Hi Guides!
We had PA on Monday and here are some reflections from the Year 3s!
Reflection from a Year 3 of Patrol 1:
This Monday, the Year 1s and 2s practised pioneering while us Year 3s were trained on our trekking signs knowledge and the construction of a dome tent and an emergency shelter. We realised that we had to buck up and improve our standards further if we wanted to make it through Patrol Leader Training Camp (PLTC), which would be happening very soon. This PA was the last PA we would ever have with our Year 4 seniors, as the next PA would be planned by us Year 3s and this made me treasure this PA more. Although our performance today was not exceedingly well, our seniors were still confident in our ability to take over and lead the 团 once they stepped down. Of course, this PA would not be complete without our patrol “tradition“ which was to blow flour at one another -- from the plate of flour -- for fun until the whole plate was empty. We also attempted the Fireman’s Ladder, which was also what we did for our last PA a year ago with our current Year 5 seniors and we had lots of fun, especially for the Year 1s as it was their first time trying it out. Overall, this PA was more fun and pleasant, and I think it was a great way to end off our last PA with our Year 4 seniors.
Reflection from a Year 3 of Patrol 2:
This Monday, we had our final PA as a patrol. It was bittersweet and slightly sad as us Years 3s wished that we could have more PAs with our Year 4s. We started off on a high note, each Year 3 having to pack a 配备 in 5 minutes while the Year 1s and 2s went to the respective locations. We packed our 配备s in 7 minutes before rushing to the area outside the Performing Arts Centre. We were separated from our Year 2s, and two Year 3s were asked to step out. A fellow Year 3 and I were then tasked with doing a circuit Physical Training (PT). We were able to complete one full circuit while the rest did inspection with no time limit. Us Year 3s were not allowed to touch the logistics and were only allowed to instruct the Year 1s as to where to put the items. For the first round, we took 7 minutes to complete the inspection. When they were done, we swapped positions such that me and the same batchmate were tasked with inspection while the remaining two Year 3s were to do PT. We were given 5 minutes, but completed our inspection in 6 minutes with time extension. After that, the Year 1s were sent to join the Year 2s while us Year 3s went to do inspection. We went to the classroom block and were tasked to do inspection in 4 minutes, with each Year 3 stationed at each corner. In the end, we 过时-ed by 47 seconds. We ended inspection by completing it in under 3 minutes. Finally, we went to the area outside hostel canteen to meet the rest of the patrol. We then began building a dome tent, Fireman’s ladder (FML), 3 emergency shelters and 1 flag pole. However, we ended up building only 1 emergency shelter, the dome tent and the FML. We ended the PA by flipping over on the FML for a while. I really enjoyed this PA, even though it is sad that it was the last PA. Although we did not feel as accomplished as we could not complete everything we had set out to do, we still had lots of fun.
Reflection from a Year 3 of Patrol 3:
On Monday we had Patrol Activity. We got to do Outdoor Cooking (OC) which was really fun. First, the Year 3s were split from the Year 1s and 2s. The Year 3s were tasked to build a Kitchen Table (KT) while the Year 1s and 2s built the fire altar. We first tied the two tripods for the KT. However, when we opened the tripods, one of them could not be opened properly. Thus, we had to add diagonals later on, to stabilize the structure. We 过时-ed for the building of the KT due to us trying many times to open the tripod properly at the start. I think this can be improved by working faster and making decisions quickly to add diagonals, instead of trying to open the tripod multiple times, unsuccessfully. Overall, after adding the diagonals, our structure was pretty stable. After we finished building the KT, the Year 3s went to help the Year 1s and 2s with cooking. We managed to get one of the fires to become stable so I felt quite a sense of achievement! Even though some of our food tasted bland, it was still a really fun Patrol Activity.
On Monday we had Patrol Activity. We got to do Outdoor Cooking (OC) which was really fun. First, the Year 3s were split from the Year 1s and 2s. The Year 3s were tasked to build a Kitchen Table (KT) while the Year 1s and 2s built the fire altar. We first tied the two tripods for the KT. However, when we opened the tripods, one of them could not be opened properly. Thus, we had to add diagonals later on, to stabilize the structure. We 过时-ed for the building of the KT due to us trying many times to open the tripod properly at the start. I think this can be improved by working faster and making decisions quickly to add diagonals, instead of trying to open the tripod multiple times, unsuccessfully. Overall, after adding the diagonals, our structure was pretty stable. After we finished building the KT, the Year 3s went to help the Year 1s and 2s with cooking. We managed to get one of the fires to become stable so I felt quite a sense of achievement! Even though some of our food tasted bland, it was still a really fun Patrol Activity.
