Tuesday 15 February 2022

Senioritis

 By Ji Hwan Kang

I have senioritis. According to Merriam-Webster, the meaning of senioritis is “an ebbing of motivation and effort by school seniors as evidenced by tardiness, absences, and lower grades.” I thought this phenomenon was fake and all the past seniors were just making excuses to not do work. As you can see by the title, I was wrong. It truly started after the first week of senior year. I was one determined boy in a purple shirt to finish off my high school career with a bang. That didn’t go as planned as I had other factors that blocked me from really concentrating in high school. Schoolwork wasn’t a big factor in my life then and almost for everyone because we were too focused on my college applications as it was due before Christmas break.

After semester 1 flew by with college apps done, I prioritized hanging out with my friends over my schoolwork. I was leaving everything up to the last minute as possible to submit. I even finished my handbook quiz at 1:20 PM on Monday as I forgot it was due that day at 2:00 PM. Fortunately(?), it wasn’t only me who faced this problem. 

For example, Yong-Yu Huang is one of many victims who got infected by senioritis. She says, “When you think about the fact that you're leaving everyone you know in three months, solving derivatives kind of takes a backseat.” Because she realizes she is leaving her friends in 3 months, doing AP Calculus homework didn’t seem to be worth it. 

Another victim is Tim Santiago. He said, “Personally, I think senioritis stems from wanting to spend more time with people. Here are a bunch of my friends that I’ve spent significant amounts of time with and they’re all leaving in a matter of months. This deadline kind of prioritizes them in my list of things to do and is probably why schoolwork seems less pressing.” Tim also realizes he doesn’t have much time to spend with his friends so he prioritizes them over the deadlines for school. 

The last sufferer of senioritis I interviewed was Emilia Park. She said, “I tend to procrastinate more these days since all I have to do now is to have fun with my friends before graduation.” Just like Yong-Yu and Tim, Emilia places her friends over homework which means she would be spending less time on her table doing work but outside with her peers. 

I honestly don’t like the meaning of senioritis made by Merriam-Webster as it seemed to make us look like irresponsible students. From just interviewing three extremely responsible people we can see that our efforts for school are jeopardized as we prioritize our friendship over schoolwork. It is still a work in progress to find an antidote against senioritis. Until then, it will be haunting the seniors.


Purple Pass or Late to Class

 By Yong-Yu Huang


In November, we shuffled into the newly-completed Galley, marveling over the curving limbs of the octopus mural in the corner and the cushioned booths, pristine and untouched. Ahead, our cafeteria staff carefully scooped crisp salads and heaping mounds of rice onto uniform blue trays as the high school waited in awkwardly-spaced lines. 

We’ve come a long way since then––now, seniors have finally been granted their long-awaited lunch privileges. 

“Tantalizing,” Esmarie de Jager (12) announces when asked for a word to describe the experience. The week after Chinese New Year break, seniors began spilling off campus, excited to roam around in the allotted 40 minutes. Especially as more and more seniors have been able to obtain their licenses, the food options have only increased. 

“Senior lunch privileges are a treat, but oftentimes, the service is pretty slow at these restaurants,” Liwei Koh (12) muses. For example, a group of seniors coming back across the street from SAB the first week were forced to get takeaway and eat in class instead. This often results in chaotic scrambles back to school “while trying to keep the food that just went down from coming back out.” 

At first, it was difficult to get back to campus on time. Many seniors were late to class after lunch after their first outing, having failed to calculate a variety of variables, from the unpredictable noon-hour traffic to the mind-boggling long waits for food. The furthest that most people have been willing to venture is to Tesco, the five-minute drive already posing an obstacle as student drivers weave in and out of traffic, determined to get to McDonald’s in time. 

However, the students who elected to stay on campus received their own set of privileges. Colloquially dubbed “purple pass,” seniors no longer have to worry about sprinting like madmen to the Galley. Instead, they can take their sweet time, knowing that they can saunter right up to the very front of the line. 

“Underclassmen have to suffer because they don't have the purple pass,” Ji Hwan Kang (12) gloats, feeling no qualms about cutting. Still, many seniors still find it difficult to do so, citing feelings of guilt. 

“It’s awkward to cut a bunch of people in line by yourself, so senior privilege has the tendency to make us form herds,” explains Taylor Johnson (12). 

“They do move in herds,” Tim Santiago (12) agrees ominously. 

