Get a full scholarship?

Yes, you can!

RMIT library’s hidden

treasure: the online database

Get over the Commercial

Law phobia

SLAMs’ got

talent

Issue 6

Issue 6

How RMIT developed me

Meet me at SLAMs – Get a full scholarship? Yes, you can!

From Vietnam to Washington DC: an adventure to take, and lessons to learn

How to get over the Commercial-Law-phobia

Vietnam in their eyes: Meet Ms. Caroline

Tips to relax your eyes

Banana diet – The philosophy from Japan

One night with SLAMs’ got talent

I love Beanland Library & Learning Commons

RMIT’s library hidden treasure: the online database

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Dear Distinguished Readers,

What do people usually think of when they first hear about a “university newsletter” (UN) ? Boring, theoretical, full of bookworms talking about their high scores? If so, it is about time you change these negative attitudes and prejudices towards a UN when you start to read the SLAMs Newsletter, especially issue 6. With the ticket named “SLAMs issue 6”, you and I will have the once-in-a-blue-moon chance to travel to three fantastic countries around the world – Japan, Great Britain, and America – and then coming back to Vietnam! Still hesitating and doubting me? Go give it a try, let’s pack now!

With the article “Banana diet – The philosophy from Japan” , this is the gift we want to give all the students after a Tet holiday full of most delicious dishes and of course a fear of weight! “As easy as pie”, a banana is all you need for a dreamy body shape.

When people talk about Susan Boyle, there will obviously be a phrase sticking with that name – Britain’s got talent. SLAMs issue 6 proudly presents the article “One night with SLAMs’ got talents” – the British most famous talent show of the world has come to SLAMs! Why not take a look at how the format of the show will be after a long road

from England to Vietnam?

We all know about the phrase “American Dream”, and perhaps to some of us it is the most desirable dream. However, now, the dream will come true through a wonderful journey “From Vietnam to Washington DC: an adventure to take, and lessons to learn”. Still wondering why wasting time reading it? Go get the article because it is very likely you will find yourselves, your dreams, your passions there!

Coming back to Vietnam to see a different but still beautiful Vienam through an RMIT lecturer – “Vietnam in their eyes: Meet Ms.Caroline”, to get ready for a

new hard-working semester with your strong eyes – “Tips to relax your eyes”, and loads and loads of brilliant ideas as well.

Tran Thi Phuong Anh

4 Editor Letter

By Nguyen Anh Duc

The SLAMs’ dinner is one of the most anticipated events for all SLAMS mentors, an occasion to take a rest after a hard-working semester, talk and learn more about each other and equally important, to enjoy delicious food and drink.

But last semester SLAMS’s dinner was more than that. It was a really special event because for the first time we held SLAMs’ Got Talent. It was a thrill because not only we learnt more about each other through wonderful performances and felt so connected to each other in a strong creative team.

The idea was originally from Dang Vu Ha (Commercial Law SLAMs) as he would like to sing to say goodbye before moving to Saigon South Campus in semester 3, 2012. Joined by the excitement of the other members, the SLAMs’ dinner did become a wonderful singing party!

The trio Cao Tuan Hiep (Business Computing SLAMs) , Tran Huyen Hai (Commercial Law SLAMs) and Do Thanh Nhan (Intro to Management SLAMs) opened the show with the song “I See the Light”, a romantic main theme from the movie “Tangled”. I listened to this song when they rehearsed a day before the show but still their song stunned me and other mentors because it was very soft, sweet and peaceful.

Vu Ha brought us three brilliant songs played on keyboard. We also ‘wowed’ for two of the songs were his own compositions. They were not only joyful but melancholic as well. It seemed he was lying down lazily on the lawn while watching the blue sky and creating these fantastic pieces!

Next, there came the We Have a Dream Trio with An Thu Trang (Business Statistics mentor), Cao Tuan Hiep (member of I See the Light trio) and Van (our beloved LSU staff). Their three songs: “Pump Up Kick”, “I Have a Dream” and “Lemon Tree” were strongly applauded by the audience for their enthusiastic performance, especially for Hiep-the great guitarist.

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And now, guess what, I also had one performance at that night! I played a guitar version of “Song from a Secret Garden”. Honestly, this was a very first time I played in front of such a big crowd. I felt too nervous that I at first decided not to play. Thanks to Van’s encouragement and the advice from my friends “forget the audience, just concentrate on playing”, I gained more confidence and went on stage. At the end when the music stopped, I could not be happier hearing other mentors clapping their hands.

The last performance was a song from Amy Winehouse “You know I’m no good”, performed by Do Hoang Vinh (Management Accounting SLAMs). Well, I think I made a big contribution to this performance as I lent him my guitar. For me, this was the coolest (and funniest of course) performance of the night! This is also the only performance that we could film that night, but the atmostphere you can feel from this video was so much like what we experienced on the show day. The video is available on our Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/slams.rmit

“All good things come to an end”. In the end, all SLAMs took a photo together to celebrate that memorable night. SLAMs are not nerds that study all day; we also have our own interests and hobbies. Give us a chance to shine, then you will never regret doing that!

