UniVantage Digest Issue 4

1 univantage.bizcom.sgISSUE 3.

UniVantageSPRING/SUMMER 2011 ISSUE

univantage.bizcom.sg

UniVantageDigest

T H E

HOTEdition

Hot BODS, Hot & Spicy Gossips and….

Bring on

2011

What’s On

Facebook?

What She wants

& What He wants

Exchange in U.S.A

Strongmen of SMU

Fashion on Campus

Food Galore, J-rocker, Health Tips & an awesome set of exclusive privileges.

More Stuff Inside:


UniVantage Digest

CONTENTSVerve @ SMU6 Meet Our People, SMU! - Featuring those who make us Di! erent: a J-rock musician, an entrepreneur and the founder of our Chinese Orchestra.

The Loud, the Glue & the Bold9 List This: Top 10 things SMU students fear the most

9 Forum-Rama

10 In a Nutshell

11 Facebook: 2010 events at SMU

14 Life of an SMU mugger: Love my GPA

16 Ruck ‘n’ Row: Strongmen of SMU

Trend, Tips & Advice22 2011: Bring It On

24 Travel Guide: Another special edition for your

travels during Exchange in USA. 28 Dr. Love’s Column What she wants and what he wants. Our resident relationship expert " lls you in on a few ugly truths.

30 Health & Fitness : 6 Health Tips You Ought to Know

Food, Glorious Food 32 Delightfully yours, HANITO! 33 Gastronomakan: The Food Review Our food hunt for the best makan places continues…

36 Feature: Shin Minori Japanese Restaurant

Fashion & Lifestyle38 The SMU Sartorialist: Fashion on Campus Check out the sense of style and the latest fashion we’ve seen around campus.

41 The Luxurious Face of Beauty Go ahead. Pamper yourself at Porcelain, The Face Spa.

42 IGARD: Having a Vision is so much more than seeing

Privileges45 Your exclusive SMU student/sta" /alumni card bene# ts

On the coverRuck ‘n’ RowHot Bods and bu! guys. We shine the spotlight on the guys from Dragon Boat and Rugby.

pg 16

pg 24

The SMU Sartorialist

pg 38

Sahimi Ahmad

Kok Suh Tyng

Kwan Li JiaSenthil Sukumar

Marcus LeeKelly Kon

Lim Sim Yee Bandana KaurLam Kee YannJoanne Ho

Priscilla Ho Marcus Lee

Executive Editor

Creative Director

Managing Editors

Senior Writers

Writers

Photographers

Shue Zhen Yao

Yap Xing Yao

Liang Yun Kai

Desiree Lim Sher Feng

Siti Maryam Yusof

Chan Jing Wei

Jane Pang Su-Mei

Debbie Foo

Jeremy Teo Ming Chuan

UniVantage Director

UniVantage Vice-Director

Sales Director

Sales Vice-Director

Marketing Director

Sponsorship Director

Corporate Relations Director

Programmes Director

Operations Director

UV Executive Team

UV Sales & Advertising

Marketing

Acknowledgements

Samantha Tan, Chua Xin Ni, Eugenia Goh, Jamie Tan, Tan Wen Shi, Pamela Lee, Boh Shu Feng, Jasmine Kwok,

Ngo Qiao Wen, Michelle Lo Hui Xian, Tan Shu Yi

Aarsh Saxena, Lim Wei Ji, Joshua Goh Wei Siang, Kevin Ho Zhen Tao

Nikhil Antony Jonas

Bryan Lim Shi Ming

SMUSA Business Secretary /Bizcom Director

SMUSA Communications Secretary

Proudly brought to you by:

For more infomation about UniVantage, visit us at univantage.bizcom.sgor follow us at facebook.com/bizcom smu

Editor’s Word

In need of a Scandalous & Spicy 2011

Put your hands up if you, like me, dread the start of the semester! In pursuit of greater things in 2011, your resolutions (pages 21-22), sadly, do not serve as a harbinger of how the year would unfold. I’m under no illusions of what lies ahead. If you happen to be in the select group of people whose life has been nothing short of breathtaking since you set foot on the shores of SMU, well, good for you. Believing that, however, is an arduous task in itself.

We see, read or hear how life’s so good here - that we’re bubbling with activities, we rock the place and our lives are (and here comes the overused word) vibrant. Then, there are the ridiculous surveys stating how fantastically we are doing, how we’re satis" ed etc. I hope that there is more than a modicum of truth in that. My riposte: “Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics.” Interpret it whichever way you want. A look at your Facebook wall (pages 12-15) would give you a more accurate re$ ection of things.

Some say college is the best time of your life. Really? It is more like the lesser of two evils and only better than being six feet under. I have to say I’m so bored, it’s depressing. Hey, nobody is saying you should regret being in SMU. I value -or more likely, need - that all-important university education. But it does feel like being caught between a rock and a hard place. It’s really tough to wax lyrical about my experience or non-performance here. Well, the tough, sporty guys (pages 16-21) we’re featuring will beg to di! er, though. They’re revelling in life here and lapping it all up.

I’m not gonna kid myself. It is palpable that I’m not exactly elated with my life as an undergraduate – and I’m sure these sentiments are not exclusively mine. The cure is simple. What we really need is a scandal! I’m talking about a scandal of epic proportions. More accurately, we need a wave of scandals that will set tongues wagging - spicy gossips, ground-breaking controversies and all those which can’t be put into print. More than just about how the classes aren’t that small in size. We need more than just the pointless debates of how cut-throat it is and how class participation is becoming farcical. We genuinely require a smorgasbord of spicy events to turn life on its head.

Shrouded in this murky mist of boredom, I’m hoping for a scandalous 2011 to spice things up - however unlikely it may seem. As the eternal optimist, I’m left to cling on to this hope with the very end of my " nger tips. Cheerio,

Sahimi AhmadExecutive Editor

UniVantageDigest

Meet Our People, SMU!SMU students are as diverse as they come, and life as an undergraduate need not be all about academia and late nights in the library. Here on campus, we have students who dare to embrace their passions and take the road less travelled. These are the students who define the SMU student: colorful, bold and different. So in this series, we seek out and showcase the students who choose

to experience the full vibrancy and color of undergraduate life here at SMU.

Featuring ...

Je" Tung Chi Fung, School of Business, 2009

My SMU Life so far….My SMU life so far has been very enrich-ing. I started my " rst business here and I met many funny people from di! erent backgrounds. I was very much an intro-vert when I " rst came to SMU. It is be-cause of them that I opened myself up. It is also because of them that I stand " rm and rise up to challenges. For the past one and half year in SMU, I have been constantly pushing myself to the limit simply because I want to " nd out how far I can go on my own at this age. The jour-ney was tough but I have enjoyed pretty much most of it.

My Interests/passionMy interests include basketball, golf and cooking.

How do you manage your aca-demic life, CCAs, personal commit-ments etc.?

It’s all about time management and pri-oritising the to-do. Since young, I have a habit of putting to-do activities on paper because I know I will get old and start to forget things. I always believe a pen will serve me better than my memory.

My typical day in SMU will be…Aside from attending lessons and project meetings, I am either awake or day dreaming. When I am awake, I make peo-ple laugh. When I am day dreaming, peo-ple laugh at me.

I spend most of my time on cam-pus doing…Trying to stay awake.

My PhilosophyThis is not the end, stay foolish, stay hun-gry!

An avid volunteer who has participated in various community service projects, Je! Tung is also the Social Enterprise Director

for SMU Caretalyst. He is also a successful student entrepreneur who began his " rst business in SMU and is now the owner

of his very own Subway franchise.

>Our Say:Enterprising yet socially re-sponsible, Je" Tung would make any BGS professor proud. His dedication to com-munity service goes above and beyond the 80 hours that all SMU students are expect-ed to serve. As far as we’re concerned, he could be a role model for SMU students, and has de# nitely impressed us with his generosity and dedi-cation to good causes.

SPRING/ SUMMER 2011 ISSUE6

Neo Chua Kok Keng, School of Business, 2008

My SMU Life so far….If anyone were to ask me if there are any life changing decisions that I’ve made, coming to SMU would de" nitely be one of them. This decision is one that I’ve never regretted. Looking back at the road I’ve taken before coming here, I would say that it was all worth it, be it my two years of Arts in JC, or the three years of IT in Polytechnic and even the one semester of Computer Engineering in NUS. The reason for this is that having spent three years here, I have " nally discovered that Business is what I really like and what suits me the best. Although I have to admit that initially, I was quite taken aback by the workload in school as I’ve always had the impression that SMU’s project and seminar based curriculum would be much more relaxing compared to the other universities.

Still, the many hours spent after classes on projects with friends and school mates are pleasant memories that will remain with me long after I graduate, as they were often more fun and laugh-ter than just work and gloom. This is especially true for me since most of my friends and project mates are from the Music Interac-tive Club (MIC). I am thankful that the SMU culture allows us to bid for the same classes together, as I am somebody who " nds it hard to warm up to new people unless we share a common in-terest. The friendships formed [in MIC] will de" nitely last all the way till I graduate and even after I start working, as not only are these friends fun loving, but they also give me much needed help and encouragement when I face problems with my assignments or work. Of course, all this is only possible in a small and tightly knitted community like ours, which is why I’ve never looked back since coming to SMU.

My Interests/passionListening to music of all genres, singing, and teaching vocals. I also enjoy mah-jong, pool and bowling.

How do you manage your academic life, CCAs, personal commitments etc.?Basically, every single day is like a roller coaster ride for me. Besides having to juggle my teaching responsibilities, performances for my CCA and music school, I still have to " nd time to jam with my band, which basically means that I always plan my daily schedule carefully or risk having activities clash with one another. And if you

notice, I haven’t talked about school work yet.However, as tiring as it may seem, I feel that " lling up my day with ac-tivities that I love makes life really meaningful and hence, I’ve never really felt tired at the end of any day. Rather, I feel ac-complished. More-over, these activi-ties help to drive me and boost my morale when it comes to dealing with the stress of my academic life. Even though I be-lieve that academ-ics should be a pri-ority in a student’s university life, it should not be the ONLY thing.

My typical day in SMU will be…My day starts o! with morning classes, followed by practices for MIC or external performances in the afternoon. After which I will head down to Echomusic School for lessons with vocal students and " nally, I will jam with the band in the evening.

I spend most of my time on campus doing…Playing Left4Dead 2 or Facebook-ing on my laptop. I will also be doing research for new things to teach or share with my students.

My PhilosophyUniversity life is not just about academics. So work hard but play even harder.

If you were to pass by third year business student Neo Chua along the concourse, you might not look twice. But this unassuming student is also the lead vocalist of J-rock band Renaissance, and when he assumes his glitzy stage persona (complete with elaborate make-up and wig), even a double-take might not be enough to fully appreciate this rocker’s stylishly androgynous transformation.

>Our Say:Regular student by day and $ am-boyant rocker by night, Neo is a rare breed of SMU student whose life doesn’t revolve around the endless pursuit of grades. Instead, he lives life for himself, and through his pas-sion for music ensures that he enjoys every minute of it. Our suggestion? Take a breather and rock out to histune. You know you want to.

SPRING/SUMMER 2011 ISSUE 7

Verve @ SMU

SMU students with multiple CCAs are a dime a dozen, but very few students can say that they have set up their own club.

Elvia Goh is one such student whose passion and zest for Chinese orchestral music saw her setting up the SMU Chinese

Orchestra (SMUCO), a club that caters to all lovers of traditional Chinese music and instruments. She has also represented

the SMU Women’s soccer team in local tournaments and is on the management committee of the Whampoa Community

Centre.

My SMU Life so far… SMUCO, SMUCO and SMUCO. It was de" nitely not some-thing that I expected before I entered university. How-ever, ever since the decision to set up SMUCO, my SMU life took a 360 degree turn. I realized that university life is not solely about academics. I often wonder whether spending so much time on SMUCO was worthwhile, but I guess I would never have learnt and experienced so much if not for it. The feel-ing of bringing an orchestra onstage and expressing our passion for music through each performance is in-explicable. More importantly, in SMU, where everyone is driven by their own respective interests and dreams, it spurred me to pursue my own in Chinese orchestral music. I am glad I decided to pursue my dream as it has made my SMU Life more ful" lling than ever. In fact, it al-ways warms my heart to see Chinese music enthusiasts coming together to share Chinese orchestral music with the SMU community and beyond. SMUCO has opened my eyes to many possibilities and shaped me into who I am today. I have met many people along this journey and built strong and lasting bonds with other passion-ate musicians. The memories of my journey till now have formed a meaningful and signi" cant chapter of my SMU life and are de" nitely priceless.

My Interests/passionSports and of course, MUSIC.

How do you manage your academic life, CCAs, personal commitments etc.? Despite my overwhelming CCA commitments as the Founding President, I have been blessed with under-standing group mates that try their best to accom-modate my tight schedule. On my part, I always try to prioritize di! erent tasks and deadlines, depending on their importance. This allows me to e! ectively juggle the tasks at hand and still have time for other personal commitments. Most importantly, having the support and encouragement of my beloved family and friends has certainly helped me too.

My typical day in SMU will be…Rushing to lessons, grabbing snacks (skipping meals) and heading to SMUCO’s practice room.

I spend most of my time on campus…Project and CCA meetings and of course hanging out with awesome SMUCO people!

My PhilosophyLive your dream and passion – always try to exceed the expectations people have for you.

Elvia Goh Sin Tze, School of Business, 2008

>Our Say:How many of us can say we have the word ‘Found-er’ written on our CCA transcripts? Setting up and sustaining your own CCA requires an incredible amount of e" ort and tenacity, and Elvia is de# nite-ly an all-round warrior who has her priorities fully sorted out. This musical maestro dares to pursue her dreams even if it means having to make a few sacri# ces, and her ability to bring her own passion to the student body and beyond is nothing short of amazing.


Verve @ SMU

The Loud, The Glue

& The Bold A Tongue-in-cheek look at life in SMU.

The top 10 things SMU students fear the most :

1 Li Ka Shing library reducing their opening hours.

Where are we going to " nd somewhere just as hip to mug our lives away?

2 A module with 5% class participa-tion. Smaller class

participation component gives us less motivation and reward to $ aunt our greatest gifts.

3 Another CCA biting the dust. 1 less CCA means 1 less

opportunity to get a leadership position

4 Your drinking buddies think you have no life and

you are a mugger. You want to prove to them you are so brilliant you don’t need to spend hours studying.

5 That just as attractive girl/guy across the seminar room bought

the same H&M apparel that you thought you were the only one who could pos-sibly own it. Don’t worry; I’m sure your GPAs may not be the same.

6You have a GPA of 4.0, but people still don’t think you

are smart. You think your 4.0 GPA should put you automatically at the top of the mountain.

7You graduate with a GPA of 3.79, 3.59 or 3.39. Fate is cruel,

and your employers think the numbers don’t lie.

8The school decides they want to close GSRs on weekends.

Where else can you possibly still look cool in front of your friends and still get on the dean’s list?

9The Bloomberg terminal at the li-brary crashing. The

Warren Bu! ets among us consider this illegal.

10Waking up one morning to realize that

you are in accountancy/ economics/ information systems when you should have been in business or social science. Well, it happens all the time.

Fear: an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Here’s a list of the top ten things that would drive SMU students to press the panic button, which in itself in a ba* ing para-dox given how we love thinking we are the masters of the universe.

!!! “Forum-Rama”We hear you. Whether we take you seriously is another matter.

“I got great advice from my seniors regarding participation. All this talk about quality not quantity is plain bull. How do you explain the TAs with the excel spreadsheets recording the marks against your name everytime you speak up? Participa-tion is so important in getting that elusive A+ when everyone’s grades in everything else are so competitive. One way is to sit strategically where the prof cast his eyes on in the classroom and this is can be the front, middle or back row - depending. Also, Google is a brilliant tool to come up with things to talk about or elaborate on the points made in class. It has done wonders for me. Sheer genius.

