Making the Most Out of School Life with a Touch of Self-Care: Project Eggyolk

Written by: Yang Xinxuan (25S70) and Seah Xin Yi (26A15)

Edited by: Lei Yanyang (25S61)

The egg is an apt description of the life of a student – the shell resembles the exterior we carefully construct around ourselves: our grades, accolades and the achievements we present to others, shaped by a desire to polish our shells and flaunt our most glamorous side. Yet, in this pursuit, we may forget how fragile the thin shell can be. Only when small and unseen cracks begin to form, and the yolk starts to run, may we then realise that our personal and mental wellbeing is starting to shatter, as we scramble for ways to manage our time and recover our sense of identity. But no worries at all, Hwa Chong’s very own student-led Service Learning project, Project Eggyolk, is here to serve the perfect sunny side-up for everyone.

With their mission of empowering Hwa Chong students to prioritise self care and take meaningful breaks amidst the countless academic and extracurricular commitments they juggle, The current Organising Team — Sun Jiaze (25S72), Wang Jingxuan (25S79), Lyu Anni (25S6T), Esther Toh Jia Ling (25S7B), Nicholas Maximillian Yaw  (25S7B), is dedicated to emphasising the importance of “me-time” that students need to have, even in the thick of our fast-paced academic pursuits. They believe that achieving a work-life balance is like preparing a perfect onsen egg: just as the firm and creamy yolk of an onsen egg is achieved by cooking with a slow and controlled temperature, we ought to punctuate the pursuit of our goals and achievements with pauses and breaks. 

Project Eggyolk's OT. Project Eggyolk

This is best reflected through a spectrum of initiatives and activities organised by Project Eggyolk, the most recent being a common room activity held on 25th March. Titled “Eggsplaining Emotions”, the event introduced Hwa Chong students to a variety of methods to de-stress and take meaningful breaks. These included arts and crafts activities like pipe cleaner crafting and bracelet making, where participants crafted handcrafted trinkets that could be gifted to their friends as tokens of love and warmth. A Movie screening was also a key highlight of the afternoon, with the lighthearted and lively film Inside out filling the room with laughter and joy. Rounding off the event, a lucky draw segment saw 3 lucky draw winners walk home with a tin of ceremonial top grade matcha powder, along with the promise of more calming matcha moments ahead. The Project Eggyolk crew hopes that all participants left with not just a smile, but also a deeper insight into the importance of self-care, and balancing play with work.

Participants partaking in Project Eggyolk's common room activity. Project Eggyolk

Looking forward, the student population can anticipate more well-being initiatives from Project Eggyolk. Starting off with a bang, their video interview series “Eggvice and Eggsperience” will be featured on their Instagram (project.eggyolk) very soon. The team seeks to crack open honest conversations with Hwa Chong alumni, sharing their thoughts and advice so students know they are not alone. Having been in our shoes before, their experiences offer perspectives that are sure to resonate – especially for students who may feel lost or overwhelmed. 

To make these videos as relatable and applicable as possible, the team shared how they took care to invite alumni from different subject combinations, to ensure a wider range of academic experiences is represented. Among the notable guests featured is @yueminie, a Hwa Chong alumnus who runs a study-with-me YouTube channel with 38.5k.

Beyond that, Project Eggyolk also divulged their plans to hand out care packages with snacks, goodies and snippets of their community e-zine “Sunny Side Up”, in conjunction with World Mental Health month in May – a timely reminder to cheer up during the exam season, when pressure and stress can weigh heavily on students.

As the school year unfolds (and the hustle and bustle of school life inevitably starts to weigh down on us all), we hope that Project Eggyolk’s initiatives continue to lift up spirits and serve as a gentle reminder to pause, rest and take care of ourselves. The shell we build around us need not crack under pressure — not when there is a community dedicated to keeping the yolk intact. After all, it is only when we are well-rested that we are truly able to grow, thrive and make the most of the journey ahead.