Presidential Rally : Interview with Ryan Yoong

Q: What makes you want to take up the job as the president of Student Council?

To me, Student Council (SC) is a representation of the student body and is an outlet for which the students can express their concerns and needs. As I am person who enjoys mingling with just about everyone, listening, communicating and helping people are second nature to me. I also aim to make an impact (a positive one hopefully) everywhere I go and TCSH is no different. With a hunger to inspire and a passion for people, I thought I would be a suitable fit for the role.
Q: What is your greatest strength that equips you for this job?
Thus far, I believe my greatest strength is definitely my people skills. Being able to understand the needs and wants of not one, but an entire community seems like a challenge but I feel up to it.
Q: Tell us more about yourself. What are you goals and priorities? 
I assure you I'm a perfectly normal human being - not a workaholic robot 24/7. However, I do have some goals that I would like to achieve on a personal level. One of the current ones is to be SC president (surprise, surprise). A few more years down the road, the goal is simply to be happy. I believe happiness is the greatest measure of success because it takes into account all the physical achievements as well as the emotional ones. I would say my priorities include my family and friends - they play a pivotal role in how I am now and how I will be in the future. Then comes a mishmash of education, food, sleep, sports (in an ever-changing order).
Q: What do you think TCSH needs the most right now?
Personally, I believe TCSH needs a strong and effective communication system. For ECA purposes, we have tons of Whatsapp groups and even more Facebook ones online - all of which is often difficult to keep track of if one is not sitting in front of the phone/computer all the time. For academic purposes, the split usage between various learning platforms such as Edmodo and Moodle may actually cause more confusion that rectifying it. Thus, I believe there is a solution and that it's only a matter of time before a structured system is put in place to ensure the smooth flow of both work and play.

Interview by,

Sim Shin Ying,

Head of Writing Department,

Editorial Board TCSH.

Photography by,

Samantha Yong,

Head of Photography Department,

Editorial Board TCSH.

Youth Jam: Not Just Another Leadership Workshop

“Dear Nestle,..”

Sound compelling? Most of us can only dream of being able to send an email directly to a big-shot company like Nestle. But that is not how it is done. Jazz Tan, a speaker at last Wednesday’s (25 March) Youth Jam Workshop in TCSH, and founder of YouthsToday.com, a sponsorship and event matching platform, has had plenty of experience dealing with aspiring young founders who squander their sponsorship prospects by sending a simple mass email. In this case, the email was mistakenly sent to Tan’s company, which rejected their sponsorship plea for obvious reasons.

Tan is 25. She has all the enthusiasm of a 17 year old and a knowledge of advertising comparable to that of most veterans in the field. When she awkwardly adjusts the tall Chatime poster in front of the podium while announcing its sponsorship of her workshop, it is clear that she possesses a self-awareness that all young people can all relate to. Yet, when speaking to the crowd of 16-19 year old college students, she commanded attention like any other experienced CEO. Club presidents, student council members, youth event organizers, we were all there to know her secrets.

We are part of an ever-evolving generation that wants to create our own businesses, drop out of school to create viral apps, organize fundraisers for pertinent issues, and engage our communities in the change that we want to create. However, we still have to play by the adults’ rules. We are still kids who rely on our parents to fund our lunch, or in this case, our school projects.

In regards to this, Tan’s message was simply this, know the rules, play the game. Among her feats of entrepreneurship includes organizing an augmented reality race with 1400 participants at zero cost. None. Nil. Nada.

The key is sponsorship--the main topic of the workshop. Remember that mass email you wanted to send to those 100 companies among which you hoped at least 3 would reply? Don’t do that. Your email should address a specific person in the company who is in charge of the company’s sponsorship deals, or even their CSR director. Another mistake that young founders often make is underestimating the relevance or reach of their event, therefore not presenting a desirable image to potential sponsors. What benefits can you bring to companies? Something as simple as a ‘concept tie-in’, like how your youth conference aligns with Maybank’s company values, would be a viable reason for Maybank to sponsor your event.