-Lingam Mersey Soh, 2010 freshman

(a person who is too smart for his own good)

“I su! ered in the ‘talk-heavy’ courses like ethics, MPW, BGS and the likes which enable those who can and love to talk go on and massacre the rest of us. So I went to major in QF and ac-countancy. I’m su! ering with the mad amount of " gures but it’s better than a class which is no di! erent from a co! ee shop. I thought we were articulate as advertised but it annoys me when I hear ‘Ah Bengs’ talk in class with their horrible accent. Even the uncles in a co! ee shop make more sense. Goodness me! And there are the bimbos who talk about everything but what we’re supposed to talk about. Then there are many of us who just rephrase or reestablish a point by making it more complicated. ”

-Kennee Q (He does have a point, you know)

“Participation *%#$ “


Verve @ SMU

FALL/WINTER 2010 ISSUE1 univantage.bizcom.sg

In a nutshell

Internship, internships, internships

It doesn’t take long for any new freshmen entering SMU to hear about this word known as “internship”, and how

much it means in particular in this school. Beyond just graduation criteria that need to be ful!lled, we are quickly

indoctrinated with how important internships are towards that all-important !rst job that everyone wants or

that high-paying dream job that everyone craves. We quickly begin to believe how one more internship gives

you a quick advantage over your nearest competitors, and vice versa – how one less internship means a terrible

disadvantage. A quick chat with our nearest neighbours at NUS and NTU suggest a vast di"erence in opinions

with regards to this big word known as “internships”. Over at our neighbours, it is not uncommon to !nd the

bulk of students who do not put much importance to internships. In a nutshell, internships at SMU seem to be

a paramount necessity while our neighbours seem to view it as a “good to have, but no harm not having”. We

may disagree on how signi!cant an internship experience is towards our future, but one things for certain – our

attitudes towards internships is a great epitome of how competitive SMU students generally are compared to our

nearest neighbours. We don’t give an inch, eh?

Student Exchange Programs

You have heard loads of stories from our dear friends who have just returned from their student exchange programs.

You have seen the countless uploads of ‘cam-whoring’ photos of your dear friends who have just returned from their

student exchange programs. It starts to make you wonder what you are doing still stuck on this tiny island and the

more you think about it, the more you want to go. It could be that you simply want an extended break from this

roughneck competitive environment and you hear that the grass is greener is this aspect overseas. It could well be that

you want to see the amazing architecture and breathtaking scenery your host country and its surrounding neighbours

have to o"er. Whatever it is, it must be said that exchange is de!nitely a positive experience, a luxury that we will hardly

get to enjoy when we leave university. Money is, of course, a big determining factor in deciding whether we embark on

this amazing journey and if we do, where would we do it? Europe by far remains the most popular destination for all,

though it would be great if more students will be willing to take that plunge for something more adventurous, such as

South America or Africa. That being said, it is di#cult to !nd someone who would describe his exchange experience as

negative and in this student life-scarce place like SMU, our student exchange program might very well represent our

best peep into what a holistic tertiary school life might perhaps look like.

Our campus still rocks!

Not too long ago, a writer for a mainstream publication did a list of what’s cool and what’s not.

And guess what? We were given the unwelcome distinction of being uncool -our campus

that is. Supposedly, when comparing two institutions, what’s cool is SOTA’s (School of the

Arts) campus and what’s not is SMU’s campus! The feature went on to lavish praise on the

aesthetically-appealing design of SOTA with the fountain or wave-shaped building given the

thumbs up while our campus is described as boring. Safe to say, he doesn’t know what he’s

talking about! We are a business university. Hey, we are SMU! Somebody forgot to tell him that

we are not a spaceship full of aliens – which is possibly his de!nition of what “cool” is. We are

seriously cool and we mean business. We jump and reach for the stars, rock with our suits on

and have a state-of-the-art campus right in the heart of the city. We were given credit for that

not too long ago and just because some funny-shaped buildings start to appear shouldn’t

change the fact we’re cool. And not to mention that we get the high-%ying jobs.

...

zZ

?

!%

Blah

Blah


Verve @ SMU

facebook

Top News . Most Recent 300+

Search Home Profi le Account

2010 events at SMU: What would Facebook have looked like behind the scenes?

News Feed

Share: Status Photos Links Videos

What’s on your mind?

Prof. Who

Dr. DX

Registrar

Partying like a rockstar at SMU 10!

Damn this offi ce looks real comfortable. I could like it in here!

Wow you can actually squeeze 50 people in an SR. Didn’t know that. Let’s make class sizes 50 instead!

Prof Who likes this.

Prof Who likes this.

24 January at 8.00am . Like . Comment

24 March at 8.00am . Like . Comment

24 January 11.00am via iPhone . Like . Comment

Prof. Who Damn I look good in a suit.

Prof. Who I know, nothing looks as good as that poster of me on the wall

Prof. Who Poster of ME.

SMUSA Try me!

Prof. Who You tore down my poster?

Dr. DX What poster?

Registrar Bro, there’s nothing you can do about this.

Dr. DX I took it down. It’s now ME.

Registrar I just did.

Dr. DX While you were partying like a rockstar

SMUSA Been drinking eh bro! That ain’t cool

24 January at 11.13am . Like



25 March at 3.34pm . Like






24 minutes ao . Like


SMUSA Oh would you stop this! I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse



Verve @ SMU

SMUSA Oh damn it would you stop it

SMUSA Been drinking eh bro! That ain’t cool. No put the prices back where they are.

SMU male connection hit?

SMUSA Seriously Bro. Quit doing this. Don’t try me

Registrar I just did

BOSS Just chillin and makin merry, Bro

OFM Lovely height, lovely sound when it hits, eh

BOSS Bro, this is better for you and me, and I’m sure you don’t really mind

OFM You will know soon enough

BOSS I just did

SMUSA Bro, what are you up to, again

SMU class of 2008 Nice one, bro. 9 and 10 will never have enough e-dollars to make it to puberty, let alone outbid us at this rate

SMU male connection What the?



25 October at 11.33am . Like

15 March at 1.46pm. Like






15 March at 1.56pm . Like . 1 person




SMUSA created the group: We will not tolerate class sizes of 50

SMUSA changed the name of the group: We fi nd it hard to tolerate class sizes of 50

SMUSA deleted the group: We fi nd it hard to tolerate class sizes of 50

25 March at 4.33pm . Like . Comment



Registrar likes this.

Class of 2007 likes this.

BOSS

Silly SMU students trying to keep e-dollars in the biscuit tins. Time to infl ate, baby

OFM was tagged in the album lovely new poles at each escalator


19 October at 8.00am . Like . Comment

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Registrar likes this.

lovely new poles at each escalator

5 new photos


Verve @ SMU

George Kuah

CIT

Another 4.0 semester with another Investment Banking internship coming up, another semester of what George Kuah really is about

This year, servicing your computers will never be the same again

George Kuah’s ex girlfriend Okay! You are perfect on paper even though you have an ugly face! And without you, I realised that resumes are all that matter in life.

George Kuah Come back to me

24 August at 11.30am . Like


George Kuah’s ex girlfriend likes this.

24 August at 8.00am . Like . Comment

Today at 9.00am . Like . Comment

> Life of an

SMU

mugger:

Love my

GPA

A hypothetical look into the life of student, “Love my GPA”, through his Facebook wall....

facebook Search Home Profi le Account

Love my GPA

Share: Status Photos Links Videos

What’s on your mind?

Week 1

Love my GPA

Week 1 is without a doubt, the best time to fi nd a sweetspot in Li Ka Shing Library, best time to gain swallow the textbook while everyone’s at Zouk.


CIT Pun?

CIT Why pun?

CIT Haha bro, you’re welcome.

SMU Students Hahah, pun eh, bro?

SMU Students Yeh bro, pun.

SMU Students Our windows computers were never the same after they came back from CIT

SMU Students Thank you for converting me to Mac though.

3 hours ago . Like

2 hours at 11.30am . Like

50 minutes ago . Like

3 hours ago . Like

2 hours ago . Like

1 hour ago . Like



Verve @ SMU

You created the event Camp in school and get A+s

You invited Eminem Teo to the event Lets party at Zouk like rockstars all day all night

You created the event Lets party at Zouk like rockstars all day all night

You made the event Camp in school and get A+s private.

17 August at at 8.00am . Like . Comment


Harry Hee Thanks man. Now Eminem Teo’s gonna camp in school just like us.

Love my GPA Hey bro, invite your corp reporting group to the party k!



Love my GPA No one ain’t stopping us when our zords come into town.

Eminem Teo Ok!

Love my GPA You’ve been drinking eh, bro? I was there!

Eminem Teo Didn’t see you at the party, bro





Week 3

Week 4

Love my GPA

Love my GPA

Someone told me prof enjoy curry puffs. No letting up. I’m presenting him 1 box of those right after class. Bestowals for his palette, wonders for his impression of me.

First presentation of the semester by my rivals. I worked double overtime on Wikipedia and Yahoo! Finance and found tons of fl aws with their presentation.

25 August at 1.55pm . Like . Comment

1 September at 11.11am . Like . Comment

Love my GPA Prof

Hey, prof. Can I call you, bro? Anyway thanks for the opportunity to allow me to give you the curry puffs. It is my honour, really. Can I know share with you my dream of wanting to be the valedictorian?


Kingston Kang Bro, that wasn’t cool at all. You made us look real bad.

1 September at 11.41am . Like

Love my GPA No, bro. Didn’t do that to make you look bad. You are my bro, why would I do that? I just wanted to “enhance the learning” in class.

Love my GPA Nice slides though, bro.

1 September at 4.42pm . Like

Howard Hee likes this.

1 September at 4.41pm . Like . 1 person 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Week 2

Love my GPA

Love my GPA Harry Hee

Shocking! Everyone has been mugging more than expect. Eminem Teo has fi nished notes till week 4. Cannot lose. Harry Hee, prepare to erect a tent in the library..

Hey man, ready to steamroll through our mods with our dean’s list mighty morphing power rangers group?



Love my GPA No one ain’t stopping us when our zords come into town.

12 August at 2.44pm . Like

You like this.


Verve @ SMU

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Love my GPA

Love my GPA

Love my GPA

You think I’m crazy, you think I’m a fool. I don’t care what they say. I’m starting to mug for fi nal exams. Howard Hee, I will go study while you go club with our classmates. Don’t let them stop.

Mid term results out. Damn, Si Be Kiang got higher than me. FML. Seriously, FML.

My presentation week. My stage. Harry Hee, you ready bro?

24 September at 3.42pm . Like . Comment


6 October at 1.42pm . Like . Comment

Dean Hey bro, chill ya. Life is not all about GPA

Kingston Kang Don’t know how you did it, but you covered the topic all the way from A to Z

Dean Nerd

Love my GPA I am not, “bro”. Can I, dislike this?

Love my GPA And stop liking your own comments, bro.

Love my GPA If life isn’t about GPA, why do they bother keeping score?




Dean likes this.

Love my GPA likes this.

Dean likes this.

29 September at 1.42pm . Like . 1 person

6 October at 4.42pm . Like . 1 person

29 September at 5.42pm . Like . 1 person

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Week 11

Week 14

Love my GPA

Love my GPA

3 weeks before Finals. Facebook will be deactivated in a matter of seconds until further notice. Girlfriend needed this time – to keep me motivated by reminding me how important my GPA is to all matters of life, including love.

4.3. You hear me? I feel you.

23 October at 6.42pm . Like . Comment

15 November at 1.42pm . Like . Comment

Week 5

Week 7

Love my GPA

Love my GPA

2 weeks before mid terms. Facebook will be deactivated in a matter of seconds until further notice. No girlfriend till then as well.

Mid terms fi nally over. Very sure I topped the class. Now, Zouk tonight just to show everyone I am a chiongster, not a mugger. I’m just a brilliant kid. Of course, my girlfriend’s back.



Love my GPA is no longer in a relationship with Love my boyfriend’s GPA

Love my GPA is listed as in a relationship with Love my boyfriend’s GPA


Verve @ SMU

FALL/WINTER 2010 ISSUE16 univantage.bizcom.sg

RUCK ‘N’ ROW: STRONGMEN of SMUWhere do you look if you want to " nd the toughest guys in SMU? And when we say tough, we don’t mean the kind of guy that has a

marathon mugging session in the library. With so many SMU students increasingly placing emphasis on grades, we thought it would be refreshing to give some credit to guys who take the time to not only hone their brains but their brawns as well. Some adore them, some

can’t stand them and some may want to be like them. We give you the lowdown on these guys and let you decide.

- Feature & Interviews by Senthil Sukumar and Joanne Hoe. Photography by Hu Jiaming.

W hen we say big and bu! , who do you automatically think of? If you thought Rugby or Dragon Boat,

you wouldn’t have been alone. Admit it, your " rst thought wasn’t Fencing or Soccer (no o! ense to the guys here, although I’m sure lean and mean has its own appeal). Nothing screams tough and toned more than dragon boaters or rugby players, and in this issue, we sit down and take a closer look SMU’s very own sportsmen. So read on to " nd out more about the guys you’d think thrice about getting into a brawl with.

TRAINING TO WINWhen most guys look at dragon boaters or rugby players, we tend to do two things. The " rst, if like me you’re blessed with a ridiculously small frame, is to marvel at their physique in an ‘I-wish-I-could-be-more-like-him’ way. Then we think about whether they got that bu! because of the sport they play, or because they go to the gym eight times a week. Well, it seems to a combination of both. Antony Chai, a Business sophomore

from the rugby team speaks for all seven of the sportsmen we interviewed when he says simply that boating or rugby is “a good way to keep " t.” Both sports require its members to be in peak physical condition before a competition. According to Guo Ping, a " rst year dragon boater from SOSS, he joined Dragon Boat because the need to earn a spot on the Dragon Boat Team by maintaining his " tness level had him working out in the gym regularly. For the dragon boaters, the level of commitment to " tness and the hours that they put in are nothing short of astounding. When asked about the Dragon boat team’s training routine, Terence Tan, an Economic student in his third year, reveals that the team “trains " ve times a week with three paddling sessions at Kallang Stadium and two land training sessions.” Additionally, Terence goes to the gym on his own twice a week. The rugby players have it slightly easier, with two " eld trainings per week as a team and additional gym sessions on their own.

TEAM SPIRITTeamwork and male bonding are further reasons why these guys choose to do what they do. According to Guo Ping, nothing beats “rowing together as one in the Dragon boat and felling the surge as you pull away from others in the race.” Not to mention the fact that their signature tan lines gives the boaters a visually-arresting common identity. However Don Shaikh, a second year business student, has a very di! erent reason for joining the Dragon boat team. The self-professed adrenaline junkie rows for the thrill of it, and " gured that he could get his " x by joining the most intensive sport in SMU. He says that through dragon boating, he could “push the boundaries and prove to myself that I could survive just about anything regardless of the circumstances.” As for the rugby players, the main draw for them was the fact that their friends signed up for the sport, and thus they could all compete together as a team.


Verve @ SMU

COUNT WHAT NOW?For those who are wondering about the kind of discipline required for these guys when it comes to diet, fear not, for most of the sportsmen do not religiously count calories. First year business student and rugby President Stuart Ho says that he doesn’t watch what he eats, and enjoys the pleasures of fast food and sushi, while Anthony simply eats “whatever I want.” Terence in particular loves food, and will eat without restraint when he travels. “When I’m on holiday, that’s when I’ll let loose and eat everything I want.” Among the sportsmen, second year Accountancy student and Dragon Boat President Alvin Lim comes the closest to being diet conscious. He says that “although I do not have any speci" c diet plan and eat like any other normal guy, I am conscious to not eat too much fried and oily food.”

THE OTHER GAMEAlthough the sportsmen take their CCAs very seriously, they still emphasise school over sports when necessary. After all, they are at the end of the day still students. But

you wouldn’t know it from their attitudes towards the classroom. When asked if they preferred to be at sea/on the pitch or in a seminar room, all the sportsmen preferred to be outdoors rather than in. Terence says that he prefers being at sea because “the kind of control you have over the situation [at sea] is hardly possible in class. And when

I’m out on the water, at least I know that everyone with me has the same goal in mind.”

Kah Wei, a " rst year business student, has a more dramatic opposition to school. He chose the pitch over the classroom, and for the rugby player drowning out at sea would be also a good option because “anything beats being stuck in class.” We like Stuart’s reason the best though. He says he prefers playing rugby since “I don’t have to ‘class part’ on the " eld.” Shaikh adds that since we only have four years to fully experience life as an

undergraduate, the best option really is to “strike a balance between the seminar room and CCAs.” All of the sportsmen juggle both classes and trainings in order to do well both in and out of the classroom, and

“The kind of

control you have

over the situation

is hardly possible

in class. And

when I’m out

on the water, at

least I know that

everyone with me

has the same goal

in mind.”“I don’t have to

class part on the

fi eld.”


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Guo Ping says that “If I’m not in the gym or having lessons, I’ll be in the library studying away with my teammates.”

ALL ABOUT GIRLSHow do the sportsmen fare in a one-on-one with the fairer sex? When asked if he joined the rugby team to impress girls, Anthony cheekily replies, “No, but it’s a bonus.” A chiseled exterior certainly provides an advantage when trying to gain the attention of girls, but the rugby players don’t seem to be maximizing this advantage. On the pitch Kah Wei is a trailblazer, but he says he prefers to keep his distance and says that “I would never dare approach a girl. I’d just love her from afar.” Stuart one-ups his teammate by saying that he would approach a girl he likes like “a gazelle approaching crocodile-infested waters.”

The dragon boaters are a little more daring when it comes to girls. Terence is a guy who would prefer to make the " rst calculated move. If he likes a girl, he says that he would ask the people around him if they know her before approaching her, and even if there was no one around him, he would try to get a friend to introduce him to the girl. But we like the pick-up line Guo Ping says he’ll use on a girl the best: “Hey, I’m looking for a teammate for a group project and we’re short of one. Are you still available?”