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I attempted to write a poem on Beanland Library, RMIT SGS Campus. Here’s what I’ve got so far: I love Beanland Library

I don’t care if it sounds geekyYou’ll probably have the same problem

Because you have read this poem.

Those were actually the last lines to a poem that was meant to be a silly little fun piece. Sadly, I was stuck. It could never achieve masterpiece status.

It’s such a shame; I really want to make known the delight I find in this place. I mean, isn’t it the quirkiest place on campus! Look at the dramatic entrance, the cute bean-shaped tables, the ‘disco-stolen’ staircase, the fiery red, the citrus green.

It’s interesting architecture, sure, but what I love most about Beanland Library is what I get from it – books and knowledge in every possible topic. There are just so many of them: industry books, general knowledge handbooks, life skills guides, art books, language books, inspirational books, picture books, cookbooks, novels, comics, magazines, you name it.

I’m sure we have all checked out books from the library and found them useful. But what type of books do you often look for? And for what purpose?

If your answer is ‘books that supports my study,’ I’m writing this in the hopes that will you do it for a different reason.

Most of the time, what we study in classes aren’t enough. A successful career in a fulfilling life comes to those with professional capability and essential life skills. ‘Professional capability’ is not one’s mastery of one’s industry. It is well-rounded capability. Well-rounded capability means firm industry insights and supporting knowledge in relevant fields. And with ‘life skills,’ I’m referring to any skills that help with social connection, etiquette, teamwork, time management, or those relating to designing, cooking, fixing things, etc.

Learn to use new software. Figure out how to take cool pictures. Use creative gift-wrapping techniques to make a friend happier with your gift. Spice up that killer paper with a super attractive layout. There’s just so much we could learn! So go out there, dig up some nice books that might not be relevant at all… and learn from ‘em! Someday, they’ll prove their worth.

Also, getting to know stuff brings joy too! The simple realization that you’ve learnt something new today, that today you have grown, even just one bit, can be quite satisfying, right?

RMIT puts a lot of effort into making its library a great place of abundant resources and learning. Make use of it. Make good use of it. Go beyond your favorite realms, reach out, seek things, and learn things. What we learn today benefits us tomorrow.

I fantasized that one day RMIT will hold a library giveaway. Each student can take seven books in the library and keep them forever… It’s just a fantasy, yes, but if by some huge miracle a grand giveaway does happen, here are the seven books I would take home and hold on to… for the rest of my life!

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By Doan Thao Vy

By Tom Peters

Well-roundedness is achievable with this book. Get BIG by doing small stuff. Kindness, positivity, courtesy, communication, etiquette, opportunity grabbing… this book will teach just about every little thing that is necessary for a truly fulfilling, successful life. Personal stories, clear structure, and a good design comprise this food for thought… and action!

Call number : 658.409 P481

By Ben Barry

This book blew me away. It’s an autobiography of Mr. Ben Barry who, at age 14, founded his own modeling agency in his home basement! Ever since he started, his agency has worked with some of the biggest names in the fashion industry, including Vogue, Elle, Seventeen, Armani and Nike. Not only is he an exceptional entrepreneur, he is also a pioneer in promoting a realistic image of women in the entire fashion industry. In choosing models that are not all tall, thin, and white for his agency, he has gone against all beauty conventions. A supporter of women of all ages, sizes, and colors, he called for a change in media representations of women while building a profitable and socially responsible business. Grab this compelling book for more on his inspirational “doing well by doing good” motto.

Call number : 659.152 B279

By Mark Wiskup

I wonder why some people just “have it,” why some are able to engage, inspire and influence others, why some just seem to gain attention and approval at once. We all want to be that person, right? We all want to be “the one people like, listen to, and remember.” I love this book because it shows you, for success in life and career, how to be a person of impact starting from the most subtle skills such as being memorable, turning conversations into connection, and tie-strengthening.

Call number : 651.7 W814

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By Martin Yate

A classic since 1985, this updated and thorough career guide is perfect for career development. With comprehensiveness, fast pace, clear steps, credible advice, and clear organization, New York Times bestselling author Martin Yate takes us through every stage of the career track: resume writing, job searching, effective networking, tough interviews handling and more. Other critical skills such as negotiation, table etiquette, dressing, body language improvement are also covered.

Call number : 650.14 Y31

Typography workbook : a real-world guide to using type in graphic design By Timothy SamaraCall number : 686.22 S187Everyone will benefit from this book. Learn how to present texts nicely and properly, how to make headings noticeable, how to arrange layouts, how to organize information and how to communicate the very essence of the document with this guide. Visual language does not speak a word, but it says a lot about the quality of the work. For the next cover page, the next report, or the next assignment, communicate your keen sense of aesthetics and professionalism. Speak visual language with the help of ample examples and practical tips from this book.

