Illustration by Lizzie (@ooutofhere)

There’s a certain sigh that escapes when the lecturer recites the words “This will be a group project”. It's a sigh that carries equal parts of dread and hope in most people — dread because you know the inevitability of what’s coming, threaded with a sliver of hope, thinking maybe, just maybe, this time will be different.

Group projects are messy, not just because of the assignments themselves — though that is one aspect of it, but because of the people. Whether for better or worse, everyone carries invisible baggage into the group, whether it’s part-time jobs, family responsibilities, or personal struggles — struggles you wouldn’t necessarily share with a stranger. Others simply… don’t care as much. 

There’s always a catalogue of group project stories that sound like myths and legends but somehow keep happening every semester. If you’ve been around long enough, you’ve probably heard the tales. For instance, the ones who always seem to have the most creative excuses ready to avoid doing any work. Or the classic meltdown where a project spirals so badly that everyone is ready to file a complete report with evidence for peer evaluation day.

Then there are the classic tales: we all know the one who’s so eager to volunteer as leader and then disappears without a trace in an instant, or the infamous language barrier, or the group mate who vanishes completely throughout the whole assignment — till you begin to question if something had happened to them, but miraculously, only shows up on presentation day. No matter how hard you try to talk to them, somehow it's a struggle to get them to answer you, let alone get their part done. If it is done, it's done without any effort whatsoever, plagiarised or most likely entirely generated with AI. Some remain utterly silent, you never hear their voice once, not even through the group chat. There are those who are only there to cause more trouble than their worth, whether it's arguing against every point you try to make, disagreeing with the whole group or just being downright rude. Somehow, no matter the semester, the ending is always the same: a last-minute scramble, a heroic few holding the line, and the tale passed down to the next batch. They sound outrageous, but if you’ve ever survived a group project, you know these stories are part of the collective lore.

Here’s the thing I’ve realised: as unfair and exhausting as these projects are, they leave an imprint. You remember the sting of staying up all night fixing someone else’s slides or work, from minor adjustments to completely redoing their entire part. However, you also remember the unexpected kindness of a teammate who is there every step of the way, who helps you out when everything crumbles apart.

But then, there are those once-in-a-lifetime group projects — the rare ones where everything clicks, everyone pulls their weight, laughter fills the room, those laughters turning into friendships no matter how short-lived or lifelong; and for a moment, you feel a sliver of hope in teamwork and in humanity. That's why, as much as I dreaded hearing the words “group work”, I sometimes wish we had more of them. I would have gotten to know more incredible people and collected more memories to carry with me. 

Group projects aren't all just about the assignment. They teach you the hard lessons of patience and resilience, and empathy. They remind us that not everyone moves at the same pace, that effort looks different for different people, and that sometimes, it’s not always fair. So yes — group works are a series of unfortunate events. But they’re also a series of very human ones. And maybe that’s why we remember them so vividly, long after the assignments have been forgotten.

Stephen King once said that true horror isn’t about monsters—it’s about the familiar turning strange. A buzzing lamp, a quiet lake, a corridor you’ve walked a hundred times. They’re harmless during the day. But after midnight, they begin to feel different, like the world has tilted ever so slightly, and something is watching from the corner.

On this campus somewhere, the stories pass quickly between students. Whispered over cafeteria tables, typed nervously in group chats, laughed off during daylight. Yet they always come back. Here are some of those tales, retold just as they’ve always been—half in jest, half in dread.

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real universities, campuses, or facilities is purely coincidental (…or is it?).


The Fifth Floor
The library closes at nine at night, except for the fifth floor, which is roped off at six sharp. Even when the library is at full capacity, everyone knows not to go past the rope.

But late-night students swear they hear furniture shifting overhead. A chair dragged slowly across tiles. A book thumping shut, though no one has shelved anything there in years.

One boy lifted the rope on a dare. In the day, the air upstairs was ordinary, almost sterile. But now it was heavy, thick with the sour smell of damp carpet. His phone flashlight stuttered over row after row of empty desks and dividers. Except one.

A chair was pulled out, facing the staircase. Waiting.

He heard the faint creak of weight pressing into it, though the seat was visibly empty. Then something leaned close enough for him to feel a warm breath on his cheek—smelling of dust, and rot, and paper that had been buried too long in the ground.

He never went back to the library.


The Renovation
Workers gutted the old toilets during semester break. The walls were smashed, the pipes torn out. But they never stayed long after dark.

One plumber swore he heard weeping echoing from the exposed drains. Not loud—just soft, wet sobs that made the hair rise on the back of his neck. Another worker left mid-shift after pulling a clump of black hair from a pipe, only to feel it twitch in his hand, warm and slick, as though it had been freshly torn from someone’s scalp.

The toilets have been remade, but no renovation erases what lingers. Students walk past casually in daylight, but after dusk, some claim they hear dripping in the corridor. If you stop and listen, the sound sharpens. It isn’t water. It’s a throat, gasping for air beneath the floor.


