-starting my favorite food trend. From candy to baked goods and lattes, matcha was known for its health benefits such as being a better source of energy compared to coffee, and its weight loss and skin benefits. Given its years of history, it’s safe to say that matcha is not just a passing craze, but is here to stay.
Photo Credit: A Cozy Kitchen, POPSUGAR Food, Shutterstock Bufo Laugh and 27 others
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ALL FOR THE ‘GRAM The Harlem Shake Were you one of those public nuisances who would film yourselves dancing wildly to the Harlem Shake with your friends while flailing your arms to the beat? It’s okay, I was guilty of it too (oops). Back in 2013, this trend went massively viral online, becoming an Internet meme sensation. Fun fact: Did you know that we were doing it all wrong? The real Harlem Shake was a much more raw, technical and fluid dance to express freedom. It was popularized in the hip-hop world by a four-man dance crew called Crazy Boyz before the Internet blew it out of proportion. Although there were some Harlem residents who laughed along, others who saw dancing as an art deemed it as disrespectful, offensive and mocking.
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The Ice Bucket Challenge Back in 2014, most social media platforms were bombarded with people filming themselves dumping a bucket full of freezing cold water over their heads, and tagging their friends to do the same within 24 hours. The trend was used to raise awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) — also known as Lou Geghrig’s disease — and encourage donations to fund research and treatment development. Amazingly, this initiative ended up raising more than $115 million for the ALS Association! Although some may criticise the trend and say it encourages passive activism and image boosters with people jumping onto the latest fad, I personally think there’s no harm in having a bit of fun. The Ice Bucket Challenge was a creative way to raise awareness and donations for a worthy cause. As long as participants understood that at the end of the day, isn’t that what counts? Thoughts? 37
The Mannequin Challenge Lately, the days when we’d strike crazy poses and freeze up like mannequins seem so far away. Now those were fun times. Schools, work places, celebrities, and local groups like our country’s very own national bowlers and Singapore Airlines even hopped in on the trend! One of the more insane mannequin challenges I’ve seen were of gymnasts holding a handstand split upside down while balancing on a beam! If that’s not impressive, I don’t know what is. 28
Looking back, the world definitely saw some crazy things in the past decade. Although much has changed since then, it’s always good to remember the good old times, where we came from, and how much we’ve grown as an individual and as a society. I know I’ve definitely changed since then, how about you? 45
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Throwing It Back HOME
TEAM
EVENT
The New I
t’s hard to imagine what things were like before this year. In r a challenging year. Among the many new measures we have to of the pandemic for most. As we look forward to the future these photos from the team’s past travels can tide you over until
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D e s ig ne d b y D iy a nah Sy a hira h
/thenewnormal
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The New Normal PHOTOS
STORE
w Normal
retrospect, no one would have predicted that 2020 would be such o get used to this year, the travel restrictions is surely a downside e and the next time we are able to step foot on a plane, we hope l then.
Words By Dao An
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utterfly clips. Mini purses. Dad shoes. Past fashion trends are making a comeback — pieces you’ve seen plastered all over the teen magazines you used to read and your favorite chick flicks growing up (read: Clueless!) are now back in trend and all over the internet! 90s fashion had its turn with the grunge fad while retro windbreakers and color-blocking repped the 80s. Now, we’re at the peak of the 2000s’ revival, and here are some of our favorites:
Those little clips that used to decorate your tresses are now back in trend! As its name suggests, they come in the shape of little butterflies, with other variations such as flowers and stars. Some of them sparkle and others come in every shade of the rainbow. Regardless of its shape and form, they’ll tie your outfits together with a nostalgic flair. Protip: the more colors, the better!
Parade around in the chunky kicks that your dads owned in the 90s! (No, I swear you won’t look like a boomer!). It’s hard to deny not giving this fad a double-take when it first entered the market. Now, it’s the latest ‘in’ thing and all the credit goes to pops at home! While it may be hard to fill his shoes, you can definitely work them into your everyday outfits. (No doubt Spice Girls approved.) It might add a few inches to your height but really, who could complain about that?
Photo Credits: Gucci, Balenciaga, Zaful, A Girl’s Diary, Valerie Sanders
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D e s ig ne d b y B e ll
There’s one way to dress up any outfit and yes, you’ve guessed it — sunglasses! Making a comeback are retro frames that come in a variety of shapes and colors. From the musthave cat eyes to the tiny frames that do more for your outfit than they do for your eyes (let’s be real!). Back bigger than ever, you can find wackier designs with lenses shaped like flames and dollar signs — talk about statement pieces!
