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June 2019 / VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 4

Campus Life Update

Featured This Month:KAPEX

Giving Hearts

Kaplan Badminton Competition 2019

KISSK- Love Letter

CDS Editorals

Alumni Editorals

Upcoming Events

Kaplan Success Stories

Organised by the Student Executive Committee (SEC), KAPEX is a Battle Royale themed paintball game led by student leader, Clemence Wee.

With participants grouped into a 3-man team, the teams were armed with a paintball gun and an umbrella shield to battle against each other until one team was left. The team with the highest points after 3 rounds

KAPEX26 May 2019Story by Ina OngPhotography by Eileen Chia

emerged as the winner.

The first round ended fairly fast with everyone trying to hit one another at random without much teamwork. By the last round, teams were playing with a strategy in mind as some had started to form allegiance with other teams. It was a sight to see team members crawling from one spot to another and it was hilarious to witness team members shooting their own members by accident.

This paintball event was a first for many and almost all the participants went home with

bruises caused by the paintball shots. It was an exhausting and painful game under the hot sun but everyone enjoyed themselves. Some were already planning to come again on their own for more paintball games!

Congratulations to all the players for the games well played!

Kaplan Student Affairs organise monthly events with the student leaders from the Student Executive Committee for all students in Kaplan. Do enquire from us on the monthly activities and workshops which are specially organised for Kaplan students. You may wish to check out the following link https://campuslife.kaplan.com.sg/to find more information on our events/activities/workshops held regularly.

Join and Like our Kaplan CampusLife facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KaplanCampusLife

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“Giving HeArts” is a volunteering event organised by Kaplan Hero Club for all Kaplan volunteers to have fun interacting with patients from Thye Hua Kwan Hospital through art activities. The beneficiaries of this event are patients who are in the rehabilitation program whilst recovering from accidents or illnesses.

“Giving HeArts” aims to enable Kaplan student volunteers to be more empathetic and understanding. Through conversations and interactions

Giving Hearts26 May 2019Story by Nguyen Thi Minh Trang Edited by Ina OngPhotography by Kaplan HERO Committee

during the art sessions, the volunteers were more socially aware of what these hospital patients had experienced.

Despite the challenges we encountered during planning and execution, we felt that our efforts were definitely worth it as we saw how much the patients had enjoyed the activities. They did the mosaic art and decorated the frames we gifted them. It was so touching to see them interact with the student volunteers and immersed fully in the programme.

We are confident to say that this project was very successful as it brought smiles to the patients. We hope that we were able to genuinely make them feel that they are not alone during these tough times.

Laughter is the best medicine after all and we feel that our volunteers have successfully provided this special medication.

“No medicine cures what happiness cannot” - Gabriel García Márquez

The post box rekindles the value of waiting in the digital era and provides people the chance to write a written letter.

During this event day, KISS-K prepared letter writing materials and invited Korean students to

Love Letter22 May 2019Story by Ina OngPhotography by KISS-K Committee

write and send a handwritten letter to their families, friends or lovers residing in Korea.

Students selected and decorated their letter paper before expressing their thoughts and best wishes to their loved ones in Korea. The envelopes were sealed and Lee Giseok, President of KISS-K, mailed the letters out the following morning.

“Letter writing is an excellent way of

slowing down this lunatic helter-skelter

universe long enough to gather one’s thoughts.”

- Nick Bantock

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For the first time ever, Kaplan Badminton Club collaborated with three international community clubs; Korean International Student Society in Kaplan (KISS K), Chinese Student International (CSI) club & Myanmar International Student Community (MISC) club to organise the annual Kaplan Badminton tournament 2019.

The competition saw more than 40 participants competing in different categories; Mixed

Kaplan Badminton Competition 2019 18 & 25 May 2019Story by Sandra LeongEdited by Ina OngPhotography by Organising Committee

doubles, Men’s Singles, Men’s’ doubles, Women’s Singles, Women’s Doubles.

Working together as one team from 4 clubs was challenging and yet exciting. Though there were differences among the 4 different clubs, each club has their own expertise and knowledge.

Despite the teamwork from all four clubs, challenges were still faced such as low budget, lack of manpower, miscommunications

etc. However, with the determination and strong co-operation of our team, this tournament was wrapped up successfully.

We are proud to be able to channel all the positive experiences in creating a successful event like this. The Badminton Club hopes to bring in more events like this in future for the students studying in Kaplan.

Humans, by nature, are social creatures. Various scholarly

articles have addressed that socialising helps to produce feelings of happiness, reduce stress, anxiety, depression and even improve cognitive function, quality of life and longevity. In the area of professional practices, socialising or commonly known as networking, is one of the best ways for you to build your contacts. Having more acquaintances in your professional lives brings in more opportunities for you to share ideas, gain insights and learn from the people around you.

