Orientation Camps Cancelled in NUS

[Jaybee]

so this is mostly because i need to rant but also because this would never be a thing anywhere else but fucking singapore

On 26 July, The New Paper (basically, state sponsored GoodyFeed. uniquely singaporean, folks) published this article about "increasingly sexualised" activities at orientation camps hosted by various clubs, halls, faculties, etc at the National University of Singapore (NUS). NUS is ranked first in all Asian universities by QS World University Rankings, and is #12 in the world. For reference, this puts NUS above colleges like Yale, Johns Hopkins and Kings, and only 1 spot below Princeton. It's a really damn good school.

The article... is bad. It basically gets responses from only 2 students, "Kim" and "Chloe" (QS estimates the total number of students in NUS at 32,705, so it's probably fair to estimate around 9,000 Year 1 students). Of course, because Singaporeans fucking love to spread shit around, this thing has inflated to a horrendous scandal.

(A side note on Singapore's love for public vigilantism and shaming - this steaming pile of shit gives anyone who submits an article $50 - and yes, it's open for the public to submit articles. This often results in crap like shaming tired soldiers for sitting on train seats, doing the same thing to students in their school uniforms [especially those from more prestigious schools], or anything involving foreigners, especially poor foreign labour.)

In the 3-4 days since the initial article, camps have still been ongoing, given that lessons start in August. NUS initially tried warning all camp organisers to tone down on such activities and might even have sent staff down to make sure camps were running well (i cbf to find a source for this). The idea is there - NUS was hella scared of more shit coming up. Of course, some camps continued to carry out other ''inappropriate" activities,, resulting in NUS deciding to cancel *almost* all future Orientation Week camps. And now sponsors are dropping out.

I'm just so damn pissed off about this entire saga. Firstly, this is the school I'm supposed to be going to in 2 years, and I have a lot of friends going in this year who're obviously affected by this. The next thing is this bloody chain of stupidity - the idiots that played these games, the girls that talked to TNP, TNP itself, NUS management being unable to control this shitstorm... And this isn't even a new thing here!

This isn't a thing I can imagine happening anywhere else in the world. Throwing a blanket ban on these activities is just... it's such a fucking Singaporean response to this. And I get why NUS did it (need to show some PR, etc) but as someone who's organised and attended camps like this it fucking sucks for everyone involved. Well played, NUS and TNP, you managed to screw with your entire student population AND the rest of the country, while you're at it.

FUCK

Edited July 29, 2016 by JBCWK

[Sidereal Wraith]

Welcome to higher education Jaydee.

[Moblin Major General]

Maybe you should attend another college, one outside of Malaysia or by extension Asia itself. Given the high educational standard of East Asia, it wouldn't be a bad idea to seek post-secondary education elsewhere. And the term you're looking for is Draconian, unless Singapore has it's own spin on harsh, overbearing lawmaking.

[Sidereal Wraith]

Maybe you should attend another college, one outside of Malaysia or by extension Asia itself. Given the high educational standard of East Asia, it wouldn't be a bad idea to seek post-secondary education elsewhere. And the term you're looking for is Draconian, unless Singapore has it's own spin on harsh, overbearing lawmaking.

I guess the conundrum that Jaydee finds himself in is that NUS is a damn good university and any other uni that he looks at probably won't give him the same kind of educational and career opportunities in the future that this one can offer. Then again, seeing that Jaydee has grades good enough to get him into NUS in the first place means he could probably get into another prestigious university.

Edited July 29, 2016 by Wraith

[Phoenix Wright]

singapore has those weird laws banning bad language right?

[sirmola]

And the term you're looking for is Draconian, unless Singapore has it's own spin on harsh, overbearing lawmaking.

THe steriotype is that ALL lawmaking in singapore is harsh and overbearing. I have not lived in singapore, so i don't know how true that is. THe general outsider's view of what singapore is like was solidified in the classic article "disneyland with the death penalty", which can be read here: http://www.wired.com/1993/04/gibson-2/ Once again, i have no actual experience with singapore.

ONe last thing. Higher education is not perfect in other countries. I don't know what you would pay in singapore, for instance, but its probably far less than you would pay in the united states. THere are a varity of other issues, too. That being said, the bigest problem foregn students have in the united states is english, and that does not seem to be a problem you have.

[Magical CC]

singapore has those weird laws banning bad language right?

How come banning bad language is a weird law?

[eclipse]

If a student-sanctioned event got out of hand, I can see my university canceling it. While I think the girls in the article overreacted, I think the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the people who disregarded the rules.

[Tryhard]

chewing gum is banned in Singapore

it's all pretty ridiculous

Edited July 30, 2016 by Tryhard

[Phoenix Wright]

How come banning bad language is a weird law?

it's nicer than saying it's completely backwards and dumb? or, if i may, fucking stupid.

if cursing can get me in jail or net me a fine, that is both weird and nonsensical.