Pub08 Ohana Jun (youcampaign)

JUNE 2008 www.spprimers.com

A publication of

YOUnanimous

YOUnity

YOUnique

YOUphoria

3 It’s All About You!

10 Can I Take A Break?

12 Fam’R’Us: We R Family!

June 2008

Front Cover: The YOUcampaign was a major success. Cover design by Sheng Long Picture by various sources

A special club needs a special branding for its recruitment phase and thus YOUcampaign. With this, we hope SP students will understand what this whole club is – a club which is all about YOU!

In essence, this whole phase of planning and activities includes the following:        

YOUcampaign Enrolment YOUcampaign Enrolment Beach Day YOUcampaign Enrolment BBQ YOUcampaign Planning Camp YOUcampaign CCA Drive YOUcampaign Welcome Party (YOUmoovie) Primers Orientation Camp 08 (Fam‟R‟Us) Primers Awards 08

Through the YOUcampaign Enrolment and CCA Drive, we have gathered 481 and 477 contacts respectively. Not that we want to tell people how good we are but it‟s more of a heartbeat of how each and everyone in that 958 contacts means to us. Having said that the club matters each and every individual, YOUcampaign is really about YOU! Ultimately, YOU are the one making the choice whether to be positive in this family. YOU make the decision whether to have fun with the rest or just sit around. YOU have the freedom to break out of your comfort zone and grow together with us or stay put at where you are right now. It’s your choice. It’s all about YOU!

YOUcampaign BBQ: Cluster A having fun.

YOUcampaign BBQ: The Seniors. After a day of hard work they are all ready for the Planning Camp right after the BBQ.

The YOUcampaign Planning Camp 08 took place from 28 to 30 March. It was indeed a fun time of planning as we brainstormed for ideas for the upcoming events.

To end off that game, Marie (Programs Head) said, “All of us are unique and colorful in our own ways. However we need the help of others to make things beautiful.” The planning camp saw many events like the Welcome Party, CCA Drive and Primers Awards being discussed. Besides planning, there were also highlights like, “Primers Color Your Life” whereby we applied non toxic paint onto our bodies and formed different objects for different scenarios.

Clockwise from left:

From left:

Ps Danny, Jonathan, Vimel, Ignatius, Sheng Long, Shi Jun, Sebastian, Meijun, Marie, Stephanie.

Marcus, Kenneth Huishan, Peijin, Aiwee, Anita, Ben, Sheng Long, Vimel Kuo Chun, Steven

YOUmoovie: MLT 12 was flooded with people wanting to know about Primers. There were not enough seats for all in the 200-seater MLT!

MOONCAKE FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS The highlight of the event was the free time where we get to do what we want. We burned lanterns and played with candles by forming words. Overall, I got to know my mates better and I enjoyed myself very much. I can‟t wait for next year mooncake festival! - Abstracted from: RELIEVING CHILDHOOD MEMORIES! By Ignatius, Cluster A

INTER PRIMERS OLYMPICS DAY It was really a worth-while spending with other Primers from other Polytechnics. We had lots of fun and had a great opportunity to interact with one another. It gives us a chance to know the other poly Primers better and work together towards building the Primers as a strong family. Anyway, SP.Primers is the OVERALL CHAMPION! - Abstracted from: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! By Liling, Cluster C

ROUGH IT OUT CAMP Being in Primers made me realize and learn new things and how to overcome it. Whenever I am in Primers or with any of my group members I feel loved by each and every one of them. At the jetty that day when I was taking my bag, I could see from each of their faces each telling me to take care and be strong. Even though, I did not manage to go through the whole camp, but from the bottom of my heart I did enjoyed myself and learn a lot of things. I will be looking forward for other events. - Abstracted from: THANK YOU PRIMERS! By Marie, Cluster B

AMAZING RACE These missions/tasks helped in strengthening the bond between us. Most importantly, team spirit and teamwork helped us to complete this Amazing Race. During this period, we encountered some difficulties. However, we still managed to overcome it by encouraging each other to proceed further on. - Abstracted from: GO GO GO! By Shijun, Cluster B

SHARITY GIFT BOX @ SP I learnt a lot from doing things we don‟t usually do, before the SGB, me myself had not been actively helping out and giving, when people come to my doorstep. I felt regretful about my actions before. But I promised I will help out and give more to the people in need. Lastly well done, people!!! - Abstracted from: LITTLE ACTIONS, GREAT HELP! By Leonard, Cluster B

REUNION DINNER And every time we have the reunion dinner, it has been a highlight for me as the whole family gathers for a meal together, whether or not you have been coming for events. I will always say this, once you come for an event, outing, you are always welcomed to come for more. And I have seen some of the family gather who has not joined us for a lot of our recent events. That‟s why I am so glad to always see everyone there. This is a great family to me! - Abstracted from: YUSHEN TIME! By Kenny, Officer

For full stories, visit our website at www.spprimers.com

Ohana!: Hi Vimel! Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview. We know that you’re a mixed blood, tell us more! Vimel: Most people might think of me as Malay or Indian therefore when I speak mandarin it would usually leave them jaws wide open. I am able to make an impression easily and thus am able to grab attention fast. Also

with majority being Chinese, knowing mandarin would help close the gap and allow me to have more friends. Who knows, maybe one day I can stand in the gap between these two different races and make brown the most in color! Hahaha!