“Say, you want to bring 200 people to the moon. Impossible, right? How about if we built a moon here? How much manpower would you need? 10K, 10 people per team and 1000 teams?” This is where the workshop stops itself from being just another soporific leadership workshop that a bunch of adults in administrative jobs decided to impose on college students. It is not about personal development or being a good team player, it is about devising a feasible strategy to do whatever the heck you want. That’s what appeals to young people like me, and that is really what is going to spur innovation from the youth to bring greater social and economic change to our country.

Tan has been running her on-going annual event, Youth Jam for 6 years now. True to its objective of promoting entrepreneurship and social awareness among the youth, the event bridges young leaders with mentors, brands, NGOs and government agencies every year.

Her latest venture includes inviting Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, to Malaysia to attend the ASEAN Chairmanship program this year. She calls on all youth leaders and companies to submit a total of 100,000 videos addressed to Mr. Zuckerberg. You could be a company, a club president, or an interested individual.

She has already partnered up with 10 ASEAN countries. There lies the most interesting of Tan’s strategies: “We go for the coolest kids in town.” (Speaking of which, I could not help but flip my hair) Besides the logistical challenges, the real impetus behind successful projects is the type of people on your side. Which famous person is supporting you? Which newspapers are talking about you? Which trends are your event relevant to? The coolest kids are not just the ones with the latest phones, the crass friends. They are the class presidents, the popular websites, the CEOs, and the leaders of countries. Even the founder of Chatime has sent a video.

Now doesn’t that make you want to start a kickass project of your own?

Written by 

Chua Zi

Member of Writing Department

TCSH Editorial Board

I am Where. Are You?

On March 24th 2015, the “I am Where. Are You? Talk” was conducted by 19 year-old Eibhlin

Lim, CEO of her own startup company, Phoenix. Biting the bait of free BurgerLab burgers,

around 70 students gathered in Alpha Theater to listen to the humorous and very relatable teen.

Appearing unassuming and nervous, many of us were still amazed by Eibhlin’s strong personal

journey of self-discovery and persistence.

Misleading us to believe she was talking about a close friend instead, she began by relaying

her story to us. Introducing the character as a 19 year-old girl who took a break from formal

education after finishing her IGCSEs in 2013, the story followed an unexpected path full of both

failures and achievements (two concepts which Eibhlin considers to be interchangeable).

From small falls such as not being able to go to the bookstore on weekends to bigger letdowns

like organising a brainstorming meet-up in Colorado with no attendees, Eibhlin shared with

us how she took her downfalls and turned them into something valuable. Suffering from

her bookstore visit deprivation, Eibhlin decided to apply to write book reviews for The Star

newspaper. At the age of 15 with barely any qualifications besides a blooming love for books,

one probably would have quickly dismissed the idea of even applying to write for the newspaper.

Why on earth would they accept an unqualified 15 year-old student? But they did. I suppose it

goes to show that if you never try you never know.

Following from that, the young introvert succeeded in publishing about 55 articles through

various outlets worldwide, eventually obtaining an offer to write for the highly-acclaimed

Huffington Post even. She even got a scholarship to continue her A-Levels at a good

international school but in the end, she declined. Instead of pursuing her A-Levels, Eibhlin

was drawn to do something else. She had a goal - starting up a digital journalism camp for

She had undergone a number of obstacles in efforts to realizing her dream. However, as life

would have it, her digital journalism camp remained only a brilliant idea. Throughout her

journey, she kept a blog running and kept brainstorming ideas with friends until one day, she had

plans with a friend for lunch and unexpectedly, her friend bailed on her last minute. So there she

was, in the shopping mall, with a bag of newsletters next to her and she thought, “Why not give

them out?”. And now, her newsletter is being distributed to 7 different high schools in Malaysia.