In this age of social media, networking is more commonly practiced on the palm of your hands. Yes, thanks to smartphones and other electronic devices. Networking via Linkedin, Meetup or Opportunity applications are

more common for us to build up our professional network. While these platforms offer convenience, we began to lose opportunities for face-to-face interaction which might lead us to having lesser opportunities to utilise our basic human interaction skills. This month, we will share with you some tips on what you can do to create conversations during networking sessions, thus generating more opportunities to socialise professionally.

1 How to Introduce Yourself

Introduce yourself with a smile and offer to shake hands as you are doing it. You can start off with:

“Hi, I’m Kathy and I’m glad to meet you.” Or,

“Hello, I’m Henry and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

As you are introducing yourself, make eye contact without staring at the other person. Take a moment to look at the person’s name tag if he or she is wearing one. It may include the company they work for or their role in an organization. This will give you the opportunity to break the ice and have something to talk about.

When someone introduces himself/ herself to you, be prepared to respond with a few phrases to get the conversation started:

“Hi Elizabeth, I’m Kathy and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, Jon, I’m Henry.”

2How to Shake Hands

Be prepared to use what is known as a business handshake

Mingle Confidently & Professionally

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Story by Hakim AsfeePhotography credits: Google

Mingle Confidently & Professionally

– a formal handshake to use in professional settings. Extend your right hand and shake the other person’s hand firmly for a couple of seconds but do not grip his/ her hand too hard or too loosely. However, if you are carrying anything, try to keep it on your left.

3Getting the Conversation Started

After introducing yourselves, the next step is to get a conversation going. An easy conversation starter is to mention the event venue. You could start by complimenting the location, then discuss its proximity to your work place or home. Mention the organization that is holding the event and how you found out about it to get a two-way conversation going.

If it is an industry event, it is always appropriate to discuss

news and developments in your industry or career field. If you are a speaker or participating in a workshop, then mention you would be interested in hearing feedback after the program.

4 Keeping the Conversation Going.

If you are attending a conference, talk about some of the programs or workshops you have attended and what you liked about them. Asking a question or two will help to keep the conversation going. For example:

“Have you been to this event before?”

“What did you think about the speaker?”

“What do you think of the program so far?”

5Practice Makes Perfect

Even though it can feel awkward and a bit uncomfortable when you are starting out, the more you do it, the more well-versed you’ll become. It is always a good idea to network, even if you do not need to. Bear in mind that if you are participating because you want to, rather than because you have to, there is less pressure to perform and more opportunities to practice. The more networking events you attend, the easier it will be for you to socialize confidently and professionally.

As social beings we have the tendency to be around people either at

work, in a store, or even on our phones through social media. There are numerous stereotypes placed upon individuals who choose to be or are seen alone – a depressed or lonely person. We have forgotten how to enjoy our own company.

In an interesting contrast, some highly celebrated and admired icons in human history have been surprisingly well known to be ‘loners’. There are many skills which we have picked up from society, however we have failed ourselves by neglecting the most important skill of all; one’s ability to just sit and appreciate nature, to reflect on the way forward in life through self-realization of our own strengths and weaknesses, and most crucially to learn that sometimes being alone is invaluable.

From a softer approach, here are four ways to make being alone enjoyable and productive:

Being Alone

1. Change of scenery:This does not need to be carried out on a regular basis, but a very long run or drive where familiar faces are not present could be beneficial. This is one of the main reasons why people go on vacations. It is the perfect remedy for some alone time to reflect and enjoy your own company.

2. Switch off everything:If we want to be truly alone even for a brief moment, we have to remove ourselves from the world of digital communication. Best yet, one should just turn off their phone.

3. Reflect:Now that you are secluded and by yourself, you should reflect on what you want, what you have done, what you want to be doing. One of the major rewards of being alone is an opportunity to reflect.

4. Give yourself a treat:Order your favorite guilty pleasure food, go see a movie in the morning when you have

the entire cinema to yourself or pamper yourself with a full body massage. Treat yourself to the best things you can afford and be proud and happy about it.

Here are 5 benefits you can expect:

1. It aids personal growth:Aside from the knowledge that is attained from self-development books, being alone helps shape us. Through it we are able to ask ourselves critical questions, make plans so as to put our lives in perspective. It is essential to take oneself out so as to effectively assess one’s life alone, away from friends, families and colleagues.

2. It energizes:There are times when we are stressed out by work, family and friends, so being alone is a wonderful way to renew yourself with extra energy. This is the time to give yourself treats and plenty of rest and leisure, away from the stress of the world.

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Story by Stephen Das Photography credits: Google

3. It increases the value you place on relationships:When it comes to a point where you love being alone, you would be motivated to only choose to hang out with the people you truly value. Being alone can also help you properly evaluate and see all there is to love and enjoy about your relationship with others.

4. It increases self-confidence:Being alone boosts your self-confidence and self-esteem. The more time you spend alone with yourself, the more comfortable you are with your skills, your strengths and weaknesses.

