WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST 2014 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside The Expendables 3: FOOD • Judy Joo brings Oldies get a chance Korean flavours to flex some muscle to home cooks P | 5 P | 8-9 ARCHAEOLOGY • Unearthing Julafar Settlement in Ras Al Khaimah P | 6 WHEELS • Japanese, foreign automakers join forces on new sports cars P | 7 HEALTH • Does vitamin D help with asthma? More study needed P | 11 Soon colleges will begin their new academic year and thousands of young adults will be heading to TECHNOLOGY their new home: The college dorm. • Flappy Bird creator returns with Swing Here are a few tips to make the Copters game dorm life better. P | 12 TIPS FOR HAPPY LEARN ARABIC • Learn commonly used Arabic words DORM LIFE and their meanings P | 13 2 PLUS | WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST 2014 COVER STORY Prerequisites for a happy dorm life 10By Jessica Contrera 1. Plan with your roommate. Don't be the pair that ends up with two mini fridges and two TVs. Talk about what you need to bring, whether you want to coordinate your decor and what the expectations are for how your room will be used. If you both want your room to be a place where others hang out, you'll want pillows for sitting on the floor. If your roommate goes to bed early, you’ll want a desk lamp that you can use to keep working The best roommate relationships are grounded when the lights are off. “The best roommate relationships are grounded in communica- in communication. Start the conversation tion,” said Stephanie Lynch, assistant dean for before you arrive on campus. The most residential living at Georgetown University. “Start the conversation before you arrive on common conflicts in residence halls occur when campus.” 2. Don't buy it all before you arrive. roommates don’t communicate. As tempting as it is to buy every bright-col- oured “dorm room must-have” advertised, contain yourself. Find the basics, then see what you need when you get to your room. If you don't wait, you risk buying items that don’t work in your space. 3. Buy furniture that can be used in multiple ways. As you know (or will very soon discover), dorm rooms are noto- riously small. Don’t clutter yours with fur- niture. “Anything bulky you bring into the space should always be multifunctional,” said Stephanie Hayman, chief product officer at Dormify, a dorm decorating blog and retailer. One of the easiest multiuse pieces is an otto- man, which can serve as storage, seating, a coffee table or a mini-desk if you sit on the floor. 4. Clean first. Dorm rooms are a cesspool of germs. One of the best ways to avoid get- ting sick from living in close quarters is to keep yourself and your space clean. “When you first arrive, make sure you clean the floor, under the mattress and in the sink if you have one,” said Robin Wilson, an interior designer who focuses on eco-friendly clean- liness. “Before you bring in your things, make sure all the dust that might have been sitting there for five years is completely gone.” Quick cleaning tips for surviving the rest of the year: Carry hand sanitizer, wash your sheets twice a month and keep disinfecting wipes in your room. 5. Then rearrange your furniture. After cleaning your new room, consider its layout. “It's easier to move the furniture around before you have all of your clothes, books, pillows and such in there,” said Liz Gray, a senior editor at HGTV.com. A few space-making options Gray suggests are loft- ing your bed, moving your dresser into the closet and putting your desk back-to-back with your roommate's. PLUS | WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST 2014 3 6. Transform vertical space into stor- you’ll be using all semester, including snacks, on your toothbrush while they wash their face,” age space. Another tip for saving space from pens and toiletries. Wilson said. Try clip-on toothbrush sanitizers, Dormify: “Your front door, closet doors and 8. Decide what you want to share. which usually come in a two-pack, for easy bathroom door can all become storage spaces Lynch says the most common conflicts germ avoidance. Remember to wash out your with over-the-door hooks and shoe racks,” Georgetown sees in its residence halls occur shower caddy often, too. Again: Sickness is Hayman said. You can also use adhesive hooks when roommates don't communicate. Think coming for you when you live with dozens of along your walls to hang coats, scarves, purses about whether you are okay with your room- other people. By taking steps to avoid it, you and other small accessories. Less clutter equals mate eating your snacks, using your cosmetic lessen your chances of having to miss class (or more room to hang out with new friends. products or borrowing your clothes. Do you that spring break trip). 