3 Movies to Look Out for Before School Starts

Written By: Nur Mirrah Amit (Year 2), Mass Media Management

#1. The Perks of Being A Wallflower (11th October 2012)

Courtesy of Summit Entertainment

Based on the novel written by Stephen Chbosky, "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower" tells the story of 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), an endearing and naive boy, who is struggling to cope with feelings of his first love for his senior, Sam (Emma Watson), the suicide of his best friend Michael, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people whom he can identify with.

C’mon you guys, don’t pretend you didn’t see this one coming. It has been highly anticipated ever since Summit Entertainment won rights to the highly acclaimed novel – which I’m hoping you have in fact, read. The novel stayed at the New York Times Bestseller’s list for quite a while, back in 2000. It sold like hot potatoes, over 700,000 copies,. If you’re planning on watching this movie but have yet to check out the book, you’re in luck because most of our local bookstores still have them in stock. It’s available too as an e-book, just in case you were wondering….

 

#2. Celeste and Jesse Foever

Courtesy of PalmStar Entertainment

A funny drama about a divorcing couple trying to maintain their friendship while they both pursue other people. Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) have been together for as long as they can remember. Even when separated for six months, they still spend every day together, until when Jesse reveals that he is seeing someone else and decides to break off their relationship for good.

For all the romantic comedy lovers out there, here’s Celeste and Jesse Forever served on a silver platter. I personally loved the trailer. I consider it well done – giving you some insight into the movie without giving away much. Also, how could you not want to watch the movie with all of its A-listers such as Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts starring in it? 

#3. Resident Evil: Retribution (13th September 2012 – NC16)

Courtesy of Sony Pictures

The movie is a 3D science-fiction 'zombie-apocalypse' action horror film written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich once again as the lead, Alice. It is the fifth installment in the "Resident Evil" film series and the third to be directed by Anderson. The films are based on the Capcom survival horror game series "Resident Evil".

I would be crazy if I did not include this on the list! Here’s for the science fiction thriller fanatics because I have never watched a minute of this series. I’ve got friends who are jumping up and down in joy, knowing that this movie has been released. A whole 97 minutes of Milla Jovovich kicking butts and saving planet Earth from the flesh-eating undead is pretty awesome I’ll say. Tickets are already on sale, so go get them!

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Mirrah is a Year 2 Mass Media Management student who, as her mother had reiterated, “reads all the time!” She consumes as many as three books a day in her spare time, and enjoys classics and romance novels by authors such as Mari Mancusi, CS Lewis, and Sophie Kinsella. She aspires to write for political science magazines like Time and Newsweek in the future, and also has an interest in fashion writing.

4 Great Snacks for Hungry and Sleepy Students

By Ho Khin Wai, Year 2, Diploma in Banking and Financial Services

The school term is starting in less than a month’s time. Oh no, the whole cycle of studying hard starts again!Are you tired of not being able to concentrate and open your eyes during lectures? Are you weary of having SOOO many assignments and just “don’t feel like doing them”, but you know you have to?

What better way to keep your focus than to munch on delicious AND healthy tidbits when you feel like you are about to doze off on your desk? Medical studies have shown that snacking (and I mean healthy snacking) can help prevent overeating, improve the quality of your diet, keep you healthy and sustain your energy throughout the day.

These four healthy snack options listed below may seem common and known to all, but surprisingly very few people eat these little tidbits and rather take-away apple pies or fries to satisfy their tummies.

Here are some important details about these snacks:

Snack Bar (Granola Bar)

Snack bars are a delicious and healthier alternative to sweets and chocolates. Each bar is usually packed with whole grains, vitamins, minerals and nutrients. There are many different types of snack bars out there in your local supermarket. If you take “power bars” or “energy bars”, however, do choose those carefully as some of them may contain lots of artificial sugar.

Some of my personal favourite snack bars are: Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars and Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars.