Less is more and it’s especially true with this rising trend. Ditch all your belongings at home and grab your mini purses (that honestly fit nothing more than your phone and lip gloss but then again, do we really need anything else?). There’s something so captivating about a dainty shoulder bag that is proven versatile with its big comeback. Be it to the club or the mart, there’s a mini purse for every occasion.
Photo Credits: Gucci, Balenciaga, Zaful, Urban Outfitters, Threads Styling
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This one’s a shout-out to our favorite chick flicks growing up — from the iconic plaid set in Clueless to the pastel cardigans in Mean Girls, these are some looks that have survived the test of time, finding themselves a permanent spot in our closets and we’re not complaining! 2020 is the year of matching sets and what better way to live it than to strut your very own fashionable uniforms? P.S. pink is in, especially on Wednesdays.
Don’t worry about looking like a walking Skittle because color coordination is the latest rage! Pick a color and match every item to a different shade of said color and voilà, you have yourself a popping outfit! You’d make quite the statement but whoever said that was a bad thing?
What were once grandpa’s favorite hats are now back cooler than before! No longer are they only reserved for a trip to the zoo or a day at the beach, there’s always an occasion for a bucket hat. It could spice up a casual outfit or dress down a smart look with a fun twist. Either way, you’ll turn heads with your new headpiece!
Photo Credits: Gucci, Balenciaga, Zaful, r.a_f.a_e.l_a, oanhdaqueen, Natacha & Melanie
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D e s ig ne d b y B e ll
Whoever said you have to suffer for fashion clearly have not tried flared pants! Gone are the days of colorful skinny jeans that you could barely breathe in, it’s time for the hippie takeover with flared pants being the latest ‘in’ thing. It also does wonders for your figure (peep that hourglass illusion!). So I guess you could say it checks all the boxes, leaving you no reason to not add this to your wardrobe!
Fashion trends come and go, what you once deemed a weird fad might just make its return as a hit on the runway. While following the latest trends might keep your wardrobe updated and OOTD-ready at all times, nothing beats wearing your personality on your sleeve! With that said, get in loser, we’re going shopping!
Photo Credits: Gucci, Balenciaga, Zaful, Olivia Frost
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Fashun. Wo r d s by Zakk ie thunn isa
Image Credit: Lily Collins, Fashionista
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imeless beauty: At some point, we would have heard this phrase being thrown around by many, from people on the streets, to industry professionals in the beauty line. We have seen several artists getting labelled as such, from Marilyn Monroe, to Anne Hathaway and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. But is beauty really timeless, or does every beauty trend come with its own expiry date, set to disappear forever after? In the early 2000s, curly hair was considered messy and undesirable by many, young and old. As a curly-haired primary school child, I myself have been met with names like “Broccoli Hair Girl” and teased about using an entire bottle of hair oil a day (which I didn’t! But oh well). Besides the occasional hairdresser who viewed my curls as unique, I spent the greater part of my childhood getting (mostly unsolicited) tips on how to tame my mane, which stood out starkly amidst my classmates, since most of them had uniformly straight hair. Today, we see many perming their hair, in order to achieve big, bouncy curls - the very curls which were once seen as unruly.
All ‘Bout That Hair In the past, straight hair was a biological staple, prevalent among the majority of the population in Singapore by default. Owing to its uniformed, prim nature being a norm, it was viewed as the most acceptable kind of hair. Women with unruly curls conformed to this normal by dint of extensive hair treatments. The combined effect was damaging in the long run, but as someone once said, beauty is pain! It came at the cost of damaged, thinning hair. Be it at work, for formal occasions, and even among female actors and models, straight hairstyles were inevitably prominent. Wide-eyed little girls, yet to take their PSLE, were seen appearing in school with freshly rebonded hair. Those who could not afford that luxury, simply wove their hair into tight braids, and prayed nobody noticed them. However, in recent years, curls have made their comeback. For some women, it was the additional volume that they afforded their thinning crowns of glory. For others, it was the sheer thrill and pizazz awarded by hair which sprang and bounced with their every step. Women with straight hair turned to curling irons to achieve this hair. Meanwhile, our ladies who had formally straightened their hair to appease society’s critical eye, grew out their natural curls in relief, finally embracing their eminently rare beauty.
