Do serials dictate a dramatic life

Soap drama first started off in 1930s and it has successfully brought an impact into people’s life.

For instance, Korean drama “Man from another star” is now hitting some of the Asia country such as    China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Fans of the drama are crazily addicted to it, until the extend some of them even bought the car which was driven by the actor.

However, does soap drama affects their life?
How can a soap drama make such an impact?

First, we look at the typical way to arrange the storyline of a soap opera.

 According to Dr Merris Griffiths, expert in media literacy, the storyline is usually based on problem within personal or family relationship.

Audience can easily identify the feeling and opinion of the character.

Through identification, audience will slowly recognize the incident which is similar to his or her own life.

 It helps the audience in finding their own identity and at the same time they gain pleasure from doing so.

Zhi Qian, audience of the Korea drama said that she learn to be more confident and positive after watching that drama.

Script which constantly refers back to past event is also another reason why soap operas are so famous nowadays.

The drama arranges in a way where the same characters are seemed every day and it offers an easy undemanding entertainment to the audience.

The storyline move in a slowly flow so that the audience can easily catch up with it even though they have missed out few episodes.

The “cliff hanger” is also another main reason.

Dramas design in a way where each episode ends at a critical point of the story.

It creates curiosity and makes the audience want to know what is going to happen next.

For example, when comes to ending, what is going to happen to the main actor in “man from another star” had become a hot topic.

Everyone is thinking different type of ending, some of them even did a video about it.

When we are stressing up, there is always a place we escape to.

Watching soap drama is also escapism.

Escapism is an element which contributes a lot to soap operas.

Research which done by Ien Ang, professor of cultural studies, shows that escapism and relaxation give pleasing effect to the audience.

It helps them to release their tension and escape from the pressure of everyday life when they are in the world of soap opera.

They can just focus on the content of the drama and forget about the stressful stuff for awhile.

For example, the sweet scenes which occur in the Korea drama make the audience feel good.

“It feel so nice when the bad guy was finally caught by the main actor”, said Phei Wen.

Imaginary participation in the fictional world also provides pleasure to the audience and make the audience so addicted to the drama.

Audience involve themselves in and out of the drama and experience the storyline as genuine.

For example, one of the audience Sin Lu said that imagining she is the main actress and dating such a wonderful man makes her feel good.

In conclusion, not only good casting and good looking actors are important to a drama but also the psychological effect which the audience obtains from the drama.

In the other hand, there is always two sides of the stories. It depends on how the audience reacts to the addiction.

We can always choose to follow the trend blindly or learn something new from it.

Kuala Lumpur, a Caffeinated City

By: Vanessa

Image by Sharon Loh: 

http://www.spicysharon.com/2013/05/artisan-roast-coffee-

ttdi.html#.UxfLYX8s1w1

Having a cup of Joe in a small café tucked away in a corner of the busy streets is no longer unusual in a sprawling city such as Kuala Lumpur; coffee appreciation has become a growing trend hence, the rise of café culture.

According to research by the University of Illinois, with the right amount of background noise, a person is able to churn out creativity more easily and this is why urbanites today take their work to a nearby cafe.

“I find myself in an absolute relaxed state of mind. The coffee aroma, crowd chatter, the sound of the people bustling in and out of the shop, it all just keeps my mind active and I am more able to complete my work over here,” answered Ryan, 22, who visits cafés on a weekly basis.

Researchers stated that some background noise increases a person’s concentration, allowing them to think outside the box.

Therefore, visiting a café today does not only hold its conventional purpose of having a cup of coffee over a good chat anymore.

So, what’s buzzing in the café scene in Kuala Lumpur and why the big hype over quaint coffee shops now mushrooming in every corner of not only the city, but suburbs as well?

Image by Miranda Yeoh: 

http://gumballmag.com/culture/rekindle/

It has no longer become a mere morning wake-up call for most people, but it is a profession for some and a passion for others.

