In the final part of the orientation series, SGTOP10 will share with our readers the views of a 10 year Orientation group leader. What makes a graduate and a full time employee come back to the camp year after year? What is the pull factor? You will get your answers in the 10 minute interview series below.
SGTOP10: Hi, can you give everyone an introduction about yourself?
GL: My name is Bryan and 2009 is my 10th year coming back for UOC, including the first year as a freshman.
SGTOP10: What made you decide to join orientation camp back in school?
GL: I had been to 2 NUS orientation camps (Computing and NUS Union camp) before coming for NTU UOC camp. A senior from the group whom I knew from JC persuaded me to join. Also after joining 2 NUS camps I will like to have a taste of NTU orientation camps.
SGTOP10: What makes you decide to continue to go back and help out year after year?
GL: To meet up with friends, have fun and to do silly things that otherwise I will not have done.
SGTOP10: Share with us the most memorable thing about orientation camp
GL: I will always remember doing ‘Monkey, gorilla and chimpanzee’ at the traffic light junction between Lido and Borders. Watching the shocked look of the drivers stopping at the traffic junction was priceless.
SGTOP10: What do you think it takes to be a good Group Leader?
GL: A good GL has to be able to juggle his relationship between the camp committee and the seniors in his group very well. He/she also has to be able to perform when faced with a severe lack of sleep during camp.
SGTOP10: What are the prerequisites to participate in the camp? Is it physically and mentally demanding?
GL: The only physically demanding thing is the lack of sleep during the camp. Other than that participants must be prepared to do a lot of silly and embarrassing stuff during camp.
SGTOP10: Which activity in the camp is your favourite?
GL: S-group Pre-camp which is organized by our own seniors. Below is a picture of all my juniors who are now seniors for this year’s orientation camp. Their ages span across at least 10 years.
SGTOP10: Can you give us a cheer ? =)
GL: This is my personal favourite. See if you can find me inside.
SGTOP10: Would you encourage our readers who are entering tertiary education to join the camp?
GL: Definitely, it is a good avenue to know people from other faculties and also to have fun.
SGTOP10: Since this is a SGTOP10 interview, can you tell our readers 10 things you like about Orientation Camp?
1. Get to know more friends of different walks of life and ages
2. Participate in fun games and forfeits
3. Experience the planning and execute the pre-camp and camp proper.
4. Learn the cheers and songs
5. The politics and the dating between freshies and seniors
6. Share knowledge and experiences to the freshmen who just joined the camp.
7. The clubbing night during camp where you see first time drinkers getting drunk and doing silly things
8. Going for fright night and see how freshies scream their lungs out
9. The post camp activities that keeps everyone bonded together
10. The friendship you continue even after you graduate and start working!
Have you read the Orientation Camp Series Articles yet?
10 Cheers for Orientation Camps | 10 things you need to know about freshmen orientation camps