Nuts

Nuts are a good and nutritious snacking option. Munch on some walnuts, cashew nuts or almonds while you are feeling sleepy or hungry! Just remember, have them unsalted. They provide a good source of protein, fiber, unsaturated fats and loads of important vitamins and minerals. These nuts reduce cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of cancer development and improve heart health.

Seeds

Like nuts, seeds are also a healthy snack. They help relieve hunger or fatigue after hours of studying. Get a mix of sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds to satisfy your taste buds. Seeds are high in fiber, protein, zinc, minerals and vitamin E, which helps to keep your body disease free. Nibble away!

Fruits

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. How true! I personally do not like apples (sad to say, huh) but some fruits to bring to school to snack on may include: grapes, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, bananas and sliced melons. Blueberries are my all-time favourite. In fact, any fruit is good so long as they can retain their freshness and is not too big or difficult to carry around. Many fruits act as great antioxidants and provide essential vitamins and minerals for your body.

One great way to snack is to have a Ziploc bag containing a mixture of all of the above. Mix fresh berries or dried raisins with golden, roasted nuts and seeds to create a colorful and easy-to-prepare healthy snack. So the next time you need a snack attack, just munch on!

Photo Credits: www.christmasstockimages.com,wayne’s eye view, http://www.public-domain-image.com/,franksteiner

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	Khin Wai is an NYP Year 2 Banking and Financial Services student from School of Business Management (SBM). He started writing for NYP Portal in 2011 out of interest and was soon "addicted" to it. He has also written book reviews for Straits Times YA Classified. Besides writing, he loves singing and has performed for various events in NYP under NYP Soundcard

Money Matters: What is Credit History?

Money Matters is a short series of articles written by Ho Khin Wai, a Diploma in Banking and Financial Services student, in an effort to raise the level of financial literacy among NYP students. He will cover various relevant topics on personal finance for teenagers in Singapore, and strives to make these articles fun and easy to understand.

As we grow older, most of us will definitely need to take at least a single loan in our lifetimes. “Why do I need a loan? Can’t I just earn enough money and pay everything off in one go?” you may ask.

Well, unless you are one of the super-wealthy, you will certainly need to take up a loan to buy some of life’s must-haves such as a home. You might also take up a loan when you need cash urgently, such as for emergencies or paying off debts.

The thing you should realise is that your loan applications may not be approved all the time. And this is where credit histories come into play.

A credit history is a document held by an institution gazetted(officially recognised) by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). It contains some very personal and specific information about how an individual uses credit. It is the record of everything relating to any credit that you have ever had. In fact, your credit report starts to be logged when you apply for a credit card or get a first loan.

Having a good credit history can increase your chances of getting that loan you really need

.

This is because the bank relies on this valuable information to ascertain whether you have the ability to pay back the loan if it is granted. If you have a bad credit history, your credit score will go down. If the score does not meet the bank’s required minimum score, your loan application may not be approved.

Now you know about credit histories and credit scores, how do you go about building a good credit history? Here are two rules to help you establish a good credit history.

Rule #1: Pay any outstanding credit on time

With great “power” comes great responsibility. Be sure to pay off any monthly payments in full and on time. You may leave a bad mark on your credit report if you default on the payments or only make the minimum payment each month.

Rule #2: Start small

Your credit history is built brick-by-brick. You may think that applying for many credit cards and loans will boost your credit history as there is the mistaken impression that you have more credit available and thus contributing to an increased credit score. Although it is true that your credit capacity will be widened as you increase the number of cards you hold, the danger comes if you default on your payments. It also sends a signal to banks that you are desperate for credit and are a risk to the bank if you take a loan.

It is advisable that you start small, by having only one credit card on top of your other essential loans. Starting small also means using only a small amount of your credit. This makes it easier for you to manage your payments so your chances of defaulting will decrease.

Establishing a healthy credit history takes time. If you find yourself delaying a payment, go back to those two rules above and remind yourself that it is harder to reverse a bad credit history than to maintain a good credit history.

