Patrol Activity, 11 April 2022

 Hi Guides! 

Here are some reflections from our fellow Guides, regarding this week’s Patrol Activity. 

Reflection from a Y3 in P1:

On Monday’s Patrol Activity, we did a total of 3 Creative Gadgeting Structures. I noticed that all 3 structures relied on the concept of frames. The first round was a treehouse structure, and we had to self-assign PL and PS. As I did not step out for this round, I was given more freedom to contribute by tying up-to standard lashes. Also, since the idea of a treehouse was new, it was difficult to picture, let alone guess, what the next step was. In a way, this round of Gadgeting tested my trust in the PL and PS. A structural problem had surfaced then, where the diagonals failed to support the treehouse without bending downwards. This opportunity allowed the PL and PS to change the diagonals’ angle and position to better support the treehouse, thus reminding us once more that the PL and PS are free to adjust the structure minimally as they see fit. For the second round of Gadgeting, I was the only Y3 in our patrol that had not stepped up for the PL and PS position, thus I was assigned as PL and assigned a Y2 junior, whom I believe needed a confidence boost, as PS. For this round, we had to build a drawbridge and a catapult simultaneously. The both of us decided that splitting up the task to one structure per person was the most efficient way of hitting the target of 50 minutes. As soon as the round began, I allocated most of the patrol’s manpower to the drawbridge’s frames, but I had failed to consider that I had left insufficient manpower for the catapult structure. While the catapult was a noticeably easier structure than the drawbridge, and while I may have been fast to ensure there would be no zuobos, I failed to plan ahead for the catapult’s approximately needed manpower. Thankfully, the first step for the catapult did not require many people in the building, but foresight would be useful for future activities. These two rounds proved to us that Creative Structures need not necessarily stick to Tripods and Quadpods, rather we can opt for a more flexible approach by utilising frames. Overall, my takeaways from this Patrol Activity was fruitful and enriching, even more so than usual.

Reflection from a Y3 in P2:

On Monday’s Patrol Activity, my patrol did Pioneering, and built a bridge. We spent some time collecting logistics as we did not have enough helmets to go around. The seniors assigned PL and PS for this activity, and I was chosen to be the PL. Only the PL and PS could see the drawing of the bridge, so we had to ensure we allocated the manpower properly and give the rest of the patrol clear instructions on what to do since they had no idea what the structure looked like. The PL and PS also had to report to our seniors every 20 minutes on the progress of the structure. Another challenge that was imposed on us was that each Y3 could only tie 3 to 4 lashes for the whole structure. The Y1s also had to tie the two tripods that held up the whole bridge. We were given 50 minutes to tie the bridge. Since the tripods were the main structure holding up the bridge and the Y1s were not too familiar with tying a tripod for Pioneering, the Y3s had to teach them slowly and ensure that their lashes were tight. It took quite a while before we could get the tripods up. Since we did not have enough helmets for everyone as other patrols were also doing Pioneering, those without a helmet were not allowed to tie lashes or touch the structure. However, we could still contribute to tying the bridge as we tied it on the ground, where helmet wearing was not required, before attaching it between the tripods. We could have a helmet switch every 20 minutes so that those who did not have a helmet could tie the structure as well. In the end, we took over an hour to finish the structure. Even so, the bridge worked well and it was fun trying to walk across it. I feel that we could have had a better sense of urgency as we took longer than expected to finish the whole bridge. We could have allocated the manpower better as there were a few people who were not doing anything, excluding those who could not help due to the lack of helmets. However all in all, I enjoyed this Patrol Activity a lot. 

Reflection from a Y3 in P3:

I think that this Monday’s Patrol Activity was the most successful in terms of patrol bonding as we had the opportunity to play together. I learnt the importance of stepping up to lead my juniors in the tying of creative structures. I learnt how to make use of my creativity to create a structure that is functional according to the criteria given, and I learnt how to adapt to changes in this situation. For example when there is not enough of a certain kind of logistic or realising that the structure might not be feasible, I would need to respond and react appropriately such that the structure would not fail entirely. I also learnt to take care of our logistics at all times, as there would be consequences if we do not do so. I learnt to not only focus on the task I am doing, but also look out for my juniors to see if they are tying the lashes correctly and if they are managing the task well. I learnt the importance of tight lashes and teamwork, working together be it during the netball game or the tying of structures. All in all, I felt that this Patrol Activity was fun and exciting as I never thought that we could build a netball post that was stable enough for us to play a proper game. While building the structures, I also learnt to always constantly step out to look at the bigger picture and the importance of stability in a structure. All in all, I enjoyed this Patrol Activity very much and I had fun trying out the netball hoop by playing a game with my patrol. 