“I would never

dare approach a

girl. I’d just love

her from afar.”


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Kah Wei: Drank

Stuart: Callipygian

Anthony: Indescribable?

Actually I have no idea. This

is a tough one I apologise.

Kah Wei: Eating and

sleeping are my main

passions that I strive to

perfect. I do enjoy music

from Journey, Guns N’ Roses

and Air Supply.

Stuart: I play poker with my

friends occasionally. Other

than that nothing much.

Anthony: I’m into Scuba

Diving as I love the sun,

sand and sea.

Stuart: Lunch with my

friends. Straight home

Kah Wei: Class and then

straight home, pretty sad.

Anthony: Just like any other

student, mugging.

Did you join the Rugby team to impress girls?

What’s a typical day in SMU like for you?

Other than rugby, what are you most passionate

about?

Describe yourself in one word.

Kah Wei: Don’t think so.

Stuart: Not really.

Anthony: No, but it’s a

bonus.

From L-R: Stuart Ho, Wong Kah Wei and Anthony Chai


Verve @ SMU

Terence: Uninhibited

Shaikh: Modest

Anthony: Gullible.

Alvin: I have an interest in doing

community projects and just recently,

I went to Philippines for an OCIP trip.

Shaikh: I’ve got a profound a! nity

for all things economics, business

and investment. I enjoy engaging

others and being immersed in

intellectual conversations centred on

issues relating to these topics. Apart

from that, I I’m rather passionate

about music too – trance, electro and

house in particular. I secretly envision

myself as a successful deejay when

I’m plugged into a podcast.

Guo Ping: I still play a bit of

basketball sometimes, and when I’m

bored at home, I’ll pull out a few Jay

Chou pieces to play on the piano.

And of course, which guy doesn’t play

DOTA?!

Terence: Either training

before class or training after

class. My day isn’t exactly

exciting. I usually head home

right after I’m done in school.

Shaikh: On a typical day,

you’ll # nd me attending les-

sons (I’ve got a clean sheet

since the # rst semester), en-

gaged in a project meeting in

some random GSR, smugging

in the lLibrary, or training at

the gym. I spend the majority

of my time on campus and

usually head home at night

when I’m done.

Alvin: Train. Eat. Study. Sleep.

Did you join the Dragon Boat team to impress

girls?

What’s a typical day in SMU like for you?

Other than boating, what are you most passionate

about?

Describe yourself in one word.

Shaikh: Not at all. That

came inadvertently with

the package.

Guo Ping: Nah. Nowadays,

girls don’t go for looks

anymore, what matters

most is the inside. Besides,

which girl wants a guy who

spends most of the time

training in the gym or at

Kallang?

Terence: No, but it’s a

bonus.

From L-R: Terence Tan, Boon Guo Ping, Alvin Lim and Shaikh Ahmad

“Champ” or “Chump”?

Ruck or Row: Who’s the better man?Which team can lay claim to having the better man, Rugby or

Dragon Boat? To " nd out, we pit rugby President, Stuart Ho, and dragon boat Captain, Alvin Lim, against each other in a battle of

wits and character in our “Champ or Chump” Test.

The Showdown

Stuart Ho Wei Lee

President, SMU Rugby

Freshmen / Business

Alvin Lim Tingquan

Team Captain, SMU Dragon

Boat

Sophomore / Accountancy

ou had gym training and your girlfriend asks you to have lunch, which would you choose?would youyouyouyouyouyou ch ch ch choosoosoosoosoose?Q1:Q1:Q1:Q1:Q1: If yo yo yo yo yo yo you hu hu hu hu hu had ad gym trou had gym training and your girlfriend asks you to have lunch, which would you choose?would youyouyouyou ch choosoosoose?Q1:Q1:Q1:Q1: If yo yo yo you hu hu hu had gym tr

ou had to plan for it, what would be the perfect date for your girlfriend?r girlfriend?????Q2: If you h

Q3: If a girl comes up to you and asks for your number, would you give it to her?

Q4: Would you turn up for either a project meeting or training if they happen to clash?Q4: Would you turn up for either a project meeting or training if they happen to clash?

Q5: If you had one question if life that you want answered, what would that question be?

Q6: If time could be manipulated only once, would you choose to go to the past, the future, or stay in the present?

Q7: Lady Gaga or SNSD (Girls Generation)?

Q8: Which country would you want to visit the most?

A: I would have lunch in the gym.Score: That’s feasible. Not! Could you convince your girlfriend to do

so? Creative, though. (1/2 point)

S:I will choose gym training. We can have our meal after my train-ing.Score: Persuading your girlfriend to do that may be a tough one. (0)

S:Refer to question one. Score: Seriously? I’m sure you can do better than that! (0)

S:Sure, why not? Score: Spontaneous! (1 point)

S:I would go for training, and I’d do my share of the work after training. Score: That’s commitment. I’m sure your group mates would under

stand. Right. We hope that’s true but it isn’t. (1/2 point)

S:Will it blend?Score: Will what blend???(0)

S:The past. I’ve always wanted to ride in a DeLorean. Score: Interesting. Depicted in the movie “Back to the Future”.

(1 point)

S:Neither. Score: Brilliant answer. You don’t have to buy into popular culture.

(1 point)

S:New Zealand. I would like to catch the next Rugby World Cup there. Score: That’s nice. NZ is a great place for relaxation and it’s the home

of the All Blacks. (1 point)

A: The date when I have no training, no school and no meetings. We can do anything since we have the whole day to ourselves, we can be spontaneous and do whatever that pleases us. Score: Nice. What’s better than chilling with your girl for a day?

(1 point)

A: Yeah, why not? Score: Spontaneous! (1 point)

A: Training de# nitely. Our trainings are all pre-planned and there should be no excuse why we should arrange a meeting at those timesScore: Good planning and foresight. (1 point)

A: How did the team win the Prime Minister’s (PM) Cup in the Singa-pore Dragon Boat Festival 2010?Score: Why question a good thing? (0)

A: Past. I remembered we lost by a millisecond to SIM during the PM Cup, and I wished we could have trained harder for it!Score: I’m sure the team put in their utmost e! ort! Anyway, is there

anything other than Dragon boat? (0)

A: SNSD. They are cute!Score: You are showing your sensitive side when some guys would

" nd it gay. (1 point)

A: Any European country. I heard a lot of fantastic stu" about these countries and hopefully my exchange application will go through!Score: Well, if you can’t decide why not just pick the whole continent

of Europe? But, with more than 50 diverse countries to choose from,

surely it can’t be just any country? (1/2 point)

Alvin edges it. His down-to-earth personality and honesty could probably be the decider. His commitment to his team’s cause is without question. It seems like ‘rowing’ has taken a signi" cant part of his life in SMU, and he is de" nitely gamed for more! Stuart is quite a character, though. Strong and straightforward, he’s created quite an impression on us. We suspect he’s a colourful character. His nonchalant approach to questions probably did him in, though. While Alvin shows great potential in winning the heart of girls, Stuart is the rough-around-the-edges type, the kind who usually attracts the hotties – hopefully. Yeah, so he’s a champ as well. Not this time, though. Alvin’s our winner!

Final Score - Alvin : 5/8 Final Score - Stuart: 4.5 / 8

For three years in a row I've found myself writing the same resolu-tion and promising myself that the new year would bring more success than the previous did, but as you probably guessed, it was never the case. Hence, when the last week of 2010 came around and I sat to plan my resolutions for the coming 2011, I found myself at a loss for words. What DID I want to achieve in 2011? What is the point of resolutions if they are simply for the sake of having them? So little of what we do as a student is driven by true passion or because it makes us happy. Rather, we live on the fuel of prospective happiness. Of believing that if we follow certain steps, much like a chemical formula, we will achieve the Singaporean dream of the 5Cs and counting. But, life is unex-pected, frustrating and sometimes daunting. If 2010 is anything to go by, I've realised that maybe planning and structuring every moment of everyday is exactly the reason why plans don't go, well, according to plan. Wanting things to be perfect hinders the mind from being open and accepting to changes that may be good for us in the long run. It stops us from seizing the day and embracing the challenges because we are so " xated on achiev-ing that perfect plan in our heads. I urge you, dear readers, to look back at 2010 and mentally list all the things that didn't go according to plan.

Perhaps like me, you too lost someone special in that year, or things didn't go as planned, or you received unexpected news, maybe you didn't achieve what you thought you could achieve, or maybe you thought you were capable of doing something, but found out that you in fact were not. Whatever the case may be, pinpoint an exact moment where life threw you totally of course and left you stumped. Then, in the same breath, think of a time you didn't have a plan and you had the most fun you've ever had, or felt the most joy. It is this unexpected happiness that I wish to feel this coming year. Long-term goals are essential, that I " rmly advocate. But this year my resolution is to simply live and let live, to go with the $ ow. How many times have we made a goal because it is the 'right thing to do' or made a sacri" ce for the 'greater good'? This year, I challenge you to take to take a leap of faith with me, to put happiness " rst and live in the moment and " nd time for yourself.

As a perfectionist and a perpetual planner who loves lists and schedules, this is bound to be a di< cult journey. But to the chal-lenge I say, bring it on.

Below are some tips to help you achieve a more ful" lling new term.

Start the day rightEvery morning as you walk to class, think of positive thoughts. No mat-ter how crappy the journey to school may have been or how late a night you had. Much like a sportsman has to psych him-self up before a big race, size yourself up to face any task the day might throw at you.

It is no secret that New Year resolutions have a no-

torious reputation for being goals that don't quite

get achieved. This rather peculiar phenomenon

resonates throughout the world as often pointed out

by numerous magazine articles and self help books.

But why is this so? Why is so hard to keep the prom-

ises we make to ourselves? Is it because of our innate

human nature to set goals that are extreme and be-

yond our limits, or simply because we set goals for the

sake of setting them?

Bring It On

2 0 1 1 :

By Bandana Kaur

Trends, Tips & Advice

NO!NO!NO!

No!

Prepare for meetings, not like a party planner but like a party guest.

Being an obsessive perfectionist will only drive you over the wall. While going the extra mile and o! ering to help is a good habit, give people space to do their own thing and don't impose your style on them, unless when absolutely necessary. Like any good party guest, show up on time and come with something of value to contribute, but don't go ballistic if someone shows up with something you weren't quite expecting. Keep an open mind and hear them out.

Make friendsWhile keeping up with schoolwork, CCAs and external work or home responsibilities can sometimes be an overwhelming task, it is of equal importance to socialize and make friends. Take the time to go out for lunch with your group mates and have conversations with them that are not related to school (even if you have to leave early, at least you

made an e! ort). Get to know them as people and as friends, instead of simply group mates. After all, just as university is about excelling academically, it is also about creating a network friends and potential partners (business or otherwise).

Stay OrganisedInstead of having large plans like resolutions, have weekly plans and give yourself the freedom to do the task in parts and on the go, as opposed to assigning yourself a speci" c day and time and then getting frustrated when something comes up (and something ALWAYS seems to come up when you plan with such precision). Team up with a classmate or a friend with similar tasks and keep each other in check.

Keep track of your timeThere are only 24 hours in a day and when

we are overwhelmed, we tend to over plan. Be realistic. Facebook-ing (for some of us) is essential so factor it in. If gaming helps you relax, factor it in. Studies have shown that simply taking 20 minutess for yourself can increase your productivity by a few folds. But have a purpose. Just like shopping

aimlessly can be a dangerous habit, logging on to Facebook, Tumblr or twitter just to

'look around' can be hazardous to your time. Look up your close friends, take a cursory

glance at the rest, smile to yourself, and then get back to work. If you have to run personal errands, don't get distracted by that ‘SALE’ sign. Imagine it is a monster and run for your dear life.

Trust yourselfIn a school like SMU, nothing short of the best work is expected of us. But the constant push for perfection can actually lead to lower productivity rates. Edit your work a few times, take a deep breath and ask yourself, did I do my best? And don't listen to your head (especially if you're a perfectionist like me) because more often than not your nitpicking brain will always be able to come up with some sort of a $ aw in the work. Instead, follow your instincts. Sure, you

don't want your professor to think you did not put in a 100% e! ort, but have faith in your work and in yourself. You will begin to realize that when you stop obsessing, your 'less than perfect work' is actually good enough.

Learn to say “no”

Perhaps this rule doesn't apply with regards to you and your professor because you can’t exactly say no if he or she gives you a task. However if you are the go-to person of a group who is always picked upon to do the 'extra' bits, take a stand for yourself. Stay calm and be polite, but " rmly assert your inability to complete the task and suggest an alternative, like doing it as a group. Don't be overly apologetic and feel bad but rather think of the opportunity cost of doing the work. Who will you have to turn down in order to get the work done? Your friends? Your family? Yourself?

And # nally...realise that school is NOT your homeWhile being in school for long hours is sometimes essential, don't spend unnecessary time loitering aimlessly or just sitting in the library because you're bored and don't feel like going home. If you're bored (which I envy), lend your services to a volunteer group or join a club or maybe even start one. Find a passion or pursue a hobby instead of just 'hanging around'. For the rest of us, plan a night ahead what time you'd like to be home or leave school the next day, and then resist the 'just a little more' syndrome. That innate desire to perhaps cancel a few more tasks o! your list can keep you in school for hours and unnecessary tire you out, sapping your energy for the rest of the week. Your exhaustion will undermine your productivity for that day so there's no point!



Special Edition

Travel GuideExchange Programme

Going to America? UniVantage continues this series with another special edition, this time to help you plan for your exchange in the U.S. - Home of Hollywood blockbusters, Cheeseburger & Fries, The Whitehouse and more. We pick two of the best experts to give you the hottest tips and insider information. Hopefully, this will go a long way in helping you if you’re planning to conquer all # fty states! These folks will share with you the kind of information they wish they had before they embarked on their exchange travels.

Hazel Tan University of Southern California- Los Angeles, California

On L.A. and the high-life in California…Los Angeles is a city known for its Hollywood party culture and vibrant nightlife. The pub-lic transport in L.A. is as good as non-exist-ent, so we bought a second-hand (or more like fourth) car and used it for short trips and for getting groceries. You’ll de" nitely need a GPS if you plan to drive in LA, as the roads criss-cross a lot and the highway exits and entrances are hard to spot. You could buy a decent GPS at any of their huge supermar-kets (Target, Wal-Mart, etc.) or from eBay.

California is a great place to do an exchange programme; the weather is lovely and there is no snow, so you won’t need to pack bulky winter wear and worry about freezing your butt o! . Winter there can get chilly, but never extreme. L.A.’s variety of food is supposedly better than many other parts of the States,

and we had pretty good Japa-nese barbeque and Korean food there. There’s a Japan-town and Korea-town where you can get good Japanese and

Korean food, and there are also places where you can get good Chinese and Vietnamese food as well. The city is pretty cosmopoli-tan, with a mix of people from di! erent ra-cial backgrounds, so there shouldn’t be any problem getting good food across di! erent cultures.

L.A.’s Hollywood culture of glitz and glamour is quite apparent in its nightlife and down-town areas. The themed bars in Downtown L.A. and Hollywood are very interesting, and are a must-go even if you’re not really a club-bing person. For the gentlemen, dress nice and make sure you go with ladies, or they might not let you in (to maintain the gender ratio, I suppose). The " lm culture in L.A. has also contributed to its interesting arts, " lm and photography museums which showcase winning pieces in their collection.

The U.S. is also a great place for shopping. They are very online-shopping friendly, and almost all major brands have an online store where they usually deliver the goods to your

doorstep for free if you buy a certain amount of stu! . There are also the huge outlet malls, each one of which takes at least an entire day to go through. Almost everything there is cheaper than in Singapore, and the vari-ety is much wider too. Don’t pack too many clothes when you go there, as you wouldn’t want to end up with overweight luggage (which is very expensive) on your way back. Trust me; you WILL shop, even if you didn’t think you were the shopping type.

Travelling…Travelling in California usually involves road trips, as you can see more of the country. We rented a car (you could " nd rental com-panies all over the country) for a low price and planned our route using Google Maps. All you need is a list of places you want to visit, a car, a GPS, and Google Maps, and you’re all set to go. California has beautiful nature parks. Yosemite Nature Park is famous for its waterfalls and high cli! s, and Point Reyes Coast is where you can see nature on the coastal area. There’s also the Napa Valley area up north that is famous for its wines. Go wine-tasting at one of the wineries, and get a bottle or two if you like. Down south, San Diego has lovely museums in its Balboa Park

TIPS:

Make sure you’re at least

21-years old when you go on

exchange to the US


area, and you have to visit Extraordinary Des-serts http://www.extraordinarydesserts.com, which has truly extraordinary desserts.