Do you need to check on your credit standing?

An individual can request for his own credit report to check on his credit standing through a credit bureau. There are two credit bureaus in Singapore one should be familiar with: Credit Bureau (Singapore) and DP Credit Bureau.

Credit Bureau (Singapore) will provide you with your credit report detailing your credit history and related information at a cost of $5. DP Credit Bureau provides a copy of your Consumer Credit Score at a cost of $2.50.

This information about your credit history allows you to fix any inaccuracies that may end up on your credit report and make decisions about whether to take up another line of credit.

Photo Credits:

401(K) 2012, www.coloradovolvo.net, www.creditreport.org

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	Khin Wai is an NYP Year 2 Banking and Financial Services student from School of Business Management (SBM). He started writing for NYP Portal in 2011 out of interest and was soon "addicted" to it. He has also written book reviews for Straits Times YA Classified. Besides writing, he loves singing and has performed for various events in NYP under NYP Soundcard

ParaNorman Review

By Nur Mirrah Amit, Year 2, Diploma in Mass Media Management

(Courtesy of Laika Entertainment)

In the town of Blithe Hollow, Norman Babcock is a boy who can speak to the dead, but no one besides his eccentric new friend, Neil, believes his ability is real. One day, Norman's estranged eccentric uncle tells him of an important annual ritual he must undergo to protect the town from a curse cast by a witch it condemned centuries ago. Eventually, Norman decides to cooperate, but things don't go according to plan. Now, a magical storm from the witch threatens Blithe Hollow as the accursed dead rise. Together with new companions, Norman struggles to save his town, only to discover the horrific truth of the curse. With that insight, Norman must resolve the crisis for good as only he can.

Even though I’m definitely not one for animation films, I caught a screening of ParaNorman a few days back. I was bored when I was deciding what to watch and as much as I thought I would be a disappointed by the overall film, I generally liked it. Here’s why:


What I love about the movie:

It’s extremely easy to follow the storyline. It’s a PG movie so you can expect three quarters of the theatre to be filled with kids below the age of 10. But the story’s so good and entertaining that it manages to keep the kids quiet and focused. The movie also includes some really good values like the importance of family, being comfortable in your own skin and not judging others before knowing their story.

What’s not so great about the movie:

I was expecting the animation to be similar to The Incredibles or Dr Seuss: The Lorax. It turned out to be a different kind of animation all together. The graphics were good and its cinematography almost made the characters look like they were in 3D. It will be a little difficult to get used to the animation in the first few minutes of the movie but rest assured, you’ll be fine after that phase is over.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 popcorns

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Mirrah is a Year 2 Mass Media Management student who, as her mother had reiterated, “reads all the time!” She consumes as many as three books a day in her spare time, and enjoys classics and romance novels by authors such as Mari Mancusi, CS Lewis, and Sophie Kinsella. She aspires to write for political science magazines like Time and Newsweek in the future, and also has an interest in fashion writing.

Money Matters: Financial Advisers & Your Financial Future

Money Matters is a short series of articles written by Ho Khin Wai, a Diploma in Banking and Financial Services student, in an effort to raise the level of financial literacy among NYP students. He will cover various relevant topics on personal finance for teenagers in Singapore, and strives to make these articles fun and easy to understand.

Your Assets. Your Income. Your Expenses. Your Money. There should be no one other than YOURSELF who should understand your financial needs best. If you think that there is no need to worry about how you are going to manage your money in the future, think again, because someone else might do the management (or MIS-management) for you.

Remember the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008 whereby almost 10,000 people in Singapore were were affected? YOU take charge of YOUR OWN financial future.

Today’s article will explain the roles of financial advisers and consultants. What I would like you to take away from reading this article is to think critically (and think again) before taking any financial advice.
 