This international influence has been caught up quickly by the locals hence, spreading this trend like wildfire, especially among Generation Y.

Yi Ling, a law student commented, “I like its cozy ambience and the humble feel of a simple, homely environment where I can just unwind over a cup of cappuccino after a long day at college.”

These people truly enjoy being at a café; the quiet ambience, strong smell of coffee and the serenity it provides.

“Aside from the best hot chocolate, Artisan Roast gives off this old-fashioned vibe which I love about cafés today,” said Ry-Ann, a student.

“The music here at The Good Batch has a different indie music playlist which is awesome!” said Sam, who works at a digital media advertising company.

Also, Pickle and Fig serves simple sandwiches and healthy, flavorsome smoothies; honest food.

A student from IMU, Li Shen answered, “I like how they (P&F) make healthy food taste good and the café’s spiffy setting.”

Image by Shannon Chow:

 http://shannonchow.com/the-first-coffea-coffee-in-kl/

As for coffee connoisseurs who truly appreciate the art of coffee making, they go café-hopping to look for the best cup of coffee out there; most importantly, cafés with baristas who have won previous years’ barista championship competitions.

Gary, a soon-to-be pharmacist commented on Coffea Coffee, “This café is not just popular by word of mouth but it really deserves its recognition for their quality coffee. It isn’t like the boring, conventional Starbucks or Coffee Bean.”

Aside from the customers’ point of view, baristas have a strong influential role on cafés today as well.

They are the ones responsible for administering the entirety of their cafés; from carefully crafting their menus to ensuring good quality of both their food, drinks and most essentially, their coffee.

In addition, the design of a café’s interior is also of high importance as it reflects the personality of a café, its individualistic character.

All of these factors must be thoroughly contemplated especially in today’s competitive, growing industry of cafés to differentiate themselves from the rest.

Research: How the Hum of a Coffee Shop Can Boost Creativity http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/how-the-hum-of-a-coffee-shop-can-boost-creativity/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

The plastic rush

By: Paul

            Towards the age of technological marvels, medical advancements have been one of the major pioneers in introducing change to the ways we live and aspire to live.

Being the perfection seeking beings that humans instinctively are, cosmetic surgeries are becoming a common practice as procedures are getting safer and better.

However being a ‘trend’ that is just beginning to introduce itself to the population, people are still unsure of the need for cosmetic surgeries as it is is deemed as a ‘complete waste of money’ by the more conservative people while the young see it as a means of improving oneself.

This highly volatile trend has generated 14.6 million cosmetic surgery procedures in the United States alone, according to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

The British Association of Aethetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) has also recorded a drastic increment in plastic surgery procedures done with popular procedures such as face lifts, breast implants, and nose augmentations increasing by a minimum of 10 percent compared to previous years.

The top 10 procedures includes:

1.      Breast Augmentations

2.      Eyelid Surgery

3.      Face and neck lifts

4.      Breast Reductions

5.      Nose Augmentations

6.      Liposuction

7.      Tummy Tucks

8.      Fat transfer operation

9.      Eye brow lift

10.  Ear corrections

Cosmetic surgery, both minimally-invasive and surgical has been thought as religiously and morally wrong by the more conservative such as Chin, a young working adult who said “Natural is beauty. I do not see the need to change any part of your body as it is given by god. The way I see it, only people with no confidence in themselves do it but well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.”

Ravin Raj, 23, a college student thinks that plastic surgery’s outspread is inevitable as people seek perfection. He also stated that facial augmentations are acceptable but not on other body parts such as breast implants, liposuction and such.

In support of cosmetic surgeries, Low, 21, a pharmaceutical student said that plastic surgery exists in many different forms. He also emphasized that “Even having going to your dentists or having hair transplants counts. Does it not? If it helps in giving people a better look and confidence, it naturally equates to better overall health.”

Toh Ben, 37, a middle aged parent said, “Imagine one day, you are trapped in a fire and you suffered severe burns which rendered your outlook absolutely horrible. Think about it. There, question answered.” He also added , “infections, however are always a risk that comes with plastic surgery.”