Reflection from a Y3 in P4:

On Monday, we built a swing for Patrol Activity. First, we had to collect the logistics from the backstore and bring them to the outside of the hostel canteen. The structure was slightly challenging to make as the Year 3s were not able to tie the tripod 定脚s. However, it was a good revision on pioneering lashes for the Year 1s and the Year 2s. After tying the tripods, we had to place two 黄木s on the top of the two tripods. We were unable to place them on the tripods easily as we tied the tripod lashes too high. We decided to pull a table and put it in between the two tripods so that we could stand on it to reach the top of the tripod to place the 黄木s.  However, even though we stood on the table, we could barely touch the top of the tripods. Fortunately, with the help of the Year 4 seniors who helped us tie the 营绳 onto the 黄木 and place the 黄木 on top of the tripods, we still managed to complete the structure within the time limit. After we completed the structure, everyone took turns to go on it and swing. It was quite fun as I did not know that we could use simple pioneering 木 to build complicated structures that we see in our daily lives. After we 拆掉, we still had some time so we played Truth or Dare. It was a very fun Patrol Activity session as I got to bond with my patrolmates and have fun with the structures that we built ourselves. I look forward to having more Patrol Activity sessions like this in the future.  

Reflection from a Y3 in P5:

On Monday’s Patrol Activity, we did Creative Pioneering. Only one Year 3 was allowed to see the drawing, which was a see-saw, at any time and the person allocated would change every 25 minutes. During the collection of logistics, we took over double the given time. This was due to another patrol accidentally taking our logistics and miscommunication within our patrol. I felt that we could improve on this greatly by having a better sense of urgency, better communication between patrol members, and double checking our logistics before returning to the venue. As a result of not taking enough logistics, we had to start on the seat of the see-saw first and could not start on the quadpod, which consumed precious time. After we finished building the seat, the quadpod was still being tied and the rest of us were unable to start on anything else. At this time, I feel that our allocation of manpower could have been better as people were just standing around and talking while the time could have been used to 重抽 a few of the loose lashes. After we 起 the quadpod, we realised that one side of the quadpod could only open just big enough for the see-saw to fit through, however, because there were not enough people that were 顶-ing the quadpod, it moved and the see-saw could no longer fit through. As a result, we had to remove the diagonal on the see-saw to be able to fit the see-saw through, which caused the see-saw to shear. Overall, I felt that our sense of urgency, manpower allocation, and attention to detail could have improved as it would have allowed us to complete the see-saw faster with better quality. However, the Creative Pioneering was super enriching as it allowed us Year 3s to improve in areas that still needed developing, especially with Patrol Leader Training Camp (PLTC) coming the following week.

Reflection from a Y3 in P6:

Monday’s Patrol Activity was a great experience that allowed us to have a chance of building a Kitchen Shelter. It was a good experience as we managed to recap on how to build a Kitchen Shelter, as well as the logistics required for it. The last time that we had built a Kitchen Shelter was at the end of Year 1 during Annual Training Camp, and we had relied mostly on the current Year 4s. The Year 1s and Year 2s had never built a Kitchen Shelter before. Aside from allowing us to recap on the Kitchen Shelter, this activity also allowed us to teach the Year 1s and Year 2s about the function of a Kitchen Shelter and how to build it. It was also a good refresher on the 八字结 for the Year 1s and the 活结 for the Year 2s and Year 3s. On top of that, the building of the Kitchen Shelter also helped the Year 3s to prepare ourselves for Patrol Leader Training Camp. After this experience, we learnt that we should have familiarised ourselves with the Kitchen Shelter more and keep to the standard timing as we had 过时 tremendously. We hope that this experience improved the hard skills of the Year 2s and the Year 1s. Lastly, we hope that the skills and knowledge the Year 2s and Year 1s had gained would be retained. Overall, this week's Patrol Activity was an enriching experience for all of us that allowed us to recap on our hard skills and soft skills. 

All in all, we hope that everyone had fun bonding with their patrol during this Patrol Activity. 

Published by: 

Pok Jing 

53 届 Secretary 

Skills Training, 8 April 2022

 Hello Guides! 

For this week’s 集合, we showed the Year 1s Inspection, and also did Gadgeting.

Inspection:

This is an activity where we lay out our logistics in the 配备 within a stipulated time. The logistics are to be laid in a standardised manner, which helps improve the juniors’ leadership skills. Through this activity, the Year 1s got to know what are the logistics required in a standard Inspection. 