For the non-financial savvy readers, financial advisers are people who you usually turn to for recommendations on specific products (such as choosing the best insurance policy for your needs) or general advice on what you should do with your finances. A financial adviser should, and must, offer good and appropriate advice to clients to meet their goals.

Beware of financial advisors who may just be SALESPEOPLE.
 
In an increasingly competitive banking and financial industry in Singapore, banks and finance companies set high sales targets for their staff. This pressure may lead to financial advisers and consultants having to recommend pricier products to you, in an effort to meet their quotas. Their tactful marketing strategies will convince you that “this” product is useful, and so, many people happily put their money into it.

Now, it all boils down to YOU. You need to ensure that your financial adviser is one who is truly concerned about you, your financial needs and your interests at heart.They should ensure that the products they recommend best suit YOUR needs.

How do you ensure that your financial adviser is managing your money well? Here are 3 steps to help you to have peace of mind.

1.Have a solid financial plan

Know what you want before you get advice. Many people come to advisers with nothing but some cash, not knowing what they want and allowing the advisers to plan their financial route for them. What is worse, they believe there is no need to worry about their future as the plan was thought out by an adviser. Your adviser is not you.

Even if you only have the slightest idea, say, you want to be able to fund your children’s education if you happen to not have a job in the next 30 years; it is still a plan. With a plan in mind, you will be able to think through whatever advice is given and see if it helps you to achieve your goal.

2.Know your adviser well

It surprises me that many people who have financial advisers only know their advisers’ names and contact numbers. It is interesting to note that many people are skeptical about donating money, but are comfortable with letting a complete stranger manage their finances.

Here are 3 things to know about your adviser: their commission structure, character and style.
Commission structure – ask if they have a sales quota to meet, or what percentage they are making on every advice you take.

Character – Observe your adviser. If he to be trusted? Does he use big, cheery words and is ever-so-positive and enthusiastic about every product? Or does he point out certain risks and is more down-to-earth?

Last but not least, Style – Does he manage so many accounts that he tends to give less attention to your needs? Are the products recommended always those having a risky nature, or does the adviser include products with a “safer” nature?Does your adviser take into account your risk appetite and state of finances before recommending a product?

3.Be knowledgeable about money

Do not be overly reliant on your financial adviser. He or she is helpful when you need a second opinion, or some professional advice. It is always good to read a few basic books about personal finance. Once you have that knowledge, you will be able to plan your own financial future, and work towards that. So, no matter what the adviser recommends, you are able to weigh the pros and cons wisely and better decide for yourself whether you want to accept his advice or not.

In fact, before you sign on the dotted line, take some time off (maybe a day or two) to consider the products.

I am not saying that all financial advisers are bad. What I do recommend is, if you need help properly managing your money, you may want to consider looking for a trustworthy financial adviser. And before you do so, it is important to build up your own financial literacy first.

Photo Credits: Jim Linwood, Victor1558, www.geograph.org.uk, www.lacrosselibrary.org

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	Khin Wai is an NYP Year 2 Banking and Financial Services student from School of Business Management (SBM). He started writing for NYP Portal in 2011 out of interest and was soon "addicted" to it. He has also written book reviews for Straits Times YA Classified. Besides writing, he loves singing and has performed for various events in NYP under NYP Soundcard

Money Matters: 3 Financial Lessons to prepare you for Adulthood

Money Matters is a short series of articles written by Ho Khin Wai, a Diploma in Banking and Financial Services student, in an effort to raise the level of financial literacy among NYP students. He will cover various relevant topics on personal finance for teenagers in Singapore, and strives to make these articles fun and easy to understand.
 
As we grow older, many things seem to get more complicated. One such matter is ‘Money’. We tend to think less about money when our parents give us an allowance every month. As youths, we only talk about how much to spend on food, how much to save up to buy a new pair of shoes and so on. As we grow older, however, we become less reliant on our parents for an allowance and may even look into ways to generate our own income.