Still, the privilege to form herds at lunch, whether on campus or around Tanjung Bungah, is a welcome reprieve from the months of separation––and the seniors are thankful.


Half-Empty or Half-Full?

By Grace Chung

Last Friday, during chapel, we watched a video created by the Leadership Development class about a cup filled with water. The controversy surrounding the cup was whether the cup was half-full or half-empty. An optimistic person would see the cup as half empty, and a pessimistic person would view the cup as half-full. 

After the video, Pastor Bob began narrating the unlucky events that happened to him and his wife during their honeymoon in Venezuela to illustrate the value of staying optimistic. When the couple arrived in Venezuela, their luggage did not arrive on time, so they wore their thick Canadian clothes under the scorching heat. Moreover, due to the luggage arriving late, they had no credit card and had to survive with the bit of traveler's check they had for four days. Despite these unlucky events that could have ruined their entire honeymoon trip, they remained hopeful and trusted God. Although the couple’s issues were not resolved immediately, their optimism and positive attitude inspired other travelers who witnessed their unfortunate circumstances. For instance, a lady who backslid from church approached them to talk about God again (the travelers knew the couple was Christians). 

Benjamin Hollon, a senior, commented, “Even if your optimism ends up being unfounded, there are good things that came out of it. It still allows you to show other people what you like and cares about. [It also shows that] you can stay positive through a lot of hardships, and I think that’s a very valuable thing to show to others.” 

Like Benjamin’s comment, staying optimistic does not always bring the desired outcome. We all have experienced our optimism crushing our hearts. High hopes crushed bring such pain that sometimes we choose to be pessimistic as a defense mechanism. However, while our hearts would ache from our hopes crushed, as Christians, persistently choosing to have a hopeful attitude could encourage others around us. We need to always keep in mind that seemingly terrible things that happen in our lives might be stimuli that strengthen and empower us to help others. It is written in Jeremiah 29:11 that “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (“Bible Verses…”). Even during the most challenging days, it is crucial to trust God and stay hopeful. 

When life throws you lemons, will you be a half-filled or half-empty kind of person?


Game On!

 By Max Chang

As the second month of 2022 began, the world slowly made its move to return to how it had been for the last tens and hundreds of years. And of course, at the school, sports are coming back to its spot along with all the other things.

When the pandemic hit the world, it changed so many things of this world, and everything that seemed normal was no longer a thing from loads of restrictions set upon humanity. The common idea of physical socializing was not very common anymore, and sports were no exception. After school, lunchtime, and morning, intramurals were allowed in school at no time of the day, and this has brought a frown upon many community students.

There were times in the middle of the pandemic in which minimal sports were returned to the community, but of course, no one thought that was enough, and even to make that worse, these things did not last very long. But this time, things were a little different, or perhaps, very different.

As February started, intramurals were back in the community. Both the school's official games and casual lunchtime sports, in general, were back. But of course, some rules had to be followed to keep intramurals in the game, yet despite those rules, it was clear that many of the students were excited for the return of intramurals.

"The rules regarding sports along with COVID restrictions are a bit annoying, but I am glad that I can play sports with my friends instead of just sitting around the whole lunch," commented Noah Lee (11).

For many students, especially the sporty ones, the return of sports made them feel like they were really feeling that the world was slowly going back to normal. For now, many are still restricted. But as time goes, it is hoped that the world will ultimately push through the pandemic and go back to our ordinary days.

Tuesday 8 February 2022

Robbed of Normalcy

By Esther Lo 

I don't think it's talked about enough how easily someone can die. Walking on the sidewalk, a car, boom, dead. Swimming in a pool, a toe cramp, bloop, dead. With the spread of the pandemic, the truth of the futility of human life has been further amplified.

The hallways after school are now empty. The grass on the field has all grown back from the lack of soccer boys tearing it apart with their cleats. You are now told to literally keep your distance instead of embracing new friends. 

Many of the alumni had previously expressed their jealousy of the Class of 2022—being able to experience the rise of the new Castle building, the new Harbor building, the new cafeteria, the new dormitories, so many new facilities etc. However, contrary to all that was envisioned, these buildings were left unutilized for months on end, not even an echo to be heard.

