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Screening contacts: Building walls or boundaries?

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Brea, Priew & Saran Nowadays, Trinity students are using social media not just to connect, but also how they choose to interact with people online. This is known as ‘screening contacts’ which offers them a sense of comfort, control and convenience when interacting.    Photo: Panus Komontree. Social media creates walls, affecting our social skills and interactions. Why Students Screen Their Contacts Screening contacts allow students to filter who to talk to and when to respond. In the interview, all 10 Trinity students admitted to using social media as their main form of communication, mainly using Instagram and Snapchat. … Continue reading Screening contacts: Building walls or boundaries?

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Can music be therapy?

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Bell Yang, Cherry Jin & Herman Feng In 1973, a group of surgeons in Paris played soft piano music during a heart operation. To their surprise, the patient’s heart rate steadied, and the surgery went more smoothly than expected. Was it just chance? Or was music quietly working its magic? People say “Where words fail, music speaks.” In a world where stress and anxiety have become part the daily routine, music is no longer just entertainment. It’s the invisible hand that can lift us, calm us. Even noticed how, during exam season, streams like “classical music for concentration “suddenly … Continue reading Can music be therapy?

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Same sex marriage: Is marriage love or tradition?

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Ruiqi He, Xiaoxi He & Lingmin Xu Photo: 42 North via Pexels The ring on my finger does not necessarily come from a man.  Picture this: you’re sitting in a sunlit, elegant lobby. Then, the bride appears. She’s glowing in a white dress that catches everyone’s attention, veil draping perfectly, her father walking proudly beside her. Across the room, the groom waits, smiling. This is the “classic” wedding scene we’ve been taught to expect—and it almost always stars a man and a woman. But why not two men in sharp tuxedos, grinning at the thought of forever? Or two … Continue reading Same sex marriage: Is marriage love or tradition?

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Acquired Taste: International Students Bite into Aussie Food Culture

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Claire Chen, Vincent Chong & Hao Chen For many Trinity College Foundation Studies students in Melbourne, “culture shock” hits right on the taste buds. Landing in the Land Down Under means swapping home style comfort food for a new menu of Aussie tucker. The big worry: will you thrive on local eats or spend every night craving Mom’s cooking? Good news—Australia’s food scene is wildly diverse. Culture Shock on a Plate: First Bites and Surprises Leading in Melbourne, your taste buds are on a roller coaster. Lily, an international student who comes from China said, “Breakfast was a big … Continue reading Acquired Taste: International Students Bite into Aussie Food Culture

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What if vaccine hesitancy isn’t ignorance, but a trust issue?

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Baron Ruan & Ken Dong On 22 July, we ran an online survey with 20 students at Trinity College to find out three things: if they’ve had the COVID-19 vaccine, where they get their information, and how much they trust it. We wanted to understand why some people still feel unsure about vaccines, even when most around them have already rolled up their sleeves. The results? Most students were vaccinated and felt pretty confident, but a small group still worried about safety or felt they didn’t know enough. This article uses the survey results and social information to explore … Continue reading What if vaccine hesitancy isn’t ignorance, but a trust issue?

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“Throwing money into a black hole sounds crazy, unless you call it education.” 

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Pooi Ye Ng (Belle), Guo Chen (Sue), Meiling Ren (Mavis) If education is an investment, then studying abroad is the stock that always goes down, but parents keep buying it anyway. They know that studying abroad may never “pay back” in the traditional sense. Yet many still choose to send their children overseas, convinced that what is lost in money is gained in independence, opportunity, and perspective. If education is not about making profit, then what exactly are families expecting?  However, knowing that many parents and students still jump through hoops to get into universities, often overseas. To dig … Continue reading “Throwing money into a black hole sounds crazy, unless you call it education.” 

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Freedom of speech or protection from harm, which would you choose…?

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Deema Thabit, Lobna Al Alshaykh, Nika Yahyazadehelizaei, & Abdulaziz Aljurbua Societal opinions on arts censorship have always varied, with endless debates on whether individuals can freely access artistic works or should there be restrictions regarding freedom of access and expression. Globally, films have been supervised, books have been censored, and posts have been banned with the excuse of “protecting” the public. Supporters of censorship argue that not all art is inherently good, some in fact is offensive, dangerous, and harmful to society, especially children. They highlight how certain content can elicit violence, spread hatred, or deteriorate mental health, that … Continue reading Freedom of speech or protection from harm, which would you choose…?

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“Populism? Never Heard of it!” —— Why so many students don’t know a word that shapes their world

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Bingqing, Ethel & Ning  “Populism …what?” Most students have no clue what populism is and why that matters. “Huh, is that like pop music or something else?” Yep. That was a real answer when we asked what populism means. To find out how students think of populism, we first asked 11 students from Trinity College a pretty simple question: “Have you heard of populism?” Only 3 said yes. Two thought it was a concept about politics, one thought it was something about popularity, and the rest? Completely no idea. Source: Travel freely and leisurely via Sohu   Honestly, we … Continue reading “Populism? Never Heard of it!” —— Why so many students don’t know a word that shapes their world

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QUIET AGENT OF HOME: THE SMALL ‘HOME PIECES’ STUDENTS CARRY ACROSS BORDERS

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Floria, Kai, and Selena Luggage holds clothes. “Home pieces” hold souls. In Melbourne, international students carry more than suitcases. They carry small pieces of home you can hold in your hand: a photo, a prayer bead. These tiny things help them feel at home in a foreign city. They show home isn’t just a place. It’s something you can hold. From talking to 23 students from Indonesia, China, and the Philippines, one truth came out: these “home pieces” aren’t just little things. They are like lifelines. They make them remember family kitchens, prayers as kids, and the taste of … Continue reading QUIET AGENT OF HOME: THE SMALL ‘HOME PIECES’ STUDENTS CARRY ACROSS BORDERS

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Stripes of blood: How poaching threatens the tiger species

Trinity College Foundation Studies Media and Communications

By Hrant, Kevin, and Hazel Tigers are going extinct. Here’s why. Tigers are one of the most significant creatures in the animal kingdom. In history, tigers have always been more than just large cats. They appear in the most diverse legends and myths, symbolizing courage, bravery, auspiciousness, and strength. But today, their story is turning into a tragedy. Across the world, especially in Asia, tigers are hunted for their skin, bones and some other body parts, and then sold in illegal markets in different countries. They are high in demand in the poaching industry. With only a few thousand left, … Continue reading Stripes of blood: How poaching threatens the tiger species