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♥ Sunday, February 17, 2008♥

My first day of school in secondary 1 [2005]

It seems like yesterday that I entered Kent Ridge Secondary School, feeling so intimidated by the bigger sized seniors and having mixed feelings about entering a new school which I will be studying four years at.

Thinking back, I feel that I am considered one of the ‘lucky’ ones to have a friend from the same primary school as me, in the same class at Kent Ridge. This makes things slightly easier for me to befriend other classmates.

Firstly, as a routine, we sec1s were given a warm welcome by the principal and school. We were then broken up into classes for our ice breaker games where we got to interact with each other. The councilors of the school who were in charge of us sec1s gave us a really great time playing games and learning Mass Dance together. Mass Dance is where a piece of catchy music tune is played and were taught some moves to dance along with the music. It is also taught at the two day one night orientation camp and further practiced to near perfection.

During the orientation camp, we were given the chance to interact with classmates and get to know one another better. Such as eating our meals together in a table, playing games and participating in different activities all together as a class or the whole level.

Getting to remember each other’s names through games such as ‘Whack - O’ was one way. In the game, everyone sat in a big circle with a ‘whacker’ standing in the middle. The whacker would run towards a fellow classmate and if he was successful in hitting the classmate before his classmate shouted another classmate’s name, the ‘whacker’ would be switched to the one who got hit. We were also not allowed to shout a classmate’s name twice so as to ensure that we were able to remember more names.

In another game which requires teamwork and teambuilding was the ‘Caterpillar’ game in which we were grouped in groups of ten or so. First, we were all given a balloon to blow and tie up. Then we had to line up in a straight line placing the blown balloon on the stomach and resting the other side of the balloon at the back of the classmate in front. We were not allowed to support the balloons with our hands but only with our stomach and our classmate’s back. We were then led by councilors around the hall, trying to support the balloon. It built team work as the person at the front had to make sure everyone was at a comfortable pace and had to walk the same pace as each other. If any balloons were to drop to the ground or slip off the body, we had to restart all over again.

Mass Dance is also a way of uniting sec1s as one. As all the moves are the same for everyone, we felt as if everyone is equal. Enthusiasm was also an important factor to a successful orientation camp. This effort was greatly shown by the school councilors and most of the credits should go to them.

Up till now, three years later, I see all the sec1s really enjoying themselves. The enthusiasm is still there and the standard that the ex-senior councilors had set remains. They really were the ones who made my sec1 camp a fabulous and memorable one.


Its a colorful world..