Often many people fall prey to shrewd marketers, sales people and their own greed. And get their finances in the red.

So, how do you avoid these common pitfalls? Here are 3 important lessons to keep you out of the red:
 

Lesson 1: Credit Cards are a double-edged sword

Maybe you are thinking of getting one. Maybe you already have one of these cards. Although it may be a great alternative to getting “more cash” instantly, but if you do not pay your bills on time, you will end up paying more than what you owe on your credit card.

How many of these do you have in your wallet already?

Credit cards are BAD if you do not know how to use them properly. Interest rates on credit cards are unimaginably high at a rate of 24 per cent per year. This equates to 2 per cent every month on the amount that you owe, and that IS a lot.
 
So, does this mean you should cancel your credit card, or not get one at all?

If you think you are disciplined enough to pay your bills on time then go ahead and apply for one. However, do not fall into the common fool’s mindset that credit cards give you extra money. It is just a form of borrowing where you have to pay back the amount borrowed, or even more, at the end of the day.

 

Lesson 2: The need for a “buffer fund”

Many of you will have heard the phrase “saving for a rainy day”. But how many individuals actually do it?
 
Most, if not all of us, will go into the workforce and earn an income. Many of us will use this income entirely on personal or family expenses and think little about saving.
 
The thing is, having a “buffer fund” is a very useful tool as you will be able to tap into excess funds in the event of a real emergency. It acts as a financial safety net for you and in the future, your family.

With inflation at 5%, don’t save in a piggy bank!

The amount to have in the buffer fund, according to financial experts, is 6-12 months of your salary. This ensures that if any unforeseen event occurs (such as unemployment), you worry less because you are assured of 6-12 months’ income to carry on with your daily life while looking for another job. After all, it is a much better option than borrowing from banks.

 

Lesson 3: Taking up a loan? Make payments on time!

Now you might be sitting at your desk thinking “Loans? Isn’t it a little too early to talk about it?” Well, it is never too early to start having this bit of financial knowledge as every individual in Singapore will have to take up at least a loan in his lifetime.
 
When you start working in future, you may be taking up your very first car loan or housing loan. Taking up a loan is fine, provided you are disciplined to make payments on time.

Don’t be caught up in Loan Street!

Do not be like the common man who delays payment on his loans because he thinks he will have less money once it is paid out too soon. In fact, he will suffer more losses (in interest and late payment charges) if he does not pay the monthly installments by the payment due date.
 
It is very important to follow this rule, considering that interest accumulates very quickly on loans due to the large loan amount.
 
There are many other important financial rules to follow in life. It is vital to learn from the mistakes that others have made in managing money, and to avoid them when managing your own. After all, it is your money.

Photo Credits:debtcovered, Images_of_Money,Robby Virus

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	Khin Wai is an NYP Year 2 Banking and Financial Services student from School of Business Management (SBM). He started writing for NYP Portal in 2011 out of interest and was soon "addicted" to it. He has also written book reviews for Straits Times YA Classified. Besides writing, he loves singing and has performed for various events in NYP under NYP Soundcard

Bringing the Teehee to Singapore!

By Ho Khin Wai, Year 2, Diploma in Banking and Financial Services
Fans of popular YouTube icon, Ryan Higa, also known as Nigahiga, were abuzz with excitement on 1 September 2012. The Youtube star was in town for the first time to meet-and-greet his fans, as well as to hold a Q&A session. I was thrilled to be at the first-ever Ryan Higa Asia Tour.

Ryan Higa hi-fiving the crowd. Image courtesy of Zaid's Photographic Journey.



Held at Wave House Sentosa, the event started off with screams and wild cheers of excitement for Ryan when he came on stage to receive the crowd and join the host for the night, Aarika Lee, from homegrown Hip Hop band Sixx. The crowd had simply gone bananas when he greeted fans standing nearest to the stage with high-fives.
 
Some of the female fans were daring enough to shout “I love you, Ryan!” They squealed with delight when Ryan responded that he loved them too.

