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New Paper
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Teens are creating their own study culture - one Telegram channel at a time
Students here are building a parallel study culture of their own, through Telegram channels and other online spaces. There now exists a new subculture of student-owned Telegram broadcast channels, where students share study tips and notes, with some also documenting aspects of their school life. Over 20 of such channels have sprouted in the last two years and have become the go-to space for many looking for peer-driven support outside the classroom, apart from official resources like the Singapore Student Learning Space where teachers upload study materials for students. Secondary 4 student Rachel Ho said she has benefited greatly from joining these channels as they provide her with many resources to beef up her own notes. The 16-year-old often visits these groups before examinations to seek clarification for certain subjects, such as chemistry. This way, she does not need to "disturb" her teachers at odd hours, she said. To make sure the notes that she comes across are reliable, she also compares them with her textbook. Starting her "bluejaystudio" Telegram channel in May 2022 has made 19-year-old Ceri Chin Song Ai more motivated to complete her tasks. She posts daily tasks such as her homework or revision plans on her channel, which helps her stay accountable to her 300 anonymous subscribers. It helps that she, like many of her peers, spends a lot of time on Telegram. "When I am on Telegram texting my friends, I might be reminded to study more so that I can also update my Telegram channel," said the teen, who has graduated from junior college and is awaiting the start of her university studies. Raina Nafisa, 17, owner of "The Muggers" Telegram channel, which had over 2,300 subscribers at its peak, started the Telegram channel in July 2024 during her O-level year to share her notes and study advice with others as she wanted to motivate them to study. Alongside her Telegram channel, she also previously hosted a study group on the Yeolpumta (YPT) study app. The application allows students to track their study hours with a timer and helps them to be disciplined by restricting access to other apps on their electronic devices. Groups of up to 50 users can be formed, across educational levels from secondary school to university. Each group has a leader board displaying the usernames of students who clock the most hours studying daily. Raina, who declined to reveal where she is studying now, finds YPT helpful as it pushes her to study more. She said: "I would feel the pressure to study more than the person ahead of me on the leader board, although, as time went on, I realised that the quality of study matters more than the quantity." Some students have also turned their study channels into a side gig. Aspiring to be a teacher, 18-year-old Mohammed Danie Dahlan started posting his own social studies notes in 2023 right after his N-level exams. His "socialstudieslovers" channel on Telegram now has over 1,500 subscribers. The first-year polytechnic student also gives advice on answering techniques. First-year polytechnic student Mohammed Danie Dahlan, who owns the "socialstudieslovers" channel on Telegram, offers academic help like advice on answering techniques. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG In September 2024, he began to host one-to-one online consultations over Zoom with students, at a rate of $5 an hour. He has since coached around 20 students taking their O- and N-level examinations. Beyond academic help, some Telegram channels try to offer emotional support to subscribers. Junior college student Liesl Leong, 17, who owns the "smartie patootie" channel, gave her personal Telegram contact to her more than 200 subscribers so they can seek advice. She created the channel in July 2024 in Secondary 4. When the O-level results were released in 2024, she provided emotional support over text to one of her subscribers who did not do well. She attributed the rise in these channels partly to secondary school students now owning personal learning devices (PLDs) issued by schools. She said: "I wouldn't even have started a Telegram channel if I didn't see how I could reach out to others. The PLDs have definitely helped students familiarise themselves with platforms such as Telegram and have provided access to those who previously lacked it." Secondary 4 student Desirae Tay Xuan, owner of the "Rae's study corner" channel, said that online spaces supplement school support. "Online communities offer a more judgment-free environment. Since most students are strangers, students feel safer asking for help without the fear of being judged," said the 16-year-old. "I also get limited practice papers from my school as they only provide me with past-year papers from my own school. These channels help to fill that gap, giving me access to a broader range of materials."
Vogue Singapore
23-05-2025
- Health
- Vogue Singapore
Ask a doctor: Do we need SPF for our lips?