Hairstyles are just the tip of the iceberg on beauty trends which have been evolving over the years. A woman’s beauty regimen has traditionally required her to care for practically every part of her body which could be seen an`d admired, from top to toe. Hair, eyes, lips, and body shape are just a few things which a woman has had to look after and keep beautiful. For years, how women looked after themselves and their appearance depended on societal expectations. It may seem astonishing to us now, but that was the reality for women in those days. Sketch Credit: designer
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Brows, Brows, Brows! A decade ago, ladies shaped their eyebrows into painfully thin curves, at the time considered dainty and elegant. This era saw many women pluck and thread away a notable portion of their eyebrows to achieve the aforementioned brows. These brows would then be filled in rather boldly. It was a time when thicker eyebrows were viewed as masculine and messy. In fact, some women who naturally had a unibrow also bore the brunt of unkind remarks from others. However, in recent years, the look of a natural, fluffy brow has grown in popularity. Women have ceased threading their brows so harshly as before, and now fill them in with a lighter hand, creating a soft gradient instead of the harsh old curves. There is still plucking and threading involved, but now, only to get rid of the stray hairs and to shape the brow into a nice, even arch.
Sketch Credit: designer
Image Credit: thehoneycombers.com Image Credit: Rodger Shija, Pixabay
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Fashun.
Image Credit: Adoro Cinema
@
Anne Hathaway
Thru Thicc’ and Thin Being as skinny as possible was once all the rage. After consistently seeing slim and trim women appear on commercials, dramas and movies, ladies craved that size zero figure. They wished to be petite, with cinched waists and skinny limbs. They struggled to shed their fats, some even turning to unhealthy fad diets and skipping meals. I saw my own schoolmates willingly go without some meals in a day, yet factoring in extra runs, all in a bid to lose weight. Everyone else possibly sought to lose weight and achieve that slim build because everyday clothes were predominantly tailored to sheathe slimmer bodies. Of course, losing weight unhealthily began to take its toll on ladies. Some faced health complications. Others battled self-esteem issues. Female influencers also began to step up to break this size zero norm which had grown to be accepted in the Western world, and therefore, in Singapore as well, where our population is inevitably influenced by Western culture. Such a huge movement, which eventually became a global one, had to start from several tiny steps. One such step was when Ashley Graham got her big break modelling for Sports Illustrated’s cover in 2016, bringing back the once-popular hourglass figure. Granted, it had mixed reviews. Many struggled to digest this step away from the norm. However, it garnered plenty of positive feedback from women who were finally seeing a body like theirs on a prominent magazine’s cover. It was a huge step in encouraging body positivity among plus sized women. This movement evolved into one where bodies of all sizes were embraced and loved. It also came with its flaws, and prompted actress Jameela Jamil to advocate for body neutrality instead, where women should no longer worry about their appearance, but dedicate more time to pertinent issues that they are facing in life, such as their safety, family, career and the like.
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Sket
Image Credit: Aishwarya Rai Pinterest
D e s ig ne d b y J a y de n Chu a
Beauty is only skin deep -- or is it?
Image Credit: Jameela Jamil @jameelajamilofficial
Fair, clear skin has been favoured by people for a while now, with some viewing it as superior in beauty. Those who did not have such skin, were viewed with contempt. Sometimes, they even encountered unkind comments. I still recall my aunt asking me why my friend was ‘so dark-skinned’ when I pointed her out in my photo album. It did not sit right with me, because her question hinted that dark skin was bad. Plus, who can forget the classic Chinese superstition that one’s future spouse would get pimples on their face for every grain of rice left behind on her plate after a meal? Upon hearing such remarks when young, we did not think to question our elders. On the contrary, in today’s world, all kinds of skin are considered beautiful, and imperfections are celebrated instead. For conditions like acne, people have grown to be more supportive and tactfully offer advice on dealing with it instead of being unhelpfully critical. Freckles, once viewed with disdain, are also being embraced, with some ladies even drawing freckles on with makeup. Ultimately, it leaves us wondering why our elders were so critical of skin imperfections and darker skin before. Beauty standards have seen quite an evolution of trends which constitute beauty, and are likely evolving as I collect my thoughts together and write this piece. We can agree that beauty trends do have their own periods of popularity and prominence in time. But if you ask me, beauty itself does not expire. It is a timeless concept which shall withstand the test of time and be ever-ready to enthrone women. While we acknowledge the various beauty trends, we should not feel pressured to adapt our appearances to suit society’s expectations. Following beauty trends extensively can take its toll physically and mentally. So, it doesn’t pay to allow society to govern our beauty choices. While I do agree with Jameela Jamil’s philosophy where we should not fret about our appearance, there’s no harm in us caring about how we present and express ourselves. Personally, I can take as long as 20 minutes to style my outfit and do my makeup before school. I do indulge in a light skincare regimen to ensure my skin is glowing. I even have a tendency to glance at random reflective surfaces at any given time to ensure that I look put-together. But I can proudly say that every such decision which I make, is solely for my content. If I’m putting in time and effort to look presentable, it’s 100% for my own satisfaction and so that I like who I see when I look into the mirror.
