Stories

By Aniqa Norhazry (25S03D) and Huang Han Cheng (26S05B)

For Syaura Nashwa Rasyiddin (24S03R), journalism is more than just writing. Rather, it serves as a means to tell stories that matter, amplify voices that need to be heard, and ask the questions others are afraid to. As one of Raffles Press’ very own members, we are proud to highlight her story—how she has leveraged her talents in language to advocate for societal issues and bring awareness to issues important to her.

 

The Beginnings: Raffles Press

“Press was a catalyst to how I discovered my passion for journalism.”

Syaura’s journey in journalism began during her time in Raffles Press, where she joined as a writer. Describing it as a form of ‘escapism’, she turned to Press as a comforting outlet. In featuring other people’s stories, she found solace in being able to share meaningful narratives that resonated with her peers. It was from this that her passion for authenticity and representing the student body grew immensely.

Her dedication led her to take on a bigger responsibility; becoming one of the editors of our publication. In this role, she guided other writers while staying true to her vision for Raffles Press: “Beyond just a mouthpiece for the school, but an embodiment of every single student there”. Whether it was Valentine’s gifts in RI or what a day of fasting looked like for Muslim Rafflesians, she represented every nook and cranny of the student population.

Going Beyond

Taking her passion beyond Raffles Press, Syaura ventured into the wider world of journalism. She joined Rice Media, where she widened her scope of writing by focusing on issues like gender, mental health and race.

One article she wrote in particular, titled “How to be a Model Minority in an Elite School”, resonated deeply with her principles of representation and authenticity. In our interview, she recounted the inception of this piece.

“On my first day of my internship, my editor asked me, “What’s something that you’ve lived through or something that’s very close to you that you can write about?” So that to me was being a minority. I just wanted someone to know that I’m probably living the same life as them, and that I probably go through the same experiences as them.”

But she didn’t stop there. Instead, Syaura took her passions across the globe, flying to New York during the June Holidays in Y6 to join The School of The New York Times for their summer attachment programme. She wanted to equip herself with professional skills that she could use for actual journalism in the future. In an Introduction to the UN and Human Rights Studies course, she was mentored by actual journalists and met many other international students with the same passion and drive. 

A Different Form Of Social Advocacy

During her time in RI, Syaura was also heavily involved in volunteering. She served as the Head of Logistics of The Horizon Foundation, which aims to help students of underprivileged backgrounds. The CE01 aligned strongly with her values. Her focus on authenticity showed here as she noted: “Helping people is definitely a good thing. But helping people you truly want to help, instead of something that looks better on a portfolio, is another thing.”

And this passion of hers does not stray far from her interests in journalism. Both are anchored in the same principle, which she describes as “(the) principle of telling someone’s story even though you’re not in the spotlight; to make someone shine, there needs to be darkness, and that level of support to that beneficiary needs to be you.”

With her inspiring words, Syaura’s journey in developing her passions serves as a testament to how one can merge their creative talents with social advocacy. Through journalism and volunteering, she has found meaningful ways to amplify voices that matter while staying true to her core values.

A Source Of Support

Syaura’s JC experience was, like any other, not relieved from difficulties and worries. An initial sense of isolation from her peers, who pursued vastly different projects from her niche of journalism, coupled with increasingly burdening duties and commitments, would be a troubling affair for any fledging Rafflesian. Here, she shares a few tips for the fearful junior:

1. Golden Rule: Be close with your CTs

Establishing a relationship with your civics tutors, and communicating regularly, so they can better understand your situation (i.e. academic/personal circumstances, what projects you are pursuing, your priorities and commitments etc.), lets them provide you with more befitting accommodations and support, both academic and emotional. 

1. Don’t be afraid to stick out

It will occur to many Rafflesians that they do not exemplify the highly publicised image of a “model student” (that is, one that is apparently pre-eminent both academically and in other enterprises). “Even though there are many people taking the highway, there will always be those small alleys for you to take,” Syaura suggests.

She reassures that there will always be a place for you in RI, and strongly upholds following your convictions and values. For her, that might mean travelling overseas during her A-level year to attend a journalism workshop, but the suggestion generally means putting your genuine priorities and aspirations first, and not  letting external influences bear on your personal decisions.

1. Finding your own routine

During exam periods, mugging day in, day out, can seem just so tempting, yet pulling through the hours can be impossibly difficult. “What helped me push through was that I adopted two cats,” Syaura confesses. “People would think that it’s an added responsibility, but it was really a motivation for me to continue studying and grinding at home.”

She leveraged on her cats’ feeding routine to stay on task while studying too, by taking breaks to do so. On establishing routines, her advice is to therefore take short breaks to engage in inspiriting activities while studying, whether it’s spending time with pets, or engaging in hobbies.

Plans For The Future

“I will never deny that journalism is my biggest love,” Syaura professes. Although she grudgingly admits that there are very limited outlets and publications available in Singapore, she is hopeful of pursuing journalistic work in the future, and bringing to fruition her undeniable dedication and passion for it.

For more stories, visit Raffles Press.