A Memorable Weekend

By Jason Choi

The past week at Dalat has felt like a mini fall break, packed with days off and a mix of festivities that have kept students on their toes. From the excitement of Diwali celebrations and Halloween costumes to the annual PTO Family Fun Day and the looming November 1st college application deadline, it’s been a week to remember.

The long weekend started with the family fun day event held by the PTO on Wednesday. It took place on the outdoor basketball court from 4 to 6 p.m., with carnival games catered to students from P3-6 to grade 12. Students could win prizes in exchange for the points collected by winning the carnival games.

When asked about Family Fun Day, Jin Sarang (11) said, “Through Family Fun Day, I felt that many children got closer as they were playing games and earning tokens together. Also, the Dalat parents got closer as they were preparing the fun day.”

The long weekend, with Thursday and Friday off, was a chance for students to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, and Halloween, which were coincidentally on the same day this year- October 31st. Some were busy celebrating Diwali with their family and friends, while others dressed up for Halloween, as the sound of fireworks dominated our evenings and brightened up the sky. 

When asked about Halloween, Sophia Tan (12) shared, “We dressed up and went to Hin Bus in Georgetown for the event. At Hin Bus, there was loud music, food, and lots of people who decided to dress up as well. It was so cool to see others in their costumes. There were also five Kanye Wests!”

However, for seniors applying for early action to colleges,  November 1st loomed as an important deadline. The stressful process including writing essays, and getting transcripts and letters of recommendation from teachers, brought a lot of pressure. 

“I dont feel great. I had to do lot of research on the colleges and write a lot of essays. It was very stressful, would not recommend. However the days off and fun events helped made me less stressful and take my mind off things. ” said Kiera Nichols (12), a senior who applied early to several colleges.

As the weekend ends and a new week begins, students and staff are refreshed and ready for school. These occasional extra-long weekends brought by significant events from different cultures are what make Dalat unique. They provide a welcome break from school, an opportunity to bond, and a celebration of life.