Singapore: Lucy Wyse (Daily Life in Singapore)
Program: Nanyang Technological University, Fall
Each day at Nanyang Technological University is different, but my morning routine is one of my few constants. I wake up anywhere from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., depending on when my first class is. Then, I head over to the nearest canteen to grab some food, which often, in my case is a pandan waffle. As noted by one of the local students, “Wow, you eat so many waffles.”
My classes are only a 15–20-minute walk from my dorm, so I often choose to walk to my classes rather than take the bus. I find this time to be very relaxing, as it gives me enough time to eat my breakfast, listen to some music, and clear my head before class. The combination of NTU’s hilly terrain and the heat and humidity of Singapore, however, does make me work up quite the sweat on my way to class. Luckily, per my friend’s recommendation, I invested in a small handheld fan, which has been an absolute game changer for me.
When lunchtime rolls around, I usually grab an onigiri or two from the local supermarket and a cup of fruit. Then, I head to The Arc, a learning hub at NTU, where I eat my lunch and do some light studying.
After my classes are done for the day, I head back to my dorm to relax for a little bit. Depending on the day, I may also have training in the evening, as I am a part of the university’s soccer team. Since my practices run until 9:30-10:00 p.m., many canteens are closed by the time I want to eat dinner. Previously, I would just grab food beforehand to put in my fridge to eat afterwards. However, recently, I found out that another canteen, semi-close to my dorm, serves food until 2:00 a.m. I think from now on that will be my new go-to spot.
Often at these canteens, the employees will not speak to me in English, but rather in Mandarin. While not always successful, I try my best to respond and order my food accordingly. When in doubt, pointing and saying “我要这个” (I want this) usually works. At the end of the night, I take a shower, do some more studying, and debrief with my roommate. Since she is a local student, she has essentially become my NTU/Singapore encyclopedia.
Lucy Wyse
Program Name: Nanyang Technological University
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Middleton, WI