Reflection by a y1: 

During Inspection, we have to follow the ICs’ instructions and place the items accordingly. The items include 麻绳, mess tins, ground sheet, poncho, survival kit, rubber mallet, first aid kit, 原子炉, 青头, 白绳 pouch, newspaper, flag pole, flag kit and 白绳 box. I learnt that when placing the items, the labels should face up. During Inspection, I was kapped by the seniors, so to not let the seniors take me away, I learnt that I should be more aware of my surroundings and I could be more participative in the laying the layout. The time given for each round of inspection is very short, so in order to finish on time, we have to pay attention to the instructions given and make sure that the items are placed correctly. Throughout the inspection, we also needed to take good care of our logistics and people and 报时 promptly to keep track of time. I also learnt that it is a form of respect to not let the tip of the flagpole 动地. We prevented this by putting our flagpole on top of the 白绳 box. All in all, I feel that Inspection was a new experience which I did not expect, especially having to juggle multiple tasks. While arrnagin the items and listening carefully to instructions, we also had to 照顾好人,照顾好东西. While the whole inspection process was tiring and rushed, it was a good practice that trained our sense of awareness and urgency. I learnt many valuable lessons from my first time participating in Inspection. I will also keep improving to spur me and my fellow Y1s onwards, and participate more in the laying of logistics. 

Reflection by a y2: 

The Inspection that we did on Friday allowed us to work on our sense of urgency. As we were not given a lot of time to complete our layout, we had to make full use of our manpower and arrange all our logistics quickly. Moreover, the Inspection also served as a reminder for us to take care of our manpower and logistics better. The Inspection was quite chaotic and this resulted in a lot of items and people getting kapped. We feel that even though everyone was rushing to complete the layouts, we definitely should have still been more aware of our logistics and manpower as they are essential to an activity. Without manpower and logistics, one would not be able to complete the activity on their own. Furthermore, we also got a chance to introduce Inspection to the Year 1s. We explained to them that the purpose of Inspections is to ensure that we have all our logistics, as well as to train our sense of urgency. We think that we could have included them more while the inspection was taking place and let them take part in the arranging of the logistics. All in all, we feel that there were various areas we could have improved on - our sense of urgency, taking better care of logistics and manpower, and including the Year 1s more.

Reflection by a y3: 

On Friday’s 集合, we had our first Inspection with the Y1s. As the idea was entirely new to them and we did not brief them about it before, many Y1s were clueless about what to do. To top it off, they are not familiar with items in the 配备, and they lacked in their sense of urgency. For the first 2 rounds of Inspection, I have noticed that the Y2s and Y3s had to support the whole patrol ourselves, meaning that the Y2s and 3s did all the work in Inspection. Furthermore, as it is a new activity to the Y1s, and with extra logistics such as gadget poles and flag kits, the Inspection rounds were considerably chaotic, leading to many people and logistics getting kapped throughout the four rounds of Inspection. And due to the chaos, it was difficult to hear what instructions the ICs were shouting, resulting in unacceptable standards of an average of 5 minutes per round. With our terrible performance in mind, we managed to explain about this activity briefly to the Y1s throughout the four rounds and catch them up to speed on what we do during Inspection. I believe that we could have calmed down instead of panicking and shouting instructions to each other as the ICs struggled to convey instructions on their ends. We could have also briefed the Y1s ahead of time on the 配备 logistics so as to minimise confusion during the actual activity. However, there was a significant improvement in the third and fourth rounds, regardless of the Y2s and Y3s being handicapped. The Y1s managed to finish 2 layouts, which proves that they managed to be somewhat familiar with the logistics and their names over the previous two rounds. Overall, while the Inspection could have been better, I believe that the biggest takeaway was the Y1s’ sudden exposure to Inspection and them learning very quickly. 

Standard Gadgeting: 

For this activity we showed the Year 1s how to build a flagpole and emergency shelter. The Year 1s learnt how to take pacings, and also how to tie the flag to the flagpole. 

Reflection by a y1: 

For last Friday’s CCA session, one activity we did was Standard Gadgeting. Instead of making a structure which requires a tripod or A-架, this time, we learnt how to 打进, in order to prop up an Emergency Shelter. I learnt that this structure was supposed to be built in a short duration as it was meant for emergency purposes when it rains, and we need to shelter our logistics. To build an Emergency Shelter, we made use of a poncho, by tying the hood with a knot, as the shelter, since a poncho is waterproof. We also learnt how to take pacings before we 打进 the 青头 into the soil. Only one person is to take the pacings so that the distance from all 4 corners of the poncho to the respective 青头 will be the same. I feel quite amazed at how the Emergency Shelter can stand without slanting even though we did not use diagonal lashes for stability. Next, we also learnt how to tie a flagpole. We made use of the Flagkit which contained logistics like 蜡绳, and the flag itself. The Flagpole is built to raise the flags in the flagkit and it is meant to display each patrol’s identity. The loop on the flagpole is required to face the same direction which is to be standardised among all the patrols, in this case we chose a tree nearby. I also learnt to tie a 火结 on the 麻绳 so that it can be used to attach the 麻绳 to the 银钉. I feel that this was a great experience as I have never tried tying a flagpole before and I learnt many new things on what to take note of. For instance, I was taught that the 头 of the flagpole should never 动地, as a form of respect. All in all, I feel that this Standard Gadgeting had been an eye-opener for me as I learnt more about how to tie other standard structures. 