7. Buy small necessities in bulk. Most want him or her to ask first? Whatever your 10. Keep your desk clear. Gray rec- campuses don't allow freshmen to have a car preference, make it clear. ommends not setting anything on your desk on campus, which makes it difficult to shop 9. Beware the bathroom. You already that you don't use every day, “like your phone anywhere other than dining halls and expensive know to wear shower shoes into those dreaded charger, laptop and writing tools.” That way, university bookstores. Before Mom and Dad communal bathrooms, but have you thought you'll always be ready to study. You are at col- head back home, consider stopping at a bulk about protecting your toothbrush? “It's easy lege to learn, after all. discount retailer to stock up on items you know for someone next to you to splash dirty water WP-Bloomberg 4 PLUS | WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST 2014 COMMUNITY / MARKETPLACE Mashreq Qatar wins ‘Best Consumer Internet Bank’ award ashreq Qatar has won the award for ‘Best Consumer MInternet Bank in Qatar’ from Global Finance magazine this year. This marks the sixth consecu- tive year that Mashreq Qatar has won plaudits for its state-of-the-art online technology that offers seam- less and secure access to clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from their choice of location. The award was conferred to the Bank by a panel of independent judges at Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology and out- sourcing. Banks in this category were reviewed for criteria including strength of online site design, func- tionality, product offerings, evidence FROM LEFT. Binesh Tamang, President, Nepal Non Resident Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, Qatar, Nihas Abdul Majeed, of demonstrable customer benefits Public Relations Department, Ministry of Interior, Lt Riyadh, Traffic Department, Ministry of Interior, Maj Hamad Mohammed and overall strategy for attracting Al Muhannadi, Community Policing Department, Ganesh Prasad Dhakal, Acting Ambassador, Embassy of Nepal, Maksud and servicing customers with the Alam, President, Non Resident Nepalese Association, Qatar, Maha S Elnashar, Director, Center for Cultural Competence in best online experience available. Healthcare, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, and Huda A Abdelrahim, Associate Specialist, the Center For Cultural Niranjan Mendonca, Head of Competence In Healthcare, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar during the 20th International Day of the World Indigenous Retail Banking, Mashreq Qatar People organised by Nepal Non Resident Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NNFIN-Qatar), at Holiday Villa recently. commented, “This unprecedented win is testament to our tireless dedication to innovation and the fulfilment of our promise to offer- ing our signature top-quality per- sonalised service to our customers at the comfort of their fingertips, safely and securely. Our online bank- ing features can also be experienced via Snapp- our comprehensive and integrated mobile platform that has transformed banking on the move in the region.” MashreqOnline offers free inter- national money transfers , a quick account opening process, the abil- ity to invest in and track multiple accounts and term deposits, utility payments, and managing Salaam Rewards points, to name a few. Snapp is available to download at the Apple store, Windows Phone and Google Play store. Besides offering MashreqOnline at your fingertips, it also features the high PMG held a programme to mark the Pakistan Independence Day on August 14. Chief Guest at the function was Asghar level of security with authentica- tion through one time password Ali Umar, General Manager of King Sweets. There was a cake cutting ceremony which was attended by Nazakat Ali Khan, and SMS notifications. The Peninsula Mujeeb, Javed Iqbal, Amer Butt, Fardan Ali Khan and Shoaib Ali Khan. BPS marks World Humanitarian Day orld Humanitarian Day was celebrated in the Birla Public School summer camp — WChill The Summer 2014. The parents were invited for the second presen- tation of the camp, where they were given badges in support of the noble cause. The camp incharge Rakesh Verma spoke about the heroic aid workers who rush bravely to help people in need, and their sacrifices. He also stressed about the need to recog- nize the millions of people who count on humanitar- ian workers for their very survival. those who face danger and adversity in order to of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations head- World Humanitarian Day is an opportunity to help others. quarters in Baghdad, Iraq. celebrate the spirit that inspires humanitarian The day was designated by the United Nations A special Hindi prayer song was played for this work around the globe. It is the day to recognize General Assembly to coincide with the anniversary occasion.