Rodeo Drive on Beverly Hills, the posh area where all the Hollywood stars supposedly hang out, is a great place to see. It’s impec-cably polished and neat, and you might even spot a few stars while you’re there. The themed clubs and bars are also very good. I’m a theme park junkie, so I really enjoyed the many theme parks that are all within a maximum of two hours driving distance away. Six Flags Magic Mountain is one of the must-go theme parks; it has the highest, cra-ziest roller coasters that look terrifying, but are actually not that scary at all to ride (and thoroughly enjoyable too!). And of course, there’s also Disneyland, California Adventure (which is just opposite Disneyland), and Uni-

versal Studios Hollywood.

We took short trips over the weekends (to outlet malls, theme parks, or San Diego which is a two-hour drive away). We also travelled during Spring Break, and after the semes-ter. I took a road trip to Northern California over Spring Break, where I visited Yosemite National Park and San Francisco. You ought to consider travelling to Mexico (which just borders California). Some of my other friends on exchange here went to Mexico during the Spring Break and had a lot of fun. After the term ended, I visited the U.S. East Coast (New York, Washington D.C. and Boston) and $ ew to Vancouver in Canada to meet my family. Canada is a great place for nature-lovers and near enough to take a short $ ight there from the U.S. From Vancouver, I $ ew back to Cali-fornia to do a 16-day road trip of the entire California.

Budgeting and Planning…In managing our budget, we just listed the places we wanted to go and took the cheap-est option along the way, and then totaled up the cost to make sure it didn’t exceed the budget. We did accounting along the way so that we know who paid for what and how to split the costs evenly. My expenditure throughout the entire exchange duration is about USD$8000, not including airfare to and from Singapore. It has to be pointed out that I don’t like shopping and don’t shop very much. I didn’t go to Mexico and I don’t eat expensive stu! . Therefore, I would advise an estimated budget of USD$10,000, exclud-ing airfare, to anyone who is intending to go for exchange in the U.S.

You could get information for $ ights and accommodation from websites like www.

expedia.com. Hostels in the US are also great places to meet people, and Hostelling Inter-

national has some pretty decent hostels. We stayed at their Hostel at Point Reyes, a rural nature reserve, and it was absolutely beauti-ful and comfortable. However, DON’T book your accommodation through expedia, the reason being that you have to pay upon booking, and that means that cancelling your booking in case you change plans is di< cult. Instead, use it as a tool to look up cheap ac-commodation, and then call up those hotels/motels/hostels to make your booking. Hotels usually won’t charge for cancellation up to 48 hours prior to check-in. Considering you haven’t put money down, you still have some $ exibility there.Don’t worry about bringing too much food on your trip, as there are grocery stores along the way, and your GPS should be able to help you " nd them (a good GPS should have a function that allows you to search for gro-cery stores or other facilities within 5km of your current location). Also, make sure you rent a car that is fuel e< cient; always ask the car dealer about the fuel speci" cations of the car before making your decision. The money you spend on gas for a fuel-guzzling car can always be better spent elsewhere. Make sure you’re at least 21-years old when you go on exchange to the US; legal age for drinking, entering clubs or even renting a car is 21, and you’re extremely limited if you’re under 21, especially in a place like L.A. Bring your American student ID along at all times to get discounts and free entry into museums etc.

Yeoh Keat Loon

Carnegie Mellon University –Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

On life in Pittsburgh…Pittsburgh (also commonly referred to as ‘Shittsburgh’) was my home for about half a year. Now, you might be wondering why it’s known as Shittsburgh by the locals. It’s simply because the environment is very constant - not much change or new attractions, or even new shopping centres that pop up each year like in Singapore. But don’t be fooled by its informal name, Pittsburgh has its very few to almost non-existent hidden gems too. Hmm, maybe you should strike o! the “don’t be fooled by its informal name” after all!

Although this is often overlooked, Pittsburgh, in fact, has a thriving arts and culture scene. Along Penn and Liberty Avenue is where you " nd theatre-goers and food-lovers or as we call them here ‘gurus’ – so if you are into Broadway shows and musicals this would be the place for you. To satisfy your outlet shopping needs, take a one-hour drive down to Grove City where you will " nd Brooks Brothers, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy

Hil# ger, Coach, BCBG Maxazria and many more brands at dirt cheap prices. You just have to have the time (and energy) to search through it all!

Being a good ol’ college city where roughly one-third of its population is made up of tertiary students, Pittsburgh is an extremely student-friendly neighbourhood. So you will have no problems hunting down supermarkets, drugstores and even your


large discounters – Giant Eagle, RiteAid,

Target, Costco, just to name a few. You can also check out Craigslist.org for cheap (and sometimes free) household appliances for your dorm/house.

Many eateries and retail shops also have student discounts if you $ ash your student ID card. And best of all, with the student ID you get unlimited rides on the local public bus services, which normally cost approximately USD$2 per ride. Prices are also generally low compared to other nearby cities, and crime rate is typically low as well. If you seek greater excitement, you would be better o! looking somewhere else.

Travel plans and budgeting …

So when you are tired of campus life, take some time and do some travel research, pack your bags, and set o! for an adventure! Besides, what is an exchange experience if you do not travel at all?

Making well-considered itineraries is a must, given limited time and budget and what you want to see. You may want to consider New York City, Washington D.C., Grand Canyon, Chicago and Las Vegas. Do not be afraid to consider places in Canada, the Caribbean, and South America as well! I would advise doing heavy travelling before school term starts, and after school term ends, as the semester workload tends to be uniformly heavy. You may also do your travelling during Thanksgiving break, but you will " nd yourself surrounded by other Americans travelling around that time as well.

If you can arrange for a few friends to travel together, you may enjoy savings from group bookings. It would probably be a safer way to travel. Budgeting your time and money is a necessary step. As painful as it is, it will help in avoiding excessive days spent in one area, and minimising the chance of being a penniless beggar on the street. Travel-related websites (such as Expedia, Priceline.com and Couchsur# ng) and friends who have visited your intended locations would be your best resources.

Hostel accommodations can cost around USD$30 per head depending on the location - it can be FREE if you decide to couch-surf.Inclusive of the airfare, accommodation, food, and entertainment, I spent close to USD$15,000 for my entire trip.Travelling via domestic $ ights is usually the way to go (typically around USD$100-200 for a round-trip) but be prepared to put up with transits, early/late departure times, possible delays and potential lost checked-in luggage. Travelling by bus may be a better and cheaper alternative for nearby locations (usually for less than USD$50 one-way) so remember to check out bus services such as Megabus and GreyHound too. Ultimately, having enough to cover necessary expenses and knowing your limits for DISCRETIONARY

spending is essential for a worry-free holiday.

Many drivers like myself, dream of going on road-trips in America. So I rented a car on Priceline.com (using my Singapore license) in Flagsta! , Arizona municipal airport, drove it up to Grand Canyon, then to Hoover Dam, and " nally to Las Vegas, Nevada. I also drove

up from Pittsburgh to Toronto, Canada, passing by Niagara Falls and back. Do not worry about the left-hand drive – you will get used to it in no time (a rule of thumb to avoid entering the wrong lane is to remember that the lane divider is always closest to the driver). But be careful of the speed limit though – the cops are always in sneaky corners to catch the errant speedsters. And invest in a dedicated vehicular GPS – you will need it. For the sophisticated, a commercial radar detector would help in detecting the tra< c cops in advance to avoid that hefty speeding ticket. You may wish to consider buying a used car, but you would need a local driving license to purchase one. Your friendly local American dorm-mate may help you purchase one on your behalf.

If not, a rental would typically su< ce. Each day of rental would cost around US$70, but be sure to read the " ne prints. Many US universities have a< liations with Zipcar, a convenient and a! ordable car-pooling service. So use it for that weekend shopping trips to the outlets!

I would advise doing heavy

travelling before school

term starts, and after

school term ends, as the

semester workload tends

to be uniformly heavy.

The Travel Guide:Exchange Programme in Europe C

ompiled

!

Back by popular demand, we bring you the hottest tips on Europe which we have compiled from our archives.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

>> From the previous edition...

>>>>>>>>>Next Page >>>>>>>>>


Getting Around – Modes of Travel

1Wherever you destination city may be, do your research on the cheapest and/or,

most convenient way to get there. Ryan Air and

Easyjet are some budget airlines or low-cost carriers whose prices can go as low as € 4 (in Euros, approximately S$ 6.97) if you book early. More often it is about 20 to 30 Euros. However, take note that they normally arrive and depart from and airport which is outside the destination city. You may have to take a coach service to get to the city and this will cost an additional 20 Euros or so - Not to mention all sorts of restrictions!

2 Consider train travel if you hate $ ying and if you’re willing to spend longer hours trav-

elling. They are a lot more comfortable and con-venient. Plus, unlike the low-cost carriers, they

bring you to the central station or main railway station of any city, which is always a convenient location. International train tick-ets are, of course, more expensive costing 100 to 200 Euros although they would have early bird or seasonal promotions. Intercity trains within a country can be anything between 20 to 160 Euros, depending on the distance and the date & time. Of course it is more expensive

for high-speed trains like ICE. Even cheaper op-tions are available for regional or local trains like Italy which takes a longer travelling time.

3 Our best tip is to purchase Eurail Passes! Especially if you are undecided and can’t

make your plans that early to make advanced reservation and get low prices, this saves you a lot of trouble. When it comes to value-for-mon-ey and convenience & $ exibility, nothing beats this. You can choose between passes covering a few select countries or a global pass that covers a certain period.

4 Getting around most major cities like London, Rome and Paris, is a conven-

ient with The Metro Lines (or The Tube). You can choose day passes or combo cards which are more economical than single trip fares. Travelling with the Tube in London, for example, get the Oyster card with top-up value and fares which are much lower.

Sleep Easy - Accommodation

5 Use the central station as a reference point when choosing a good location for accom-

modation. It is usually near, if not at, the city center (where shopping outlets, convenience

stores etc. are located). You will have plenty of options from there to get to the main attrac-tions.

6 You can choose between backpackers’ hostels, with prices ranging from 10 to 20

Euros per person, per night, or budget hotels with prices as reasonable as 40 to 50 Euros per room night. A hostel is especially good if you are travelling in a group, don’t mind the sharing and you’re in the mood the socialize and min-gle with other travellers. If you need the privacy, go for the one or two-star hotels or even better deals through hotel booking sites such as Book-

ing.com, easytobook.com and Hotels.com.

7 Hostels usually come with kitchen facili-ties which allow you to keep to your tight

budget.

Chow – Food & Dining

8 For your planning of food & dining ex-penditures take note of the following esti-

mates: sandwiches cost about 4 Euros, a bottle of cola 2 Euros. Lunch or Dinner at small local eateries or snack bars about 10 Euros. Cafés and restaurant anything between 30Euros to 50 Eu-ros for two people. Now that’s quite a bit.

The Travel Guide: Exchange Programme in Europe

Back by popular demand, we bring you the hottest tips on Europe which we have compiled from our archives.

Top 10 Best Cities to Visit in Europe

We list the cities in Europe you simply have to

visit. Given budget and time constraints and your

di$ ering preferences and tastes, we give you the

lowdown on the cities that has to be at very top

of your travel plans. Based on our travel experts’

opinion, interviews of our very own SMU folks

and hours of research, here it is. We’ve excluded

the painfully obvious (London, Paris, Rome) be-

cause you would somehow # nd yourself going

there. Not that they would make the list by merit

anyway.

1. AmsterdamThe city of sex, drugs & rock ‘n’ roll. Arguably the most popular city in Europe and the world, there’s so much life in Amsterdam. You don’t need any excuse to party, you just do, and the city does the rest.

2. EdinburghEnchanting capital city with great outdoors and greenery, Edinburgh retains that old Scot-tish $ avor and heritage. For a modern capital city, it has unbelievable serenity and a warm at-mosphere of proud tradition. It is also not too far a drive to Loch Ness and Loch Lomond.

3. VeniceWe all know of the beauty, mystery and ro-mance that is Venezia. It says a lot about this city, which was once a wealthy republic, that

the $ ood of tourists coming all year round is nothing but a slight inconvenience. Deservedly holds the reputation as “undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man.”

4. BarcelonaThis has got nothing to do with the football club. A city lavished with the architectural bril-liance of Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona epitomizes the vibrant Catalan lifestyle. With seven beau-tiful beaches, it is known as the best beach city in the world. That F.C. Barcelona plays such breathtaking football is a " tting tribute to the city.

5. PragueHome to a number of cultural attractions, Praha is a metropolitan city with the world’s most pristine and varied collections of historic architecture. Some say it is like being walked through the history of Europe. A stunning view of the Charles Bridge would be enough to con-vince you.

6. MunichThink rows and rows of beer halls and beer gardens. Think Oktoberfest. Think Bavarian lifestyle and Culture. Basically, if you are up for any party, Munich is the place to be. And we haven’t even mentioned the historical and cul-tural attractions.

7. BudapestBuda on one side, Pest on the other- literally. The two cities are linked by the iconic Chain Bridge and joined o< cially as a capital city of

the magical Magyars of Hungary.This ancient capital o! ers romanticism with at-tractions on Castle Hill, and more importantly, the places to unwind in the form of hot water springs, enormous thermal baths and natural spas.

8. BergenAfter a while, everything seems to be not much di! erent. You will not get that feeling with Ber-gen. Surrounded by spectacular views of seven mountains, it is the gateway to the Fjords. A city of Norwegian culture and Scandinavian heritage, it is exactly what you need if city life is getting to you.

9. IstanbulOnce known as Constantinople, this is where East meets West. Istanbul is the only metropolis in the world that is situated in two continents, Europe and Asia. The Roman and Byzantine architecture and heritage are, among others, clearly part of the attraction. At night, the city swings into high-velocity ac-tion with an array of bars, clubs and restaurants.

10. FlorenceThe birthplace of the Renaissance, Firenze is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. If you are the museum-go-ing type, and are familiar with its artistic and historic heritage and names such as Galileo and Michelangelo, this is the city to be. If not, you don’t have to be someone of re" ned taste to appreciate the beauty of Florence.


Dr L ve’s Column


What they want is a guy

that understands them,

sensitive enough to

connect with them at all

levels

Figuring out what a girl wants is possibly worse than rocket science. She always

keeps you guessing what she wants and when the signs point to a certain direction, you are told she wants something else. In short, nothing ever seems to be good enough. Girls focus on the part of you where you " nd your resources vulnerably stretched. In a relationship, you " nd you actions needing justi" cation all the time. At times, you are asked to adopt a characteristic you never had. Even worse, you are being compared with someone, which is a devastating blow to your often-in$ ated but fragile ego. Guys are constantly tormented about not spending enough time and money on her, and instead spending too much time sculpting your biceps in the gym, having booze with your pals, or working your arses o! to attain that high GPA!

So what the hell does she really want? I’ll answer that in no uncertain terms later on, but not without the necessary analysis and explanation. There is all this talk about what kind of a man a girl wants and current hype on average, but sensitive, beta males having the edge over the masculine, dominant and leading alpha males. To put it simply, we

have the laudable females coming forward with even more astounding statements that they are not looking for the richest, the most handsome, and the most popular and respected etc. What they want is a guy that understands them, sensitive enough to connect with them at all levels and a guy who goes all the way for her. Well, I certainly do not dipute this claim. Money, material wealth, good looks, image are not even on the list of criteria, or so they say. Now, that’s a whole load of utter rubbish. Surely it doesn’t hurt if he’s rich or has a stellar resume, does it? Or if he’s a stunner of a guy with the looks money cannot buy? That there is talk about omega types (the lowest caste or basically the low-pro" le geek or loser) being the “in-thing” just shows girls want everything.

The fact is that with the leading pack (alpha males, the archetypal “dream guys”) they have the goods to show and qualities which will enable you to showcase and showboat to others - friends, parents and strangers - your prized asset. Girls then discover that being with such “hot property” means that maybe the connection is not that deep, they don’t spend time or appreciate you enough. The beta or omega males make you feel

wanted; they are more in touch with you blah, blah, blah. Well, of course. They are not really the ones with the bargaining power, are they?

The thing with the beta and omega types, those glori" ed in romantic Hollywood " lms, is that you soon discover that they lack those goods, they struggle half the time and struggle even more in trying to keep you happy. When they are broke, you get concerned about money and your future. You attend the glitzy events or those “I’m-going-to-move-the-world” academic award ceremonies, and realize other girls have achievers and you have a downright loser. So girls, ask yourselves this: Do you even know what you want? The truth is that you want everything.

Time for a few ugly truths. We look into relationships and the di! ering views, wants and needs of both sides. I’ve heard so

much bickering and squabbling between couples and that failure to understand each other when it could all have been so

easy. Brace yourself as it won’t make for pleasant reading…

By DOCTOR LOVE

What a girl wants…..

ps & Advicee

What a guy wants…..