The Thief
At first it was small things: pens, coins, snacks. Then whole phone chargers and lecture notes vanished from bags left unattended. Fingers were pointed, but no one found the culprit. Until one night, a girl stayed back late to study for finals with her friends.
At 1 a.m., she saw a locker outside tremble. A latch lifted on its own. Fingers—child-sized, green and wrinkled like fruit left to rot—curled around the edge.
A toyol crawled out, its eyes glassy, skin shining with a thin coat of slime. It grinned at her, mouth filled with broken teeth, before scuttling across the lockers on all fours.
When she finally screamed, her friends woke to find her clutching her notes. Across the sidelight window, small handprints were pressed into the glass—wet, translucent, then vanished in the morning.


The Walk
The walk back to the dorms should take five minutes. But on the road past the sports court, it always feels longer. The lamps buzz overhead, spilling sickly yellow light. 

Your shoes strike the charcoal pavement, each echo sharp and brittle, like bones snapping in the distance. But sometimes you hear another pair. Slower. Dragging.

When you turn, someone is standing by the edge of the court. Too far to see clearly. Their head lolls to the side, hanging loosely, as though the neck has been broken.

When they move, they don’t walk. They hop, stiff and violent, with each movement jolting like a puppet pulled by strings.

And the further you run, the closer the footsteps follow—until the road bends, and the lamps flicker out one by one behind you.


The Lake
The ducks disappeared one semester. Everyone joked about barbecues. But then, late at night, students started seeing ripples on the lake.

They swore they saw ducks gliding across the water. Silent. Too many of them. Their shapes pale, their reflections broken.

But the closer you looked, the “wronger” they seemed. Their necks bent back at sharp angles, heads twisting until their beaks pointed straight at the sky. Their eyes glowed faint red, bobbing like embers.
One student went too close to the water, trying to record them. She swore something cold brushed her hand, and dropped her phone into the water. The next morning, her phone was washed up on the grass. When it was restored, one recording survived: thirty minutes of murky water. Toward the end, two red pinpricks flared in the dark—hovering just long enough to know they were staring back.


The Dorm
The dorm corridors are worse after midnight. The lights hum, flickering faintly, and the hallway stretches too far.

One girl returning late found her room door ajar, though she had locked it. Inside, her roommate was asleep. But she heard her name whispered softly.

It came again. Closer. From the wardrobe.

The door rattled once, then stopped.

She was too afraid to open it. She pressed her ear against the wood, praying she’d imagined it. And then she heard the whisper again—her name, sharp this time, whispered from the inside. Followed by the sound of fingernails dragging slowly down the door.


The Last Word
Campus life is supposed to be assignments, late suppers, deadlines. But when the lamps flicker for no reason, when the corridors feel longer than normal, when the lake stirs without wind—you wonder if the campus has its own stories, written in shadows.

Stephen King reminds us that horror hides in the ordinary. And here, on campus, maybe the ordinary is where the horror begins.

So if you ever hear your name whispered when you’re alone, don’t answer. Not every story wants to be told.

Sleep well. If you can.

We’re serious. Touch. Some. Grass. Literally! You have just spent weeks of your life staring at your laptop screens, under the harsh university lights. It’s time to get out, and get in touch with nature. Take a walk, a hike, have a picnic with your friends—changing your scenery is a chance to change your perspective, your mindset. 

The chattering of birds under the gentle sun is the best background to take a breath and reflect. Think about the future. Your goals, your dreams, what you want to do with your life. Or, decide to just be. Living in the present, taking a step forward everyday, no matter how heavy. Whatever you choose, we support you! So get out there and reconnect with your true nature!

Wait! Before you scroll away at the thought of labour, just hear us out! Yes, we know the thought of work can be intimidating and honestly, defeats the point of having a break. But, we don’t have forever. We’ve had our heads in books all of our lives, without a chance to explore the working world. Now is the time to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to something new. It could be an internship or job within your chosen field or study—you’ll get to experience first-hand what your future job might look like and gain irreplaceable knowledge from senior mentors in your field. Alternatively, you could do a job completely unrelated to your field. This is the chance to expand your horizons, maybe even find the field where you truly feel at home. 

“But Etc. Magazine, I still want to hang out with friends and have some days to just chill!” 

We hear you, dear reader! And we get it. Diving into a job without wanting to commit to it is definitely not the way to go. Instead, you could try volunteering with NGOs for just a few hours a week or attend networking events for only a day. You can still step out of your comfort zone without drowning in the deep end—especially if you aren’t mentally prepared for it yet!  You don’t have to feel pressured to do things a certain way just because your peers are immersing themselves in work. We are all different, and what works for someone else might not work for you. That is 100% okay. Our advice? go where your heart desires. It doesn’t matter how much progress you’ve made on the career ladder, what matters is the journey you take and the experience you gain. You’ve got it!

“Huh…? Why are you getting so philosophical, Etc. Magazine?”