Phoenix is an online newsletter which features people from all different walks of life but are

all ultimately sources of inspiration. From gymnasts to supermodels, Phoenix voices out the

hardship-filled journey of others and how they overcame these hardships. In the next 3 years,

Eibhlin hopes to have a student from every country signing up for the Phoenix newsletter and

as a life-long goal, she hopes to be able to contribute to creating a culture where you can pursue

whatever you want and not be scared to do so.

As insignificant as she made us feel (there is only a 1 to 3 year difference and yet she is so much

more accomplished?! Is she even real?), her unlikely story also taught us a lot and made many of

us feel inspired and motivated to start following our passion. Eibhlin shortlisted 3 best practices

I feel that practice 1 is especially applicable to today’s youth. We are constantly putting off

things and waiting. Our generation has become the masters of procrastination so much so that it

is a culture embedded into our lifestyle. When we think about doing things, we say things like

“I’ll do it after I finish my exams la”, “Wait la, still got time, chill a bit” or “Too many things

now, maybe later la”. But really, what better time to start than now? If Eibhlin had waited to go

to the bookstore to satisfy her needs, she may not have started writing for the newspaper. You

may never be in the ideal situation so make the best out of the resources you have right now,

although sometimes it pays to be a little foolish, a little ambitious and a little, well, unrealistic I

The second as well is something that has been looming over our generation for a while. We are

often too afraid of failure to actually do anything. Do not let the fear of something happening let

nothing happen. Go for it and if you fall you just pick yourself up again.

When speaking on humility, Eibhlin focused on accepting ourselves for who we are, flaws and

all and from there, being open about it. She preaches vulnerability and being strong enough to

admit your own shortcomings and accepting criticism and teachings from others.

Her advice and journey were impressive but what really made her stand out was the fact that

at the end of the day, she was really just one of us. This relatable nature allowed a strong

connection to flow through the room and really inspired us.

During the open Q&A session after, Eibhlin stressed a lot on her key takeaway point - “Be

intentional”. Much emphasis was placed on the suggestion that everything we do should be

accompanied by genuine intention. No matter where our passion and intention leads us to, it

should be a path we are proud to be on. Just tell yourself, my path “might not be as fancy [as

others] but that’s who I am”. And if you’re more of a floater in life, that is fine too. Just keep

exploring, keep doing what you feel like doing and embark on some soul-searching. It is going to

be a tough journey but one day when you find where your heart lies, it will be worth it.

Writen by
Chin Wye Mun
Member of Writing Department
 TCSH Editorial Board

Photos by
Samantha Yong
Head of Photography Department
TCSH Editorial Board

An interview with Ms. Nithya and Ms. Aery

Miss Nithya has been active in the modelling profession since 2009, she was debuted in the Miss Malaysia Indian Global 2009 pageant and successfully made it as a Finalist. Since then, her career has propelled forward and she has now collected many accolades and gained recognition for her work. Other notable achievements - just to name a few - include being crowned Champion at the Global Indian Festival Model Search 2010 and receiving the subtitle awards for Miss Charming and Miss Beautiful Skin along with the title of Second Runner Up at the Miss India Malaysia 2012 pageant. Besides that, she has done many stints in the field of acting, ushering, and advertisements.

Miss Aery Seerungum is also a prominent figure in the modelling industry. Her impressive resume boasts of being the Chief Model at the Indian Wedding Fair 2014 by Agenda Suria Communications, making it as a finalist in the Miss Malaysia Earth 2012 pageant and also participating in the Astro Deepavali Kondattam Fashion Show 2013. 

It was truly a rare privilege to have TCSH graced by their lovely presence. The Editorial Board took this golden opportunity to approach these women to ask them a few questions about their line of work and to seek some fashion advice on behalf of our college-mates.

How did your career as a model start-off? 
 