ch Credit: designer
Image Credit: Yuna Zarai Pinterest
Image Credit: Marilyn Monroe Pinterest
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BACK TO THE FILM-TURE Words and Ph ot os by R u s s e l l L a i S h i Yu
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n this fast-paced bustling world, technology moves so quickly, and it may very well be hard to keep up with the latest trends. We live in an era where billions of people carry smartphones equipped with cameras that may even be better than a Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) Camera. Yet, many would prefer using a retro film camera instead of modern memory cards. Despite the numerous cons to using film — time, money and availability, why is film photography making a comeback? Well, like the renowned writer Stephen King said, “Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” Film photography is the reason for the birth of digital photography. Instead of memory cards, or the cloud, photographs are captured on sheets of plastic. These sheets, coated with a layer of gelatin that contains small silver halide crystals, determines the contrast and resolution of a photograph. Unlike digital photography where you can view your photos instantly, the film has to be processed, which is a long and tedious process. Shooting with
a film camera is way harder and more challenging compared to conventional digital photography, where you can snap in automatic mode. In film photography, you have to be one with the camera, knowing it inside out to fully understand the beauty of photography. We are in a generation where photography is automated and many neglect the fundamentals of photography. You might be asking yourself: if film photography is so complicated, why use it?
Photography has made some fascinating progress in its relatively short history. In only 200 years, the camera, created from a plain box that took foggy photographs evolved to become the innovative smaller than expected Personal Computers (PCs) found in the current DSLRs and cell phones. The narrative of photography is fascinating, and it is conceivable to expound. Back in the days, photography was only for the rich and elites. That was until the 1880s when George Eastman started a company called Kodak. He created a flexible film roll that did not
require changing dry plates continuously. This flexible film roll permitted him to build a self-contained box camera that held 100 exposures. Without George Eastman’s brilliant invention, film cameras would arguably cease to exist. However, it’s popularity lasted only until the late 1940s, where the 35mm film cameras became popular, as it became cheap enough for the general public.
Fast forward to the 1980s and 1990s, the dawn of the digital age, where photos are now stored electronically. Once again, Kodak was the first to produce a digital camera in 1991, a tremendous success amongst professional photographers. It sparked its competitors like Nikon and Canon to do the same. Digital cameras were a gamechanger to the photography world. These new point and shoot cameras calculated shutter speed, aperture, and focus, which was a great deal – saving time, money and effort to create the best looking pictures. Despite the great functionality of digital cameras, why are film cameras back on trend?
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Aa
Sooner or later, everything old is new again -Stephen King
Send to
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Kodak Power Flash Disposable Camera S$51
Kodak UltraMax 400 35mm Film S$12
Film photography is a work of art that has been overlooked by many. Firstly, It forces you to shoot more selectively. Since you are limited to the number of photos you can take — usually 36 exposures, film makes you second your decision before pressing the shutter button. Unlike digital photography where you can capture countlessly, every shot counts with film. The cost of film and the additional time needed to develop the film adds on to the pressure of getting a good shot, yet motivates you to become a more cautious photographer. Every mistake will cost money, but every mistake is a lesson learnt. With the rising cost of film at the back of your mind, you will not want to make the same mistake again.
the root of photography when everything was manual. Ultimately, looking at your developed photos is one of the most satisfying feelings. When you look at your developed photographs, you will recall the long gruelling process and countless failed shots you have experienced before attaining the perfect shot.