My final words… While the prospect of RMIT holding such big time library giveaway is nowhere to be found (and nor is my poetic capability), you can still check these books out! Make the most out of RMIT! I highly recommend that you do.

By Heath Robinson

I had so much fun with this book. This highly entertaining collection of the craziest machines and inventions (for example, a room that lets you stay in bed while making breakfast and heating up water) from the brilliant, inventive, humorous mind of the well-known English cartoonist Heath Robinson. These fun illustrations are actually Robinson’s representations, musings and critical thoughts on the two World Wars, the Industrial Revolution, and technology advancement in the early 20th century. Grab this fun book, secretly indulge yourself in it, and brag to friends about how culturally and historically significant these comic drawings are (and how intelligent you are by choosing to entertain yourself with them).Call number : 741.594 2 R658

By Harry Mills

Delivering particularly powerful and memorable presentations is so important for our academic venture and future career that serious attention must be paid to it. I find this book a brilliant one-stop guide for those who wish to master this skill with ease and grace. Besides the usual approaches such as addressing purpose, clear organization, rehearsal, showing style, and creating drama and impact, what really differentiates this book from bunches of other presentation guidebooks is its emphasis on visual emphasis techniques: spicing up the PowerPoint slides with visual tricks, gripping graphics, and color effects; vitalizing the data with special charts and diagrams; and visually bringing out your own brand.

Call number : 658.452 M657 (with accompanying CD)

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RMIT’s Hidden Treasure

make you an epitome of student. The RMIT Online Databases!

First, watch this: http://youtu.be/KKIbnNLCh8g; it will give you an overview of what RMIT Online Databases are. After that, you may still find the video confusing (I did!), because you don’t know how to access this “databases”, and what is the right database for you. Well I’m here to help you. You need to access this URL: http://www.rmit.edu.au/library. It’s the library website of RMIT Melbourne. At the homepage of the library, navigate to the Databases tab in Quick Search menu (main menu).

Imagine yourself sitting in your bedroom on a Saturday night, trying to write a paper which will due on…Monday. Maybe you are stuck at the beginning of the essay/report or just on the way to the conclusion. However, if your page is completely blank, it’s still great that you at least have some ideas, or an overview of what you are going to do.

Or even the worst thing is maybe you have nothing at all! I’m pretty sure that at whichever stage you are in right now, you need to do some research because adding a little “credible and academic knowledge” to back up what you are saying is a must. Tell me, my dear friend, how do you find such “knowledge”? Let me guess, textbooks, reference books borrowed from library, Wikipedia, and even Google? You can rest assure that textbooks are not even near what you need. Reference books are great, but remember, it’s Saturday night; you didn’t borrow any book yet; and RMIT Library doesn’t open 24/24 (although we love that idea). The Almighty Google and Wikipedia may help you, but first, information from Wikipedia and Google is not very credible, and second, not academic enough for a university paper. Being a worthy citizen and a good child, you really want to make sure to have a Distinction or even a High Distinction if possible! Don’t tell me you don’t want that, be honest my dear friend. Google may secure you a Credit, but to receive a good Distinction, you need more. And here is “the moment in time”, I’m telling you a secret that may blow your mind: there is a huge, credible, and academic source of information always available that can

By Nguyen Quoc Bao

Note: The library offer workshops and training sessions for all students on how to use the databases effectively and efficiently.

For more information, contact Bealand Library & Learning Commons or Hanoi library.

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design, IT, and local newspapers, from “Vogue” to “Thanh Nien Online”. When you are researching for stories to back up your ex-planation about an international company, or finding the current situation of a Vietnamese industry, Factiva is your best friend!

Go to the “Database Title” option, and then choose “Factiva” from the drop-down list (Business Computing 1 course is extremely helpful in writing this article, especially the vocabulary part!).

Okay, I would like to introduce Factiva first. This is a database which focuses on providing a platform to search for news from many newspa-pers, and I don’t mean “Kenh14.vn” or “2sao.net” stuffs. I mean the “real deal”, reputed, and critical-ly acclaimed stuffs. You can find newspapers like “The Wall Street Journal”, “The New York Times”, “Forbes”, “The Guardian”, and so on. Impressed? For your information, you can also find fashion,

You can spend your precious time exploring these massive databases. To save your time, I will only introduce some most useful and relevant databases, to business-related students only. However, for Design & IT student, you can always explore the databases through the “Find by Sub-ject” option. You can rest assured that there are relevant

databases to your fields, for RMIT do care about every program they open. Despite my focus on business, Design and IT students, to some extent, you still find the informa-

tion below useful.

After pressing “Go”, the library will ask for username and pass-word (use your RMIT ID and Password). After logging in suc-cessfully, you will see a “Free Text Search” box.

This is where you will enter keyword(s). It’s easy if you just search general things like “economy” or “Vi-etnam” alone; but you should try to use the “”, AND, OR to wrap two or more words. Factiva is not that smart, just so you know. Don’t click “Search” yet, you are not ready. You need to tell it the Date, if you just want to see “newsy” news.