Reflection by a y2: 

For 集合 on Friday, we did a Standard Gadgeting activity, and we were required to build a Flagpole and Emergency Shelter. For this activity, we were given double the standard timing to finish building everything. However, we still managed to 过时 by a few minutes, which should not have happened. I feel that this is mainly due to the fact that most of the Year 1s and Year 2s were not familiar with the knots used to build the flagpole as well as how to build it. We could have familiarised ourselves with them in our free time, in order to avoid such confusion in future 集合s. We could have also worked much faster as the time we took to build both structures was not ideal. We could have worked faster by allocating our manpower better, and also making sure that we were familiar with all the standard structures. This can help in shortening the time to build everything. However, the Year 3s helped us with anything that we were confused with, explaining everything step by step, so that no one would be left behind. The helpfulness of the Year 3s had helped us to finish the structures, even if the timing was not good enough. Overall, I think that we had good teamwork, but need to improve on our sense of urgency.

Reflection by a y3: 

For Friday’s 集合, we did Standard Gadgeting. We built a Flagpole and Emergency shelter. This was our first time building these standard structures with the Year 1s. We also have not built these structures for a long time. It was a good opportunity for us to revise our lashes as well as how to go about building the structures. We made full use of our manpower, and split our patrol into half.

Half of us built the Flagpole and the others built the Emergency Shelter. For the Emergency Shelter, we made some errors in building it. However, we managed to correct them in time, and the Emergency Shelter looked quite good in the end. As for the Flagpole, we managed to build it well, and did not need much help with the Mickey Mouse lash. We also knew how to attach the flag to the flagpole. Overall, we did rather well in time management as well as manpower allocation. Even though we had a sense of urgency, we did not 报时 frequently. I think that we can do so more often so that everyone is able to keep track of time better. Overall, I think that this experience allowed us to revise our standard structures as well as teach the Year 1s how to build them. It was a very fulfilling experience and we look forward to the next 集合.

Creative Gadgeting: 

For Creative Gadgeting, the assigned PL and PS had to lead their patrol in building a Bridge designed by the Year 4s. This activity tests the juniors in communication as only the PL and PS could see the structure. This activity also exposes the juniors to different kinds of structure which can be built using Gadgeting poles.

Reflection by a y1: 

On Friday, my patrol built a bridge and our manpower and logistics kept getting kapped by the seniors. The Year 1s in the patrol did not know what to do. Furthermore, there were many people who kept being kapped because they did not know what to do. They just stood at the side which made it easier for them to get kapped. It was hard keeping each other from getting kapped, and that is  something that we should work on. The bridge was smaller than I had expected, but with the power of teamwork, we finished building the bridge. The bridge turned out nicer than we had expected. However, we kept asking for time extensions. Time management was something that we could also have worked on. Overall, the activity was fun and engaging. From this activity, I learnt to take good care of my logistics and fellow guides, and also myself.

Reflection by a y2:

On Friday’s 集合, we tied a Creative Gadgeting Structure, a bridge. The PL and PS roles were assigned to 2 Year 3s to encourage them to step up. When they went to see the picture of the structure, the rest moved the logistics to the place where we were building the structure. I was curious about what structure we would be building with the logistics given. After discussion, the PL and PS told us to make two frames, explaining in detail which 木 to use and laying it out for us to see. We began working on it accordingly. I noticed that one of my Year 1s was having difficulty with her square lash, hence I patiently guided her. After we finished tying the two frames, we needed to connect them. together. The Year 1s were talking among themselves, so I felt that we could have involved them in the activity more to engage them, or asked them to 报时. Besides that, I also felt that I could have looked at the bigger picture more to ensure that the bridge was not slanted.

Even though we did not manage to complete the structure, we were almost done and this was a good opportunity to brush up our lashes. Overall, we could have 报时-ed more to ensure a greater sense of urgency, 照顾好人，照顾好东西, and involve the Year 1s more. 