Space, is a precious commodity for guys. By “space”, I mean

understanding and emotional support –although that, in itself, is a euphemism. It is not all too di< cult to fathom. Basically, he needs you to get o! his back, give him a break from all the demands and pressure of being with you! He needs the freedom to do the things he wants

without always having you breathing down his neck requiring explanations all the time. That’s just in his DNA, his genetic and psychological make-up.

There are times when he will need you and there are times when he does not. He will want to spend time with friends, hit the gym, and have a game of football.


Ask Dr L veYour issues resolved, your questions answered.

Question 2: Dr. Love, I have had this big crush on this guy for quite some time. You may think it’s stupid but it’s not as if I can help it. We were once in the same project group but other than that, we’re hardly what you call friends. I always notice him, think of him, but he barely knows I exist. My feelings for him are real. But how do I tell him? I need more than just pick-up lines. I just wanna know how I can go from here to getting to know him and go out with him. I think of him every second of the day. I dream of him. When I know where he’ll be, I will sit down at a table close to where he is, look at him and admire him. I have him on Facebook and will always check out his updates. But what do I do?

–Alvinas LTB

For love, dating and relationship advice, drop a mail with any concern or query you have at [email protected] , attn: Dr.Love.



Dr. Love: You need to see a shrink. Stop stalking him. If you really can’t live and breathe without him, do yourself a favour, ask him out, and you can move on from there. If he rejects your advances, at least you know it’s time to forget him and you’ve tried. In this case, Demand and Supply does not match, you move on. And you WILL live. End of Story. Who do you think this guy is? Zeus?

Dr. Love: Well, you can always elope. Alright then, seriously now. Let me guess, you belong to the minority ethnic group? You are not alone in this dilemma, as there are many inter-racial couples. You have to understand it may take a while for parents to adapt to the idea of having someone who does not share the same culture and race. But, there’s only so much you can put up with. You know what, to hell with what her parents think of you. They are just shallow and narrow-minded, but it is a re$ ection of how “conservative” our society is. Could it be that your girlfriend has the fanciful idea of having the parents’ blessings as part of a glorious wedding. Issue her an ultimatum; it is either them or you. Anyway, is she worth all the crap that you’re being put through? If she is, well, love conquers everything.

Question 1: I’ve been with my girlfriend for 2 years. The two of us are of di! erent ethnicity and I guess that’s the problem. Her parents do not approve of our relationship, simply put, they don’t approve of me. Our relationship is pretty much a secret as far as they are concerned although we have tried to put across and suggest the idea of us being together. It does not help they have made derogatory comments about my race. The insults are personal and even about my status among other things. Do we have a future together?

– FC Giving up

At other times, he will have to hit the books and ful" l his other work commitments. And then there is that “quiet-alone-by myself” time which every male needs. Live with it. You can call it self-centred but that is just the way guys are. At certain points, you have to be put on the back burner, take a back seat in his life. Hey, I’m not saying that guys are nice and they are the innocent victims - far from it. I’m helping you realize that they’ve got their limitations and needs. If that makes them hopeless idiots in your eyes, then so be it. Guys, before you start thinking I’m on your side, we all know that most of the crap you " nd yourselves in are of your own doing. I’m doing you a favour by telling your girlfriend what you struggle or completely fail to tell her.

Every guy would " nd himself in an all-too-familiar predicament of you complaining that he is not devoting enough time to you. You’ll get upset, argue and then expect him to comfort you when you sulk. Then you sulk even more, deriving the pleasure of seeing how he would go to any length to please and appease you. The thing you don’t know is that everytime you get upset and angry with him, it punishes him. It tears him up inside and he will never tell you because, well, it’s the male ego factor. Everytime he hangs out with his friends and you kick up a fuss or when he’s rushing to clear that project at the weekend and all you care about is spending time, it kills him. He feels his whole world crumbling. The point is, as much as you would believe

he doesn’t care, he does.

Of course, there are complete douchebags and jerks out there, who you shouldn’t even be bothered with. These are the types which has to be all about them, need you to tell them how much they are god’s gift to women (not only you) and cry to mummy if they don’t get what they want. But there are also decent guys out there. They will commit to the relationship and care for you. The common thing between all of them is that they need and want space! Any guy with raging testosterones will need it. So the minute you decide you are sexually attracted to the male species, this is something you just have to know and get your mind around.

1 Drink your carbonated drinks and fruit juices from a straw to prevent acid erosion. Discoloring and yellowing of the teeth are some signs of acid erosion. Not to mention, the damages are irreversible.

2 If your pee is dark yellow, you are very likely dehydrated. Simple theory: The less water you add to your milo, the darker it gets. Drink up for we also often mistake thirst for hunger and binge-eat as a result.

3 Situation: Jamie goes to the toilet after drinking co! ee, milk or spicy food within an hour. He or she does not have weaker bowels than you.

The proper terminlogy for this ‘phenomen’ is Irritable Bowels Syndrome. Similarly to an allergy, IBS surfaces when one consumes a certain food he or she has low tolerance for.

Health Tips You Ought to Know

The way to a man’s heart is through his

stomach

Never mind if you didn’t watch Inception.

I’m sure you know about sleep

4Sleep between 6.5 hours to 7.5 hours. Contrary to your superhuman friends who can survive without sleep for 3 days, only less than 3% of the population have the gene which enable them to do well on 6

hours of sleep a night. Yes, you and I probably fall under the other 97% of the population.

5How long do you snooze before waking up? To wake up from slumber easier, set a wake-up time that’s a multiple of 90 minutes, the length of the average sleep cycle. By riding on the cycle, it’s easier to wake up

without being jolted awake during your deeper stages of sleep.

6Pay your short-term sleep debt with an extra hour or two per night. Trust me, sleeping 24 hours straight doesn’t make up for the 10 hours of sleep lost. 1 plus 1 doesn’t equal to 2 here.



Having a bad day and simply craving for comfort food

to make yourself feel a bit better? Most of us would agree that pasta and dessert would be at the top of that comfort food list. Getting a taste of the sweetest indulgence after a wholesome meal of pasta will de" nitely send our troubles right out the door. Pasta De Waraku may be just the place that can brighten up your day. Pasta de Waraku has recently launched a new range of desserts called HANITO. HANITO is the original honey toast dessert that has been specially handpicked and brought in by Mr. Kiyoshi Ueki, CEO of Waraku Holdings, from the streets of Shibuya, Tokyo. From the cheeky word play (think Hanito and Honey Toast) to the mouthwatering variety of $ avours, I was already blown away when I took a peek at the dessert menu during my visit to Pasta de Waraku.

A total of seven fantastic $ avours; Mix Fruit, Choco Banana, Apple

Cinnamon, Macha Red Bean, Peanut Butter and Earthquake, make it virtually impossible for anyone to not give in to this dream dessert. And boy, I was not disappointed a single bit. I personally recommended the following $ avours: Macha Red Bean, Choco Banana and the Earthquake. Before the orders arrived, I thought to myself, like most others would, that eating toast for dessert is somewhat odd as most would think of toast as more of a breakfast food. However, the moment I saw the Macha Red Bean HANITO which arrived " rst, I found that thought completely irrelevant. The golden brown toast topped

with a big scoop of green tea ice cream, drizzled with Japanese red bean sauce and " nished with a luscious looking red strawberry can only be described as dreamy. The dreamy feeling stops not just at its appearance. Even now, I must say that I cannot stop raving about how dreamy and perfect this dessert tastes. The bread itself has a slightly crisp texture on the outside but is totally soft and warm on the inside, making this easily one of the best toasts around. The Macha Ice cream was delightful, retaining the refreshing traditional taste of green tea while not being too sweet. The entire combination of taste from the drizzled honey, green tea and red beans was extremely satisfying.

Next up, I had the Chocolate Banana HANITO which was topped with vanilla ice cream, sliced bananas and a generous drizzle of warm chocolate sauce and honey. One can almost never go wrong with this combination of ingredients, and this dessert was de" nitely right. While vanilla, chocolate and bananas are often used in many forms of desserts such as cakes and milkshakes, what is so di! erent about the Chocolate banana HANITO is that its degree of sweetness makes it so much easier to indulge in this treat without getting sick of it after a few bites. Also, I personally felt that the vanilla ice cream used by Pasta De Waraku had a unique fragrance of vanilla unlike the rather bland and boring vanilla ice cream used elsewhere.

If I said that there could have been an earthquake simply because of the arrival of my last dessert, you wouldn’t believe me, but you should. EARTHQUAKE (and yes, I have to emphasise this in capital letters because it’s simply that magni" cent), is a double stack of honey toast " lled with fresh fruits and topped with vanilla ice cream. Imagine a mini tower of golden bread stacked up with colourful fruits on top,

I think this would send a

shockwave of yumminess

to anyone who sees or

taste it. The process of making the earthquake is indeed an ‘earthshakingly’ unique one where unlike the other HANITOs which are toasted, the bread used in EARTHQUAKE is deep fried to taste even more fragrant and crispy. Again, I enjoyed this last dish just as much, if not more than the others, even though by economists’ theories, I should already have been experiencing marginal diminishing returns after having eaten two desserts previously.

The dreamy HANITO desserts from Pasta de Waraku are extremely a! ordable, and at $6.80 each (except for the earthquake at $9.80) provides value for money given that their generous serving is enough for two people. Be sure to try this out even if it means a few more minutes running on the treadmill in the gym, because it’s just that worth it.

Lam Kee Yann reckons there would soon be a newfound guilty pleasure you will " nd yourself indulging in. Honey Toast? Try HANITO, the heavyweight desert coming your way at Pasta de Waraku.

Earthquake Hanito

Chocolate Banana Hanito

All SMU students are entitled to a 10% discount in Waraku,

Pasta de Waraku and Mr. Curry in the following outlets ONLY:

Waraku Japanese Casual DiningEast Coast Parkway; Katong

Village; Marina Square; Starhub Centre; The Central; The Heeren

Mr Curry: The Central

Pasta de WarakuMarina Square; Square 2; The

Central; The Heeren; Bugis Iluma; Changi Airport Terminal 2

Visit www.waraku.com.sg for more details. Be a fan of Waraku at

www.facebook.com/WarakuSingapore


Food, Glorious Food

GASTRONOMAKAN:The Food Review

The new semester has dawned upon us and the lookout for great-tasting gastronomical delights to fuel up while in campus inevitably begins. UniVantage explores a few more eateries that add to our repertoire

of good Makan places. -Food Review led by Bryan Lim. Photography by Priscilla Ho

Shaw Plaza – a 10-minute walk from our Admin Building – is slowly but surely building a reputation for being the Quasimodo of places-with-good-food-near-SMU; its unstimulating exterior simply does no justice to the vibrant and bustling food scene brewing within. Tom’s Palette is a homemade ice-cream parlor – no stabilizers are used - that does more than its fair share of contributing to this reputationAs its simple, child-like, outlet décor might suggest, the niche of this parlor is the carefree, uninhibited and DIY (do-it-yourself ) approach its owners, husband and wife team, Chronos and Eunice, take towards their ice cream. They even have ice cream-making classes!

It comes as no surprise then, that their ice cream display is arrayed with a diverse variety of colors owing to their penchant for trying or creating just about anything.

That, to us, is truly the beauty of the parlor. Flavors like ‘LuoHanGuo’ (a popular Chinese fruit), oolong tea and (Tofu & Dates) should prove the point. Don’t get me wrong though - its traditional or rather, conventional, $ avors are above average to say the least, and this is having considered pricing and consequently ‘taste-to-price worthiness’ (yes, there is such a thing). Their ‘Grandma’s Favorite’ would be one such $ avor. Made with cookie dough and chocolate as the primary ingredients – it is homemade ‘chocolatety’ goodness. Another prime example would be their salted caramel cheesecake $ avor – the salty element is far from overwhelming and actually adds a delightful piquancy to the dominant tang.

In all, Tom’s Palette is a great takeaway place (they are currently expanding to accommodate more seating) with a few very addictive favorites and more interestingly,

some out-of-the-world $ avors that larger, more renowned commercial ice cream places simply do not produce at such a rate. In fact, their ever-changing and growing ice cream selection is conveniently scheduled on their website which has a timetable for new $ avor launches. Oh, and speaking of their website, the fact that their website was launched by their fans should be a fairly good testament to their ice cream.

Small – $2.80, Medium – $3.70, Large – $4.70

Verdict: Even if you don’t have a taste for

the out-of-the-world, their conventional

! avors won’t disappoint.

Rating: 3/5

Tom’s Palette 100 Beach Road #01-25, Shaw Leisure Gallery


Food, Glorious Food

The word ‘skinny’ usually has associated connotations of frail health. Combined with ‘pizza’, however, it brings to mind the concept of pizza that is healthy and as its title suggests, very (very) thin. That’s exactly what Skinny Pizza is all about, and this concept deservedly sets them apart from other pizzerias or Italian-American food joints.

The squid ink Pizza is an item that does great justice to this healthy-but-tasty pizza concept. In fact, pizza was the last thing

that came to my mind when a pan-full of green comestibles was served – it was truly akin to a garden in a pan. Underneath all the vegetables was, of course, calamari and yes – the crust - which looked no di! erent from a pu! ed-up biscuit. This item would surely appeal to the health-conscious or to someone who likes green-coloured food. Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed this dish – from the freshness of its crispy greens and its calamari, right down to the crust which was baked to skinny perfection; it was incomparably crispy (for pizza) yet strong enough for it to not come close to crumbling in the hunger-infused " rmness of our hands.

An unexpected surprise was the tru* e fries. Served humbly in a plain tin container, they were sized like McDonald’s fries – except all of them were clearly erect (you know how some fries bend and look all soggy?). Crispy all the way through, the insides of the fries weren’t soft and chewy but rather crunchy and cracker-like. ‘Subtly re" ned’ would be an apt description of its taste – $ avourful yet not salty with that all-natural healthy taste.

An obstacle for us, however, in potentially becoming a frequent diner at Skinny Pizza, is their pricing. This is clearly restaurant food at restaurant pricing - and that’s not a problem when the food or experience is worth the price as with the aforementioned examples. It is, however, a problem if you are used to

the typical outburst of a myriad of $ avours every time you take a bite. The pastas may taste relatively bland, and are consequently undeserving of a $23 price tag. The lobster linguine and spaghetti Bolognese with mozzarella are two examples of quality dishes with fresh ingredients you would probably " nd di< cult to appreciate.

Verdict: De" nitely worth a try! Especially

among those healthy-eating maniacs

among us dreaming of great-tasting yet

classy, healthy yet ! avourful food, this is

as close as it gets.

Rating: 3/5

Republic of SteakVictoria Hotel 89 Victoria Street #01-01

There’s a good chance that you – as an SMU student – would have eaten here before or, at the very least, heard about this Western eatery right next to our Admin Building. Regardless, if you fall into the latter category or belong to neither – we would urge you to give this place a try. All about sumptuous western food at a! ordable pricing – they don’t even charge the omnipresent GST and service charge – they are clearly the western

eatery with the best combination of taste, a! ordability and convenience (for us SMU students).

Their breaded chicken, which comes with two sides – there is quite a range from garlic spaghetti to fries – is a generous serving of deep-fried goodness. Think of your standard chicken cutlet from Koufu (yes, their western food is respectable to say the least) then make it bigger (until it literally juts out of the plate), crunchier on the outside, juicier on the inside, and that would be the ROS’s (Republic of Steak) breaded chicken. Their sides are no letdown either, and when ‘combo-ed’ with the main, make for a " lling and satisfying meal. At $6.90, this chicken dish is well worth your buck. You will also be pleased to know that there is a good range of chicken chops – similarly served with 2 sides – all at, yes, that beautiful pocket-pleasing price of $6.90.

Of course, ROS wouldn’t really be ROS without serving up some " ne steak. At $19.90, their Angus beef steak is, in all honesty,

comparable to its high-end restaurant siblings which would cost at least twice the price. Tender, tasty and oh-so succulent, its …… (Wait this might be a better description) - have you bitten into a high grade Sunkist orange? You know when you bite into it and the juice literally explodes onto your tongue (and possibly your shirt)? No, the steak ‘juice’ doesn’t exactly burst out like an orange’s, but I believe you get the idea. The icing on the cake? Their steak, as with all mains, comes with two delectable sides as well.

If you’ve been visualizing yourself chomping

Skinny Pizza3 Temasek Boulevard #01-002 Suntec City Galleria .

(New Outlet!) Ra* es City Shopping Centre, #B1-63/64


Food, Glorious Food

4 Fingers Crispy Chicken2 Orchard Turn #B4-06A, ION ORCHARD

Among the plethora of food available at the Ion Orchard basement, this tiny outlet is easy to pass you by unnoticed. It’s so tiny, in fact, that the only eating space available inside is occupied by one long table and chairs; chairs that fold mechanically beneath the table in typical space-conscious fashion.