Next, which is an important step, is to choose your source of information. Remove the “Major Aus Publication” first, unless you just want information about Australia. Look below the search box, you can see a list including Source, Company, Subject, Industry, and Region. If you keep things by its default, you will be flooded with news and information so filtering is impor-tant. You should choose the “All Source” section, and change from “My Source List” (which only has Australian papers) in the drop-down list to others. The “other” part depends on you. I recommend you to filter “Top Sources” and “By Region” in order to find relevant and/or academic information. You can also search a specific newspaper, using the blank box under the “All Source” section. Once you explore and experiment, you should be able to find the news you want.

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If Factiva focuses on news, ProQuest is the database which gathers (academically accepted) newspaper articles, periodicals, and dissertations in many fields, from business to medicine, even Design and IT. ProQuest is like an academic information “junkie”. Want to look professional and intellectual? Meet ProQuest. It provides you with references to back up the theories and give you some ideas and frameworks to elaborate. In the Database Title drop-down list, choose ProQuest instead of Factiva, logical enough. Unlike Factiva, ProQuest is pretty smart! (Being titled “Pro” does make a difference I guess). You just need to simply type the key word(s), and there you have it, with even suggested subjects! There are not that many things to complain about ProQuest search engine. You can narrow your choices through date and sources. However, I recommend using “relevance” search instead of “publication date” because smartness has its limit. Articles you find from ProQuest are mostly long, (extremely) complex, and hard to understand. I suggest using Ctrl + F to help you navigate through “the jungle of words”. You need to develop the skill to pick up useful fractions of information in exhaustive articles so that you can really make the most of ProQuest.

There are more databases than just Factiva and ProQuest, but these two can provide almost everything you need: news and academic articles. However, exploring other databases is not a bad idea. You can search by title, by subjects, and using most popular databases: EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect and Emerald, which are also useful for business students. Why not give them a try? No regret for you, you have my words on it!Back to your Saturday night, you now know “All roads lead to Rome” - there is another smart way to get Distinction and High Distinction without driving all the way to the RMIT Library to borrow books and spending such a beautiful Sunday to do your assignment. Isn’t that relieving? Universities love academic resources so don’t be stingy; give it your best shot by using RMIT Online Databases. Last but “never” least, as the tuition fee is increasing annually; use your (parents) money efficiently by exploring and employing the Online Databases as much as you can!

Notice: The difference between non-academic & academic referencesNon-academic references: Examples of non-academic references would include the company website, competitors websites, statistical websites or any other sites or media that you have researched. Non-academic references are most likely to be included in the Introduction and Marketing Mix sections of the report.

For academic references: This would include textbook, journals, and thesis papers. One of the five academic references required would include your text. Because your recommendations for each topic area should be based on the marketing strategies recommended for each chapter/ topic area, you may add other consumer behaviour books

In the below example, I want to find information about Toyota, focus on its factory in India, using only Wall Street Journal. You don’t really care how old the paper is. Below is what you should do:

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everal years ago, I thought that I was quite mature and that my thinking was too stable to change in any situation. However, in fact, thanks to RMIT, I have changed a lot, not only in career preference, but also in lifestyle and perception. Therefore, it is very meaningful to me to share a “story” about how RMIT has developed me. I would like to illustrate my story with the image below. It includes my expectations, my thoughts of RMIT,

the skills I have possessed and developed at university. My illustrated timeline starts from the year I first came to RMIT (2010) and ends in my graduation year (2013). The whole process reminds me of a pretty interesting and fundamental topic in Management Accounting – three types of inventory. It could be considered that the point of 2010 was Raw-Materials, when most of my abilities were raw. I am now “Work-in-process” as I am still in the process of studying and growing at RMIT. Finally, at the point of graduation, hopefully I will be at the stage of “Finished Goods”.

By H.T

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2010 – Raw materialsIn 2010, I stated that the main reason when I wanted to apply to become an RMIT student was that: “The university provides an international studying environment right in Vietnam”. Exactly at the same time, I dreamed of becoming an accountant or an auditor in the future. The reasons were very simple. I had an aptitude for Math and had some characteristics outstandingly suitable for accountancy like carefulness and seriousness, which I would like to refer to as “raw abilities”. Therefore, I completely believed that I would probably be an accountant in the future.