Reflection by a y3: 

The Creative Gadgeting session was an insightful experience. Although it may not have been much of a new experience, I learnt much through the process of leading as a patrol leader along with my patrol mate. Although in the beginning, I became slightly confused by the drawing and as a result gave wrong instructions to the patrol regarding what frames to build, eventually we managed to finish the structure within the time such that it looked somewhat similar to the original in the drawing. This would not have been possible without the constant support of my batchmates in the same patrol, and it made me realise how crucial the people who keep up patrol morale are. Guides is a Uniformed Group, and the aspect of “group” was truly highlighted in this Creative Gadgeting activity, where we accomplish the previously impossible together. The experience also taught me much about adaptability, as due to the time crunch, we had to somehow put the three existing frames together, even if one may be slightly different from the original plan. Knowing how and when to adapt is an essential skill in Guides, and I feel this was an aspect I was proud to have grown in through that activity, despite still having room for improvement. Additionally, I was also thankful for my patrol seniors, who did not fault me when I felt disheartened, as I thought that I had messed up and felt that I had let the rest of my juniors and batchmates down. Instead, they encouraged me and taught me about the “people”, “product”, and “process” objectives guide. Thus, the Creative Gadgeting session not only allowed me to learn in terms of leadership, but also inspired me to be a supportive and understanding senior to the juniors especially when we take on the role of the 领导层. In conclusion, I feel that the Creative Gadgeting session was a good platform for me to stocktake and better understand myself in terms of soft skills, allowing me to not only reflect on what areas I have grown in, but also identify areas of weakness to improve on.

All in all, we hope that everyone managed to learn something from today’s 集合 and the Year 1s managed to see a different side of Guides. 

Published by: 

Pok Jing 

53 届 Secretary 

Uniformed Group Day, 1 April 2022

 Hello Guides! 

Today marks the exciting Uniformed Group Day, celebrated by all 4 UG groups. We celebrated this remarkable day by participating in games and activities with our other fellow UG members. This was definitely a great time for us to get to know each other better and make new friends. For the Year 4s, we were mostly tasked to be Group Facilitators, where we had to host the games for our juniors. It was also a great learning opportunity for us to plan and organise events with other UG members. Here are some thoughts from our juniors about this year’s UG day celebration. 

Broken Telephone: 

We kick started today’s series of activities with a familiar game, Broken Telephone. Since this was a game well-known to everyone, the juniors managed to settle in quickly and participated in the game actively. The game goes as such: The first person will be given a phrase, which will then be passed down to the next person, and so on. The last person would have to try to interpret the phrase and repeat it as accurately as possible. 

Reflection by a y1: 

The broken telephone activity is really the best part about UG day! It has been quite long since I last played Broken Telephone so I was really looking forward to it. The game was actually much harder than I expected it to be. The last time me and my friends played it, we nailed the game. I think what made it really challenging and really fun was that all of them are tongue twisters and you will not understand the sentence unless you articulate the words extremely clearly. However, our group kept talking and laughing when trying to interpret the tongue twisters so we did not manage to catch the words clearly. Even though we all had fun joking around during the game, the fact that we did not manage to get the sentences accurately caused us to lose points. It also put us at a disadvantage while we strived to be the group with the highest point to win a prize. Although our group did not do well for Broken Telephone, it is the most memorable part of UG day. The other activities were also very fun and interesting. In addition, UG day is very cool as you get to meet other people from other UGs. I will definitely look forward to the next UG day celebration!

Reflection by a y2: 

I felt that the Broken Telephone game was a very fun game in helping us to break the ice and bond better with our fellow schoolmates from other UGs. At first, we faced many difficulties in deciphering what the sentence was and we even had to ask our facilitators to repeat the sentence. Moreover, we were not communicating very well as a group. This led to us losing quite a few points due to this miscommunication. Even after we understood what the sentence was, we had to learn how to communicate this to our group mates and memorise what the sentence was . Throughout the process , we were able to bond with our group mates better and communicate our ideas to each other more clearly. We also learnt the importance of communication as a group and got closer to the people that we do not usually talk to. We also gained an insight on what the other UGs did normally. For example, the St Johns were extremely well versed in their medical skills. This led us to share information between groups and better understand the other UGs in Dunman High as a whole. Overall, the Broken Telephone was the most enjoyable game in UG day and it is actually my favourite game too. It was memorable and also quite funny as some of our group mates said the wrong words which turned it into a funny sentence. All in all, the Broken Telephone was a good game to improve communication as a group. This would definitely help us during normal CCA as we would be able to better communicate with our patrol mates which we do not have much of a chance to talk to normally. Moreover, this game is a good game to break the ice between people that you have never communicated with. In a nutshell, I feel that the Broken Telephone game is a key part in enabling group mates to be more bonded which would contribute to the success of the other games and also boost the team’s morale. In total, I enjoyed this game greatly and it also helped us to know other UGs better and our group mates. I definitely look forward to the next UG Day where we play some fun games together! 

