Monday, July 28, 2008
The different camps in NTU
Today I can really write about the different camps available to freshmen in NTU. For those who didn't go or participate at all, it will be a big loss, because you really get to met a lot of new friends, the activities are fun and extremely value-for-money and each camp will help to lubricate your transition into university life.
I went to 2 camps, and even though exhausting, they were memorable activities to be recollected over and over again. UOC wasn't as fun as NUEVE not because it was lousy, but because the games played were milder and gentler. But UOC had it's own unique activities, such as the highlight, the Pageant Nite, Clubbing night, OG dinner and BBQ, the UOC unique SP dating activity, the indoor games at Fico sports club.
Nueve has more packed, more hectic with more activities crammed over the same period of time. But it was very well orchestrated, very well planned, with midnight ice-skating, SP date, fun and extreme beach games. Nueve was more hectic, more packed and more fun. UOC was more mellow, milder and allowed breathing time in-between activities for OG members to interact amongst themselves.
The top 4 camps in NTU are:
1. NTU Sports Camp (undisputed)
2. NBS (Nanyang Business School) Camp
3. Student Union Camp.
4. SCBE's (School of Chemical and Bioengineering) Camp NUEVE and School of Mass Communication camp
Of course after all these, are the various hall camps.
Almost all the camps in NTU follow the same traditional activities. Ice-breakers on the first day, beach games, fright-night, SP night and such. Selection for the hottest camps are largely based on looks.
This is a taboo, but it is a well-known and well-understood fact amongst students. Sports camp receives applications almost FIVE times the number of slots it can accommodate. As a result, the selection committee is very particular, applicants must have shown some sort of sporting background, must be athletic in some way or another, must know how to swim, cycle and be physically fit. And of course, must look good. Yes. Looks are a factor in the selection. The photo that you send in must not be ugly or unglam. Every year, SC, UOC and NBS receive more applications than the camp can accommodate.
So yes, Sports camp is the hottest camp in NTU, because for $50, you can try almost every sporting activity there is available in SG! The activity levels vary from camp to camp, with sports camp being the most strenuous and exhausting, followed by NBS camp, then SCBE and next Student Union.
SCBE and NBS are still one of the undisputed leaders in Fright nights. With really elaborate plots, detailed planning and construction and very realistic acting and execution by the programmers.
Each of the different camps, (UOC, Sports Camp, SCBE's Nueve and NBS) have their own unique SP dating methods. Each with it's own pro's and cons.
The NTU sports camp held this year was concurrent with the Student Union camp 2008 and was aptly named Sports unlimited 13. The Sports Camp is the most popular and most sought after camp in the whole of NTU annually. It boasts a whole host of
superb programs, well-planned and executed events and organization.
Some of the activities include jet skiing, cable skiing, scuba diving, underwater hockey, canoe polo, hand ball, dragon boating just to mention a few.
Over the 7 days of camp, there was night cycling, a sea expedition, a "war" game, and the traditional events like fright night which was held at old Changi hospital, and of course the starry SP night.
One of the highlights of the Sports camp has got to be the Amazing race! This year it's an incredible 2 days 1 night. Though exhausting, it was an entirely enjoyable event for those who went for the camp. The clues were very well planned and designed, and stations in the race included singing a variety of songs at kbox (with specific words in the titles), plus a canopy walk at safra Yishun's adventure centre, and competing in a dragon boat race, finishing one bucket of rice at tiong bahru hawker, cable skiing at east coast park, fishing at qian hu fish farm, bowling at Clementi amongst others.
Talk about physical exhaustion! The finale was a grueling race that lasted over an hour. It was physically strenuous and mentally challenging, there were sweat and tears.. and you can really see each OG becoming united for a common goal, true team spirit. As you can see, all this really bonds an OG that words cannot explain. Thinking about all this really reminds me of my OBS experience, where no matter how tired we were, we still pushed ourselves forward.
If you are planning to come to NTU, DO GO FOR AS MANY CAMPS AS YOU CAN.
It's an unforgettable experience that you will never look back on.
Posted by MK at 9:55 AM