2012- Work in processIn 2012, after two years of studying in RMIT, I find it quite tempting and interesting to look back on how much I have changed. In the past I merely thought that RMIT would train me to become a good candidate for many job offerings. I myself now do believe that RMIT has provided me with many things that may lead to my success in the future. In addition, RMIT has helped me grow up and be more mature.But I am not going to write about how good RMIT is in terms of its studying environment or career opportunities like many advertising campaigns already did before. Personally, the most important thing I could learn from RMIT is how to live towards great capacity and how to use my own initiative. In fact, before studying at RMIT, my main activities were learning and doing my hobbies at my leisure. This provided me with a great concentration and success in academic results but I did not gain much experience in soft skills as I expected (especially in communication and time management). So I thought that I was just a normal person that could not do anything different from what is usual. But those words below will clearly demonstrate how RMIT has influenced my ways of living.At RMIT, I only have 9 – 12 hours for each lecture, so I am faced with too much free time. I have developed a new style of living, in which I try to participate in many extra-curricular activities (Events club, SLAMs, Environment Club, SIFE, SCEC, volunteer work…) to take advantage of my free time and fulfill my self-development. At that moment, I did realize that I was really terrified of multitasking. Too many outdoor activities and learning in three courses at the same time made me feel exhausted and distracted. Thus, learning how to manage time effectively was my first priority. I only focused on some certain activities in each semester, kept an RMIT diary to keep track with the assignment deadlines, exams and other minor activities. On the other hand, I still balanced to pursue my personal interests (listening to music, watching films, reading novels and so on). My last year experienced a quite condensed timetable but a lot of fun and time management practices. I felt I was one step closer to my potential day by day and lived towards capacity and to the fullest.Furthermore, from attending these outdoor activities, I

have learned to see things from many different aspects. By working in several clubs, I have learned that leading skill was not natural-born. Leadership qualities could be achieved from accumulated experiences, and everyone could make changes and implement innovation. For example, there were a number of students finding the Microsoft Mail annoying, but no one was aware of raising their voice and taking action. Nonetheless, one of my friends did take this as a serious problem and suggested Gmail, which turned out to be a huge improvement in communication within RMIT community. Moreover, some of my friends broke the record by “taking away the SIFE championship” from the 2-consecutive-year winner (National Economics University) with the motivation that: “Our projects are as good as theirs, how can alumni say we have a very small chance of a prize?” All of these things and many other untold stories have encouraged me a lot. I want to be like my friends.With the thought in mind, I have made a positive contribution to the working practice in our SIFE project. Besides, I am a core member and also one of the founders of Student Council – a place where personal voices are heard and treated with respect, a place where all can come for support and can stand up for their rights.

At the current time, I have a more detailed plan about my future career. I give some jobs I considered before as “accountant or auditor” a more specific name such as Management Accountant or Financial Accountant, Internal or External Auditor… What is more, RMIT gives me many chances to practice entrepreneurial and management skills. Entrepreneurial Process course together with leadership experiences from clubs and other activities triggered my desire to become an entrepreneur or manager and to make innovation. What I have known about social enterprises and obtained from working at SIFE also strongly assisted me in applying business knowledge to help solve social problems and to improve things better.

Future – Finished goodsFor the time being, I do not really know which dreams I will have in mind at the moment of graduation. However, I can say that it will be a bigger dream than the dream I have now. It is something broader than accountancy and social impacts. And from now on, I am sure that I certainly have more skills and capabilities to pursue my bigger dream.

To sum up, I would like to express my gratitude towards RMIT for having provided me with plenty of opportunities to grow up into a better individual, not only in my specialization but also in my personality, and exactly as“work hard but also play hard” as a saying of the RMIT lecturer – Mr Michael Clifford. Last but not least, I want to deliver this message to all of you: RMIT will change you, and you will also change RMIT in your own way.

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Get a full RMIT

scholarship while studying?

By Nguyen Tran Mai Anh

ast October marked my first year at RMIT. My short time here has been filled with great memories and important learning experiences. To cap it off, I was recently awarded a full

scholarship. As a very supportive institution, RMIT continuously rewards dedicated and hard-working students. While the scholarship is certainly an achievement to be proud of, it is also something that immensely motivates me to achieve my goals at RMIT and in the future. Applying for a scholarship is a detailed, time-consuming and even daunting process. It does not start from the day that you decide to apply; it begins on the first day of high school because everything from that point onwards is significant towards the application. Your records are critical because the Scholarship Committee will take a comprehensive look at your progress over a long period of time. Unlike the scholarship portfolio that can be prepared in a few days, the content is an accumulation of effort and achievements that cannot be attained overnight. A competitive scholarship candidate is one that is well-rounded, takes their studies very seriously, shows determination and demonstrates strong leadership skills. So if you are in it to win it, get started as soon as possible because it is never too early.

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Meet me at SLAMs

A year ago, I was very new to how things worked at RMIT. In high school, students’ learning centred around very straightforward contents and clear instructions from teachers. It was very hard to go wrong. At university, it is a different ball game. Lectures often present a plethora of new content that can be difficult to understand in one go. There is a much higher level of maturity, attentiveness and understanding that is expected to be seen from students. Should you feel that you do not understand a particular lecture, do not sit there waiting for answers. The best advice at RMIT: BE PROACTIVE. If you are having trouble, arrange a meeting with a lecturer to discuss your issues. Professors at RMIT are highly supportive and willing to help students outside class. Furthermore, your fellow peers can help in enriching your educational experiences. Studying with peers can be far more enjoyable than staying late at night to cram tons of information. Although RMIT creates a very comfortable and academically stimulating environment, the learning experience is largely built up from independence. Students are expected to take a proactive approach to learning and to actively seek assistance. Remember that the experience is what you make of it. Do not hesitate and take responsibility for yourself. Last but not least, always stay positive because the right mindset will go a long way!

