Mount Rinjani ‘09- Reflections

The rehearsing of script lines for a play and the countless practices for a debate competition was ‘my kind of world’. The summit of Rinjani certainly did not fit in my little world of the arts. Before the trek to Gunong Rinjani, neither did I nor most of my peers think me fit or cut out for the rough tumble of Mother Nature. Well, I certainly surprised myself and shocked a lot of my friends when I returned a week later having completed the trek. Although I looked 2 to 3 shades darker, endured several grand falls while descending Rinjani, and injured several toes, it was worth it!

The Rinjani trek has become one of the best experiences of my life. It is something I would want to relive again. Initially, I was apprehensive about joining the trek especially since I could not persuade any of my friends to join me for it. However, the fun I had with my new friends far exceeded my expectations. At every point of the trek I felt as though I was reliving some part of my favorite fantasy book as the scenery at Rinjani was surreal. I will definitely be a regular on treks and hope to see all my new trek friends with me in the near future.

Talisa Kaur Dhaliwal

Skate Day ‘09

Skate Day(20-March) is annual SMUX Skating Team event aims to promote skating as a means of transport within SMU campus and at the same time, it also helps to promote a healthy lifestyle. “It’s my day my way” is our marketing campaign message aims to boost awareness and catch interest in skating. Initially, skaters only skate on normal Friday skating session. Skating around the school is not recognized by the school. Skate Day makes skaters eligible traveling around the school on skates everyday(approved by OFM and OSL). Nonetheless, we have to ensure that skaters is proficient is enough to skate around the school without endanger him/herself, public and school properties. Assessment is implemented to test proficiency of every skater. The assessment includes braking, going up and down escalators and stairs and maneuvering (going through obstacles and cones). Skater who fails any of these assessments is not eligible to skate around the school. However, he/she can still skate on Friday skating session at concourse. On Skate Day, all eligible skaters will be skating around in school the whole day. Activities are planned out which include skating tricks and stunts performances and the finale of forming the longest skating chain followed by urban skating.

ADEX ‘09

“Save the sea, be a diver!”

That was the message being brought across to divers and non-divers alike at the Asian Dive Expo (ADEX) 2009, held at the Marina at Keppel Bay from 23^rd to 26^th April 2009. As the diving exhibition placed particular emphasis on marine conservation, the SMUX Diving Team was given a platform in the Environmental Quest Corridor.

The team used this platform to educate the public on the impact of neglect on the marine environment, on how our actions adversely affect the ocean and their marine life, and how dependent we actually are on the oceans. Another feature was the reef checks that we conduct in Reef Alert, our team’s annual conservation project.

ADEX also had various operators exhibiting, varying from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), diving operators, diving magazines, and dive sites being featured. It was a good experience walking along the aisles, talking with divers with similar interests, ranging from conservation to photography, or even the basic enjoyment of underwater treasures. This was definitely an event not to be missed by divers!

Open Season Dive ‘09

TIoman dive was an excellent get away trip from school. Although the journey there was cold as it rained during our boat ride, the Ramly burgers awaiting at the shore made up for it.

The first day of dives ran rather smoothly. I took the openwater course and was pleasantly surprised to discover that diving turned out to be easy! It was even easier then stepping from boat to boat at the jetty. Furthermore, it’s possible to dive with a semi-blocked nose and ear. Submerged underwater allowed me to perceive reality differently – time seemed to stand still, everything seems so near, but when you reach it and turn around, the people you left behind look really small.

However, it was annoying to have other people landing on you when their buoyancy control goes haywire in the quest to attain Floating Buddha status. Nonetheless, it was easy and definitely fun to take revenge on others!

The second day of diving was interesting. Beginning with the fresh faeces on our first dive to the stormy conditions we faced when diving to our dive boat abandoning us due to unforeseen circumstances, it was one great adventure after the next. Sadly the time came when we all had to leave Tioman, but not before ??-ing (taking away) the legendary roti bomb of Tioman.

The best part about diving is that I didn’t feel tired in between dives, perhaps a little cold, but nothing a little sunshine on the boat deck couldn’t cure. However, I was extremely exhausted the morning after returning from Tioman, but that’s probably because there’s no more dives. For now.

By Hu Jinjie

Open Season Marketing IC

SMUX Movie Screening!

Movie: Transformer
Date: 14 July 2009 (tentative)
Time: TBC (after 7pm)
Venue: Vivocity GV

Please fill in your particulars to indicate your interest for the event!
Details on payment will be sent out later.
Movie tickets will be allocated from the back to the front, once payment is received (on a first come first serve basis).

For more information email SuXian at suxian.soo.2007@smu.edu.sg.

Click here to Indicate Interest!

Bay Escapade 2009 Org Comm Recruitment

Reply to kayaking@sa.smu.edu.sg to sign up now!

The Crew Story

Why does the SMUX executive committee call themselves the Crew?

Here, we bring you an excerpt from Shawn Tee, President of the 1st Crew and the story behind it.