That would be nice! Tell us more about how you joined Primers! I was in BB since secondary school. Those days were memorable as I meet lots of great brothers there and did lots of fun stuff with them! I like BB a lot and after my secondary school days, I still wanted to part of it so I signed up for Primers. Another reason was when I saw some of my brothers returning back to the company in the Primers‟ uniform, and everyone was calling them „Sir‟, it felt “shiok” and I wanted to join them. Hehehe! I joined SP because of one reason that no one knows, and that‟s because I wanted to join SP.Primers (SPP). Sounds weird but it‟s the truth. Sheng Long, one of those who returned in Primers Uniform, joined SPP so like what I mentioned previously, I also wanted the feeling of being called „Sir‟ so I decided to join SPP. Haha but in SPP, we don‟t address the officers as „Sir‟ so I got cheated!!! =p

family. It‟s true as you can‟t tell your parents that today I‟ll take a break from the family and will not be their son or daughter. That really motivates me, even till today.

The EXCO 08/09 will be unveiled pretty soon, any words of wisdom or encouragement for them? Ok seriously, I‟m a man of few words but I would like to share what someone once told me. “The event may fail, but the family cannot break!” So to my dear EXCO, although we want every event to be a success, it will not take over the priority of the family. Lastly for all the EXCO, just

Wow it’s not by chance that you are with us right now. You served in the President’s Office (PO) for 2 years. How do you maintain that passion to serve? It wasn't easy serving in the PO for 2 years! There were a lot of ups and down during that period but thank God I still have my brothers and the officers to lean back on. Primers have always been a family to me and I try to give my best. I remember Kenny once told me, when I was thinking of having a break from PO, that there is no break from a

enjoy what you are doing and support one and other in whatever you do. Love one another and grow this family BIG!

You will be enlisted for national service soon. Are there any specific things that you will miss in Primers? I will definitely miss everyone in Primers, that‟s for sure! There are also 2 other things that I‟ll miss and one of them would be those times when I step into the Primers room and it is filled with so many Primers, playing games, planning events, chatting, taking photos and doing many stuff together as a family. During those times, stepping into the Primers room is like stepping back home; where everyone knows your name and is always glad that you came!

passengers. We always hide our identity by using our secret code name, SPDB. Hehe! Speaking of gang, I‟ll also miss the „Gian Peng‟ club (Yr 2 and above) and the Butterfly Club! Those were the days!

To end off, tell us about your happiest moment in Primers!

Another thing that I‟ll miss is the train ride back home after a late meeting where the CCK gang will try to „psycho‟ others to go to our HQ for a little „tao hway‟ (bean curd) break. We are also very famous on the train as once we step into the cabin, there will no longer be peace for the other

To be honest… there were none! *shows sad face* Just joking!! Every Primers event to me is my happiest moment! There isn‟t a specific happiest moment as I enjoyed every event and every time spent with everyone! I enjoyed the events but what I enjoyed even more is the time spent planning them. Where everyone come together and crap. Those were valuable time together! Yup I am going to miss those times.

Editors Note: I believe all of us are thankful for having this passionate VP in Primers! Let’s continue to labour through the good works and foundation that he has laid out and also wish him all the best as he serves the nation! PS: At time of print, Vimel has already set foot on Pulau Tekong. He’s enrolled into SAF Basic Military Training School 1, Bronco Company.

by Benjamin Yong Deputy Camp Commandant POC 08 The tagline of SP.Primers, “Youth today Leader tomorrow” really applied to me. Like all of you, I started off as a freshman during last year‟s POC. My first event was the BBQ but I still didn‟t know a lot about Primers yet. Out of curiosity I decided to join POC since there was no harm done. I was just someone who just got out from secondary school, but look at me right now, Deputy Camp Commandant of Fam‟R‟Us @ POC 08. Everything all started one night where I suddenly received a call from Huishan. I still remembered that night where she asked if I was interested to be the Deputy Camp Commandant for POC. I got the wrong idea that it was Assistant Group Leader! Until she mentioned the word again then I realised the BIG difference. I couldn't help but shouted in the phone "O MY GOD!" and before I knew it, she was giggling on the other side. So that was how it all started. Then during that same week I met up with Paul, the camp commandant for the very first time. And soon we began our weekly camp meetings with the rest of the committee during the holidays. The journey of planning POC wasn‟t smooth sailing at all as most of us were new and inexperienced. However

we managed to struggle and 3 months down the road we were running the actual camp! Though there were still some humps throughout the camp but I believed the camp was a success which is impossible without the help of each and everyone in Primers. This brings me to the point that Primers is a FAMILY. I have to say the experience of planning POC really brought all of us together, as one family. You might not feel this strong feeling of family as I am right now but I‟m sure in time to come you definitely will. So join us for more Primers events and I‟ll guarantee you will not regret it. And this whole experience really made me “grew up”. I don‟t know how to express myself exactly but I do know that this is a one of a kind experience. Of course I have to thank the seniors and officers who guided me cause without them I definitely won‟t be where I am right now. Thanks again to everyone who made POC a success and I‟ll see you guys more often in the future. (:

This camp has brought my life to another level, it's a definitely NO regret camp at all and the fun, cheering, memories has etch itself on my mind! [: - Wan Ting [Pebbles, Flintstones] Remember when I was just a freshie seating down there and just play throughout the camp. This year the program team and I were the ones who run around FOR the camp. It was a total different experience from last year but a great one! - Kelly [Camp Committee, Programs] I learnt that as primers, we must share, care and wait for one another. We do not „boo‟ each other just because we won, instead we should cheer one another on. This camp is the first camp that was different! - Rachel [Bamm Bamm, Flintstones] I've enjoyed myself a lot in this camp as all the activities are fun and engaging (without a moment of rest!! Haha :P) The games made individual group to bond well with each other and I find it very effective as I really got to know more about my team mates. - Doreen [Lisa, Simpsons]

>> Contact Us For any enquiries, we can be contacted through the following mediums: Website: www.spprimers.com Email: [email protected] Club House: PC127 (Above FC3) >> Credits This issue of Ohana! is brought to you by SP.Primers EXCO Publicity Department, Print Section.