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Meet me at SLAMs

F

rom Vietnam to Washington DC

By Quyen Ngoc Khanh

National Champion

In July 2012, on behalf of Enactus RMIT Hanoi, 6 students including me formed a competing team called “Talaconbo” (our online group nickname) to submit these projects to the

National Competition. Amazingly, we won the National Championship, which was held by our closest rival- NEU (National Economic University) twice. It may sound easy to get, but behind this victory, generations of Enactus members have tried so hard. Hence, this championship is absolutely not something that “falls from the sky”, but the best way to recognize our efforts and workload. This championship also took us to the bigger opportunity to meet other teams in the Enactus World Cup in Washington DC.

Enactus World Cup in Washington DC – another way to trophy and recognition

Opening Ceremony & Culture Fair

In the Opening Ceremony, there was a live performance from K’Naan – Waving Flags, which really boosted people’s feelings to

excitement. There was also Culture Fair where all the teams could set up their booths full of food, souvenirs…

etc to briefly introduce their cultures to other friends worldwide.

During the competition, at first, honestly all we thought was to bring the trophy or any prize to our Enactus RMIT Hanoi, or broader, Enactus Vietnam. However, the moment when we saw other countries’ flags, their traditional costumes and food…etc, we were so touched that we recognize how meaningful it was to be Vietnamese representatives and especially felt our patriotic sense.

Another unforgettable moment was when they pumped up the music in the hall. Surprisingly, it turned out to be that the language (English) is not the only way for us to communicate and share feelings. Music itself can do it. It seemed like no boundaries or competition ever existed, but just the happy and friendly atmosphere covered the whole space.

Competition day

We tried our best that day. We did the presentation quite well without choking or mumbling but confidently. The judges also asked critical and interesting questions. After our presentation, Madame Ton Nu Thi Ninh (Enactus Vietnam Advisory Board) gave us compliments for our confidence and transparency in the presentation.

Finishing our challenging task, we felt so relieved and

Being in the Enactus World Cup 2012 is one of my most indelible memories. This event not only included 38 countries to compete with a lot of cultural colors but also gave me great inspiration, precious lessons and various emotions.

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comfortable as we did our best and had nothing to regret. Nonetheless, it was a shock to us when they did not call “Vietnam” as a winner in the opening round result. I still remember that silent moment after they finished announcing 2 teams in our league for the next round. Everyone in our team was stunned and drowned in their own thoughts. That evening was very memorable, when all of us, the first time ever, were all quiet and did not talk to each other much. We were still confused about the reason why we could not enter the next round. However, we still had to keep moving forward, for the future.

Final round awards ceremony

The performances from final-round teams have stirred up many thoughts, especially the one from Belmont University, America. It gave me a deep impression of simplicity yet of significant impacts on those who were in need such as orphans, criminals, prostitutes…etc. In addition to the concept, their presentation was articulate, being accompanied by meaningful message and touching images from the clip. At the moment, I somehow acknowledged why our team had not made it to the next round, and there came a reflection upon what we had done, a vision of our Enactus in the future where it would have been improved to become more effective and widespread.

During break-time I had a chance to talk with other teams. As you may know, universities from the US needed to pass the regional competition so as to qualify for the national

The next morning, after recalling critical questions from the judges, I thought the reason might lie on the fact that we did not apply enough business and entrepreneurial tools to solve the problems and run projects. In details, the judges asked questions which clearly showed their interest in entrepreneurship and business factors. For example, one of them asked us what source of finance we had to expand Humanity Cafe model to other Autism centers. Finding out the reason for our failure, we seemed to get the motivation to move forward, to try harder for the next time, and particularly to be hungry for the victory, once again.

one, which meant that it was highly competitive. The president of the team with 20 members that used to be in top 20 in the USA National competition admitted it was fairly challenging to function his team smoothly and they were having 13 projects in progress. They also said that participating in Enactus team earned them actual credits for some courses like Entrepreneurship and Business.

About the final-award ceremony, it was a great moment when we witnessed Enactus executives from many parts of the world giving speeches and sharing their stories. There is a saying that still lingers in my mind: “Remember that getting a trophy is not about YOUR winning, the trophy comes after you try your best to HELP OTHER people.”

Alvin Rohrs, CEO of Enactus worldwide also has a saying

that all of us will not forget: “Close your eyes. In your mind think of one project as your favorite, narrow that down to one person in that project that you help the most. Look at their face and their eyes, and remember that moment when you knew you have changed their lives forever and they have changed yours. That’s your trophy for this year. You can carry it with you for your entire life and no one can take it away from you.”