Through the viewpoint of the cosmetic surgery clients, Jon, who augmented his chins and had pectoral implants, stated that I am paying for it myself and it does make me look better. Whats there to lose

Brendan, 25, a former law student also said, “If it makes it easier for you to love yourself. Then all the more reason to go for it. You shouldn’t care about what others think too much.”

With all the thoughts and talks on cosmetic surgery, no one can determine whether it is right or wrong as the motive behind every individual varies. However we can be sure that with the incredible speed medical science is advancing, people are generally able to manage and handle their wellbeing and health.

Dress code: Forced conformity?

By: Tarra

Figure 1: SEGi poster on dress code

KOTA DAMANSARA: A majority of SEGi University students are silently rebelling against the recently implemented and enforced dress code, claiming it to be a restriction. The administration of the university put up notices early 2013, stating that it will be enforced from the 1st of February, due to the change from University College to University status. This limitation includes shorts, slippers, torn jeans, plunging necklines, brightly dyed hair and hairstyles that are not of the norm.

When walking the corridors of the university, it is blatantly obvious from their outfits, that the students either pay no attention to the new guide lines or are deliberately going against them.

Figure 2: Bulletin on dress code implementation

 and guidelines

As members of SEGi management were unavailable for comment, Melvin Tan provided some insight into this new regulation. Melvin, President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of that time, was present in the panel that tabled this policy and states that the idea came from SRC. “It was deemed necessary to implement the dress code as it was crucial for both the student and the image of the university. The main objective of introducing students to dress codes was to prepare them for their upcoming future careers where dress codes and appearance decency are considered important. As for image, SEGi is a higher educational institution which is a brand, something which a student represents and portrays when they are out of campus grounds.”

During a forum in 2012, the topic ‘The Necessity of Dress Code for SEGi Students’ came up. The chairperson, Mr. Wong Chee Kong, Head of the School of Information Technology of SEGi, said that “in a respectable university, there is indeed a need for a dress code for it to be able to maintain a decent and professional image and an atmosphere conducive for learning.”

Figure 3: Continuation of bulletin on dress code 

implementation and guidelines

As this implementation primarily affects the students, Hashtag interviewed some of them to get their views on this recent policy.

Vinothini, a major of Psychology, thinks that the dress code is of no consequence as students are still wearing slippers and shorts on campus.

Nikhil, 20, states that, “We’re here to learn, not to mix and match outfits in an effort to stand out”. He emphasizes that as the education is the priority, trivial subjects such as dress code should be of no concern.

Aleana, 19, supports the policy as she has heard complaints from many of her male friends saying that some of the girls in SEGi dress in a way that is very distracting.

However her friend Nur countered with, “But this (policy) is only a response to what they mentally perceive to be distracting. Shouldn’t this perception and changing it be the focus of the administration?”

Figure 4: Dress code Campaign and Feedback 

session (17 & 23 January 2013)

Joshua, 23, recently graduated and now working with one of the faculties, states that it infringes on the students individuality and freedom of expression.

“The SEGi dress code is unnecessary as students should have the freedom to choose whatever they wish to wear as long as it is not inappropriate”, says the previous vice president of House of Fayette (the UIU student council), Bryan Chin. He adds that students also function better when comfortable.

Tanuj, from the Mass Communications faculty, thinks that the way SEGi split the dress code rules based on sex shows they expects students to abide by Malaysian gender roles. “This sort of segregation has no place in 2014, especially if we are to educate the youths in being open and acceptive of individuality”, he emphasizes.

Figure 5: Feedback board of dress code campaign 

and feedback session (17 & 23 January 2013)

“We joined SEGi partially because they told us we could dress as we please, as long as it is not glaringly inappropriate. This may seem shallow, but many of us don’t take lightly to people telling us what to wear. Now, just because they’ve obtained University status, this has to change? I don’t think this is right.” said Preeti. She also believes that it sends out the wrong message about how students should view those who express themselves via clothing.