Reflection by a y3: 

On Friday, we had UG Day, where we got to spend time with the other uniform groups and engage in fun activities with them. One of the activities was the Broken Telephone activity. In our respective groups of 4, we had to stand in one line, and the first person in line would receive a phrase or sentence which would be passed down from person to person. The last person in line would then have to announce what they heard the sentence was, and the group would be awarded points for every correct answer given. As we were in groups with new people from other uniform groups, we had a hard time communicating efficiently with them at first due to our awkwardness and unfamiliarity. However, as time went on, we became familiar with not just the game but the people we were playing with as well. The Broken Telephone activity ended up being very fun and interactive, and it was exciting to see what the sentence would turn out to be when it reached the last person at the end of the line. Some of our teammates could not understand the sentence properly and deliver a funny answer, which made the game even more fun and engaging. It also allowed us to bond, from strangers to feeling more comfortable with each other. All in all, we had fun playing the Broken Telephone activity while also getting to know the people in our groups, and we hope that the next UG day activities will be equally interesting and engaging. I also feel that this game is a good game to train us to communicate well with each other and to enunciate our words clearly, which is a useful skill. All in all, this was a memorable game that I enjoyed a lot.

Pictionary: 

For the next game, we played Pictionary, which was also a simple but fun game. The words given to the juniors, for them to draw, were related to the activities of each Uniformed Group. We could see a sense of familiarity when some juniors instantly recognised what the activities were, and excitedly started drawing. When faced with activities that were unfamiliar, the juniors also had the opportunity to learn more about what the other UGs do during their CCA sessions. As to how the game should go, the last person in the row would need to guess what activity the drawing was about. 

Reflection by a y1: 

The Pictionary game, along with all the other games, was very memorable and I learnt more about other Uniformed Groups from it. I have not played it for a long time since Orientation, so I looked forward to it. Through this activity, I learnt that we all have our own strengths but due to our differences, we may face difficulties in communications. One of my group members was exceptionally good at drawing and she was able to draw very well. However, since all of us in the group come from different Uniformed Groups, it was still hard for us to interpret what she was drawing. Despite this, there was also a guy in my group who was able to guess the drawing as he was an enthusiast of that activity. Another thing I learnt is that whatever knowledge I knew, I should not assume that everyone also has the same given knowledge. When it was my turn to draw, I chose my theme as Guides, since it my CCA and I am familiar with the activities in Guides, I was told to draw Gadgeting. As I expected people from Scouts to understand what that was, I felt that it was weird when my group member from Scouts was actually confused about what I am drawing, despite prompting him about what the smaller version of Pioneering was. It was then I learnt that Scouts rarely do gadgeting and I should not have assumed that they knew what it was. Through this activity, I learnt that I should give clearer instructions and set lower expectations on others, since I should not have expected people to have understood my drawing if I stood from their perspectives. In the future, I would make my instructions as clear as possible and be more patient towards others. In conclusion, the Pictionary activity was a fun and fulfilling activity and I learnt a valuable lesson and knowledge about other Uniformed Groups.

Reflection by a y2: 

Through the Pictionary activity, my group managed to find out more about each other's CCA, and what we do during CCA. I learnt some items the NPCC uses like "drill rifle", and the people from other UGs also learnt more about Girl Guides, for example, we have to wear canvas shoes with our 全制 or 半制  everytime. In Scouts and Girl Guides, we also do outdoor cooking. My group got one question correct even with clues from the senior, but we still had fun. The game also gave us an opportunity to draw as we had to copy each other's drawing, and improve on it so it will be clear for the person to guess or pass on. It also helped us to be more bonded, because we had a good laugh over how much change the drawing went through from the first person's to the last person's drawing. I actually could be more clear about the drawing right from the start, for example like instead of just drawing the canvas shoe, I can also draw a Guide so that it was more obvious. However, we only played three rounds of pictionary due to time constraints. Overall, it was a really fulfilling and fun game as everybody learned a lot through it and it was very amusing. 

Reflection by a y3: 

The Uniformed Group Day activities were all quite enriching, especially Pictionary. During the game, we were split into groups of four. One person was allowed to see the phrase or word regarding a certain Uniformed Group activity and had thirty seconds to draw it out. The next two people had to see the drawing and try to interpret what the phrase was, then draw it out in thirty seconds, while adding their own elements. The last person had ten seconds to see the drawing done by the person before them and guess what the phrase was. Although some of the phrases were not any Guides related activities, I was still able to guess the activity as my group members were very clear in their drawings and added elements that were useful in helping me guess the correct answer. Moreover, my group found a way to make the guessing of the phrase easier, which was to write out the word or part of the phrase in the Guides Code. My group members from other Uniformed Groups were intrigued to learn about the Guides code. After showing them how to use it, they were very fascinated by how we were able to communicate in code. This allowed for a skills exchange among the four Uniform Groups, which made the activity rather fulfilling as we were able to teach other Uniformed Groups our Guides knowledge and activities, while also learning how they conducted their CCA sessions. Pictionary also taught us the importance of effective communication, be it speaking or drawing. It is paramount to ensure that what you want to convey is clear and concise, such that the recipient is able to exactly understand the message that you are trying to bring across. All in all, Uniformed Group Day was a memorable one as we were not only able to learn about other Uniformed Groups, but we could also bond with our batchmates from the different Uniformed Groups.