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ConclusionAt the very last moments of the ceremony, my thoughts flashed back to the old days when we were together in the Talaconbo group. Three months of working, laughing, sharing, and even getting frustrated at times, we experienced both victories and defeats, both preparation and results together. There were moments we let our anger take control of ourselves, allowed ourselves to be not punctual or were driven fatigued. All of these have drawn us closer to each other and left unforgettable moments in our hearts. It was great to know that our Enactus RMIT Hanoi wished us all the best, so that we would work so hard to deserve to be the champion.

Through thick and thin, Enactus RMIT Hanoi is still united, with much support from our faculty advisors - Mark Peterson and his wife, who are not only enthusiastic but also caring, from our business advisors – Dan, Andrew, Mr. Hiep, and Ms. Thao,… who have assisted us in every way they can, from Mr. John Crook and RMIT school board, from Linda and other RMIT lecturers, who have given us motivation and professional advice, and last but not least from Miss Binh and Enactus Vietnam.

To Enactus RMIT Hanoi, I hope that we not only have fun working together but also grow stronger together. From our activities, we will make great contributions to our society. (I know that it may sound cliched, but we are young, passionate and get access to good education, so we stand a real chance.)

Alvin and his trophy

“When I was at university, our school did not want us to attend the Regional competition as they thought we would embarrass the whole school. However, we called our faculty advisor at 4 am, saying that we all went to the competition. At that day, we actually did embarrass our school. People asked me why I wanted to be the CEO, the reason was that this was the only way I could get to the National Competition.

Also, it would be a great honor if I have my name on the trophy. Ellen, who is here today, was the main presenter of the first Enactus winning team. She has volunteered in Enactus for years, and always teased me that she was the one who got the trophy, I didn’t get it. Ellen, my name is on the trophy now.”

- Alvin Rohrs -

Alvin

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By Tran Thi Phuong Anh

How to get over the Commercial-law-

phobia

1. “The old tip is the good one”: Write as much as you can in order to get used to some common types of questions in the exam.

2. Take advantage of the Discussion Board: Even if you might not post your answers, you still find the most typical example (and sample answers) for most of the issues.

3. Try to read the rules until you are totally familiar with them. This helps identify the rules faster and finally save lots of time during the exams.

4. Make the most of your network: ask for some extra handouts and advice from experienced and trustworthy students (like SLAMs).

5. Cheat sheet is your strongest weapon as long as it is simple and relevant. Have your own cheat sheet and try to get accustomed to it as much as you can.

6. Make sure you use your time in the most effective way. Do not write too much for questions with low marks.

7. “Little things count big”: Take notice of all details given in the case. Sometimes just a few words can change the whole solution for a question.

8. Attend all of the lectures and tutorials-they are not for fun!

9. Group study is not a bad idea.

10.Slides are the most fundamental things in Commercial Law, as outlines usually include the rules of law which are not used anymore and changed by now. However, do not underestimate books - they are your great companies.

15

Me: Could you please introduce yourself?

Caroline: My name is Caroline. I am French and I have been teaching at RMIT for 1.5 years.

Me: Which subjects are you majoring at the moment?

Caroline: They are marketing principles and global marketing.

Me: Global marketing is the new major in Vietnam. What did you prepare for this course?

Caroline: I received materials from Melbourne and adapted it to the Vietnamese contexts.

Me: It sounds interesting. Do you like teaching it?

Caroline: Yes. I like it a lot. I really love my job.

Me: Why did you decide to come to Vietnam?

Caroline: Well, my parents are Vietnamese and I love to work in Asia. When I first came to Vietnam in 2007, I immediately fell in love with the country, the people and the culture here. I thought Vietnam now is “the place to be” because there are many opportunities here for young people like me, so I thought “Why not?” and then decided to give it a try. Therefore, I am here.

Me: Why did you decide to become a teacher, is it on your plan or by accident?

Caroline: It was by accident actually. One of my best friends said that RMIT Vietnam was always looking for new lectures. I love to work with people, especially with children. Then I just wondered “How about giving it a try?”. Moreover, I would like to do something different, you know, out of the comfort zone. That is how I become a teacher.

Me: Tell me about what do you think about Vietnamese students. Do you prefer teaching Vietnamese students to Westerns?

Caroline: Well, you know, when I started teaching at RMIT, uhm, we had the staff party to welcome all the new lecturers. I was told that Vietnamese students were very shy, they did not participate in classroom activities, we had to work hard to motivate students. I have to say that some Vietnamese students are very shy. On the other hand, some are very sociable, active and easy-going. In general, Vietnamese students are very respectful, sweet and lovely.

Me: How do you feel about Vietnam after several years living and working here?

Caroline: Life is good in Vietnam. But the main point is the people here. I admire them. They are family-oriented, working hard to find out solutions. They have their own values. So I love people here most.

Me: So, what do you dislike about Vietnam?

Caroline: The only thing I dislike about Vietnam is traffic here. It is too dangerous. And I hope young people like you could change that. It is just too risky to drive like that.

Me: Let’s end this interview with a question about the future. What is your future plan?

