By Nicole Ang Hui (Political Science + NUSC ’28)

For the University Scholars Programme (USP) and NUS College students alike, learning has always been communal. Walk to the Elm Buttery and you’ll see clusters of tables and chairs with a colourful chalkboard filled with thoughts from the NUSC community. Beneath it are two sofas adjacent to each other, inviting passing students to slow down, sit and catch up. This vibrant corner is Chatterbox. Whether they’re exchanging ideas for a project, hosting their next floor event, or simply having heart-to-heart talks, Chatterbox continues to be a home for meaningful conversations and exciting new initiatives for NUSC students.

The original Chatterbox sign now finds its place at the Elm Buttery Terrace

How it Started: Students Thinking Out of the “Box”

Back in 2005, gatherings after USP classes were becoming increasingly frequent, and students started longing for a better place for conversations beyond Block ADM’s tiny printing room – there was simply too much to discuss.

They soon ditched it for an office cubicle-like structure which they had pulled together with several office partition walls. Fitted with discussion tables, cushions, beanbags, several sofas and even an open pantry area, items were all sourced and handpicked from venues around campus. The first Chatterbox was born, and quite literally, a box. It was a semi-private space enclosed enough for students to call their own, with a wide, open entrance inviting the emergence of new and exciting initiatives.

Embodying USP’s vibrant and convivial spirit, Chatterbox soon went beyond an after-class hangout spot. It housed a wide range of student activities, from fundraisers for community-service projects to class and batch parties, and even faculty-student interaction for new Independent Study Module (ISM) ideas.

“Nothing beats seeing passionate undergraduates arguing in one corner on politics, while having another group building sets used for an upcoming production at the other. All of this while alumni were interviewing prospective freshmen,” Law Zhe Wen (Chemical Engineering + USP ’14) reminisced with pride.

Benjamin Lee (Political Science + USP ’06) fondly noted that Chatterbox even became a space for alumni to celebrate their most momentous occasions together, from graduations to weddings.

Benjamin (second from right) with his fellow graduates in front of the Chatterbox sign at Block ADM

Back to where it all began – Spencer Hsu (Psychology + USP ’07) and Shane Yan (Psychology + USP ’08) revisit Chatterbox at ADM for a pre-wedding shoot, honouring a place that shaped their undergraduate years

From Block ADM to Cinnamon: Chatterbox on the Move

Ever since its advent at Block ADM, Chatterbox has taken many shapes and forms. It was part of the University Scholars’ Club room for USP Freshman Orientation Week. With the introduction of Cinnamon College as part of USP’s residential programme, Chatterbox also became a place for late-night mugging for midterms and finals. Of course, students’ ideas and initiatives continued to evolve with the venue; Zhe Wen recalled the self-service convenience store ‘USProvisions’ as a student-led initiative which could meet students’ needs most practically.

During NUS College’s three years at the Cinnamon Wing, Chatterbox was also a key space for student-led initiatives, such as Community NOW!, a programme exposing all freshmen to various community service opportunities in NUSC.

NUS College students at a briefing for a Community NOW! tree planting event, held in Chatterbox

One thing that has endured amidst the changes and transitions of Chatterbox is its signature wooden sign, with the shiny silver wording, serves as a reminder that the legacy of Chatterbox lives on regardless of the times.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Chatterbox

Today, Chatterbox is an open space at the new NUSC campus, rather than an enclosed space as it was back in Block ADM or Cinnamon Wing. However, signature features such as the pantry in Block ADM continue with the Buttery beside it.

When asked what the future of Chatterbox will be, NUSCC President Yee Jia Jie talked enthusiastically about the Stories of NUSC, encouraging students to drop by Chatterbox – to pick up a piece of paper, pen down messages on the blackboard and help put colour onto Ollie the Otter, NUSC’s mascot.

The Blackboard in Chatterbox with a question of the day: “What’s your favourite meal enhancement?”

Chalk and paper are provided for students to illustrate their unique identity within NUSC

“We hope Chatterbox brings together people across different backgrounds, interests and years. It should be a place where spontaneous interactions can happen,” enthused Jia Jie, echoing the hopes of alumni like Zhe Wen, who hopes Chatterbox can be a place “… where new initiatives manifest, where one is never satisfied with the norm”. Despite differences in their experiences, there is a shared recognition of the same intellectual and communal spirit that binds NUSC and USP students together across space and time.

“More importantly, it is heartening to see that Chatterbox – so formative for many of us – has remained a well-loved, well-used space for successive generations of USP students, and is still a cherished (almost sacred) place to gather and hang out. I am equally convinced that it has been a key ingredient in supporting many student projects and ventures in USP – and now NUS College,” Benjamin reflected hopefully.

Chatterbox’s legacy is one of movement and change. No matter what form or venue it might inhabit, it remains a standing invitation to call our NUSC friends down for a chat, an idea or an entirely novel conversation. It will always be a space where these spontaneous interactions can take shape – a place that NUSC students can call home for generations to come.