I’m emphasizing on its tininess precisely because it is a food outlet not to be missed! Before moving on, I must also say right away that this place isn’t for the health- conscious or the animal rights activist. If you are neither and fast food is your thing, then prepare to

crank the fried food, and more importantly, taste factor up a few notches and brace up for their delightful crispy fried chicken.

While I have no idea how their chicken is specially prepared, I will say that their chicken – their namesake specialty – is very (very) crispy. If you’re an a" cionado of deep-fried, crispy chicken creations, this place will be paradise for you. Take a bite and you’ll taste the full-$ avored palatableness of either soy garlic or spicy $ avored chicken meat. Yes,

two chicken $ avors are all they have but also all they need. In fact, their chicken is about as tasty as it is crispy – that is quite a package there. For fans of huge servings, go for the chicken chop or chicken burger – both come with seasoned and well-salted fries and a soda. If you prefer a smaller-sized snack, go for the wings or drumlets meal. At $9.95, either meal costs more than your typical fast food combo but, of course, tastes better as well.

You may also be pondering over the concept behind ‘4 Fingers’. Chicken is eaten with 4 " ngers, 2 " ngers per hand – that’s why (although I’m sure many of us eat our chicken in many other ways)! It’s also no coincidence that the brand was created by four friends. Nevertheless, its origins are inconsequential – what matters is that their crispy fried chicken (which is nothing like KFC’s by the way) is exceptional.

Verdict: You know where to go if you’re

in town and craving for some quality

fast food

Rating: 3.5/5

Rating Scale 0 = sh*t; shouldn’t exist. 2.5 = average; nothing worth specially trying. 5 = gastronomical nirvana.

All ratings take into consideration pricing as well. For fairness’ sake, certain elements such as price, atmosphere, taste, etc will be considered more when appropriate; these variances will be conveyed within each review.

down either one of the two aforementioned mains, your cognitive being should probably be full by now. But that shouldn’t stop you from moving on to their desserts – especially their chocolate lava cake. It arrives as a brown, circular, ‘pebble-like’ confection with a scoop of vanilla ice cream by its side. You spade your spoon into the brown ‘rock’,

and chocolate – neither too viscous nor watery – oozes out. You take a spoonful and you’re won over. At 6.90, this is once again restaurant quality food at a lesser (better!) price.

All in all, ROS is a must-try for us SMU students. A! ordable, convenient, and tasty,

do note also that your student card entails you to a free soup and drink with the order of any main dish from 2-5pm. This is not a joke, and neither is our hypothesis that you will visit ROS more than once.

Republic of Steak located at 89 Victoria Street, #01-01 Singapore 188017 – right beside our SMU Administrative Building

Verdict: Do take a 5-minute walk there

and try ROS instead of your daily routine

of food courts.

Rating: 4/5

ng5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =


Food, Glorious Food

The major dilemma for foodies, such as myself, when visiting a new restaurant is the overwhelming desire to try everything, and yet having to be satis" ed with just one item from the extensive selection available. Enter Shin Minori. Translated to mean “New Harvest” in English, this newly opened Japanese restaurant, with its nearly unlimited assortment of Ala Carte bu! et items, really packs a punch.

This intense gastronomic experience starts the minute you walk into the restaurant. The restaurant has elements of traditional Japanese dining such the sushi counter, bamboo ornaments among others, which gives one a very comfortable feeling. The concept of Shin Minori is simple: to o! er a spread of bu! et items that are not merely value for money, but also painstakingly prepared and delicious when savoured.

For starters, the sashimi platter is a must-have. The cuts o! ered at Shin Minori are as good as they come. The Shake (salmon) served has the signature smoothness that salmon sashimi is known for, the Maguro (tuna) is rich in $ avour and is cut well for the resilient texture to be properly savoured. The other " sh available such as the Hamachi (Yellowtail) and Mekajiki (Sword" sh) were similarly mouth watering, but one thing that stood out was the Tako (Octopus) Sashimi. It was chewy without being too tough. A specialty that can be found at Shin Minori is their White Tuna Sashimi. Although this cannot be found in the ala carte or bu! et menu, they do o! er it on a month-to-month basis based on availability.

The Temaki (Handroll) selection available is one of the widest available around, with the California and Spider hand rolls seeming to be the more popular, and rightly so. The Spider hand roll was nicely wrapped and did not fall apart even after the " rst bite. A good mix of mayo, soft shelled crab, rice and seaweed give a good mix of $ avours that burst in the mouth.

After the appetizers have just begun to whet one’s appetite, the Makimono (Mat Sushi Roll)

give a great taste of the food yet to come. Two recommendations are the Norwegian Shake Chizu Maki (Salmon with Cream Cheese) and the Ebi Tempura Chizu Maki(Deep Fried Tempura Prawn with Cream Cheese. While neither of the dishes is strictly traditional, the chef does not stray too far with this creation. Ingredients used are very close to their frequently used Japanese counterpart, which are Salmon and Ebi Tempura. The cream cheese adds an additional dimension of smoothness and lends some of its reach creamy texture to these commonly used ingredients.

Shin Minori has 4 Itamemono (Pan-fried dishes) all of which are markedly special and are very tastefully done. The Tori Wasabi Mayo (Chicken Pieces with Wasabi Mayonnaise) for example, is crispy when bitten into and its $ avours are nicely blended to bring out the sweetness creamy texture of the Mayonnaise, with a slight tinge of the kick a! orded by Wasabi. What particularly impressed

about this dish was that it was not overly oily, and remained crispy even after being left to lie for a while.

Agedashi Toufu (Deep Fried Bean Curd), which for many is a must have when having Japanese food, takes on a fresh and unique twist at Shin Minori. Traditionally served in Tempura sauce at most Japanese restaurant, the Agedashi Tofu was served with Chicken Broth. Not only does this mean that the dish is presented di! erently, but the taste of the tofu is much stronger as the absorbent “skin” takes in the natural $ avours of the chicken broth.

The grilled dishes are a sure hit for the adventurous and the not-so-adventurous. At the safer end of the spectrum, the Buta To Garlic (Grilled Pork with Garlic Seasoning) is a must-have. The dish wafts with a faint but undeniable fragrance of fried Garlic. The grilled pork is nicely grilled and not charred. It is delightfully succulent and one serving is de" nitely not going to be enough.

For the adventurous, Shin Minori o! ers Tori Kimo (Chicken Liver), Tori Hatsu(Chicken Heart), Sunagimo(Chicken Gizzard) and Tori Kawa(Chicken Skin). These various parts of the chicken can be found easily elsewhere, but grilled in the Japanese style, these dishes are a unique part of the restaurants’ wide repertoire of delicious menu.

All in all, Shin Minori is a must-try bu! et. The ambience of the place is perfect, whether you are celebrating a friend’s birthday or just out for a good meal after a tough week of school. Combined with the great selection of drinks and desserts

available at this delectable Japanese Restaurant, Shin Minori is a great place to feast.

Harvesting Heavenly Japanese Cuisine / By Marcus Lee

Tempura Moriwase

Chirashi Zush

Sashimi

Shin Minori Japanese Restaurant 81 Clemenceau Avenue #03-15/16 UE Square (Clarke Quay MRT), Singapore 239917. Tel: 6733 2272

www.shinminori.com.sg

- SMU Students enjoy 15% o" ala carte food bill with minimum $100 spent

- Birthday treats of the Month: Free Alaska Snow Crab Nabe

Daily Operating Hours:Lunch: 11.30am to 2.30pm Last order 2.15pm Price: Adult: $29.00++ Child:$19.00++ Dinner: 6pm to 10.30pm Last order 9.45pm Price: Adult: $33.00++ Child: $21.00++


Food, Glorious Food

By Kwan Li Jia

Welcome back to school, guys! It’s a brand new year and a brand new semester. We all know SMU students pride themselves on dressing up. So what better way to churn out an article in the fashion department than to feature all the good looking SMU

students I bumped into around campus!

From boho chic to snazzy prints, you students indeed do us proud when it comes to looking good for our university. So if you " nd yourself here, give yourself a pat on the back and don’t stop being someone else’s eye candy!

> The SMU Sartorialist:

Fashion on Campus

Joan, School of Business

Nobody’s attire screams boho chic much like Joan’s does. Her pieces are mainly from Egypt and Israel where she went on holiday last

year. Love the necklace, scarf and bag!

Felicia, School of Business

Pairing a blazer with a pair of shorts is certainly uncommon in

warm Singapore. This look - often spotted on actresses Sienna Miller and Rachel Bilson -is the epitome of casual chic. This picture simply

does not do Felicia any justice!

Rayson, School of Business

An out" t dominated by black does not an unimaginative man

make. Love the " t and the slim cut jeans.

Rayson pulls this look o! e! ortlessly.

Kenny, School of Law

Who actually bothers to wear a hat to school

anymore? The sunglasses and the shoes add a nice touch to Kenny’s attire.

Bravo for completing the head to toe look!

David, School of Social Science

Biker jacket, electric blue jeans, a black T shirt and chest hair peeking out from with-in; David sure does car-ry o! his rugged look

pretty well!

Asyikin, School of Business

Maxi dresses are impractical in

Singapore because the unpredictable weather means your dresses get

soaked at your ankle line if it isn’t your lucky day. So bravo to Asyikin who brought it one notch up with an outer vest that

simultaneously keeps you warm in class!


Fashion & Lifestyle

Kuan Fu, School of Business

This guy shouldn’t be too di< cult to spot

around campus. The striped shirt and pants

that end above the ankle line give o! a nautical vibe. Love

the bag and the hair as well. A good height and physique makes

everything look good.

Brendan, School of Business

Adore the checkered cardigan on Brendan. The slippers complete a casual

look that’s comfortable and appropriate for school and

for town!

Malin, exchange student at the

School of Business

Malin’s high-waisted skirt has the details

of a paperbag design; utterly cute! She pulled

o! the otherwise nondescript look with a pair of comfy $ ats so well; we almost forgot to compliment her on her cute spacious bag.

Jasmine, School of Business

Absolutely love the inner tank dress with the unique graphic design. Instead of downplaying the

prints, Jasmine chose to wear a cardigan

with zigzag prints on it. I say it’s always good to stand out from the

crowd.

Fashion & LIfestyle

PORCELAIN.

me.

adverto

rial

Who says only vampires possess porcelain skin…

Being a college student, you are at the stage in life where the world is your oyster! You are lovin’ your newfound freedom; a life fi lled with parties, activities, exchange trips & hardcore mugging.

You are full of energy, working hard and playing much harder. RedBull is all you need whenever you feel exhausted.

Little do you know that these “extensions” you’ve gotten by depriving your body the rest it needs,

is merely “borrowing” resources from the future. Being young helps, because your body contains a wealth of resources and has been protected by healthy cells, which preserves these nutrients!

However, as we age, and continue to face stress, environmental aggressors, lack of sleep, overworking, lack of nutrients etc, the degeneration of these young healthy cells will be accelerate.

The above mentioned is what we know as premature aging. Being the largest organ of the body, it is natural the fi rst signs of stress is refl ected on the skin.

There is no shortcut to good skincare. Preserve your youth and keep your skin young and radiant - the way it is today.

Start today, and you’ll be glad you did – 10 years from now. Find out how Porcelain, The Face Spa can help you achieve your skin care goals.

SIGNATURE FACIAL

Enjoy a 90 to 120 minute session with our skincare experts who will specially design a treatment for you.

SMS <SMU Univantage Package> <Name> <IC Number> to 9721 1008 to enjoy the special promotion.

Package Includes:

1 x Footbath 1 x Session Signature Facial 1 x Session RevitalEye Luxx 1 x Balance, Sebum Control Essence

$80nett (Usual Price: $403)

Tucked away among a row of shop-houses opposite Outram MRT is a hidden enclave

of luxurious pampering that is Porcelain, The Face Spa. When you stroll into the Face Spa, what invites you is a cozy ambience: soothing lightings, earl-grey-colored walls, tea servings and light essence oil scents wafting up your nose. Ahh… The epitome of pampering and relaxation. There is no better place to feel well taken care of and enjoy absolutely serenity. Porcelain, The Face Spa is located at one of the exquisite shop houses at Cantonment Road, a lovely location away from the hustle and bustle. It sure needs a little looking out for, but it is de" nitely worth the e! ort. The person behind Porcelain is none other than Pauline Ng, a Singapore Management University alumnus. Upon graduating in 2009, she re-conceptualized her mother’s tradi-tional heartland salon and created Porcelain, The Face Spa. Not conforming to the norm in today’s $ ourishing make-up industry, Porcelain believes that good complexion radi-ates from underneath the skin. They do not believe in using make-up that cover up your $ aws. Instead, Porcelain advocates that good skincare is a long-term commitment involv-

ing removal of impurities and correcting imperfec-tions from deep within to allow beautiful skin to shine through (pun unintended). This explains for their core focus in every treatment: Deep cleansing.

Interestingly, Porcelain o! ers a pricing struc-ture unlike most skincare salons. More similar to hair salons, the treatments are priced according to the seniority of the therapist. The reason: a therapist with more experience is more skillful and accurate in her diagnosis of skin problems and prescription of prod-ucts and treatments. As such, they tend to deliver better results than a less experienced therapist. At Porcelain, each therapist is hand-picked and trained personally by Pauline and the Director Therapist to ensure they are the best in the industry.We are con" dent enough to say that you can safely put aside hearsay of shady beauty salons, which has a bad name for hard sell and hidden costs. At Porcelain, what you see is what you get. They pride themselves on their transparent pricing and do not request top-ups for no reason.

You may be interested to know that Porcelain has a policy of not buying from one supplier or manufacturer despite the cost-savings from the bulk purchase they can potentially get. This allows them to select products based on its bene" ts and e! ectiveness, not out of business obligation or contract. Side-note: Pauline tries out all their products on her own skin. What’s more? Since February 2010, Porcelain has launched their range of products. They have 11 products so far and still counting.As the saying goes, “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.” Apart from in-salon

treatments, Porcelain has home care products for their customers who can try them out if they are too busy to head down to the Spa frequently.

An advocate of customization, Porcelain under-stands that not everyone has the same skin type or skin problems. All treatments are fully customized by their trained sta! , upon iden-tifying their customers’ skin type and needs. Stringent in-house tests and training sessions are put in place to ensure professionalism of their sta! .

With Integrity as their core value, Pauline con-stantly reinforces this in every aspect of the business, from selecting the most dedicated sta! to making tough " nancial decisions in selecting manufacturers. At Porcelain, one can expect excellent service, e! ective treatments and an experience like no other.

My verdict:I indulged in Porcelain’s Quintessen-tial Facial treatment and RevitalEye Luxx, their bestselling treatments. It includes double-cleansing, exfolia-tion, extraction of skin impurities, custom-blended mask and ampoules and " nished o! with NASA technol-ogy – LED light. The experience was invigorating. You can literally see the removed bits of accumulated sebum that were previously clogged in your pores. The dim lights, calming music and the sleep-inducing massage strokes of the therapist distracted me from my piling schoolwork. A won-derful experience I wouldn’t mind

having another time!

o allow ough (pun

for their core focus cleansing.

ers a pricing struc-alons. More similar nts are priced of the therapist. h more experience

te in her diagnosis scription of prod-

such, they tend to a less experienced

An advocate of customization, Porcelain under-stands that not everyone has

Pamper yourself at a haven of premium skincare run by our

very own graduate entrepreneur. Lim Sim Yee introduces

Porcelain, The Face Spa…

Porcelain, The Face Spa. 31A Cantonment Road, Level 2. www.porcelainfacespa.com


Fashion & LIfestyle

Having a Vision is so much more than seeing

IGARD

By Bandana Kaur

When was the last time you truly appreciated your senses? While many of us

know the story of Helen Keller and her struggles, or Stevie Wonder and his brilliant music, we forget to realise how being deprived of a single sense can impair us so immeasurably. Perhaps it is human nature, but we sometimes tend to take our senses for granted, especially our ability to see. If seeing is believing and believing is the basis of life, then why is it that so few of us make an e! ort to take care of our sight? We often reward ourselves with designer clothes or cool gadgets, so why not spend a little to give our eyes the best? Now with amazing student and sta! discounts from IGARD, we have the opportunity to pamper ourselves with only the best for our eyes. Having established themselves as primary eye care and vision specialists, one knows that they can be trusted for giving good advice on how to keep our eyes healthy throughout our lives.

It is true that " nding an optician in Singapore is not hard; every heartland has one, if not two opticians, but I often " nd myself questioning their skill, the sanitation of their tools and the overall quality of their service. At least with IGARD, you know that by ensuring all patients and clients undergo Standard Eye Examinations, spectacles and contact lenses are prescribed professionally. But if IGARD’s good service and renowned reputation in the eye care industry isn’t reason enough for you to visit them, you should also know that they o! er a truly remarkable range of optometry services such as occupational optometry and orthoptic vision therapy and sports-physio-eye-development training for both the professional and leisure sportsman.