Ryan Higa and host, Aarika Lee. Photo Credit: http://houy.in 

Aarika then kicked off the Q&A session and asked Ryan a number of questions every Higaholic was curious to know. These questions were selected from a pool of Twitter entries posted by the fans themselves. These ranged from his personal fears (“What are you afraid of?”) to quirky ones like “Out of the YTF gang, who is the best roommate and why?”

It was an interesting mix of responses from the man himself as different questions were posed to him. Ryan had the crowd roaring with laughter the first, and cheering in unison on the next.

Ryan answering fan questions. Image courtesy of Zaid's Photographic Journey.

Aarika then invited two Singaporean Youtubers - Noah Yap (waitformelah) and Tosh Rock (Tosh13) – up on stage to teach Ryan how to speak Singlish. Using huge placards, Ryan was taught typical Singlish words such as “Bo Jio”, “Shiok”, “Chio Bu” and “Sian” and then applied them to situations acted out by the trio. Although initially uneasy and awkward, Ryan was able to pronounce the words with the help of the audience, and in a unique way that made the crowd crack up.

Tosh (left), Noah and Ryan. Photo Credit: http://houy.in

Aarika then invited Ryan to play Charades, where he had to guess a word or phrase in which someone is acting out. Two teams were formed, and volunteers were selected to participate in the game. Enthusiastic fans as we were, all our hands shot up like a rocket hoping to be chosen. Everyone, including Ryan himself, was thoroughly entertained and amused as the YouTube star made hilarious guesses at each player’s gestures.

Fans raising their hands hoping to be chosen. Photo Credit: http://houy.in

The activities came to a close as the hour passed. Fans waved furiously and bade him goodbye as he exited the stage. Reluctant to see him go, hordes of unwavering Higaholics followed him in a bid to get an autograph or a picture with him, but the crowd dispersed when it was clear he had left the venue.

So, what’s good?

Almost everything! The atmosphere, the sandy beach, the super energetic crowd and most importantly, getting to see Ryan Higa IN PERSON! Albeit a little expensive for a one-hour Q&A session, the fact that we were the first ones in Singapore (and in Asia) to see Ryan Higa in person for the very first time was just exhilarating. I was not feeling well but still went to see Ryan and stayed on till the event was over. Does that make me a true fan yet?

What’s not?

One of my personal complaints was that I did not know how to get to Wave House Sentosa! Like many of the Higaholics, I followed the directions provided by Google Maps and ended up in a children’s carnival at Imbiah Station. What a country bumpkin! I had to ask around before I managed to head in the right direction by getting the Sentosa Express monorail AGAIN to head to Beach Station. At Beach Station, I had to ask the staff AGAIN to direct me to Wave House and constantly worried about whether I was walking in the right direction. What was worse was that it was already turning dark and I felt like a blind person. Sentosa should put up more visible signs on Higa’s event.

Other than that, the entire event was a major success and I went home rejoicing over the fact that I actually saw Ryan Higa live in person.

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	Khin Wai is an NYP Year 2 Banking and Financial Services student from School of Business Management (SBM). He started writing for NYP Portal in 2011 out of interest and was soon "addicted" to it. He has also written book reviews for Straits Times YA Classified. Besides writing, he loves singing and has performed for various events in NYP under NYP Soundcard

Introducing World Record Breaker, Red Atom

Dubbed the 'Usain Bolt' of robots by the BBC, Red Atom, a robot created by Nanyang Polytechnic's School of Engineering staff and students broke the world record for sprints by covering over 6-metres in 32 seconds at the FIRA RoboWorld Cup 2012. Here's a video (above) showing how fast it runs.

The HuroCup competition requires humanoid robots to perform tasks such as sprinting, weight-lifting and obstacle runs. Sprinting requires precise balance and poise with each step as humanoid robots do not balance easily and are vulnerable to falls.