Secondly, film photography enables you to widen the opportunity in learning the fundamentals and principles of photography. In this digital age, cameras have multiple functions such as autofocus. There are also multiple pre-set modes that enable the user to shoot under different circumstances that made us drift from
Photo Credit: Urban Outfitters
Generations after generations, the world is losing touch of the root of photography — film photography. We are in an era that is dominated by the digital age. Film photography is slipping away but we must prevent that from happening. Film photography teaches you that it is okay to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them. The step into film photography may seem daunting, but trust me, it is worth it. Mastering film photography is more than the cameras we use or the stocks we choose. In a world where everything seems to pass in a split second, the process behind film photography reminds us that sometimes, it is okay to slow down, acknowledge the people and things around us, and take in every moment one frame at a time.
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Down the Rabbit Hole
with Old Wives’ Tales
Wo rds B y Ta n H u i X i n
Grandma: “If you see a broom in the morning, bad luck’s ahead.” Mother: “Always knock before entering a hotel room.” Father: -
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hese are just a fraction of Old Wives’ Tales I have heard growing up. Don’t worry there will be more as you read on. To start off, the origin of Old Wives’ Tales is rather unknown but many have speculated that Old Wives’ Tales was as its name suggests - what wives or mothers told the younger generation to encourage or scare themfrom (doing) certain things.
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D e s ig ne d b y A lice M ay
w w w. b u f o p e d i a . c o m
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“An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away.” BUFOPEDIA
For instance, I am sure every single human on this planet has heard of this Old Wives’ Tale: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
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If you have not heard of this, I would love to know where you have lived. Such phrases serve to encourage or deter certain behaviors from children. Hence, in this article, I will be doing every bored soul a favor by going down the rabbit hole of Old Wives’ Tales while (possibly) debunking fact from fiction - with the help of my fellow UB peers. So to all curious George(s) and Georgina(s), read on.
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“Never Give Watches as Presents.” If you are like me, you may have pondered (please tell me I am not the only one) which sad human died receiving watches and whose “luck” got passed on to his or her acquaintances that shot this phrase to infamy. So thanks to the wonders of technology a.k.a. Google, I have been able to find out possible reasons why this phrase is especially popular among the Chinese who have long associated bad luck to clocks and watches - basically any object that represents time. This is because, the Chinese word: 送钟 (sòng zhōng), which means to gift clocks, sounds similar to another Chinese word: 送终 (sòng zhōng) which means to attend a funeral. To put it simply, when you gift a clock or watch, to the Chinese culture, you are basically “gifting” bad luck upon a person to (touch wood, hold a cross, burn some incense, etc.) die earlier. As such, due to the deadly similarity of these particular words (yes that was my attempt at a pun), most Chinese would avoid gifting a clock as a birthday present - that is if any of us youngsters actually listened to our parents...
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Leaving behind grains of rice BUFOPEDIA
To all those singles out there here’s another advice from your ancestors.
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“If you leave behind any grains of rice while eating, your future spouse will have lots of pimples.”
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Not sure about you but this is one of the Old Wives’ Tales I have heard from my mother time and time again growing up.
Current Events To a child like me though, such a saying did not work. That is because I certainly did not require any encouragement finishing my meals and honestly, I could not have cared less about whether or not my future spouse would have pimples because I did not want a future spouse then. Not sure if I will be changing my mind 10 years down the road though... But to all those picky or fussy eaters, I have heard this being said by parents in Kopitiams and by my aunts to their kids all too often.
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Meaning behind Old Wives Tales On a more serious note, as I started to learn more about Old Wives’ Tales, I could not help but wonder the actual meaning behind them. “Oh, that’s just an Old Wives’ Tale.” For so long we have responded to Old Wives’ Tales with absurd laughter and stigma but rarely anything more, even more so now, with the pursuit and widespread belief of science as the ultimate truth. Even the Cambridge dictionary seems to agree with its definition as follows: “a piece of advice or a theory, often related to matters of health, that was believed in the past but is now known to be wrong”, with the iconic Merriam-Webster echoing similar sentiments: “an often traditional belief that is not based on fact”.
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Hence, it is not far-fetched for me to think that Old Wives’ Tales seems to be one of the tools in which society has utilized to naturalize traits of irrationality in women, especially older women. Such things are not atypical in the language world, for which sayings like “Oh, stop acting like such a girl” (associating girls to weakness) have aided in perpetuating certain norms or gender characteristics about females. The dangerous part comes when we naturalize them and they fade into the background, becoming the natural order of things whereby we do not think twice before saying such things. This is more problematic when such phrases or names carry certain negative connotations about women and girls whereby if we keep hearing them, we may unknowingly start internalizing certain beliefs about women. Perhaps, we could just brush this off as me overthinking, but I could not help but wonder as a female, the significance of naming it Old Wives’ Tales instead of something else.