They also have many varieties of spectacle frames and lenses to choose from, and not to mention some super-chic branded sunglasses straight of the runway. But, while this may deal with our everyday visual needs, vision is after all rarely about simply seeing.

The word vision can mean many things; it can mean the literal act of seeing, having a premonition of where something is heading, or a dream that we aspire to achieve. In the same way, the eyes are not simply organs through which we see, but are also the key to perception to which we react. It is the " rst sense we use to receive information around us, and is the bridge from our brains to other parts of our body. Thus, it is no surprise that our motor skills have a direct link to our vision and what we see. Ask any sportsman and he will probably tell you that the fundamental of sport is often the marriage of a hand-eye-leg coordination system. In fact, ask a dancer and she’ll probably tell you the same thing. But while many sport amateurs know of this fact, few know how to use this knowledge. Well, if you ask me, I say the Optometry & Physiotherapy clinic at Bukit Timah run by IGARD is the best place to get started. Their notable sta! , which include graduates from numerous top universities in the UK, have come up with a good programme to help sport enthusiasts. Aptly named Sports Physio Eye Development™ (SPEED™) Training, it is a unique programme designed to enhance sports movement performance, improving the eye’s ability to focus and to coordinate with di! erent parts of the body for all kinds of sports. A multidisciplinary team, with consultant optometrists, sports physiotherapists and exercise physiologists, they seek to work closely with coaches and professional athletes in enhancing functional attributes based on their clinical measures. The team also works


Fashion & Lifestyle

together with the athletes to take care of their visual, physical and functional well-being before, during and after competitions. What is particularly good about the programme is the emphasis on customization such that each athlete is given an individually designed package based on the results of the SPEED™ Assessment which comprises a full assessment of the visual input (optometric / orthoptic functional vision assessment), eye-hand coordination (proaction and reaction time), vestibulo-ocular balancing, motor control and physical functioning. The training programme is also useful for injured players who seek a quick recovery.

So whether you have a 20/20 vision or like me, you are practically blind without your glasses, the sense of sight and our ability to perceive is a gift, one that we can never replace if lost. Take your eyes seriously and put a little e! ort in ensuring that you are getting the right treatment so that you will always be able to see. With the belief that our eyes inspire, take the " rst step in using your eyes to ful" ll your vision of taking up and being good at that one sport you so passionately desire.

I will highly recommend you to claim your student and sta! discounts on the Spectacles packages and Contact Lenses deals, and take the opportunity to visit IGARD’s team of optometrists and physiotherapists for a consultation, as well as the training programmes, physiotherapy and sports rehabilitation in Sports Physio Eye Development. More information is available on their websites: www.igard.com.sg and www.speedphysio.com.

Discounts exclusively for SMU peeps!1. Student spectacles packages complete with antireplective lenses at

special rates

2. Contact lenses at student rates (price list at www.Igard.Com.Sg/smu)

3. Eye examination at students rates/sta! rates special rates for your young siblings when they get their eyes checked at paediatric optometry by

“igard kids!”

Appointment available at:- Optometry @ Orchard – International Building IGARD Group (Main Centre) *Near SMU campus! Paediatric Optometry Centre www.igard.org

- Optometry + Physiotherapy @ Bukit Timah Plaza Sports Physio Eye Development Centre www.speedphysio.com

- Optometry @ University Health Centre National University of Singapore www.igard.com.sg/nus

- Optometry @ NTU Medical Centre Nanyang Technological University www.igard.com.sg/ntu

Eye Exam | Spectacles | Contact Lenses | Vision Therapy | Physiotherapy

Key members of IGARD team

Yap Tiong PengBSc(Hons) Optom UMIST

MSc Imperial DIC London

Evelyne SaysanaBOptom MOptom UNSW Australia

Mandy LaiBOptom (Hons) UNSW Australia

Sylvia HanzelBSc(Hons) Physio PL

Katarzyna Gajewska MSc PL (Manager)

Peggy PehBA(Hons) (Manager)

43

Fashion & LIfestyle

BollyBeatz-1 free BollyArobix Trial class- Waiver of registration fee when enrolling in any of our BollyBeatz class

Participating outlet:39 Simei Rise #02-17 Savanah Condopark www.bollybeatz.com/ Fitness First

- Corporate Membership rates (students & sta! )- Student Membership rates

Participating outlet:2 Handy Road, #04-05, The Cathay Building

Fight Works Asia- 20% o" 1 year full unlimited access membership- 1 trial class per card member - 2 additional Personal Training sessions with every purchase of 20 sessions pack

Participating outlet:565 Macpherson Road#04-00Tel: 6285 6028 www." ghtworksasia.com.sg/

Real Yoga- $3 for a Hot Yoga Session (U.P $50) - $1 for a Yoga Session (U.P $35)- 1 trial class per card member - Join a year membership program and receive a 2 Day 1 Night Trip to Bintan (Worth $300)

Participating outlet:The Centrepoint,176 Orchard Road, #06-6/07 Tel: 67342853 (Quote ‘SMU’)www.realyoga.com.sg/

Dance Unlimited Singapore-15% o" all purchases- 10% o! any 1st salsa class/course- 20% o! if you bring a non-member along for a Salsa course

Participating outlet:32 Aliwal Street, #03/01-02, Bugis Studiowww.danceunlimited.sg/

Studio Wu-$50 Studio Wu credits for any dance courses sign up - Additional $50 credit for purchase $200 Studio Wu Dollars Credit - Free Guest Membership (worth $32) upon showing SMU Card for the " rst time

Participating outlet:70 STAMFORD ROAD B1-47www.studiowu.com/

LIFESTYLE

ClearvisionSpecial Rates- Standard Lasik at $788 per eye (U.P. $838)- Wavefront Tissue Saving Lasik at $1088 per eye (U.P. $1118) - Epi-Lasik at $1288 per eye (U.P. $1368)

Participating outlet:6 Nutmeg Road, Nutmeg Court www.nightlasik.com/clearvision

Atlantic Optical

- 30% o" list price of frames & sunglasses, except items on promotion

Participating outlet:2 Handy Road #01-17, The Cathaywww.atlanticoptical.biz/

IGARD- Contact lenses at student rates - Student spectacles packages complete with anti-re$ ective lenses- Eye examination at students rates/sta! rates special rates for young siblings @ (“igard kids!”)

Participating outlets:IGARD @ Orchard; IGARD @ Jurong (NTU); IGARD @ Kent Ridge (NUS) ; IGARD @ Choa Chu Kang (New Branch Coming Soon) www.igard.com.sg/

All prevailing merchant discounts are subjected to Terms and Conditions.

UniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg

PrintSmith- 10% o" printing services (except photocopy)

Participating outlet:#01-68 Sunshine Plaza

Yoga Space- 20% o" all yoga space class passes- 50% o! 1st class for all new visitors

Participating outlet:28A/B Liang Seah St


Micro 2000 Technology Pte LtdDiscounts - Students/ Sta! are able to purchase service parts at a discounted rate- Macmentor will assist customers on technical or software issues- Purchase Apple Care Protection Plan at 8% o! retail price- 10% o! retail price for eServ Service Assurance Plan Purchase- 20% o! retail price for eServ SPA-LITTE

Participating outlet:91 Bencoolen Street #01-73 Sunshine Plaza www.micro2000.com.sg/

V-KOOL @ Toh Guan- 15% o" & FREE upgrades* with purchase of any V-KOOL packages

Participating outlet:150 Sin Ming Rd #01-05 Amtech Building Tell: 6776 5432 ; Jalan Kilang Barat #01-01 Globamatrix Building Tel: 6276 86687www.v-kool.com.sg/

BlackLiner Premier Transit Services- Special rates for SMU students, sta! and faculty- Preferential rates for corporate VIP limousine services for all SMU o< ces

Participating outlet:6 Eu Tong Sen street #11-16 the centralwww.blackliner.com.sg/

JJ Racing Motors- 5% o" all product range

Participating outlet:91 Bencoolen Street #01-73 Sunshine Plaza www.jjracingmotors.com/GardenRain Floral & Gifts Pte Ltd

- 5% o" $ oral orders (except festive hampers), free delivery

Participating outlet:Blk 65A Jalan Tenteram #06-02www.gardenrain.com.sg/

Archillea Florist Singapore- 5% o" for all items shown in www. archillea1.com

Participating outlet:www.archillea1.com/

Vodien Internet Solutions- Free trial Singapore Web Hosting Plan (3 months)- Up to 50% o! domain names

Participating outlet: 40C Hong Kong Stwww.vodien.com/

Totally Hot Stu" - 10% o" for all SMU Student, Sta! and Alumni- Free 1 year Lava Card Membership

Participating outlet:The Cathay 2 Handy Road #02-13www.totallyhotstu! .com/


LIFESTYLEUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg

Davin Link-10% o" all cutomized prints- 10% o! for Lacasa crystal accessories- 10% o! for products under Design your own gift, shopping gallery and Lacasa crystal accessories section.

Participating outlet:51 Bukit Batok Cresent #07-12 Unity Centrehttp://www.davinlink.com/

Red Sands Gamers Club- 20% o" console rentals (Wii & Xbox only)- $5 o! any games/accessories- Free delivery to SMU with any purchase

Participating outlet:190 Middle Road Fortune Centre, #04-08www.redsandsgamers.com/

Meridian Auto

- $1000 cash rebate with purchase of car OR- $1000 petrol voucher with purchase of car

Participating outlet:50 Ubi Ave 3 Frontier


Tai Hwa Driving Centre

-10% o" full course package - 8% o! hourly weekday, weekend, eve and public holiday rates 15% o! car rental for practical test- $10 o! enrollment fee

Participating outlet:Blk 972 Hougang St 91#06-192

EmitAsia

- 1 year Reader’s Digest @ S$75 (Usual S$99)- 2 years Reader’s Digest @ S$99 (Usual S$198)

Participating outlet:www.emitasia.com/

Edvocation

-$25 o" Edvocation’s Promotional Program Fees- Free 2 months Insurance- Free USA Travel Guide - 1 free Forbe’s/Lonely Planet guide per group of 3 participants

Participating outlet:280 Sim’s Avewww.edvocation.com.sg/

Dorgan Connect Private Limited

- $180 o" program fee for wusa- $100 o! program fee for scusa

Participating outlet:50 East Coast Road, Roxy Square 2www.dorgangroup.com/

Pan Paci# c Singapore

- Corporate Rates for SMU Card holders

Participating outlet:7 Ra* es Boulevard, Marina Squarewww.panpaci" c.com/

Fairmont Singapore

- Corporate Rates for SMU Card holders

Participating outlet:80 Bras Basah Roadwww.fairmont.com/



Scrapztudio

- 5% o" entire order- Waiver on postage fee if you self-collect at SMU

Participating outlet:www.scrapztudio.com/

The Heeren ShopsVouchers- $10 shopping voucher* PLUS a $10 Waraku/Pasta de Waraku @ The Heeren voucher*

Participating outlet:260 Orchard Road #20-01 The Heerenwww.heeren.com.sg/

Mint Museum of Toys- 50% o" on museum admission tickets- 15% discount on selected merchandise at the Mint Shop

Participating outlet:26 Seah Street

Joyce Lim & Associates- Shopping vouchers with min. monthly premium. Check out for more Financial Services

Participating outlet:51 Scotts Road #04-02joycelimassociates.com/

UBS Library Services Pte Ltd• 30% o" for all publications• Free delivery within Singapore for

order above $150 (Order via SMU email)

Participating outlet:Blk 1008 Toa Payoh North #03-18www.ubspress.com/

Realtorhub Real Estate Pte Ltd- Special discount on brokerage fee for real estate transactions

Participating outlet:Blk 1004, Toa Payoh North #03-07

Jideas- 15% o" all items

Participating outlet:www.jideas.com.sg/


miniHub- 20% o" computer & Mac accessories, speakers, earphones, iphone casings.

Participating outlet:#B1-13 PoMo

Tat Chuan Acoustic- 10% o" all Klipsch Headphones and Earphones

Participating outlet:1 Coleman Street #01-17 The Adelphi

Innovative Auction Pte Ltd- Additional 10 tokens upon sign up. Tokens only available for use with purchase of " rst token pack.

Participating outlet:www.sold.sg

Monster- 10% o" Monster products

Participating outlet:The Pro Shop @ SMU

Jewellery Design and Management International School (JDMIS)-15% o" Introductory Silver Metal Clay Fabrication workshop and Fundamentals of Jewellery and Gemmology course modules-10% o! Entry-level Certi" cation courses in Gemmology, Jewellery Design and Fabrication- 10% o! selected professionally made jewellery designs in the JDMIS Student Co-operative Boutique.

Participating outlet:100 Beach Rd. #02-50 to #02-57 Shaw Towers Gallerywww.jdmis.edu.sg/

Winners Marketing Pte Ltd 30% o" all items carried by Winners Marketing Pte Ltd- Toplight Top Class LED Reading Lamp - Made In Korea- Speedo Waterproof Mp3 Players - UK- Speedo Waterproof Camera - Uk- Hp(Hewlett Packard) Full HD Digital Camcorder - USA- Agfaphoto Digital Still Camera - Germany

Participating outlet:Pasir Panjang Distripark, Blk 151, Pasir Panjang Road, #02-19



Clinic- 10% o" Signature Cocktails- Enjoy 1-for-1 on housepours from

6pm -11pm

Participating outlet:Blk C, The Cannery, Clarke Quaywww.theclinic.sg/

Yello Jello- Selection of 1 Snack + 1 House pour drinks at $18 all night. - Snacks o! ering are $10. Housepour is $10 and below)

Participating outlet:Blk C, The Cannery, Clarke Quaywww.yellojello.sg/

Zirca- Free Entry on Wednesdays before 11pm- Free Entry + 2 Friends on Thursdays before 11pm

Participating outlet:Zircawww.zirca.sg/

Rebel- Free Entry on Wednesdays before 11pm- Free Entry + 2 Friends on Thursdays before 11pm

Participating outlet:Rebelwww.rebel.sg/

Lunar- Free Entry on Wednesdays before 11pm- Free Entry + 2 Friends on Thursdays before 11pm

Participating outlet:Lunarwww.lunar.sg/


DININGMAD JACK Cafe- 20% o" on meals during weekdays before 6pm (Public Holidays not

included) - 15% o! on meals during weekdays (Public Holidays not included) for SMU Faculty, sta! and alumni - 30% o! for birthday person during birthday month - 10% o! on meals after 6pm during weekends and whole day during Public Holidays

Participating outlet:MAD JACK Cafe, PoMowww.madjackcafe.com/

The Fireplace- 10% o" for all cafe items except for set meals and alcoholic drinks- For retail, 5% o! to UniVantage card holders- For the music education, 10% to all courses being signed for

Participating outlet:268A South Bridge Roadwww.the" replace.com.sg/

Station Kitchen- 10% o" on ala carte menu For Alley Tapas Bar, The Wok And Charcoal

Participating outlet:3 Sentosa Gateway

The Cathay Restaurant- 15% o" food ala carte

Participating outlet:2 Handy Road, #02-01, the Cathaywww.thecathayrestaurant.com.sg/

Tung Lok Seafood- 10% o" dine-in ala carte with min. spending of $30 (before service charge and GST)

Participating outlet:181 Orchard Road#11-05 Orchard CentralTel: 68344888 www.tunglokseafood.com/

Lao Beijing - 10% o" dine-in ala carte with min. spending of $30 (before service charge and GST)

Participating outlet:68 Orchard Road#03-01 Plaza SingapuraTel: 67387207www.laobeijing.com.sg/

Garuda Padang Cuisine - 10% o" dine-in ala carte with min. spending of $30 (before service charge and GST)

Participating outlet:181 Orchard Road#07-07/08 Orchard CentralTel: 67354111www.garudapadang.com/

Waraku Holdings- 10% o" total bill at selected outlets

Participating outlets:PASTA DE WARAKU: Marina Square; Square 2; TheCentral; The Heeren; Bugis Iluma;Changi Airport Terminal 2MR CURRY: The Central WARAKU JAPANESE CASUAL DINING: East Coast Parkway; Katong Village; Marina Square; StarhubCentre; The Central; The Heeren

Kublai Khan Mongolian BBQ Restaurant- Discounted Rate for special bu! et dinner- A sumptuous International Seafood Bu! et + Mongolian BBQ Dinner @ $22 on weekday and $24 on weekend for undergraduates and $24 on weekday and $26 on weekend for sta! & alumni/ faculty. Guests of SMU enjoy the above special adult rate.