The pandemic has forever changed the lives of Dalat students. It's stolen all sense of normalcy and youth. Though more physically divided than ever, the shared feeling of isolation and nostalgia from the past remains. When asking students about their thoughts on the current SOP set in place, Sophia Kang (12) says, "I miss hugging my friends," as she pinches the nose bridge of her mask, pulling it closer to her face. Yong-Yu Huang (12) also adds that "people can't see my expressions, so they think I'm just being mean when I'm being sarcastic."

Sometimes while walking through campus, I think about the time we cut snowflakes to stick on the wall for our last Christmas banquet, late night Friday talks laying on the fields with upperclassmen I had never talked to before, basketball games where you would get completely lost in the sound of slippers slamming the buckets, people cheering, and girls spreading the roster to find the name of that one hot guy on the other team. At some point, the question of will I be able to see my friends again after we graduate shifted to will I be able to see them in school before we graduate. 

Throughout my time in Dalat, teachers would constantly talk about how classes would bond over working together in the Junior Class Store, planning the Junior-Senior Banquet together, and slaving away towards their common goal. Unfortunately, The Class of 2022 never got to experience this. Timothy Santiago (12), a member of the senior excom, says, “as much fun as it was working with people to try to plan events throughout junior year, it was disappointing not to see any of these plans come into fruition.” 

Human life is so fragile. In a blink of an eye and everything can be gone. 

That is why it is essential to be grateful—actively finding things to thank God for, no matter the circumstance. A way to process all the changes is by giving yourself time and space while also remembering to reach out to those who may not be physically around you. 

The Dorm’s Bizarre Adventure

By Tawan Teekaariyapak 

 

As January came to an end, all the students were blessed with 5 restful days off of school in celebration of Chinese New Year. The long-awaited break that everyone, especially the dorm students, were looking forward to since many dorm activities were planned for the break. 

The dorm council organized a range of activities and one or two took place almost every day of the break. On the first day, Ziemer dorm went down to Batu Ferringhi to get Chinese food from a restaurant called “Knife and Fork” in the spirit of Chinese New Year. To end the day off, we went to McDonald’s and got ourselves ice cream cones for dessert. 

We began the second day with an all-dorm church service held in the vintage chapel. Uncle Tony, Jackson’s new dorm dad, shared a sermon then Juyoung Kim (12), Caleb Jun (10), Sandy Choi (9), and Uncle Keith led worship. After the service, everyone went off in their own groups to practice for the upcoming talent show which I was a part of. All the guys in Ziemer dorm decided to dance to a Bollywood song which turned out to be humorous, meanwhile, others sang and danced. 

“During the Chinese New Year break, there were a lot of activities that dorm kids were able to do, but the one that stood out to me was the talent show because I was able to see my dorm siblings' talents, even if it was a silly talent,” commented Sandy Choi (9). 

On Monday, the third day of the holiday, the students were grateful because they got to sleep in. In the afternoon, we all went down to the beach for a bonfire, people were kayaking, arm-wrestling, and eating s’mores as the sun set. 

The media fast started at 8 AM on Tuesday and ended at 8 PM, people who participated in the media fast weren’t allowed to use electronic devices. If I had to choose one, I would say this day was my favorite one. There was a Master-Chef competition when some teams had to come up with creative food ideas while staying in the Korean theme. Lastly, the final activities we did as a dorm was capture the flag.  

I made many memories on my last Chinese New Year break. The one thing I am definitely going to miss a lot after I leave is the dorm. It will be 6 years by the end of my senior year that I have been in the dorm, and it will always be held close to my heart. 


A Long-Awaited Return

 

By Timothy Santiago

Excitement filled the air as students made their way to lunch. The clamoring had died down a bit, but the prospect of intramural sports returning brightened everyone’s day. As unexpected as Mr. Davis’s chapel announcement was, students welcomed it enthusiastically. After a year and half of being stuck in a pandemic, even things as simple of after school sports caused quite a stir.

Almost immediately people began discussing which sports they would play. The first three were basketball, soccer, and volleyball. Many former JV and Varsity players prepared to return to their favorite sports while many new players looked forward to joining in as well.

Everything was set up in such a way as to welcome players of any skill level. Basketball was divided into boy’s and girl’s teams with seniors as team captains. Volleyball and soccer teams, on the other hand, were co-ed also with seniors as team captains. With forms turned in and teams created, students waited in anticipation for the Monday where it would all begin.

