By Leong Ky-Lin (21J07)
It’s been about 3 weeks since Orientation and lectures have kicked-in full swing. I’m sure many of you are feeling post-orien blues, even more so now that you’ve been allocated to your new classes.
For readers not involved in Orientation, the J1 cohort went through 4 days of Orientation from the 7th to 10th of February, where they learnt more about the school and forged friendships through various station games, cohort games and activities that were meticulously planned by the Organising Committee.
Cohort Display put together by the Media committee!
Well, whether you’re here to find out more about how Faros 2022 went, or for a jog down memory lane, you’re in the right place as we find out what your peers, Orientation Group Leaders (OGLs) and House Captains have to say about their Orientation experiences.
(Link to the full interviews found at the bottom of the article!)
An unforgettable memory for participants:
We reached out to Wilman Tan from AE15 and Yap En Fei from AL1 to find out more about their Orientation experiences.
Wilman recounts that his most unforgettable memory from the 4 days of orientation was representing his Orientation Group (OG) in the artefact making competition among the OGs, sharing his joy over how his group eventually clinched 2 awards for their collective efforts.
He expressed his appreciation for how the Organising Committee did all they could for all the participants to enjoy themselves despite all the strict Covid-19 measures. “The activities taught us values on the go as well,” he said.
Wilman posing with his OGLs!
En Fei shares similar sentiments, stating that she “had a really fun time getting to know new friends”. She describes programmes planned as “very fun and engaging” and shared how her group bonded through the games.
AL1 posing with Aletheia’s House Captain!
She also noted how her Orientation experience has allowed her to realise the importance of friendships, expressing that “As arduous as the next 2 years in JC might sound, I know surely that my friends would be there to support me all the way.”
En Fei and her OG friends posing with their bubble teas!
A refreshing experience for OGLs:
Of course, no OG would be complete without the Orientation Group Leaders (OGLs) who facilitated many of the activities and brought the participants around the school. We ask Emerson Yap Loh Jing Chuan, OGL of AT16, and Tan Qian Ling Melanie, OGL of AP8 to share their insights.
Emerson describes his experience as an OGL as “a refreshing experience”, citing that he was initially hesitant when signing up, but his “OGL partners and OG participants were very nice and fun to be around, making the whole experience so much more meaningful and memorable.”
Emerson with his OGL partners!
He shares that the commencement ceremony was the most unforgettable memory to him out of the 4 days of activities, stating that “to see my participants raving and singing together in unison and some even crying during our last few parting songs, has shown the impact and the connections that Orien'22 has left them with, and it is truly a heartwarming sight to see in person.”
Emerson posing with AT16!
Similarly, Melanie also chose the commencement ceremony as her favourite memory, sharing her joy at how her OGL partner Nicholas got awarded the title of “Best OGL”, and how her OG also got awarded with the title of “Best OG” !
Melanie with her OGL partners!
She expresses that her greatest takeaway from Orientation is the friendships she has forged.
“It’s really fulfilling for me to see my group’s growth from being awkward and all from day one till the day four when we were all sad to end Orientation”, she added.
Melanie with her OG, AP8!
A hectic but fruitful journey for OGL OCs:
It was hard to miss the four House Captains walking around with their house flags throughout the four days of Orientation, and even harder to miss the OGL committee head, KaiZhi, as he patrolled around to ensure that everything was going in order.
To find out more about their roles in Orientation as representatives of their houses and the OGL committee, we asked Louisa Wirawan (21J07), Leong Xing Han (21J05), Lee Xin Bei (21J06), Chin Chin Lee (21J12) and Yi KaiZhi (21J16), House Captains of Aletheia, Apollo, Aether and Atlas, and OGL Committee Head respectively to share their insights with us.
The House Captains carrying their house flags!
Aether House Captain, Xinbei, describes her experience as “hectic yet fulfilling”, as the House Captains busied themselves with engaging their participants and “resolving admin issues in view of the COVID-19 situation recently.”
Indeed, participants would probably remember how the House Captains went around to remind everyone to follow the Safe Management Measures, and how they put in a great deal of effort to ensure that Orientation could be conducted smoothly despite the pandemic.
Aether OGLs doing the iconic Aether pose with Xinbei and KaiZhi!
As House Captain of Apollo, Xing Han initially thought it would be difficult to take on the role as a “hyped house captain” but found himself being able to easily socialise with the participants, “even joining them in their cohort dance” during Orientation. Similarly, KaiZhi shares that his biggest takeaway from orientation is the experience and memory that he will treasure.
Louisa still finds it “surreal that it’s over '', especially after the long preparation period before Orientation. She reminisces about having fun with her OGLs, talking to the participants and getting to know her OC members better by working together.
Louisa posing with the Aletheia OGLs!
Lastly, Chin Lee encourages prospective House Captains to not hesitate to take on the role, because they “will definitely love it, especially the moments when you go through various practices, dry-runs, and discussion with your other fellow house capts!”
OGL OCs posing together at the end of Orientation!
The House Captains concluded their interviews by recounting their favourite memories with their Houses and shared what they loved about their houses, which you can find in the full interviews below.
With that said, it is extremely heartening to see how OGs and OGLs alike managed to forge new friendships and make unforgettable memories through these short yet impactful 4 days that served as an introduction to the juniors to their JC life ahead. May the light shine on, to illuminate your path throughout your JC journey!
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this article, where we find out more about Orientation from the perspective of the Organising Committee members!
Check out this link for full interviews:
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