Participating outlet:9 Penang Road #04-01 Park Mall

Indo Padang Restaurant- 15% o" ala carte menu - 10% o! set-meal menu- Free Avocado dessert with minimum spending of $40

Participating outlet:2 Handy Road, The Cathay, B1-19indopadang.com/


DININGUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg


Potpourri Restaurant- 20% o" on total ala carte F&B bill- Daily set lunch menu at $15.90 nett- Special rate for hosting parties & events- During happy hour 20% discount on purchase of bottle wines

Participating outlet:42 Waterloo Street

Fish & Co- 10% o" total bill for a group of min. 3 pax

Participating outlets:Glasshouse; Heeren; Bugis Junction

DINING

Cream Bistro- 10% o" ala carte menu

Participating outlet:9 Scotts Road #01-04/05/06 Paci" c Plaza

Ministry Of Food (MOF)LENAS (Bugis Junction)- Free upsize of any pizza from 8” to 12”- $8.90 per pint of Draft Hoegaarden Beer for students

Ra* es City Japanese Sweets & Co! ee Cafe- Free pot of Genmaicha/Sencha/ Houjicha tea with any purchase of $6.90 and above dessert- Free Ice Macha/Ice Lemon Tea with any purchase of Main Course

Participating outlets:LENAS (Bugis Junction)Ra* es City Japanese Sweets & Co! ee Cafe

4 Fingers Crispy Chicken - Combo meal consisting of 4 pieces Chicken with fries and soda for just $4.95

Participating outlet:2 Orchard Turn, #B4-06A, ION ORCHARDTel: 1800-4CRISPY

Ginza Bairin- 10% o" total bill

Participating outlet:2 Orchard Turn #B4- 39/40/41/42, ION Orchard Tel: 6509-8101

Skinny Pizza- 10% o" for all ala carte menu

Participating outlets:#01-002 Suntec City Mall Galleria; #03-04/04A Wheelock Place; #B1-63/64 Ra* es City Shopping Centre

Café Eurasia- 10% o" on daily set meal - Free drink with min $10 spent- American co! ee + mu< n for $4.50 nett (only between 3-6 pm daily)- Free dessert on birthday- Free access to loyalty card with $35.00 worth of freebies- Special student o! er: Shaw arma chicken kebab roll & chicken burger with fries for $4.90 nett

Participating outlet:8 Wilkie Road, #01-17 Wilkie Edge

Shin Minori Japanese Restaurant- 15% o" ala carte food bill with min $100 spent- Birthday treats of the Month: Free Alaska Snow Crab Nabe

Participating outlet:81 Clemenceau Ave UE Square (Clarke Quay MRT)” #03-15/16

Food for Thought- 5% o" all food & drinks

Participating outlet:8 Queen Street(Beside Art’s Museum)


DININGUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg

Casa Latina- 10% o" (No GST and Service Charge)

Participating outlet:42 Waterloo Street


Wine Bos- Free delivery with minimum 2 bottles order and privilege price

Participating outlet:47 North Canal Rdwww.winebos.com/

Café Del Mar- 10% o" Signature Cocktails - Complimentary soft drink with every main course- Snacks Platter + 2 Bottle Beers (Corona or Carlsberg) at $30++

Participating outlet:40 Siloso Beach Walk

JT Pub- 50% o" all house pours, cocktails and shooter until 9pm - 20% o! all house pours, cocktails and shooters after 9pm- 20% o! all beer (except towers)

Participating outlet:46A #02-01 Prinsep Street

Sapore Italiano- 10% o" total bill

- Special during 9am-12nn, 3pm-6pm, 1 for 1 special for tea, co! ee, croissant, and gelato in cup- Special on birthday, bring 8 or more friends and receive free vouchers equivalent to 50% of spending- Special on 21st birthday, same conditions as birthday with a free bottle of prosecco- Special for month after exam, april and dec, 25% discount o! total bill

Participating outlet:Ra* es City Shopping Centre #01-15 (Next to Ra* es City Towers)

Bobby’s Tamproom.Grill.Ribs- 15% o" total bill (a la carte food and drinks) - Special Lunch promo: 40% o! a la carte food

Participating outlets:30, Victoria Street #B1-03, CHIJMES Fountain Court ; 25-27 Cuppage Road Cuppage Terracewww.bobbys.com.sg/


DININGDININGUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg

Decoders Café- 10% o" total bill- Student Rate for Students Night on every Tues & Thurs @ $6 instead of $8

Participating outlet:Blk 320 Clementi Ave 4 #01-15www.decoderscafe.com/

Bistro at Ayden- 10% o" all food and drinks (excluding alcoholic drinks)

Participating outlet:61, Pasir Ris Green

Café Indulge- 10% o" ala carte- 1-for-1 pasta (Mon-Thurs, except Public Holidays, 2- 5pm). Not available for grilled sirloin pasta and whole lobster pasta

Participating outlet:2 Handy Road, The Cathay, B1-25/26

Rock & Ash- 50% o" 2nd beverage from 2-6pm- $9.90 set meal - Any main dish plus any drinks, and a soup- 20% discount on any fries order- Free meal on birthday with minimum 4 persons ordering $9.90 meal, or minimum spending of $30

Participating outlet:6 Ra* es Boulevard #B1-03, Marina Link @ B1 Marina Square

Taverna Cafe And Pub Enterprise- 10% o" regular items (non alcoholic and food)

Participating outlet:89 Victoria Street, #01-01


O’DIVINO- 10% o" total bill

- Free delivery service with a minimum order of $30

Participating outlet:1 Selegie Road Unit B1-04 PoMo Tel: 63377148www.odivinogelato.com/

Marvelous Cream- 10% o" premium parfait

Participating outlet:Albert Street #12-10 OG Albert Complexwww.marvelouscream.com/

Co" ee Bean & Tea Leaf® - 10% o" on a la carte items

Participating outlets:The Co! ee Bean & Tea Leaf®- IlumaThe Co! ee Bean & Tea Leaf®- Plaza by the Parkwww.co! eebean.com.sg/

Sweet Sweet Tooth- 15% o" all snow ice- 10% o! all East & West desserts

Participating outlet:6 Ra* es Boulevard, #B1-04 Marina Square (exit Esplanade MRT, towards Marina Link)

Jewels Artisan Chocolate- 15% o" chocolate sculptures- 10% o! all items

Participating outlet:Orchard Central 181 Orchard Road #02-31/32

Eskimo Delight Pte Ltd- Free 1 pearl milk tea (worth $2.40) with every Fruit Shaved Ice (mango shaved ice, strawberry shaved ice or

rainbow shaved ice)

(Not valid during peak hours, 12:30 - 2:30, on weekdays)

Participating outlet:Esplanade Exchange B1-37

Gong Cha- 10% o" all drinks

Participating outlets:Ra* es City Shopping Centre; Orchard Central; The Central

Red Mango- 15% o" all purchases- Birthday Month Special - Free upsize everyday on your birthday month

Participating outlets:Wilkie Edge; Esplanade Xchange; Plaza 8@Changi Business

The Pie Shoppe- 15% o" purchases except on promotional items

Participating outlets:West Coast Plaza and Kallang Leisure Park B1 Cold Storage Supermarketwww.thepieshoppe.com/

Tom’s Palette- 10% o" selected items, not valid for promotional items

Participating outlet:100 Beach Road, #01-25 www.tomspalette.com.sg/

Loving Hut- 10% o" total bill

Participating outlets:3 Temasek Boulevard Sky Garden #03-016 @ Tower 2; Selegie Road #01-07 Parklane Shopping Mall; Blk 161 Bukit Merah Central #01-3725 (next to POSB) lovinghut.us/

DININGDININGUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg

All prevailing merchant discounts are subjected to Terms and Conditions.SPRING/ SUMMER 2011 ISSUE52

IE- 25% o" purchases

Participating outlet:All outlets. visit www.iethatis.com/

Sam’s Custom Tailors- 15% o" any made to order purchase

- 1 Suit + 1 Shirt + 1 Tie @ $375 (student package)

Participating outlet:14 Scotts Road #02-55 Far East Plazawww.samscustomtailors.com.sg/

Metallurgy- 10% o" for all regular items, no min purchase required

Participating outlet:The Cathay #03-14 Tel: 62343380; The Central #02-44 Tel: 65347877; Ra* es City Shopping Centre #B1-52 Tel: 63368665www.metallurgy.com.sg/

Wonderwool- 10% o" all products

Participating outlet:16A Haji Lanewonderwool.wordpress.com/

OHSOFICKLE- 10% o" any purchase at the boutique upon presentation of student pass

Participating outlet:34 Haji Lanewww.ohso" ckle.com.sg/

Sophistix- 10% o" on online purchases at www.sophistix.net when purchased with an @smu email address for order above SGD20.00. Not valid for electronics and other items

Participating outlet:www.sophistix.net/


DININGFASHIONUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg

Chocolate Schubar- 15% o" for Schu brand shoes- With spending above $100 in single receipt, student enjoys schu membership

Participating outlets:Wisma Atria, #B1-12; Suntec Galleria, #01-33

The Sage Link Pte Ltd- 10% o" for all SMU students, sta! and alumni for all bags online at web store. Register with us using your SMU email (Valid till Jan 2012)

Participating outlet:www.thesagelink.com.sg/

Fabrix Cases Singapore- 10% o" all products

Participating outlet:16A Haji Lanewww.fabrixcases.com/

725am- Additional 10% o" all products purchased from Drooling Closet website

Participating outlet:725am.wordpress.com/

Drooling Closet- 10% o" total bill for “environmental- friendly t-shirt’ printing services from 725am Organics - Free delivery

Participating outlet:www.droolingcloset.com/


Serelli Online- 15% o" all regular priced items. Not to be used in conjunction with other privileges, promotions or discount vouchers

Participating outlet:Queensway Shopping Centre, 1 Queensway #02-18www.serelli-online.blogspot.com/

Hype Boutique- 10% o" puchase on online store

Participating outlet:www.hype.com.sg/

Momoteapot- 12% o" all purchases (including sale items) for purchases above $100 - 5% o! all bags, shoes and sandals- Free Registered Postage for purchases above $70State code “SMUpromo” in email correspond

Participating outlet:momoteapots.livejournal.com/

Christela Cove- 10% o" regular-priced items. Sales purchases must be made using SMU email

Participating outlet:www.christelacove.sg/

Bangshotudown- 10% o" all products

Participating outlet:bangshotudown.livejournal.com/

Uniqduo- 10% o" regular price items. Sales purchases must be made using SMU email

Participating outlet:www.uniqduo.com/

Twinkling-gem- 10% o" regular price items. Sales purchases must be made using SMU email

Participating outlet:twinkling-gem.blogspot.com/


DININGFASHIONUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg

Dress-a-holic- 10% o" all non sales items. Present a scanned copy of the SMU Matriculation Card in email

correspond

Participating outlet:dress-a-holic.com/

My Shoppy Land- 10% o" regular items. Sales purchases must be made using SMU email

Participating outlet:www.myshoppyland.com/

Apri-cot Accessories- 10% o" items in general

Participating outlet:apri-cot.blogspot.com/

Eunice-Ellice Online Blogshop- 10% o" regular items. Sales purchases must be made using SMU email

Participating outlet:eunice-ellice.livejournal.com/

ClubCouture- 10% o" all regular items

- 5% o! all sale items

Participating outlet:http://sg.clubcouture.cc/smu


What He Wants Grooming For Men Store- 10% o" all regular priced items

Participating outlets:2 Handy Road #01-06, The Cathay; Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall Tower 5 #02-013www.whathewants.com.sg/

NextAcademy- 10% o" for rebonding services

Participating outlet:9 Purvis Street, NEXT ACADEMYwww.nexthairsalon.com/

Phase Hairdressing- 30% o" all hair services- 20% o! all hair services after 5pm, sat, sun, PH- 10% o! haircut- 15% o! chemical services - 10% o! Phase Hairdressing products

Participating outlet:470 North Bridge Road #01-05 North Bridge Commercial ComplexTel: 6337 8337 / 6337 8331www.phasehairdressing.com.sg/

Just 10 Group- 20% o" all chemical services on weekdays only at SALON by Just10

(Liang Court)

- 10% o! all hair services at all 3 salons.

Participating outlet:SALON by Just10; Liang Court #02-15/16 Tel: 68372535 (Appointment) ; JUST10Queensway Shopping Centre #02-23 ; WHITEHOUSE by Just10Orchard Central #B1-26

Shunji Matsuo/ Hair Visual - 15% o" all hair service by stylists

Participating outlet:Suntec City Tower 4, #03-037 shunjimatsuo.com.sg/

Bath Republic- 20% o" all items

Participating outlet:187 Tenah Merah Kechil Ave D’Manorwww.bathrepublic.com/

Glamour Hair Boutique- 20% o" all hair chemical services,

except promotion items

- Cut and colour- $88 (promotion)

Participating outlet:87 Victoria Street, Victoria Hotel (Next to SMU)

Urban Cuts- 20% o" Men’s & Ladies’ Cuts and chemical services

- 10% o! products

Participating outlet:190 Clemenceau Avenue #01-18 Singapore Shopping Centre

Essensuals Orchard Pte Ltd- 15% o" hair services (Valid for stylists and senior stylists)

Participating outlet:181 Orchard Road, Orchard Central #B1-20 www.essensuals.com.sg/

Pivotpoint Salon- 30% o" services between 2-5pm on weekdays- 20% o! all services and products

Participating outlet:180 Albert St, #01-09, Albert Court, Village Hotel

Babelicious20% o" - All facials and back acne treatment (Award winning facials start from $39.90) - Body contouring treatment (From $98)- Acne scar revision and skin rejuvenating treatment ( From $78) - All permanent hair reduction service (From $68)

Participating outlet:360 Orchard Road #01-13www.babelicious.com.sg/

Asia Healthcare Group Pte Ltd- Hygiene Program at $80- Whitening Program at $480, Braces Program at $4500

Participating outlet:435 Orchard Rd #15-02 Wisma Atria

BathRepublic.com

Luxurious bath

care & gifts

Exclusive for

SMU students

and alumni only! 20% off all

products!


DININGBEAUTY & WELLNESSUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg


INIZIO FACE.BODY.SPA- Spa Indulgence: Inizio Signature Massage S$49, UP: $150

Participating outlet:13, Teo Hong Roadwww.inizio.com.sg/

Porcelain, The Face Spa- 50% o" all services including Facials, Nails, Waxing, Body Spa- $48 Spa Treat

Participating outlet:31A Cantonment Road. Level2www.porcelainfacespa.com/

Star Haven- 20% o" ala carte services - 10% o! products- $38 for underarm IPL*

(original @$150) for 1st trial

Participating outlet:10 Anson Road International Plaza #01-24www.starhaven.com.sg/

Le Reve (S) PTE LTD1 for 1- Express manicure & pedicure @$49.90 (usual price $66) ala carte services - Fruti manicure & pedicure @ $99.90 (usual price $144) $38 for underarm IPL* (original @$150) for 1st trial- Body massage @ $99 with compliemtary mani polish (usual price $180)- Phyfomer or Guinot facial @ $116 (usual price $190) Conditions: For 1st trial only.

Participating outlet:The Central #04-75, Eu Tong Sen Street

Dr. H C Leong Dental Surgeon LLP- 15% o" standard rates for all services

Participating outlet:8 Eu Tong Street #20-86, The Central (O< ce 2)

Fabulous Tan - Indoor Tanning – 2 sessions at $18- Teeth whitening at $380 - Doctor " sh - 10mins at $10- Hair extension – 6 pieces at $199

Participating outlet:9 Tan Quee Lan Streetwww.fabuloustan.com.sg/

Apricot ADN Group Pte Ltd- 20% o" skincare products, samples and product testers

Participating outlet:Pai Hang Dang @ Orchard Cineleisure

CELEVENUS- 50% o" MediaSpa Services - Sciton (TM) BBL Permanent Hair Removal: a. Upper and Lower Lips- $100 b. Underarms- $220, Full Face- $280, Lower Half Legs- $400

Participating outlet:6 Eu Tong Sen Street #03-21 The Centralwww.celevenus.com.sg/

SimplySpa- 20% o" all spa products

- 1 for 1 all spa treatments- Complimentary access to a suite of lifestyle facilities such as a fully- equipped gymnasium, lap pools and hydrotherapy baths when any spa services purchased

Participating outlet:181 Kitchener Road, Parkroyal on Kitchener, Level 6www.simplyspa.com.sg/

ONLYaesthetics- 25% o" all ala carte services- $58 Mario Bodesou Signature Facial

Participating outlets:Holland Village: 25A Lorong Mambang Tel: 63144434; Dhoby Ghaut: 190 Clemenceau Ave #02-29 Singapore Shopping Centre Tel: 63384434; East Coast: 50 East Coast Rd #01-122 Roxy Square II Tel: 63464434; Clake Quay: 6 Eu Tong Sen Street #03-74 The Central Tel: 63274454www.onlyaesthetics.com/


DININGBEAUTY & WELLNESSUniVantage | www.univantage.bizcom.sg




Date post:	15-Mar-2016
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UniVantage Digest Issue 4

Documents