In the words of Taylor Johnson (12), “I think what I have been most looking forward to is that intramurals are like a clean start where anyone can join in, improve their game, and have fun. It’s been so long since we’ve all played that it kind of has less pressure since everyone is re-adjusting.”

Fast forward a few weeks of spontaneous scrimmages and last-minute practicing, the long-awaited day finally arrived. The last bit of pandemic laziness had been shaken. Students milled around the Galley discussing strategies, waiting for teachers to let them into the gyms.

Just minutes later, in a rush of squeaking shoes, refs blew the whistles, and the games were officially afoot. For the first time in what seemed like forever, students could once again compete in sports. The new Sandycroft courts on top of the Galley were also being used for the first time. During all this, a total of eight teams played.

For many students, the start of sports completed their school experience. Gabe Kontsas (12) shares in a post-game interview, “Sports coming back was like finding a missing puzzle piece after it being lost for one and a half years.” Overall, the first day went well and the first few games were completed with much enthusiasm marking the successful start of the 2022 intramural season at Dalat.

A Day in the Life Of A Dorm Assistant

 By Hannah Pickett

Six years ago, Uncle Scott Poulter stepped foot on the Dalat campus as a dorm assistant. He has bright, strawberry blonde hair and limits his wardrobe to black, grey, and brown. Why did he become a dorm assistant? Well, Uncle Scott answers, “My student experience was good, so I wanted to come back and serve the school and give the students the same joy I had.”

A dorm assistant may seem like a fun and quaint job on the outside. However, there’s more to it than meets the eye. There are both challenging and merry days. Here is what an average day in the life of a dorm assistant looks like: As the sun rises, Uncle Scott wakes up and, for precisely five minutes, reads the news to brush the morning feels away. He then gets out of bed and eats his breakfast which usually consists of yogurt, toast, and cereal. After eating, he washes himself up and leaves by 6.55 am to get to the dorms by 7 am. If there’s breakfast to cook, like french toast or cut fruit, he’ll prepare that. Otherwise, he would perch himself on a couch and wait for the students to exit their rooms. He quotes, “I say good morning along with their name,” as the students come to eat breakfast. After the students leave for school, he goes for a 30-minute run/walk to straits-qi and visits Starbucks for a coffee and bite of pastry. He then walks back to Dalat and catches up on emails or communication with administrators or parents. 

In the afternoon, he always takes a 30-minute nap. After his snooze, he either has a meeting with a teacher or works on dorm staff meeting logistics. If he has enough time to fit in before the clock strikes three, he will set off to buy groceries. 

After supper is when he does financial things for the dorm. Such things include organizing the dorm’s budget and receipts. By 10 pm, he finishes his shift and heads down to his apartment. As soon as he enters, he does devotions and then dozes off after a long day with kids and meetings.  

By no means does Uncle Scott regret his job. This job has allowed him to reach out and impact students’ lives, which has been Uncle Scott’s main highlight. However, as enjoyable as influencing others is, the schedule of a dorm assistant limits his social life. Because he works from the afternoon till night, he struggles to join small groups or do social activities. But none the less, Uncle Scott still strives in his job as a dorm assistant and, with joy, serves the school.

  

Thursday Frisbee Fun

By Paul Pham                                                 

 

“If you throw it to me, I’ll go chase it down,” Mr. Neeley told Lauren Worten (11). The lead held by the opposing ultimate frisbee team still lay at two touchdowns away and was closing fast.

Ultimate Frisbee plays in a manner reminiscent of rugby and handball. Players throw the frisbee to teammates, with the player holding the frisbee unable to take steps with their feet until passing it to another teammate. The objective is to throw the frisbee to a teammate standing in the designated scoring area.

Unfortunately, their game of ultimate frisbee ended two touchdowns later with the opposing team winning 7-4 on the Thursday afternoon of January 20th due the defensive effort of Mr. Riffey and Lana Brewster (12), and several precise touchdown passes by Bennett McIver. Despite the loss, the two teams ended the game good-naturedly, with hi-fives and pats on the back all around, before mixing up the teams again.

Mr. Riffey runs a sports group after X-block at Permai Park, operating most Thursdays and Fridays. His purpose behind beginning the group is to build community within the Dalat High School through the game time and bring back some much needed physical activity after the break in athletics due to the pandemic. Ultimate Frisbee is not the only sport played by the sports group, Mr. Riffey also organizes Wiffle Ball, Kick Ball, Touch Rugby, Flag Football, Captain Ball, and several others.