Nithya RV: My modelling career started in campus time when I always didn’t have enough money, so I started to venture into part-time jobs like TV commercials, ushering etc. As my hometown was in Pahang, I had no one around the city to guide me and teach me, so I decided the best way to learn was to join a beauty pageant. I joined my first beauty pageant, Miss India Malaysia Global, in 2009, and I made it to the top 16. From then on, I realised that I felt good walking on the stage, wearing outfits and accessories from top designers. With that new level of confidence, I started to go for photo-shoots, did TV commercials and participated in more beauty pageants. Basically, I stayed active and tried to make a name for myself whilst enjoying what I did.

Congratulations! What did you learn or take out from your experience?
 
Nithya RV: I definitely learnt a lot from my very first contest, more significantly, my confidence level increased. It helped me cement my passion for modelling and ever since then I have never looked back. All these experiences made me want to share my experiences with other girls. Now, I have a modelling agency and I’m very happy helping these girls.

From your experience, what are the most important things a successful person must have or do?

Aery S: There are three main things that led me to become a successful person now. Firstly, time-management. In whatever you do, you must have self-discipline, and if you arrange something, you have to do it on time. Even though you are juggling around with a busy schedule, showing up and completing it on time shows your commitment to others and leaves an impression.  Self-confidence is the second most important thing. Feeling good about yourself can make a change in how you act around others. The third thing is that you have to be honest. This is what I do in my life, so when I do things honestly, I get a lot of blessings.

Thank you both for sharing your experiences so openly with us. As reputable models in our country, would you like to share some invaluable fashion advice to the students?

Nithya RV: Well, we learn fashion sense from what we watch, what we read and from people around us. I strongly advise you to put effort into dressing up because it can boost your self- confidence- you feel good if you look good! Therefore, if you can, invest some money in dressing up nicely.  Or be creative. Mix and match, and learn about trends from magazines, the Internet or TV shows. The world is changing all the time so we should observe current trends and keep on updating ourselves.

Last but not least, how can a college student stay fashionable while keeping to the dress code?
 
Aery: They can dress fashionably by having their accessories on, different types of shoes, handbags and all that, as long their dressing is within the college rules. For me, exposing yourself is not fashionable. This may sound a bit typical but I believe that every woman is beautiful as they are. They do not need to expose themselves to tell others that they are beautiful. There are limits and a certain discipline of dressing; students have to think about our Malaysian culture. They have to be a role model to newcomers. If the seniors are dressing well, that will make the juniors follow the senior’s steps.

Thank you very much to Ms Nithya and Ms Aery for taking the time to answer our questions and letting us take a glimpse into their glamourous lives. They both have very warm personalities and we are grateful to have met them, we wish you all the best!

An Interview with Ms. Dachaini Karuppiah

 



Ms. Dachaini has been serving the Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) department of Taylor’s College Sri Hartamas (TCSH) since December 2009. After over 4 years of dedicated work at TCSH, she has decided to resign and pursue different aspects in her life. In light of this news, the Editorial Board managed to arrange for an interview with her before her departure, during which she graciously gave us her time and valuable advice.  








What is one of your most memorable moment in TCSH?
Well for me, in Taylors College Sri Hartamas, the most memorable moment would have to be Jog For Hope because it’s my baby. The whole process, when you go through it with the students, is so intense; and at the same time you become so close to them. That would definitely be the greatest moment. And if at all there was a greater moment, it would be when the cheque is presented on stage - because we usually do not reveal the amount until the cheque goes up on stage - and then we tear off the paper and everyone gets to see the amount we are finally able to donate. And that, usually, is the moment of pride.
 
What’s your biggest motivation?
My biggest motivation has always been students; the different batches of students. People graduate, people come in, people leave and so on. But students - they just keep me going and doing what I love doing although it’s a repetition; how vulnerable they are when they come to you and say “Could you help me progress?” That’s motivation for me. And when they achieve and they leave how they leave, how that transformation takes over them - that satisfaction is my motivation in the end.