Reflection from a Year 3 of Patrol 4:
On 2 April, the patrol opted to familiarise the Year 1s with some of the basic structures in Guides, such as the emergency shelter, flagpole, baggage rack and 8-men tent. As the priority was to teach the Year 1s, more time was given than the standard timing to allow us to teach them fully without rushing for time. At first, the patrol was split into three groups, with one working on the baggage rack, one on the flagpole and one on the emergency shelter. Afterwards, we switched the Year 1s between the three groups to give them all a brief rundown on how the structure was built and the purpose it served, and also gave them some time with familiarising themselves with building the structures. Once the emergency shelter and baggage rack were complete, the Year 1s were told how to tie the flag to the flagpole by one Year 3 while the other patrol members started setting up the 8-men tent. Once the Year 1s came over to the 8-men tent, we showed them how to attach the mickey mouse lash and 活结 to the tent pole and 白绳 as well as told them the pacings needed for the tent. Afterwards, we allowed them to 抽 the 白绳 when we made sure the tent pegs at the corners were secure and the tent pole was straight. Unfortunately, one of the tent poles broke, and so some of the Year 3s had to take down the 8-men tent while the rest of the patrol went over to the other structures to give a more in-depth explanation of them. Once the explanations were over and the 8-men tent was kept, the rest of the patrol joined in taking down the rest of the structures and bringing them back to 团部. After every patrol member had returned, it was decided that the Year 1s would learn a few more songs and the actions that accompanied it before the PA ended. Overall, the PA was largely successful in its purpose to teach the Year 1s and allow them to familiarise themselves with basic structures and the knots and lashes that came with them. This activity also allowed the Year 1s to grow closer to the rest of the patrol and it required further interaction between the Year 1s and the Year 2s and 3s, which is important when considering the need for cooperation and bondedness between the batches.
On 2 April, the patrol opted to familiarise the Year 1s with some of the basic structures in Guides, such as the emergency shelter, flagpole, baggage rack and 8-men tent. As the priority was to teach the Year 1s, more time was given than the standard timing to allow us to teach them fully without rushing for time. At first, the patrol was split into three groups, with one working on the baggage rack, one on the flagpole and one on the emergency shelter. Afterwards, we switched the Year 1s between the three groups to give them all a brief rundown on how the structure was built and the purpose it served, and also gave them some time with familiarising themselves with building the structures. Once the emergency shelter and baggage rack were complete, the Year 1s were told how to tie the flag to the flagpole by one Year 3 while the other patrol members started setting up the 8-men tent. Once the Year 1s came over to the 8-men tent, we showed them how to attach the mickey mouse lash and 活结 to the tent pole and 白绳 as well as told them the pacings needed for the tent. Afterwards, we allowed them to 抽 the 白绳 when we made sure the tent pegs at the corners were secure and the tent pole was straight. Unfortunately, one of the tent poles broke, and so some of the Year 3s had to take down the 8-men tent while the rest of the patrol went over to the other structures to give a more in-depth explanation of them. Once the explanations were over and the 8-men tent was kept, the rest of the patrol joined in taking down the rest of the structures and bringing them back to 团部. After every patrol member had returned, it was decided that the Year 1s would learn a few more songs and the actions that accompanied it before the PA ended. Overall, the PA was largely successful in its purpose to teach the Year 1s and allow them to familiarise themselves with basic structures and the knots and lashes that came with them. This activity also allowed the Year 1s to grow closer to the rest of the patrol and it required further interaction between the Year 1s and the Year 2s and 3s, which is important when considering the need for cooperation and bondedness between the batches.
Reflection from a Year 3 of Patrol 5:
For Patrol Activity, we were split into two groups and one group had to build a Kitchen Table while the other group had to build a creative gadget that was related to our patrol’s name, Sunflower. I was in the KT group. I was unfamiliar with the structure of a KT so I was very flustered when we had to retrieve the logistics and start building, as I was appointed the Patrol Leader (PL) too. I thought that it was good that we were building a KT, as not only could I revise on how to build a KT, we could also teach the Year 1s how to tie certain lashes and the difference between spars and gadget poles. When we started building the KT, a lot of our logistics and manpower were taken away and we did not realise until the seniors hinted it to us, which was really something that I could have taken note of. Throughout the whole process, we took a very long time to tie the lashes and we had to ask for multiple time extensions. In the end, the PLs of both groups had to do PT until the groups finished building the structures. Even though the structures were not very stable, the Year 1s would have gained the experience of building a Kitchen Table.
Reflection from a Year 3 of Patrol 6:
On Monday, it was our last PA with the Year 4s. To be honest, the thought of it being our last PA with them was quite sad, especially since the Year 4s had been with us for around two years. During this last PA, we were told to build a flagpole, emergency shelter, as well as an 8-men tent. However, we only managed to build a flagpole and a substandard emergency shelter. Even though this PA was mainly to allow the Year 1s to gain insights into how to build these structures, I felt that this PA also helped us, as Year 3s, to know our stuff better. The fact that our emergency shelter, which is a relatively simple structure, turned out to be rather unsatisfactory, showed how unfamiliar we were with it, especially since we did not build it for such a long time. On the more fun part of the PA, we also built a Fireman’s Ladder. For some of the patrol members, it was their first time flipping over this structure and it felt kind of heartwarming to see the others encouraging them as they got over their fear. I was happy to see that all our patrol members managed to do it, even though it may be quite frightening for a first-timer.
This marked the last ever PA for the Year 4s and we hope that everyone enjoyed it! :”)
Published By:
Arielle
49th Batch Secretary
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