Dalat International School: Senior Scribble

  The hype for JSB started way before the actual night. For the whole year, I’ve been watching the juniors working in silence, planning every little detail for us. Seeing people get asked, and the creative ways they did it, really set the vibe. But as a senior, walking into Harbor Hall hits differently. It wasn't just another dinner; it was the realization that this was my last prom here. The night started with the usual chaos of getting ready; it was a half-day of school, so we had just enough time to glam up. My girls and I made sure the “fit” was perfect, minimal, and elegant. To be honest, we were there for the main three: the food, the aesthetics, and the pictures. Seeing all the stuff the juniors prepared made me realize how much work they actually put into making us feel special.  I spent almost the entire night with my girls. Sitting at our table with my friend group felt like we were in our own worlds. We were constantly taking pictures, trying to capture every angle ...

  Junior Senior Banquet (JSB) always starts with different expectations. Some seniors think their JSB was the best, while others simply expect something good from juniors. Either way, JSB is something everyone looks forward to. Here are some highlights from the night. Even before the doors were opened, the front of the Harbor Hall was already filled with students taking pictures. Everyone was dressed up nicely. At 6 o’clock, people began to enter the hall with their friends and partners.  As we entered the hall, we found our seats. This year’s theme was Hercules. The decorations definitely reminded me of the ancient Greek temples. The table decorations that represented different Greek Gods was an interesting idea too.  One of the main highlights from the night was the play based on Hercules. The juniors did a great job in making the play engaging and entertaining. The play was about the process of Hercules finding his power and love. The acting of Meg and Hercules was the...

  JSB this year was one of those nights that really captured what Dalat is like. Every year, people have different expectations for the juniors, but this year, I think the juniors exceeded everyone’s expectations for JSB.  It was creative, chaotic, and full of effort in the most unexpected ways. The juniors chose Hercules as their theme this year, and it stood out because it’s a theme that didn’t have to stay serious. Instead of just decorating around it, the juniors fully committed themselves to the theme, as it was very detailed and cohesive. Their play was easily one of the most memorable parts of the night. It wasn’t too serious, and that’s what made it so enjoyable. The juniors took something as grand as Hercules and turned it into something funny and genuinely entertaining. It showed how much thought and creativity they put into making the night special for the school. Another memorable moment during JSB this year was the dinner. Wraps were served for dinner, which was c...

  You hear the saying a lot: it's not goodbye, it's see you later. But what about those people you never really talked to but became a casual comfort in your life, that one person you’d smile at each day on your way to G block, or that person who always slept on your couch the studyhall before you so you’d have to wait around until they woke up and ran out the door for class? Those people are surely not a see you later--they are a goodbye forever. So, in the words of Deal Lewis, "How do I say goodbye?" I never really knew them, but they were in my life. How do I say goodbye to that one girl with purple hair who I thought was so cool, because it only looked purple in the sunlight? I never talked to her, much less smiled, but she was there. How do I say goodbye to the countless freshman I’ve seen and said, “I have never seen that person before” or “they go here?” How do I say goodbye to the teachers I never had, but would see them in their office now and then, reminding...

  The Class of 20206 Entertainment Committee entered Harbor Hall last Saturday with toes gripped and jaws set. They had reached their final test. The blood, sweat, and tears they had poured into their previous performances--High School Musical and Aladdin--had really just been preparing them for this moment: After JSB Dinner. After their sensational performance of Hercules the night before, the juniors were no doubt expecting something impressive in return. The seniors quickly settled on the theme Jerkules and got right to work. They had 9 hours to pull together a theater masterpiece. Time was as precious as gold and mistakes were not an option.  As if by second nature, everyone snapped back into their respective roles. Rebekah Wood (12) compiled everyone’s ideas into a rough script while Ee Rynn Ong (12) brainstormed tributes and others scavenged through costumes. Within a mere 2 hours, the script was written and cast.  Stepping into the roles of the title character, o...

Recently, I’ve been spending my free time reading quite a lot of books. With the end of the school year approaching, I’ve found that simply flipping through pages and reading words is quite calming and entertaining--especially amidst project deadlines and quick assignments. As I’ve been reading a lot more lately, naturally, I have also spent time reading book reviews. And it’s made me think about perceptions. I had recently finished a lengthy novel and was curious to see what other people had to say about it. I fairly enjoyed reading the book and had a lot of positive comments overall. When I loaded up my computer to read some reviews online, I was quickly met with one that caught my eye: a review that didn’t seem to enjoy the book as much as I did. I read through parts of the review and I had a few laughs here and there (whoever wrote that review wrote it very humorously). Though I personally liked the book, I could see that there could be multiple different perceptions. People have ...