Caroline: I plan to stay in Vietnam in two more years. After then I am not sure what I will do next. Coming back to the industry or getting a PhD is not a bad idea.

Me: All the best for your future. Thank you very much for sharing with me!

Caroline: You are welcome. It is a great chance to talk with you as well!

Vietnam in their eyes: Meet Ms. Caroline

By Tran Thi Hong Trang

16

Being overloaded with studying and working will make your body tired, especially your eyes. Student Council General Representative Luu Thanh Huyen will guide you to do an exercise to relax the tired eyes after long hours of stressful studying.

Step 1: Sit down and put your elbows on the table, rub your palms vigorously and place them lightly on your eye lids for about 30 seconds. Then, relax and breathe deeply to release the tension from the eyes. Follow and repeat this step four times. It will reduce tiredness slowly but surely.

Step 2: Slowly lower your head until the chin touches the sternum for three seconds, then slowly raise your head back to the rear. Next, gently turn your head to the left, retain the position for 3 seconds, then turn right. Repeat this movement from five to ten times. This step prevents you from neck strain and dry eyes.

Step 3: Stare at an object 30 cm away, after a few moments, look out the window and the surroundings to relax. This step aims to change your focus and relax muscles connected with eyes .

Step 4: After studying for an hour, you should take a 5-minute break to relax your eyes by looking away from the computer or the table. just look around for four to five seconds and then continue working. This will help your eyes avoid tiredness. Moreover, you should look at the grasses and trees because green is the most soothing color to the eyes. One last thing, remember to blink your eyes every second. Blinking is the best exercise for your eyes.

By Ly My Nguyen

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k e

g q

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Are you obsessed with your body appearance? Have you ever lost yourself in a labyrinth of hundreds of diet regimes on the internet, squandering a great deal of time to finally end up in the middle of nowhere, uncertain of

which one to count on?

Not all women were endowed with a willowy look. Therefore, to those who are stout, or even overweight, burning some calories will definitely make your life much more comfortable. You will feel more confident, and will be able to fit in clothes that you usually dream of wearing them. However, going on a diet or taking exercise regularly may turn out to be such a hassle for us students as we both study and party a lot.

Here is a solution: the banana diet. Originated from a Japanese blog, the diet has become a phenomenon in Japan that eventually leads to a shortage of banana in the country. There have been many reports on the effectiveness of this kind of diet, showing a fact that a bunch of its followers have lost 2-5 kilos over just a few weeks. The most interesting thing about the banana diet is that no additional exercise is required. all you have to do is eating the delicious fruits - bananas! Furthermore, you do not have to get yourself a sense of self-discipline during the time of regime.

Below are some basic rules for an efficient banana diet:

1. During breakfast time, eat one or more bananas right after you wake up (do not eat until you feel too full, filling up ½ of your

stomach is fine enough). In addition, you can have low fat yoghurt or some nuts to provide extra protein so as to fight against hunger after breakfast. Finally, drinking some water is not a bad idea..

2. As for lunch and dinner, keep your normal diet. Literally, you can devour everything you want; however, eating vegetable like broccoli or sweet potato is strongly suggested. Besides,

do not forget to chew thoroughly for a better digestion.

3. In the afternoon, around 3pm, you can have a sweet snack such as chocolate, cookies, or fruit. Nevertheless, you should

avoid ice cream, cakes and potato chips.

4. Drink an adequate amount of water and water only. Have some tea or coffee will not harm. But it is of importance to bear in mind that you should stay away from milk.

5. Dine before 7pm. After 7pm, do not eat anything else. No desserts and no sugar-contained food. (This rule is important)

6. At the end of the day, you should manage to go to sleep early, preferably before 12pm. Staying late is harmful to your health and makes you want to eat more sugary food –

the main element that prompts your gaining weight.

7. What’s more, it is encouraged to do exercises daily as it helps burn extra fat.

The above-mentioned rules are just that simple. Therefore, I am sure that it is not too challenging to follow the diet for 2 weeks. It is an amount of time you should at least have in order to fully listen to your body’s signal, to see whether it is suitable for you or not. If it turns out that the diet does not work, there is no need to worry. Just placate yourself with the fact that you have had two weeks having fun eating banana, providing your body with a wide range of vitamins extracted from this kind of wondrous fruits.

In the end, good luck to you on the journey of weight reduction, with an aid of bananas.

The philosophy from Japan

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By Do Hoang Vinh

Writers

Do Hoang Vinh

Issue

#6

Nguyen Anh Duc Nguyen Tran Mai Anh

Tran Thi Hong Trang

Quyen Ngoc Khanh Ly My Nguyen

Nguyen Quoc Bao

Contributor

Doan Thao Vy

EditorDesigners

Cao Hoang Yen

Vu Duy Bao Tran Thi Phuong Anh

Truong Thuy Van

Contributor

issue 6

What do you want to read in the next edition of the SLAMs newsletter?

Let us know what should be featured or if you have any articles, tips, stories or puzzles to contribute.

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