5. It helps you become more empathetic:One thing about having friends and those we relate with very often is that we consciously develop a mentality that makes us empathetic towards them rather than others. Findings have shown that the more time you spend alone, the more compassion you’re able to show to a wider range of people.

With the birth of a new generation, fresh challenges and issues emerge for workers and hiring managers to tackle in the midst of battling to keep their organization afloat for years to come.

The shift in jobs to a more technologically-intelligent workforce causes managers to face many adversities with regards to overseeing multi-locational teams; the crux of it all being both millennial and baby-boomers stumbling to communicate effectively. It is clear that today’s modern workforce has many uphill battles ahead of them for both employers and employees. The responsibility of it all rests on our shoulders to learn how to navigate around these challenges so as to move ahead in our careers.

Take a look at this article https://transparency.kununu.com/10-career-experts-share-todays-common-career-challenges/ to lessen your workplace worries

with top HR leaders and career advisors sharing their thoughts on the most common career challenges that are faced by individuals today.

Keen to stay in touch with your fellow classmates after graduation or network with key industry players? Join the Kaplan Alumni Club! As an Alumni Club member, you get exclusive privileges with selected merchants for goods and services, attend networking events and upgrade your skills through a range of professional and personal development workshops all organized for the Kaplan Alumni Club. You may wish to check out the following link https://campuslife.kaplan.com.sg/ to find more information on our events/activities/workshops held regularly.

Join and Like our Kaplan Campus Life Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KaplanCampusLife

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After Mavis completed her Diploma in Hospitality & Tourism Management at Kaplan, she continued with a Degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management and Management with Murdoch University.

The Double Major Degree gave her a competitive edge over her peers.

Deciding on which University was an easy decision, according to Mavis, as Murdoch University is recognisedworldwide and has a vast offering of over 180 Double Majors, as well as 18 disciplines to choose from.

“In my opinion, having a Bachelor’s Degree is critical to staying relevant. It is also an investment that will bring job security by making myself highly marketable, which will in turn, pave the way for multiple opportunities.

I now have a better understanding due to the hands-on application of theories learnt in class.

It also made me more confident in seeing a task through from beginning to the end, despite challenges along the way.

I also chose Management as my other major as the modules are industry-relevant and adds value to my current job.”

Renee Pak Xin YiBachelor of Business Studies

(Hons) in FinanceUniversity College Dublin

Graduate (2017)

Renee Pak was already working as a Business Development Manager at a funding company when she took up part-time studies with UCD to further enhance her opportunities in the financial industry.

After she graduated, she was offered a role with Funding Societies.

Today, Renee plays an instrumental role in the world of corporate finance as she helps small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) owners to achieve their dreams.

By providing them with funds to help start their businesses or to further increase their savings from individual, and institutional investors, Renee is proud to help these SMEs grow into something more, potentially.

“With UCD, I feel like I benefitted from the opportunity to experience the best of both worlds. Nothing beats the experience of studying locally, while also having the chance to experience campus life halfway around the world.

The programme also gave me valuable insights on how the world of money worked, and was instrumental in my career progression.”

Mavis Png Wei QiBachelor of Commerce in Hospitality

& Tourism Management and Management (Double Major)

Murdoch University Student (2017)

Receive a Daniel Wellington watch worth $279 or a $100 CapitaVoucher, and other enrolment perks worth up to $600 when you enrol in a Double Major Degree programme.*T&Cs apply. For more information, visit:https://fair.murdochatkaplan.com.sg/bachelor/

Tell us how you can make a difference with your UCD Degree. Share a public post on Facebook or Instagramand stand a chance to enjoy a rebate of almost S$12,000 on your programme fees.*T&Cs apply. For more information, visit: http://study.kaplan.com.sg/ucd

Practice Gratitude

Gratitude is the readiness to show appreciation and to return kindness. It is a feeling of happiness derived by celebrating the present and magnifying positive emotions.

Ever heard of the saying “Whatever you focus on will grow”? That is what the practice of gratitude is about!

THE PRACTICEOf

GRATITUDE

1. Notice2. Savour

3. Experience

Give out compliments

Make a list of things you are

grateful for

Volunteer in your community

Do small random acts of kindness

Smile!

Student Deals

*Click on the iconsfor more details

The CampusLife Update is brought to you by Kaplan Student Affairs & Graduate Services Office (SAGSO). SAGSO is located at PoMo Campus level 6 (next to classroom 603). SAGSO welcomes your article contributions, constructive feedback or suggestions. You may send them via email to sawc.sg@kaplan.com. For career related enquiries, please email to gso.sg@kaplan.com. Connect with us on Facebook and Campus Life website.

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PBEP Program: pbep.sg@kaplan.sgMurdoch Degree Programs: murdoch-degrees.sg@

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Did you know?

You can now sign up for student clubs and events via Kaplan CampusLife website (https://campuslife.kaplan.

com.sg/) or Kaplan CampusLife Facebook page (https://www.

facebook.com/KaplanCampusLife/).