Students have really been enjoying this opportunity to go out again and play sports, as the last officially organized sport had been during the Eagle Games, occurring in November, with sport prior to that being canceled in February of 2020.

“Sports group has been great because it’s all about having fun and doing something active, not just about winning,” said Jay Lohman (11).

The sports group has been discontinued temporarily due to the beginning of intramural sports and needing to reschedule but will hopefully return soon. 

A Special Reunion: Celebrating Chinese New Year Abroad

By Cecelia Sheng

Traditionally, Chinese New Year is a time for reunions. This year, unfortunately, the ongoing pandemic prevented many families from reuniting with their loved ones back home. Yet kindness turned the unique circumstance into a blessing: neighbors became closer as they celebrated the New Year together.

The CNY Eve is a concoction of joy: fireworks sprinkled tiny explosions full of colors against the backdrop of a stary night sky, illuminating people’s faces with beautiful patterns. Children run around screaming, laughing, with Ang Pao’s in one hand and special snacks prepared for the occasion in the other. Adults chatting with each other, exchanging their best wishes and hopes for the coming year.

“Smile at everyone you see, everyone is a family. On this Chinese New Day, we wish you Gong Xi Gong Xi,” Elizabeth Yi (2), with the many Ang Pao collected earlier, caroled and frolicked with her friends, obviously pleased with the special opportunity when she got to share such a special night with her friends.

“Gong Xi Fa Cai,” echoed Summer (2), waving the red envelopes high in the air with a wide smile on her face.

When the outdoor celebration frenzy was over, people headed home in large groups, looking forward to savoring the dumplings that had already been made just a few hours before. Soon, the traditional dish would be served on a red plate symbolizing prosperity and shared among many families. All hovering over the dinner table, they enjoyed the delicacy along with cards, mahjong, or the Spring Festival Gala – together.

Although the single most important festival in Chinese culture, the Chinese New Year Eve is usually quite personal. It’s a private time to spend with family. The pandemic, while keeping families apart, had brought the Chinese community together by creating an opportunity for families to spend the Eve together. 

Even though most of the grandparents stayed hundreds of miles away, on the other side of the screen, the Chinese community enjoyed another kind of reunion –one with “extended family” abroad.


No Means No

 By Juyoung Kim

 

"Juyoung! No! You cannot play indoor soccer!" Hannah Pickett (12) yelled at me to stop me from playing indoor soccer in the gym with our dorm siblings one Sunday night. So did Haylee Douglas (11) and Haeon Park (12). Why did they try to stop me? Because I have a slipped disc. Diagnosed with a slipped disc at the age of 19 was tragic — there is so much more adventure in life I want to explore. 

 

Back pains are probably the most irritating pain someone could ever experience. Not only is it painful, but it makes you feel very helpless. I've had back pains ever since a fall during a dance performance back in middle school, but it wasn't until my senior year that my disc finally slipped out. During a dance practice for the dorm Christmas dance, I twisted my body weirdly, causing my disc to slip out. It felt uncomfortable, but I thought it was just regular back pain and thought it would go away after a few days. The pain wasn't getting any better but worse even after two months. So I finally decided to get my back checked for the first time by a Physiotherapist. After a few tests, they diagnosed me with a slipped disc and put me in a six-month recovery state. 

 

There was a good reason why Hannah yelled at me not to play soccer that night. She knew that the doctor told me not to play any sports or do intense exercises. But I ignored all my friends' advice not to play and played as hard as I could. Running around with a slipped disc is not ideal, but it wasn't the worst pain ever, so I continued to play almost towards the end of the time until my worst injury happened. 

 

As I was dribbling the ball towards the goal, I tripped over someone's foot, slipped, and landed hard on the ground on the right side of my back, where my slipped disc is. It was a hard fall that my whole back was in so much pain, and I couldn't feel my right leg. My body was stiff, and I couldn't move my body in any way. "The gym went silent for five minutes with no one saying a word, and I thought she would never be able to walk again," Micah Pickett (9) described the atmosphere at that moment.

 

Due to the fall, my slipped disc inflamed, causing any movement I made to cause a lot of pain. As helpless as it sounds, I was in a wheelchair for the whole week. However, I am very grateful for my friends that helped me through the recovery process and wheeled me around campus. Although my back isn't in its best condition, I am getting better. After all, I learned my lesson the hard way — no means no.