Many students voiced discontent and echoed that they find that the policy works more for the institution and it seems to view students as merely a tool for image projection and marketing. This is especially worrisome to them when combined with the recent hike in tuition fees.

Figure 6: One student’s feedback during dress code campaign

and feedback session (17 & 23 January 2013)

Some students have been stopped and harassed by the security guards for not obeying the dress code’s guide lines. One female student, who would like to remain anonymous, found the incident to be almost traumatizing, as four of them were loudly speaking about her ‘exposed’ legs. They refused to let her enter school premises and she was forced to return home, change and be late for class. She maintains that her skirt ended only three inches above her knees.

Although some agree that the implementation is good and necessary, a majority of SEGians view it as demanded conformity.  Many echo the same view in different words – “I thought varsity was where you were supposed to discover yourself, not be forced to be what or who someone else thought you should be”.

Music - The ultimate mood fix

By: Sharane

Life is never easy, just like a roller-coaster there are ups and downs. 

Sometimes this can be overwhelming.

We all need a safe zone, that place where we go when we need comfort, motivation, or just some company.

For many of us, that safe zone is music.

To get further insight into how music affects people, we invited members of the public to share their experiences and the variety of ways music plays into their daily lives and mood.

“Certain songs make you ponder over what kind of person you want to be, type of role or purpose you have in this world, or what kind of an effect you have on others around you,” said Prithibha Krish, a 22-year-old college student reflecting on the self-analysing effects of music.

Speaking on her deep dependence on music, 26-year-old HR executive, Nivashini, had this to say, “You may have heard people say that they cannot live without music. However, when I say that it is impossible for me to live without music, I truly mean it!”

According to Niva, “Classical and instrumental music allows me to truly immerse myself in tradition and pulls me into the vibe and mood that the song is projecting allowing me to escape the pressures of daily life,” she said.  

“Music definitely impacts my mood. Some people allow their music to dictate their mood, like listening to sad songs and then becoming sadder because of it. While for others, their mood determines their music, choosing a happy song to suit their happy mood. As for me, personally my music follows my mood,” said Shona Wern, a 25-year-old PR Manager.

Commenting on the inherent ability of music to change moods, Sufia Aznan, a 24-year-old student said, ‘For me whenever I am stressed and rushing to complete an assignment on time, I always turn to ballads and love songs as it helps me relax and focus.”

“I’m addicted to music! No matter what, I always find ways to satisfy my craving. If I go too long without music I tend to get depressed,” said Hafizah Gafor, a 21-year-old student.

In line with her energetic lifestyle, Hafizah says she only listens to up-tempo RnB and dance music, “My music must suit my life. I’m happy-go-lucky and always on the go, so my music must be the same.”

Going against the grain however, George Kong, a 19-year-old Engineering student said, “For me personally, music has no effect on my mood. If I am happy, I’m happy and if I’m sad, I’m sad; music doesn’t have any impact on it.”

Seeking a historical perspective, we spoke to Kalai Rani, a 42-year-old music teacher. “Historically speaking, music has always been intrinsically connected to emotions. Many of my students have varying tastes in music but the one thing that remains the same is that music holds a deep emotional connection to them,” she said.

“Music psychology is a recognised and very much growing field of psychology. From what I know, every human being possesses a base need to connect to something and music is one simple outlet for connection that we have. That is why so many of us turn to music to satisfy ourselves in times of depression or frustration,” said Mark Kam a psychology lecturer speaking on why music plays such a big role in our emotions.

Summarising the feelings of the group Shona said, “Music is the soundtrack of your life, no matter if you are feeling depressed or ecstatic, music is what we all turn to.”

Through these opinions it is clear that while people have different taste in music, the one thing that they all have in common is that music plays a vital part in each and every one of their lives whether they are feeling happy or sad.