Escape Room: 

For this game, the juniors would be required to work together to find a piece of paper, with 2 digits written on it, to complete the Escape Room. In each classroom, there were 4 groups of participants. In each group, there were two participants blindfolded, and they were required to adapt to such restrictions to find a piece of paper hidden in the classroom. When all 4 pieces of paper were found, the groups needed to discuss  and arrange the numbers on the paper so that it forms the correct phone number of the Escape Room IC. Through this activity, we were heartened to see the juniors from different UG Groups working together and participating in the Escape Room actively.

Reflection by a y1: 

During the Escape Room activity, I was the one blindfolded. Thus, I could not see anything. My role was to find the missing paper with the clue on it while my group mates guided me to it. At first I struggled a lot trying to navigate the area while blindfolded, but after much needed guidance from my patient group mates. I managed to get used to it after a while. My group mates that weren’t blindfolded took quite some time themselves. They looked high and low and in every nook and cranny of the classrooms. It took them quite some time and several hints to find out where it was, but in the end, they found it. One of them led me to the teacher’s table where the paper with the hint on it was hidden. Next we had to work with the other groups to find out the phone number in order to finish the game. We took numerous tries but to no avail. After we had strategically planned, we were able to easily decode the phone number. From this activity, I learnt the importance of not only teamwork, but also cooperation with others. I felt that this activity was quite enjoyable.

Reflection by a y2: 

On Friday, we had UG Day activities. During the Escape Room activity, we were blindfolded and there was to be one person to instruct us on what to do to find the missing puzzle piece. As a team, we had to find the puzzle piece. However, the person that was not blindfolded was not able to take the puzzle piece, only the ones blindfolded could take it. I was the one that was not blindfolded and it took me quite awhile before I could find the missing puzzle piece. The other group members tried to help but they were blindfolded and it was quite difficult. When I found it, I tried to give one of the other group members directions to get it but it was not successful. I then took hold of the person's hand to help her get to the puzzle piece. Afterwards, when we tried getting the phone number, our group tried doing it the normal way and failed to do so because of the countless possibilities. The Group Facilitator then allowed us to try it in Wordle style because we all knew how to play Wordle, and we were having a lot of difficulties getting the phone number. After trying it in Wordle style, getting the phone number was a lot easier. We got the phone number not long later and celebrated our victory. I had a lot of fun during this Escape Room activity because I was able to bond with the other people in my group, learning to trust one another while we found the puzzle. We also learnt teamwork through helping each other find the piece, creativity through getting the phone number and collaboration skills by working together on a combined goal. In a nutshell, I had a lot of fun during the Escape Room activity.

Reflection by a y3: 

For UG day, one of the activities was Escape Room. Everyone in the room had to work together and find 4 pieces of paper which had different UG logos printed on them respectively. Behind those pieces of paper, there were 2 digit numbers. Together, they formed a phone number which we had to text to escape the room. Two out of four players had to be blindfolded and they could touch the papers. The other two were not blindfolded but they could not touch anything, therefore, they could only guide the blindfolded players towards the paper. Since I did not know anyone in my group, I felt that this was a great opportunity to get to know each other better through communication. Communication was really important, and the others had to describe the direction of the papers well so the blindfolded person had confidence and knew what to do. I was the blindfolded person and I felt really scared when I was walking with the blindfold on. I was unsure of where I was going but my groupmates reassured me which made me feel more relieved. The paper was quite high up and I had to actually jump. My group mates encouraged and cheered me on and eventually I successfully retrieved the piece of paper. I felt a sense of accomplishment when I managed to reach the paper as well. After each group found a paper in their areas, we discussed with each other and tried to put the numbers we had found together. The number order was based on the order on our UG shirt. I feel this is something that people do not really take notice of as many of us did not know the order and we had to keep guessing. It was also quite enjoyable and fun as we got together to piece the puzzles. We cracked a few jokes and laughed together. When we solved the number correctly, we all cheered and I really felt we became closer. Overall, the escape room was really fun and it was a great activity for us to bond with new people from our group.

Snakes and Ladders: 

Before we ended off today’s games and activities, we played Snakes and Ladders with a twist. On the game map, when a group member's piece landed on the spaces like “sabotage”, “power up” and “forfeit”, the group would need to spin a wheel to decide on the respective actions they should carry out. The addition of these new elements to the traditional game made the juniors more excited when playing the game. This game also fostered some team spirit as the groups strategized on how they could reach the finishing line first and become the winner. 