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Cultural or racial significance On a lighter note, as I fell deeper into the rabbit hole of Old Wives’ Tales, I started entertaining the possibility of cultural or racial specificity. This is so because many Old Wives’ Tales seem to be especially popular among the Chinese whereby there are Chinese reasonings for such tales (just like the one I mentioned in the previous paragraph). After much soul searching, I quickly came to the conclusion that Old Wives’ Tales does indeed have some geographic specificity. For instance, “If you point to the moon, your ear will drop off.” This saying that some of us may have heard of seems to have originated from Chinese mythology. The reasoning behind this saying lies with being, pointing with the index finger at the moon is disrespectful to
the moon goddess Chang’e (嫦娥) who would retaliate by cutting your ear clean off, or at least cut it slightly. This then affirmed the possibility of a cultural specificity for Old Wives’ Tales. Since we live in Singapore, where we have a myriad of cultures, I wanted to see if the cultural specificity of Old Wives’ Tales’ holds in Singapore. So being the curious Georgina I was, I took this to instagram by asking UB students what were some of the Old Wives’ Tales they have heard of and the reasoning behind them - which thank goodness some people replied.
References: Here are what they had to say 1. A. FoodCliqueLover. (2020). “Don’t trim your nails at night or an evil spirit might steal them and impersonate you.” Retrived on 13 August 2020. 2. I. LoveMala. (2020). “Don’t sleep in front of a mirror or a ghost will steal your soul.” Retrived on 13 August 2020. 3. U. Bufo. (2020). “Consuming a part of an animal makes that respective part of you better. (pig’s leg = strong legs etc.)” Retrived on 13 August 2020. 4. K. Kampung. (2020). “If you eat watermelon seeds, (the) watermelon plant will start growing from your brain.” Retrived on 13 August 2020.
Conclusion These are some of the Old Wives’ Tales shared by UB students. Interestingly, I discovered with the help of my dearest friend, Google, that Koreans and Japanese have a similar superstition shared by Student A though the reasonings are different. According to the Japanese, they believed that cutting your nails at night would mean that you would not be present when your parents die. As opposed to Koreans who believe that when mice eat your leftover nail clippings after you cut them at night, they can turn into humans and steal your soul. Hence, horrific imagery aside, this is one of the Old Wives’ Tale I found that supports my theory of cultural specificity and Old Wives’ Tales.
Before I end this rambling for good, let me just part with one last thing. Maybe it is high time as a progressively egalitarian society to bring husbands into the picture and come up with Old Husbands’ Tales. You never know, the husbands may be feeling a little left out over the last few centuries. What do you think?
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Introduction
T
https://timecapsules.ubsc.com/pubs/TCintro
ime capsules, containers that where precious items are placed into and put away for a certain period of time only to be reopened later. It is a simple concept, but it gives glimpses into the past and evokes a nostalgic longing in people. There is even an International Time Capsule Society to study them! With so many stories behind each time capsule, The Buffalo Horn (TBH) would like to zoom in on a few. And no, not all time capsules are found, which adds to the story behind them.
Words by Brand o n G o h
Ya h o o ! Tim e Cap su l... https://timecapsules.ubsc.com/pubs/yahooTC.com
The first time capsule in our story is the Yahoo! time capsule. A brainchild of the web service provider Yahoo! Inc., it was meant to provide a snapshot of what life in 2006 was like. Yahoo! users could provide photographs, videos, writings or audio and view contributions by other participants as an exercise of “digital anthropology”.
Time capsule.png
First draft.sesx
Meme Time https://timecapsules.ubsc.com/pubs/yahooTC/meme.png
Believe it or not, there were even plans to use the time capsule to communicate with aliens! Yahoo! even wanted to beam the time capsule’s contents as a laser from an ancient Mexican pyramid to reach out to extraterrestrial life! However, these plans were scrapped, and an 18-hour live production took place instead before the time capsule closed on 8th November 2006. Now, the million-dollar question is, has the time capsule been opened? As of 2020, yes! The time capsule was meant to be opened on the 25th anniversary of Yahoo! Inc., which happens to be the year 2020. Sadly, Yahoo! has since experienced a decline in its prominence, rendering the reopening a more muted occasion compared to the fanfare of 2006.
