Being part of this year’s Girl Guides World Thinking Day (WTD) Contingent as a Year 1 Guide was a new and meaningful experience for me. As it was my first time participating in such a large-scale event, I initially felt unsure and a little nervous about what to expect. However, as the other Guides and I continued to practise and prepare together, I gradually became more familiar with the procedure. Over time, I grew more comfortable and even started to feel excited and proud to be part of such a large and united community. During the event, I was positioned at the back of the hall together with my batchmates. Although we were not at the front, we were still actively involved by listening carefully and following the commands given by the Parade Commander. This made me feel included in the Contingent and helped me better understand how such a large-scale event is organised and conducted smoothly. Being surrounded by my batchmates also helped to ease my nervousness, as we were all new and learning together. We supported and encouraged one another, which made the experience more enjoyable and less stressful. From this experience, I learned the importance of discipline, teamwork, and attentiveness. Everyone had to listen carefully, stay focused, and respond quickly to instructions so that the programme could run successfully. I also learned more about the significance of WTD, which celebrates friendship, unity, and shared values among Girl Guides around the world. This made me realise that being a Girl Guide is not just about my own school or patrol, but about being part of a much larger and global sisterhood. Overall, this experience has encouraged me to become a more responsible, confident, and active Guide. It has inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and participate more actively in future activities. I hope to continue improving myself, build stronger friendships, and contribute positively to my Company in the years ahead.
World Thinking Day (WTD) is an important event to the Girl Guiding Movement that celebrates the founding of Girl Guides, renews our Guiding Promise and brings together Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world. This year, I had the opportunity to take part in the WTD Contingent, which helped me understand more about what it means to be a Guide. During the event, the Year 1 Contingent was positioned at the back of the hall. Although we were not at the front or in the spotlight, we were still expected to remain focused and carry ourselves properly throughout the programme. As the event went on, I realised that even a simple task like standing and staying attentive required a lot of self-discipline. While the activity may not have seemed very demanding at first, it became more challenging over time. Since we could not move much or fidget, my legs ended up becoming slightly numb by the end of the Contingent. At times, it was uncomfortable, but it made me realise how much effort was actually needed to maintain a Contingent. However, everyone did their best and looked out for one another. This showed that being a Guide is not just about taking part in activities, but also about self-discipline, how we present ourselves, and uphold the values of a Guide. It also helped me better understand the importance of supporting one another during such activities. In addition, I realised the importance of being prepared for such events and that staying focused for a long period of time requires effort and determination. I saw that teamwork played a major role, as everyone had to do their part in order for the Contingent to maintain a consistent standard. Overall, taking part in the WTD Contingent was a fun and meaningful experience as it allowed me to reflect on the values of Guiding, bond with my patrol mates and batchmates, and also helped me develop a stronger sense of discipline, responsibility, and teamwork.
As World Thinking Day approached, we began practising for the Contingent. This was the first practice session but it felt much easier than when I was a Year 1, as I am now more experienced and know what to expect. This time, my batch was grouped with our Year 3s and Year 4s, rather than in our batch, which meant we would join the Contingent at the front of the hall. This made it much more nerve-wracking as we had to march in front of the whole school, but I was ready to show them what practice and discipline looked like. I felt that we were quite coordinated, especially since it was the first time we had done Contingent practice in a while, and I felt proud of myself. I was in a huge Contingent with fellow Guides and the hours of marching flew by pretty fast. It did not feel as difficult as I thought being in a Contingent was in Year 1. I learn that as we grow in Guides, we gradually get used to the norms, we adapt, and we constantly improve. I will continue to stay focused during Contingent and work hard. This 集合 was also the first time the Year 1s have ever participated in Contingent, and the first time the rest of us had done Contingent in a while. I felt nervous for the Year 1s as Contingent is quite a tiring activity, especially during one of your first CCA sessions. However, they were still quite energetic and ready to learn, and I believed they could persevere through. The first time they marched was uncoordinated and messy, bringing me back to my memories in Year 1, but they managed to improve as they kept practising! Contingent is a core memory to me, as it requires discipline and constant awareness, part of the values that Guides should demonstrate and uphold, not just in our CCA but also in daily life.