Just when you think you know everything about skincare, think again. The case for regular sunscreen application has long been established—but a recent tendency to SPF inclusion in lip products has us thinking: what do we actually know about sunscreen for the lips? It's easy to overlook, especially when most of our sunscreen talk is concerned with keeping the skin protected against the sun—with little to no discussion about how our lips fare against UV rays. A dangerous mindset to adopt, and one we all need to rethink. In the words of our trusted expert Dr Rachel Ho of La Clinic, our lips are 'significantly more susceptible to UV damage compared to the skin of the rest of the face'. If that's the case, then clearly our pouts are being sorely under SPF-ed. According to Dr Ho, the potential damage could range from an increased appearance of fine lines to unseemly redness or chapped lips—symptoms which many of us are already prone to. So we put our investigative hats on and got to asking the expert for the full lowdown. Here's what to know about protecting our lips against sun damage, and Dr Ho's personal top shelf recommendations for SPF products dedicated to lip care. Are our lips more susceptible to UV damage? Why? Yes, our lips are significantly more susceptible to UV damage compared to the skin of the rest of the face. This is because the lips's stratum corneum is thinner. The stratum corneum is a part of the skin barrier that protects against external insults including UV rays. Our lips also have fewer cells that produce melanin, a pigment which has protective effects against UV rays. How can sun damage manifest in our lips? Sunburns: swelling, redness, blisters, peeling etc. Dryness: chapping, irritation etc. Premature signs of ageing: dark spots, increased wrinkling, lip thinning etc. Increased risk of skin cancer Actinic chelitis: precancerous condition characterised by dryness, fissures, pain, loss of lip margins So in that regard, would there be certain ingredients to look for for in our lip products? UV filters with broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays e.g. zinc oxide, Uvinul T 150, Avobenzone. Usually, lip balms contain a combination of UV filters to achieve broad spectrum ingredients. Hydrating ingredients are also essential, as they help with retaining moisture in the lips. They also allow an even film of UV filters to form on the lips. Examples include humectants that lock in moisture (e.g. hyaluronic acid), emollients like shea butter that soften the lips, and occlusives such as petrolatum to reduce water loss from the surface. Antioxidants like vitamin E are useful to help reduce oxidative damage from UV rays and environmental pollutants. There's a case against mixing SPF for skin into make-up products. Would the same argument apply for lip products? Yes, similarly, I would not recommend mixing lip SPF with make-up or other lip products. Mixing them would disrupt the lip sunscreen's ability to form an even film on the lips to provide sun protection, leading to inconsistent protection. Theoretically, mixing might also dilute and reduce the lip sunscreen's protective SPF and PA effects. Furthermore, interactions between the different formulas could destabilise UV filters in the lip sunscreen. I would strongly recommend layering the lip sunscreen on top of the lip product once the latter has dried; or to use lip SPF with tints. Dr Ho's personal recommendations: Courtesy of Escentials 1 / 3 Three Lip Conscious Protector SPF35, $40 ' It leaves a lightweight, barely-there feel. It's great as a standalone product or for layering with lip tints or your trusty lipstick.' Available at Escentials. Courtesy of Shiseido 2 / 3 Shiseido Sun Care UV Lip Colour Splash, $40 'It's a coloured lip gel that I always stock up on when I'm in Japan.' Available at Shopee. Courtesy of Rilastil 3 / 3 Rilastil Sun System Transparent Stick SPF50+, $13 'This is in my current rotation. I just got it from Milan last month, and it's so moisturising on its own. There's no colour to it, so it's great for layering with other lip products.' Available at Care To Beauty.
The Star
21-04-2025
- General
- The Star
One taken to hospital with minor burn injuries after shophouse fire at Boat Quay
One person was taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a restaurant at 16 Circular Road. - SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS SINGAPORE: One person was taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a restaurant at 16 Circular Road on Monday (April 21) morning. Checks by The Straits Times showed that the address is occupied by Tom Yum Kungfu, a charcoal Mookata restaurant in Boat Quay. In an image shared by Straits Times reader Rachel Ho, black smoke can be seen billowing out of the shophouse and several fire trucks line a road. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire at the location at 10am, which involved the 'contents of a kitchen' in the first-floor restaurant. The fire was extinguished within 10 minutes using a water jet, an SCDF spokesperson added. The injured individual had evacuated before SCDF's arrival, and was later taken to the Singapore General Hospital to receive treatment for a minor burn injury. An employee at Tom Yum Kungfu said the restaurant would be closed today. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. - The Straits Times/ANN
CBC
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
How Ne Zha 2 dethroned Inside Out 2 as the highest-grossing animated film ever
If you're an animation fan, by now you've probably heard of the Chinese fantasy feature Ne Zha 2. If you haven't, then you may be surprised to learn that the film has recently surpassed Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time. The sequel follows the titular character Ne Zha, as he embarks on a sort of vengeance mission with the help of kings, gods and other mythical creatures, in order to restore health and peace to his community. The film is not only the biggest film of 2025 and the biggest film ever produced in China, but it's also the fifth-highest grossing movie in global box office history, having made more than $2 billion. Today on Commotion, film critic Rachel Ho joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to explain how the franchise film achieved world domination and earned its place in animated film history. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube (this segment begins at 16:21):