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Yahoo Ti me Capsul e
I n tr od u c ti on
M e me T ime / Ya ho o . . . .
D e s ig ne d b y Tany a U t e P e nda rie s
Yahoo! Time Capsule Launch https://timecapsules.ubsc.com/pubs/photo-courtesy-of-Yahoo
Apollo 11 Capsule
Singapore Capsule
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Moon.png
Apollo 11 goodwill disc https://timecapsules.ubsc.com/pubs/photo-courtesy-of-air-and-space-museum
Apollo 11 TIme Capsule
A po l l o 11 Ti me Cap.... https://timecapsules.ubsc.com=pubs/apollo11TC.com
Although the Yahoo! time capsule failed to take flight, the next time capsule we’re covering was literally out of this world. Introducing… the Apollo 11 goodwill messages! A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space mission, Apollo 11 was the first spaceflight that landed on the Moon in 1969. Besides uttering the famous line “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”, the astronauts also brought with them a time capsule. Encased within was a disk the size of a 50-cent coin. On this seemingly unremarkable piece of silicon, there was a compelling message — the wishes of over 70 world leaders for world peace and goodwill. The Apollo 11 messages were the first of their kind, a time capsule buried in outer space instead of Planet Earth to herald a great achievement for humanity. Beyond its groundbreaking significance, the capsule also showed the quirks of human nature. From short and sweet congratulatory notes to more verbose messages, the Apollo 11 capsule had them all. There were even humble brags inside it, such as Greece’s allusion to being “forerunners in the philosophical thought” and Portugal’s “discoverers on the unknown Earth, in centuries past”. It was truly a historic moment, warts and all. In fact, these historical messages from that era are not just out in space, but available right at our fingertips. NASA has uploaded the entire Apollo 11 press release and goodwill messages onto the public domain. A simple Google search, and you’re good to go.
Apollo 11 Images
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Apol l o 1 1 Ti me...
N a ti on a l S ta d i um . . . .
Co nc lu s io n
D e s ig ne d b y Tany a U t e P e nda rie s
National Stadium Ti... https://timecapsules.ubsc.com/pubs/gksTC
Old National stadium capsule https://timecapsules.ubsc.com/pubs/photo-courtesy-of-the-straights-times
Having talked about the Apollo 11 capsule, it is now time to take things closer to home. The last capsule in our article is the National Stadium time capsule. Buried in 1970 by Dr. Goh Keng Swee, it was placed under the Foundation Stone of the old National Stadium. Inside it was books, newspaper articles, and sports memorabilia collected over the years. The plan was to reopen the capsule years later and showcase the items within, but it was not to be. During the demolition of the old National Stadium in 2010, the capsule was nowhere to be found! Months of extensive searches yielded nothing and the old landmarks that gave clues to the capsule’s whereabouts had long since been removed, making the task at hand even more challenging. To this day, it remains missing. A piece of history just seemingly vanished into thin air. It shows the concept of a time capsule is not merely limited to the simple matter of burying it and unearthing its contents years later. Forgetfulness happens to the best of us. In this case, it derailed a historic moment, adding another twist to the tale. Whether the National Stadium capsule will ever be found remains to be seen, but the possibility of seeing history unfold before our eyes is compelling. Let’s stay tuned to see how this turns out.
Conclusion https://timecapsules.ubsc.com/pubs/TCconclude
Time capsules evoke a sense of nostalgia and an idealized longing for the past. Personally, I have not actually placed an item in a time capsule before. However, I find that doing a “Marie Kondo”, or decluttering old items in my home tends to evoke similar emotions.
pubTunes
Singapore Time Capsule.one
For instance, reading through my old journals and notebooks, I am reminded once again of the ramblings of a younger me. Sometimes amusing and other times downright cringeworthy, these musings bring back a long forgotten self I have since outgrown. This is where I think the beauty of time capsules lie in. While the items people bury in them are seemingly insignificant, it brings a slice of the past into the present. It is not so much the buried item itself, but the values and memories attached to it that gives meaning to a time capsule. While it can be said that change is the only constant, time capsules provide a glimpse of how things once were. And in them, we find a story of our lives.
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Singapore Time Capsule.doc
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The Buffalo Horn #10 (Fall 2020) Produced by SIM-UB Student Council Publications Department
@ubsc_official /UB.Singapore
D e s ign ed by Di yanah Syahi r ah & N oor H a d a i n a