Participating in the World Thinking Day Contingent was a meaningful and eye-opening experience for me. It was not just an event but a chance for me to connect with my friends in Guides whilst reflecting on the values we stand for: friendship, service and global citizenship. One of the most impactful aspects of the experience was the hard work we had put into making sure our Contingent was coordinated. It was, however, also one of the most challenging aspects as we had to be precise, coordinated and consistent. Every step, turn and march had to be synchronised with the rest of the Contingent. In the beginning, it was really difficult to maintain consistency, especially when it had been close to half a year since we last did Contingent practice; the commands were unfamiliar to us. However, through repeated practices and guidance from our seniors, we gradually improved. This process taught me the importance of patience and resilience as progress did not happen instantly. Rather, it was through the numerous practices of continuous effort. Teamwork played a crucial role throughout the experience. Marching is not an individual activity; instead, it depends on everyone working together as a Contingent Unit. I had to be aware of the surroundings to match my pace with the person next to me and in front of me, and be alert for commands like “Baris Sedia” or “Cepat Jalan”. This helped me to develop a stronger sense of responsibility as I realised that even a small mistake in front of the whole school would affect the entire Contingent’s performance. Another key takeaway was the importance of discipline. We had to carefully listen to commands, respond promptly and maintain focus even when we were really tired. Standing and marching under the sun during practice was physically demanding but it also strengthened my mental endurance. Despite the challenges, the whole experience was rewarding and on the actual day, seeing the contingent move in unison gave me a strong sense of pride. It was satisfying to know that all our hard work and practice paid off. More importantly, it made me feel more connected to the Guiding spirit as we were representing our CCA. Overall, participating in the WTD Contingent taught me valuable lessons about teamwork, discipline and perseverance. It also helped me grow in confidence and resilience. Moving forward, I will apply these lessons to other Guiding activities.
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13th February was our second session in Girl Guides. Before 集合 started, the Year 1s played a game of Mafia which allowed us to bond better as a batch. During 集合, we learnt our very first and basic lashes in Guides from the Year 3s, which were the Square Lash and Diagonal Lash. The Year 3s were extremely patient with us and I really appreciated the effort that they had put into teaching us these lashes. They explained to us the basics of these two lashes which allowed us to fully understand how to properly tie them. I learnt that to start the lashes, a Clove Hitch to the 木 is needed and to end a lash, a half hitch should be tied. During this Lash Training, I think that my patrol mate and I did well in learning our first lashes because of the Year 3s’ support and guidance. Through that session, I understood that I could improve on the tightness of my lashes as they were quite loose and the 木 could be twisted and turned easily. To increase the tightness of the lashes, I needed to hold tension and make sure there was no overlap of lashes. We also learnt the importance of the lashes, which was mainly to prevent the structure from shearing and to ensure our structure could stand properly on its own. Another area of improvement for me would be the Diagonal Lash as I found it a little hard to get it right. However, I think that with regular practise from the Lash Training sessions on Wednesday mornings, and my seniors’ guidance, I will gradually be more familiar with the tying of lashes. Overall, even though our lashes have not been perfected, I think that both we did our best in learning how to tie the Square and Diagonal Lashes. In the future, I will tie my lashes tighter and take my seniors' feedback seriously so that I can improve.
Learning how to tie lashes during our 集合 sessions was far more than mastering the skill itself. It taught me patience, and the value of working together and helping each other out. At first, I struggled to tell the difference between Square Lashes and Diagonal Lashes. My hands felt clumsy, the 白绳 kept slipping, and my first few attempts were quite loose. I grew frustrated, thinking I would never get it right, but my patrol mates encouraged us to slow down, focus on each step, and learn from mistakes instead of rushing. As I practised repeatedly, I began to notice small details: how to 抽, how to secure the ends properly, and how to position the 木 so the structure stayed firm. I also learned that lashing is not a solo task. My patrol mates and I helped each other, shared tips, and checked one another’s work. When we finally built a stable, small stand together with our seniors, I felt proud not just of the finished structure, but of how we supported each other through the tricky parts. I now understand that patience and focus turn confusion into confidence, and that working as a team makes hard tasks easier. I will carry this skill and these values with me to future activities and daily life, knowing that careful effort and cooperation will help me grow stronger and more capable.
During the Lash Training session, I had the opportunity to teach a Year 1 Guide in a one-to-one setting. This experience was both meaningful and challenging for me as a Year 3 Guide. At first, I felt a little nervous because I was fully responsible for guiding her and making sure she understood what to do. However, I was able to explain the steps clearly, demonstrate slowly, and check her understanding before moving on, and I was able to do it at her pace. This helped me realise the importance of patience and adapting my teaching style to suit different learners, as people learn at different paces, so we need to change the way we teach to benefit the learner. Through this experience, I also developed my communication and leadership skills. Since it was just the two of us, I had to take initiative and keep the interaction engaging. I encouraged her when she was unsure and gave positive feedback when she did well. I noticed that she became more confident as the session progressed, which made me feel proud and motivated. This showed me that encouragement and support can make a big difference, especially for younger Guides who may feel shy. Overall, this lash training session managed to help train my leadership and responsibility. It allowed me to build a closer connection with the Year 1 Guide and better understand how to support my juniors, and it also helps me to bond with them. I also learnt that leadership is not only about guiding a group, but also about helping individuals grow. I hope to continue improving my patience, communication, and mentoring skills so that I can be a better role model for the younger Guides in future 集合s.