How do you feel about leaving after so many years working here?
To be very honest, it’s mixed feelings because I’ve always been very comfortable with running the department, so the decision to leave is a big one because I’m putting myself in a position where I don’t know what’s ahead of me. But I’m excited because learning has always been my biggest interest even as a student last time, and so I am eager to learn. However, leaving the place – especially the students - behind is huge, because I’m very passionate about students. There are all these different packets of feelings that I do not know how to sum up, to be able to say, “This is how I feel.” But the road ahead is going to be an interesting one. So I’m excited for that.
 
What’s next after this?
It will be a twist to what I’m currently used to because I will be joining the International Medical University (IMU) at Bukit Jalil. I’m going in under the branding and marketing department. It’s a position that’s designed for me, so I don’t know what to expect because no one else has done it before. But what I’ll be doing is using students and alumni to create a branding for IMU.

Is there any advice you would like to give to the students of TCSH?
I always tell them that their biggest enemy is actually themselves. I have to say that our students at this college come in really talented and have so much ability to do things. But a lot of times, for some strange reason, they don’t think they are able to achieve anything that is outside their comfort zone. Hence, my advice is: don’t be afraid to make mistakes and learn because if you are not going to start now, then when? You have to put yourself out there even though it’s scary. It is a guarantee that you can never fall and the worse will not be as bad as where you start from. So no matter how bad a situation is, you will only move forward. To understand that is to understand the worst-case scenario allows a person to keep moving forward. So with me leaving, I still want the students to believe that and for no one to tell them that they are not capable and they are not able to do it – because that’s not true. And life is short, so be adventurous about it. You don’t get to be 17 years old twice, right?

Indeed, Ms. Dachaini - we should value our youth, but part of what makes our youth so wonderful are the teachers who change our lives forever. All TCSH staff and students would like to thank Ms. Dachaini for her contributions, and for being part of that wonderful change in our lives. Ms Dachanini, we wish you all the best in your career!

Interview conducted by Christine Kuan
South Australian Matriculation Program,
Editorial Board Writing Department.

Student Council President Interview : Joey Wong

Despite a strenuous but rewarding campaign, Joey Wong was filled renewed energy after receiving the honour of leading this year’s Student Council. Recently, we were able to exchange a few words with the newly elected Student Council President. Here’s the inside scoop on the interview:



 
 
1. Did you think the Q & A session was a good idea, or did you think that perhaps a presidential debate would be better suited for this presidential election?

I thought the Q&A session was a splendid idea! The entire session really enabled all the candidates to see what other students feel about college and likewise, they got to see how we would plan to solve any of their issues. As a student, I would prefer to have my ideas heard, than have other people debate amongst themselves on stage. Therefore, I feel that the Q&A session was a great idea.

2. What did you think about the question in which you were asked about who would win in a fight between a lion and a tiger?

When I was asked with that question, my heart literally stopped beating because there were so many answers to that, and yet there was no right answer! Personally I'm not crazy about animals and their behaviour, so I couldn't interpret the question like how my other friends did, such as by comparing age and habitat and so forth. I couldn't do anything else but to answer it with the direction that my heart was leading me towards - referring to them as metaphors. And it's funny because it was so spontaneous but yet the more I elaborated on it, the more feasible the idea was.

Showdown, bro.

3. Most questions asked by the audience were related to the unity problems in college. What did you think of this?

I do feel that unity is a problem that is visible in TCSH. Every day I see people from different programmes walk past each other like strangers - and they were in fact, strangers to each other. So I thought, "Hey, what if all of them knew each other?" I know that friendship cannot be forced between others, so one way or another, a platform for communication should be established. As college students, we should be ready to communicate and face scenarios that are completely foreign to us, and when we are ready, the unity that we all speak of simply becomes one step closer.

4.  Who do you think amongst the other candidates spoke well? Why?
I really can't pick a single name! All of the candidates were very spontaneous and critical in terms of answering questions and those are such wonderful traits in leaders. We all had our strengths and weaknesses and from there, we learned.



Interview conducted by Kirtana Jayagandan,
International Baccalaureate Program,
Editorial Board Writing Department.