I’m sure many families ask students, “What did you do at camp?” Well, to answer your question, parents, I will be sharing my best camping experience ever!
Sooo… what is camping, you may ask? Well, to us students, camping might seem like just sleeping and completing activities. But the truth is, camping is about taking time to explore the outside world instead of just playing games or sitting around. I used to think camping meant exploring rainforests and sleeping on hills, but I was wrong! Camping in Sentosa was a great journey, and I’ll share why it was so rewarding to be part of it.
It all started on a normal school day. Papers were being given out, and teachers were making sure students didn’t misbehave, until FTGP. Our teacher asked us to go to the hall and sit down. The moment I heard “hall,” I knew camping day was coming soon. I quickly took out my foolscap paper and prepared to write down everything we needed to bring.
Then my art teacher, Ms. Hernie, went on stage and reminded everyone to keep quiet. As a prefect, I listened carefully. I started imagining all the best things that could happen at camp. However, I was worried about the instructors. I remembered a traumatizing moment from the past when I was late for showering and cried while begging the instructor to stop scolding me. He was very strict. At least the food was great, so my expectations for the meals were high!
Then we heard loud footsteps. Who was it? Mr. Vijay. He was known to be strict in PGPS, and I was worried he might choose me as his next victim. Thankfully, I survived. He started showing a slideshow about the things we needed to bring. I was about to write everything down when he mentioned that our parents had already received the packing list. I almost stopped writing, but I didn’t give up that easily. I continued jotting everything down just in case. When I finished, I felt relieved and proud of my effort.
About 12 days later, camp finally started. I woke up very early and rushed to eat, only to realize the food wasn’t ready yet. I had woken up too early! So I went back to sleep until 6 a.m. I quickly ate, prayed, and felt fresh and overjoyed for camp. I had a small dilemma, should I go to school at 7 a.m. or earlier? After thinking for a while, I decided to go early. Good thing I did, because we were supposed to report early!
A few minutes later, Mr. Vijay asked everyone to keep quiet. We sang the national anthem and recited the pledge. Then our new principal, Mdm Chua, gave a speech about the camp expectations. After that, we waited at the IBC. The instructors were supposed to give out snacks while we waited for the bus, but they didn’t. We were impatient. Instead of complaining, I politely asked about it. The instructor replied, “Chill.” For some reason, I instantly liked him. I felt that camp was going to be a great experience.
When the bus finally arrived, I carried my two heavy bags. They were so heavy I felt like my shoulders might dislocate! I sat with my best friend, Nabil Ihsan. I gave him the window seat so he could enjoy the view. When we reached Sentosa, the instructors asked us to take out some items in case we forgot anything.
Let me introduce the instructors properly. The female instructor was named Elice, and the male instructor was Z. We walked to Sapphire Pavilion, the same place we camped last year. I had hoped for a different location, but I was still excited.
Our first main activity was the Sentosa Navigation Challenge. We were given a map and had to find real-life locations using coordinates. At first, we were confident. But soon, we realized it was extremely challenging because we had to walk all around Sentosa. In the end, we only found two locations. Although we were disappointed, I told myself we could do better next time.
After that tiring activity, we had lunch: rice, vegetables, chicken, and dessert. I finished everything except the vegetables.
Our second activity was Improvised Rafting. We changed into dark T-shirts and walked to a resort instead of the beach because the beach had been closed earlier due to a crocodile sighting. At the resort’s swimming pool, we were tasked with building a raft that could reach an orange float. My group built a tic-tac-toe–shaped raft. During the shaking test, it stayed strong! We were so happy.
We wore life jackets and entered the pool. We worked together to push the raft to the orange float and successfully completed the mission. Afterward, we showered. Unfortunately, the shower facilities weren’t very comfortable, but I managed to shower quickly.
That night, we had dinner, did our Day 1 reflection, and were told we would sleep at the resort’s function room. I had imagined a hotel room, but the air-conditioned function room was good enough! Eventually, I fell asleep.
The next day, we returned to Sapphire Pavilion for breakfast. Then we headed to Mega Adventure for the Challenge Ropes Course. We had to choose between three levels. I chose Level 1. At first, I was trembling because it looked difficult, but surprisingly, I only slipped twice. I felt proud of myself.
Later, we did the Improvised Low Elements Course, where we had to complete tasks without talking or carrying people. It required teamwork and patience.
That night was the campfire. Each class performed, and our class was the best! We danced to “Nao Batidao” and “Gangnam Style.” It was so funny and energetic.
On the final day, we did our reflections and prepared to leave. Soon, we boarded the bus and sang all the way back to PGPS.
Alright, so now you know what I did at camp, so don’t ask me anymore, LOL!
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