Hello freshmen!
Welcome to Tembusu College and the start of your university life! The motto of Tembusu College is that it is the “Home of Possibilities”, and rightfully so. People will oft tell you that university is one of the best times to experiment without having failure set you back too much, unlike in the real world, and they’re correct! Here in Tembusu, we encourage each and every one of you to dare to dream, widen your boundaries, step out of your comfort zone.
Tembusu Treehouse, this online journal, is just one of the many examples of how this College encourages its students to pursue their interests. Treehouse was borne out of the ingenuity of a few students, who believed that the community of writers in Tembusu needed an outlet to express themselves. After all, there are always new stories to be told. Through exploring issues and ideas both in and outside of Tembusu, we at Treehouse hope to evoke a deep sense of introspection within our readers.
Throughout this past academic year, we have explored a wide range of topics. We started off with a Freshmen FAQ , where we asked several seniors to share their tips for the incoming freshmen, and during the week of the General Election, we put out several articles pertaining specially to the theme of Elections. Along the way, our Science and Technology column also released several articles, including one on Big Data.
Two of our big projects throughout the year were also the Tembusu 5th Anniversary interview series and the “A Day in the Life” interview series. Our 5th Anniversary series focused on asking past and present Tembusians alike about the identity of Tembusu and how it has changed throughout the past 5 years, while our “A Day in the Life” series delved into painting a picture of what goes on in a typical day for Tembusians, both Fellows and students alike.
Dr. Kuan Yee Han being interviewed for our 5th Anniversary Series
Our big event held during Arts Week of Semester 2 was our inaugural Showcase, where we featured several works by Treehouse writers and our tStudios photographers in creative ways, such as exhibitions in the Common Lounge and in the Lobby. As part of the Showcase, we also held a Writing Blitz, where we invited whoever wanted to participate to sit down for an hour and write whatever that came to mind, afterwhich we published some of the results.
Of course, throughout these key events, we put out many articles on various topics from redefining the meaning of the word “Phantoms” to how some of us might prefer taking notes by hand. And, of course, Treehouse is not just limited to the written word. Our resident illustrators Rachel Tay and Guet Ghee contributed several cartoons and posters throughout the year, showcasing their humorous but accurate takes on key issues.
Chinese New Year Pains as told by Rachel Tay
As you can see, Tembusu is really a mishmash of ideas. But what is common here is a desire to share our feelings for this place, a place where we can grow just by being with people who will inspire you to do better. The vision of Treehouse is to promote and improve student life by bringing key issues to the forefront and sparking conversations about them, in the hope that we can grow together as a community. And as you progress through your stay here, we hope that you will find that Tembusu, as a “Home of Possibilities”, is not just a fancy hook conjured up by the administration, but a home away from home, full of familiar faces in the corridors, classrooms and the dining hall.
So as your Tembusu journey begins here, don’t shy away from delving into what Tembusu can offer, and broaden your horizons by engaging with the people here. And we hope that your stay will be fruitful, fulfilling, and full of exciting adventures.
Regards,
Isaac Neo and Ryan Cheong
Treehouse Editors-in-Chief
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Header image by Calvin Chan, thumbnail image by Pang Guet Ghee.
About the Authors
Isaac is a Year 2 FASS student majoring in Political Science. He wants to explore and understand the world, but is content with just surviving in university for now. He plays in a rock band, hoping that music will counter the impending evil of Donald Trump. He loves the works of Haruki Murakami, and finds the magical realism in everyday life.
Ryan wishes speech allowed for as much time to think and edit as writing offered. Maybe everyone would stop running away then. He studies business.