"I did want to treat myself at the end of the break for getting through all those long hours in the lab and on my laptop, writing my final report. So I booked a flight to Thailand! And it was magical". In her third vlog, Chloe takes us to Thailand.
Happy New Year, all!
Doing my research project here meant that I had to spend the majority of my break at university performing experiments, which is always incredibly fun. But whilst the life and times of my cells were far from riveting, in my opinion, the NUS campus is even more enjoyable when it's empty. Without the gaggles of students bustling to and from their halls, it becomes a lot easier to appreciate the casual beauty of the UTown campus. And the typical crowd at the UTown gym and infinity pool were certainly not missed, though I may be coming from a position of bias… I was also able to interact more with the grounds staff, who work tirelessly to keep it looking picture-perfect. All the staff I have interacted with at NUS are exceptionally friendly, and it’s always nice to share a few words as we get ready to go about our separate days.
Still, as nice as this all was, I did want to treat myself at the end of the break for getting through all those long hours in the lab and on my laptop, writing my final report. So I booked a flight to Thailand! And it was magical...eight days exploring all the country had to offer. Even so, during that time I was only able to scratch the surface of the country's pulsating culture-rich epicentre, Bangkok, and its infamous, sandy paradise, Phuket. Having been unfamiliar with Thai cuisine, I went in expecting great things given that almost everyone I met swore by it. And I was blown away by what was easily the best culinary experience I have ever had. The diversity, flavour and affordability of the food went above and beyond anything I had imagined. Besides that, there were so many markets to shop at, temples to visit and museums to explore that it was almost overwhelming…and one of the most exciting times of my life. It is currently my number one travel recommendation if you come to Singapore.
Sadly, the holiday ended too soon, and I was back before I knew it. However, this time the halls were filled with students again, restoring life to the once-empty buildings. Given that my report was finally done and I was on a lower credit workload than the previous term, I had more time to participate in the many activities organised by the RAs (or Residential Assistants) at my hall. After a sushi party to welcome us all back, there was a week long ‘game’ with the theme “Angels and Mortals”. It revolved around the ‘angels’ sending encouragement in the form of messages and snacks, to their ‘mortals’ without being caught. Given that our floor is part of the bear house, Ursa, I incorporated it into the messages for my mortal. Overall, it was a wonderful way to get to know other people on the floor better, and really helped create a sense of community. One of the best things about being in the college halls is that they organise so many events to integrate the exchange students and go out of their way to welcome them in whatever way possible, which definitely sets NUS apart from other universities in this respect. And with many more hall events scheduled, Chinese New Year around the corner and even more plane tickets booked, 2019 is set to be a very exciting year!
By: Chloe Ogweng
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