As part of the Southeast Asia Friendship Initiative (SFI) course at the Residential College (RC4), students had the opportunity to join the Warloka village community on Flores Island, Indonesia, for a mangrove tree planting project. 3 students reflect on the impactful lessons that they could have not gained in a lecture hall.

Who pollutes the river — and who takes responsibility? Why do some show up for clean-ups while others don’t? Can public housing work without trust in institutions? These were just some of the questions RC4 students explored during the Southeast Asia Friendship Initiative (SFI) trip to Yogyakarta and Jakarta!

Aditya (Year 2) reflects on his time in STEER Himalaya; "(it) was a glimpse at a world diametrically opposed to ours: from meticulously planned towns to wild, soaring mountains; from a bustling urban jungle to timeless, whispering forests; from the relentless rush of Singapore to the graceful dance of the Himalayas. Between the peaks of the mountains flowed conversations that etched lessons into our memories – lessons of simplicity, of resilience, mindfulness and gratitude."

The winning formula for Huang Ziran (Year 4, House of Aquila) is simple — hard work, passion and dedication. Known for her all-rounded capabilities in sports, Ziran is a prominent figure in the RC4 badminton and dodgeball. She embodies the aspirations of many freshmen, balancing between academic and non-academic commitments. At RC4, Ziran has found a safe space to step out of her comfort zone to discover new sports!

What happens when policy theory encounters real-world experiences far from home? As part of the impact stories from students involved in the Teaching Enhancement Grant - Learning Community (LC) project titled "Design Principles for Impact-Driven Policy Education," a group of students from Residential College 4, led by Grace Ng (Year 2, Computing), shared how their Southeast Asia Friendship Initiative (SFI) trips inspired them to explore new themes and contexts.