SPMCC + Valentine's Day

The Mass Media Research Affair

The end of Singapore Polytechnic Media and Communication Conference marked the wake of our bitter-sweet year long affair with the Mass Media Research module.

The Start of an Affair

Mass Media Research (MMR) was one of our modules in Year 2 Semester 1. We were part of the teams chosen to represent Singapore Polytechnic Diploma in Media and Communication at the press conference. It was to showcase the findings of the cohort’s research study centered on The Impact of Citizen Journalism on You(th) in Singapore.

When Year 2 Semester 2 just started, we were given a choice whether or not to take up the press conference project. With the truck load of projects and tests that I knew we had to grapple with this semester, I wondered if I would give the time and the right amount of commitment to the preparation for press conference.

Pondering over the choice reminded me of what my best friend had said to me years back. She told me that saying “Yes”, could open the doors of opportunities that I would have never imagined. It was tried and tested; the times I said “Yes” to choices in life had indeed worked out great for me. With that in mind, I agreed. And so did the rest of my team mates.

With some push from our lecturer-in-charge, Ms Pam, the MMR teams set out to pick out interesting 

findings from our respective reports (done in Year 2 Semester 1). Next, we compiled our findings into a press release, as well as into PowerPoint slides. Then, we decided on our respective responsibilities of being a member of Question and Answer team or being a presenter.


Doubts 

Just as how relationships tend to pan out, doubts surfaced. I was doubtful of how well the press conference would go, of whether I would be able to present our findings well. I remembered the first draft of our presentation; it was horrible, well, at least to me.

The week before the press conference was exhausting. The MMR teams spent hours in school to fine-tune our presentations, and some of us were juggling other important school projects at the same time. Lecturers helped to drill presenters and the question and answer teams. Like diamonds in the rough, the MMR teams were polished time and time again.

I am not sure if we did shine like how diamonds eventually, but I am sure we came a long way since the first draft. The presentations and question and answer sessions we carried out at the press conference and the Closing ceremony were the best that we had ever done. The project was a success.

These reinforced the thought that doubts are merely fears I could overcome with a little courage and of course, hard work.

When our final presentation at the SPMCC Closing Ceremony was over, we were asked one question – “Was it worth it?” Then, all that we could reply was a resounding “Yes”.  

Again, the affair with Mass Media Research was as with normal relationships, one that helped me grow. For me, it was not just the success of the project, and not just the motivational tweets from my schoolmates during the Closing ceremony, though both do mean a lot to my team and me that was worth it.  It was also worth it because of how I grew with the experience of such a large project. And I am certain everyone from the MMR team has grown in their own ways too.

DMC Year Ones and incoming freshmen PLEASE believe me: Working hard for your Mass Media Research module will definitely be worth it!


Written by: Stella Ng

Things to do on Valentine's Day


February 14th is just round the corner, and I bet all of you lovebirds out there are cracking your heads thinking of the perfect gift, perfect place (and perhaps perfect person) to spend this special day with. Of course, the celebration of Love isn't just for lovers; so even if you have no one particularly special to spend the day with, fret not! Spend it with people who mean just as much and it can be equally meaningful!


Here are some tips from us at DMC to make your V-Day this 2012 unforgettable!


1 Plan Ahead
Everything on this day must be perfect. To make sure things go according to plan on the actual day, remember to plan early and keep everything in check! But with studies and a keep-up on your social life, how is it that you can plan V-Day early?!

Make a Checklist!

(Swear to God when I searched for "cute checklist" Rob Pattinson's image came out)

From which gifts to get, to making reservations at a nice restaurant; write them down. Making a checklist helps you save time recounting what to do next and gives you maximum assurance that things will go right on the actual day. Remember to always "check" the task right after you've done it so you won't be confused! Although if you forget what you need to write on the checklist then.. HMM.

2 Give from the heart

There is no better way to show your loved one(s) you care than to make the gifts YOURSELF. Truth to be told, most people do prefer hand-made gifts rather than gifts you can buy from a store, because they are often more sincere. Hand-made gifts are also easier to do if you happen to not know what your partner/friend wants. Here are some awesome-possum handmade crafts and foodie ideas that will melt anyone's heart!

If you can bake:

If you can't bake:

OR you could always pre-order them (I mean they're still HAND-picked by you)

Here's a really adorable cupcake store whose website you should totally check out:

www.cupcakesonline.com

Cupcakes by Heather and Lori have this really interactive website where you can pick out the cupcakes you like from a wide range. They even have different categories of cupcakes for different occasions!

Here's an example:

But if you're more of a Knitter

Or a Craft-maker 

Whatever it is, gifts from the heart always bring a smile to people's faces, so don't be lazy and start work!

However, if you have already made up your mind to buy something nice, fret not! You can always accompany it with hand-made cards! Like this:

3 Surprise surprise!

Now that you've got everything planned and you've decided on the perfect gift for your loved one(s). The last thing to do is to make it memorable. What makes all the effort and time planning worth it are the priceless expressions you see on your partner's/friends' faces!

A personal favorite: Fairy Lights! 

They always give that extra atmosphere, but be sure to check that there's a power source nearby!

After all since V-Day is the day to show your loved one(s) how much you love and appreciate them, some magic wouldn't hurt! If all goes well, you'll expect that their faces won't be like:

But kinda more like:

So yes, make the effort to make it a wonderful day for you and your loved ones and be prepared to be surprised by them too. (:

Speaking of things to do this Valentine's Day, SPMCC IS COMING! Fun-packed with knowledgable industry speakers from reputable companies such as Nokia, Dell as well as Blackberry AND  workshops for secondary school students, the 5-day conference from the 13th to 17th February is one not to be missed! If you're an upper secondary school student who wants to get a glimpse into what being in a media course is like, SIGN UP NOW! We can't wait to see you guys :)

Here's wishing everyone a LOVEly Valentine's Day this year, and no, don't depend on Cupid to help you with that. *wink*

Written by: Charmian Tan

Edited by: Clare