Reflection by a y1:

We played Snakes and Ladders as the last game during UG Day. When I first heard that we were going to play Snakes and Ladders, I was curious as to how this game would help us in building team spirit and forging stronger bonds between my group members from other Uniformed Groups. Nevertheless, it had caught my attention and I listened carefully to our Group's In-Charge as he explained the rules. As we started to play the game, we each had to write our initials on the board to be used as the pieces played in the game. We played a fully digital snake and ladder game, complete with an online die roller to minimise physical contact due to the Safe Management Measures. Our group started off well, with quite a few Forfeits and Sabotages already done to the other group. It included some Physical Activities, like push-ups, and also dancing to a song. Not only that, we had also received two Power Ups, one having the ability to reflect the other’s groups Forfeits and Sabotages back onto themselves, and another to block Forfeits and Sabotages. However, the other group had managed to surpass us in terms of speed as they were way past our group, nearing the finishing point. After we used up our Power Ups, the next turn we got a forfeit from one of the other groups, which was to do 5 push-ups. One of our group members could not do push-ups, and one of my group members immediately volunteered to help her do it in her place. I could not do push-ups really well so my group mates cheered me on until the end. It was really stressful as everyone was watching me do the forfeit and I was glad that I had my group mates beside me. There was once when my group also had to dance to a song, and though it was quite an embarrassing experience for me, my group members and I had a good time laughing about it, and at the end of it all, I was glad that I had not backed out cowardly and joined in the fun. In the end, the tide took a turn. The other group had managed to get all their pieces to the end before us. We did not manage to win, and despite being disappointed, we comforted one another and told ourselves that we did our best. We agreed that the process was more important than the results, and most importantly, we had shown good team spirit and persevered till the end. I was also glad that I had made new friends and learnt to be a better team player. This game, Snake and Ladder, was the most memorable game for me.

Reflection by a y2: 

UG day was on 1 April, Friday. One of the activities was a game of Snakes and Ladders. The activity had PT exercises as penalties, and we can get these penalties if we landed on a penalty square or if any of our opponents landed on a sabotage square. I thought the game’s tweaks were excellent. In my opinion, I think it was really fun, and was a great way for students from different UG CCAs to bond and get to know each other, since this game requires a bit of strategizing within teams. During the game, we also conversed with students from the other team. I was glad to be acquainted with them, and the conversations we had during the game were very interactive, helping me to get to know more about other students from other UG CCAs. I felt that my teamwork and my group’s ability to interact even though we did not know each other was great. During the game, there were no conflicts or quarrels and everybody got along. Another thing I thought that I did well was that I successfully strategized with my groupmates during the game. There are many things I thought I could improve on, though. For one, we could have been more enthusiastic to participate, and encourage those who are more passive to talk more. I also thought our teamwork had room for improvement. There was once when I wanted to say something, but stopped because I was not sure whether they would think it was a good idea. I also felt awkward to join in the conversation when there were others from the same CCA or class talking to each other. Overall, however, I think we mostly did well, seeing this is the first time most of us had seen our groupmates. I enjoyed the game, and learnt of some of the aspects of teamwork and communication I could improve on.

Reflection by a y3: 

I felt that it was very fun to play the Snakes and Ladders game during UG day. Although it was a simple game, we could bond and exercise at the same time when we had to do forfeits. It was very funny how we sabotaged one another and the Year 4s were really entertaining. However, we still lost in the end because we did not have much luck in rolling the dice and kept getting sabotages and forfeits. It was still really fun nonetheless, and I would love to play this game again one day. This game also trains our sportsmanship to cheer for the opposing teams that won even if we did not win. Even though it was mainly rolling of the dice and moving steps in the game board, the power ups, forfeits, and sabotages made the game much more interesting. I find it innovative that they added those different aspects to the game, as a normal game of Snakes and Ladders usually does not have those. I also love how they planned what the power ups, forfeits and sabotages would be so we would not have to come up with them on the spot. In conclusion, it was very interesting and engaging. I enjoyed playing this game with people from different Uniformed Groups. I do hope to play more games similar to Snakes and Ladder in the future. Our Year 4 was also really nice because when we needed to do our forfeits, he offered to do it on our behalf. Even though in the end we all had to do it together, he tried his best to prevent it. The other group was also friendly and outgoing, so it was not too bland playing with them because they were always joking around. I had a whale of a time playing this game. 

All in all, we hope that everyone enjoyed today’s activities and managed to forge new friendships. Happy UG Week!

Published by: 

Pok Jing 

53 届 Secretary