I’ve found that my early 20’s has been filled with moments where I must reconcile the fact that I did not inherit my mother’s punctuality, and that I am naturally and routinely late for things. True to form, a delay out of New York resulted in a delay at my layover in LAX for a full 24 hours. Being late to Singapore meant sacrificing the $5 I had put down for my hostel that night, and missing the 53th celebration of Singapore’s independence. Big bummer, but I had a great time in LA with some of my closest friends, so I wasn’t too upset.
After a 17-hour flight from California, I touched down at 7am in Singapore, and met a heavily air conditioned and spectacularly large airport. Immigration was quick (FYI: student visas are an easy online application away for those interested in studying here!), I bought my SIM card before I left the building (which I recommend) and exchanged some American money for local cash (which I also recommend doing in Changi Airport – better rates than in the US).
The ride on the Singaporean metro – the MRT – was pleasant, air conditioned and mostly above ground! My campus was on the same line as the airport, although on the other side of the city, so I sat and watched the neighborhoods go by. I’m such a fan of public transportation, so I was so happy to have returned to Asia which boasts some of the world’s best subway systems.
My first week was a blur of registration meetings, orientation lectures, and settling on my campus, which is admittedly quite far from downtown. However, Nanyang Technological University has been voted the most beautiful young campus in the world for two years running, and it’s easy to see why. The architecture on campus seems to mimic that of Singapore itself – hints of traditional Asian aesthetics nestled among daring brutalist modernism.
My favorite building is the Hive. Aptly named and striking from any angle, the Hive is a concrete-garden building that is part café, part library, and part study space. I go often to do work or rest before the class I have in the building next over.
My favorite building is the Hive. Aptly named and striking from any angle, the Hive is a concrete-garden building that is part café, part library, and part study space. I go often to do work or rest before the class I have in the building next over.
The second best structure on campus, in my truly humble opinion, is the ADM building – arts, design and media. The majority of my classes are held here. It’s a mishmash of design directions, but perhaps its most striking component is the greenway. A grass roof extends to the sidewalk and covers the left and right wing, creating what looks almost looks like parenthesis around a water-garden oasis at the basement floor.