Relax, it’s not that deep. Really. Discovering yourself isn’t just contemplating intensely about our existence and putting yourself in an existential crisis. Sure, that’s definitely part of it too but at the same time, it can be much simpler. Discovering yourself can be as simple as what you like to eat, where you like to go. Ask yourself the W-H questions. Who, Where, When, What, Why, How. This is the key to knowing yourself. With this method, you can find out the types of hobbies you want to try out, why you want to try them out and so on. Not only will it help you find your inner footing, it’ll also help you save some money by not buying items for every viral trend online. So, ask yourself the W-H questions and try out something new or old that you actually care about. The point isn’t about trying out everything willy nilly. It’s about making purposeful choices to help you find what you’re passionate about a little bit easier than it would have been before. 

Whether you spend your days touching grass, doing a little labour, or discovering yourself, remember that you’re not alone in figuring things out. Your break doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be yours. The world is your oyster, so get out there, breathe, grow, and have some fun. We’re rooting for you!

 Credits to Carmen @wen31xx___ and Tow Wan Tian @t.w.tian. 

Image from @taylorsuni 

If you think ‘college life’ consists of fancy brewed coffee, wearing cool, casual clothes, having library dates and doing aesthetic Tumblr-esque study notes, well, you may want to hold your breath for a second before reading this. Let’s face it, every college student knows there’s more to those #collegegoals – tons of assignments, burning an awful lot of midnight candles, catching up deadlines and of course, making sure you don’t go bankrupt by the end of the month. No matter how much people like to say ‘money doesn't mean everything’, college students know very well that money means at least 80% of the things we do. 

But, don’t start having a panic attack on us just yet! College life may seem hard especially when you are a student who probably only has five Ringgit a day to spare but you still can have an enjoyable life just like anyone else. You just need to learn how to save and spend wisely. Without further ado, here are five ways to survive college as a penniless student. 

 

Image from LIVE JAPAN Perfect Guide 

Google every article you can, and meal prepping will always be at the top of the list because it is true! Cooking and preparing your meals can save a hefty amount of your savings! It might take up a lot of work with all the chopping, frying and cleaning but it is worth the while to save a huge chunk of your budget. So, delete those takeaway apps and try out these incredible, simple recipes. You can even get your creative juices flowing by adding your own twists and turns to it! 

BONUS: Besides saving money, constant cooking can sharpen your culinary skills that who knows might come in handy in the future when you’re trying to win a man’s or woman’s heart? *wink, wink* 

Image from SoyaCincau.com 

The advantages of travelling on public transport really outweighs its downsides such as avoiding ghastly traffic jams, which can last for hours especially in the evenings. Mass transits are also a great way in reducing transportation cost. In a city that’s easy to navigate due to being able to go to places with just the tip of your fingertips and a touch-n’-go card, you are not only doing yourself a favor but also to the environment! Learn how to commute with this comprehensive guide that will help you get around Kuala Lumpur with just public transports! 

Image from @tlsc.star 

All play and no work makes Jack a broke boy. Never heard of that? Well, now you have! Money comes from hard work. That is a difficult-to-swallow fact, but nothing is more rewarding to see your hard work pay off in cash! Besides, you also get to earn some experience which might be a fancy touch-up for your resume in the future! If you are interested in helping out at Taylor’s University’s Campus Central and Student Welfare, you can apply to be a student assistant. They pay RM 5 per hour and working hours are super flexible. You can even sign yourself up to be a student ambassador that helps the university during events like open day. Just keep a lookout at their hiring notice on the students’ portal! 

Images from @myburgerlab 

Sometimes we may think discounts do not help much but if you count them one by one, they actually add up a lot. Keep an eye out on promo codes online or sales because sometimes they do come in handy! Don’t be afraid to ask if there is any student discount at retail stores. In fact, there are a plethora of benefits you can feed off from being a student such as catching the latest blockbusters at TGV cinemas with only RM 10, singing to your heart’s content with just RM 11 at karaokes, showing your student pride in style by getting 15% off at Cotton On or even eating till you drop at Kenny Rogers with its 25% discount off. 

Image from @heyalfred.co 

Last but not least, the most pivotal, sticking to your own budget. This is a consequential step in making sure you are able to get out of college without being on your own beam’s end. Money may go out from your pockets with the snap of your fingers, but it certainly does not come in as easy and fast. Therefore, budgeting is crucial to make sure you do not dig your own financial grave. There are tons of ways for you to plan your money: you can use the reliable, old-fashioned ‘envelope system’, jot your outlay on a notebook or even record them down on apps like HeyAlfred and Money Manager to track your financial assets. To learn more about budgeting, here is a full-on guide that might help you get right into them! That is all from us! ETC. Magazine would like to give a warm welcome back to all the returning students as well as the freshmen in Taylor’s University. We hope your time and journey at Taylor’s this year will be a fun as well as a fulfilling one and that with these tips above, you might be able to dance your way out of here as a happy, ‘not-so-broke’ student.