Get that something Xtra!
Source: @charlottelowqh
Open House season is upon us, and you’re probably at a loss as to which schools you should be visiting. All the JCs and polys are rolling out the red carpet to welcome prospective students, and it can be a little overwhelming. Plus, it’s impossible to visit ALL of them, which means you’ll have to narrow down the ones you actually want to leave the house for.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) should definitely be on your list, and I’m not saying that just because I’m an alumnus. Every year, Open House is a riot of excitement and colour, full of awesome stuff – so here are 10 things we’ve got at Open House that you absolutely cannot miss.
1. Grab all the freebies!
Every year, NP has amazing goodie bags at Open House. When I was a student there, I was rather envious of all the cool stuff visitors got. Let’s be honest, the tote bag is gorgeous, right?
There are also lots of other freebies to be had – popcorn, candy, stationery. The different faculties will give out their own random freebies as well, so make sure you come with a spacious enough bag to stow everything you receive. Plus, do a cheer at the convention centre to walk away with a limited edition NP Tee!
Tip: This year, NP is giving out whoopie pies at OurSpace @ Blk 72, so get there before they run out!
2. Go live on air as a radio DJ
Source: @charlottelowqh
As part of ‘A Day With NP Fam’, you’ll get a chance to attend bite-sized classes and experience what lessons are like in NP.
If you’ve ever wanted to be a radio DJ, Live On Air takes you through the basics of radio. You’ll pick up radio scriptwriting skills, and even get a chance to try your hand at radio presenting! Radio was one of the most exciting classes I took in poly, and the feeling of being behind the console is an experience you’ll rarely find elsewhere.
Sign up here if you want in on this!
3. Get up close and personal with aircraft controls
You could be here! Source
For folks more inclined towards the engineering side of things, reach for the skies with Take Flight. You’ll learn about the mechanics of flight, how aircraft maneuver in the air, as well as get hands on with aircraft controls.
You’ll also get a rare demonstration of what really happens in a cockpit – so aspiring pilots and aviation specialists out there, this is the one for you. Make sure you sign up to chope your place!
There are loads of other classes available as part of a ‘A Day With NP Fam’, so check out the full list to find ones that you’re interested in!
4. Discover how fish gets from the sea to our plates
If your interests run on the more scientific spectrum, check out the biotech side of things.
From Farm To Fork shows you how technology can be used to rear healthy fish, shedding light on a vital part of our food supply system. You’ll be able to conduct tests with industry-standard equipment and get a better look at what happens in our well-known biotech courses.
You can sign up online here!
5. Find your future career path at a workshop
There are 49 different courses in NP, so trying to figure out which one to go for can be headache-inducing. If you’re keen on a poly education, but still not 100% sure about what course you want, head down to the Find Your Dream Course Workshop. The hour-long workshop helps you discover what your career interests and values are, and match you to courses that suit you best. Register to secure a spot!
Make this your first stop at the Open House, then pop down to the Convention Centre to find out more about the courses from the lecturers.
Alternatively, you can download the NP Courses app (iOS/Android) and take a quiz for a preliminary look at which courses suit your personality. You’ve probably seen all those articles on Facebook about matches between MBTI profiles and jobs – consider this quiz a simplified and specialised version of that.
6. Get familiarised with the campus with a school tour
Every Open House has one key element – school tours! Head down to NP and get tours of all the different faculties. Not only do you learn about all the different courses from students themselves, you’ll learn what exactly we get up to on campus, and get an inside peek at all our different facilities.
From the biotech labs to film studios to the engineering workshops, this is your chance to see what happens behind the scenes. Find out more here!
Psst – check out NP’s 360 video for a sneak peek:
7. Experience CCA tours – Magic, Yoga, Shooting
NP has over a hundred different CCAs – magic, muay thai, food aid, Chinese drama… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Apart from watching performances from all the different CCAs across campus, you can go on a tour and talk to people who are in them as well.
Head down to the Convention Centre and join in on the arts & sports CCA tours for a look at all the different facilities, from dance studios to rock-climbing walls. You’ll also have a chance to try out all these different CCAs, so leave the high heels at home.
8. Check out NP’s OOTD Spots
One of my favourite things to do when I was in poly was taking #OOTDs on campus. My friends and I had a weekly ritual of taking photos together after our Monday lectures, and fortunately for us, NP has no lack of gorgeous backdrops.
Blk 51, Blk 58, Blk 22’s tennis court, our blue running track… whether you’re looking to take a stylish #OOTD or a #squadgoals photo to end all others, you’ll find the perfect background somewhere in NP. Kill two birds with one stone – explore the school and learn more about it, while getting some gorgeous shots for ‘gram as well.
Source: @ljunjiee
Source: @therealquirkyteal
9. Check out NP’s famous food – especially the kaki fuyong!
Our kaki fuyong is the bomb. Source: @domozac
NP’s canteens are A+. I ate the food on campus five days a week for nearly three years, and after all this time I still think it’s amazing.
We’re famous for our kaki fuyong (fluffy egg and fried chicken on a hot plate), which has been featured on Burpple, but there’s lots of other delicious food to be had. Think ban mian, ramen (from just $2.50 a bowl!), mala hot pot, ice cream and waffles…. And everything is less than $5.
Source: @eleberryy
Plus, we’ve also got our own hipster cafe on campus – Cupplets! Located by the pool, it serves up delicious cakes and other sweet treats, with decor that wouldn’t look out of place in Tiong Bahru. Their salted caramel cupcakes get the thumbs up from me.
10. Find NP’s iconic Yellow Submarine
We all live together in a yellow submarine~ Source
NP isn’t one of those boring old schools with brick/concrete walls, silent lecture halls, and a campus you can’t wait to escape from. One of NP’s quirks is the presence of a small yellow submarine on campus located near the Engineering lecture theatres. None of us know how it got there, where it came from, or even if it’s actually a real submarine, but it’s there.
Try tracking it down, and snap a photo with it – it’s a NP icon.
Head down to NP’s Open House on 5-7 Jan 2017
Source: @ngeeannpoly
There’s so much to see, and even more to do at NP’s Open House! From school tours to CCA showcases, photo-taking opportunities to stuffing your face, there’s something for everyone.
If you’re at a loss as to what you should do at the Open House (because there’s just too much), worry not! NP’s come up with an interactive map that’ll show you everything at a glance, so you can easily plan the best route for your NP adventure.
And if you’re confused about actually getting to NP, there’ll be free shuttle buses from Clementi MRT every 20mins during Open House and they’re 3 bus stops away from Beauty World MRT.
Whether you’re absolutely determined to get into a particular course, or just curious about poly life, take the time to find out more. It’s always good to explore all your options, so grab your friends and pop down to the Open House to discover just what NP has to offer. It’ll be an experience that’s as exhilarating as it is educational.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic Open House
Date: 5 – 7 Jan 2017
Address: 535 Clementi Rd, Singapore 599489
Time: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Website
This post was brought to you by Ngee Ann Polytechnic.