Dalat International School: Senior Scribble

Natalie Ryan Dalat’s very own Elynn Tan (12) first started swimming because of inheriting asthma. It was one of the many cures without actually taking medicine; her parents supported her and thought it was a great idea. She fell in love with it because it was something unique, rather than land sports. “Water sports seem cooler,” said Elynn. She usually practices six times a week for 2.5 hours daily. She doesn’t train when she has too much work to do for school, or if she doesn’t feel well. School takes priority. Though balance is not easy, minimizing procrastination makes things easier to manage; time-management is key. Swimming is not a school sport because Dalat lacks the resources to make a team. This makes things much harder for Elynn; she feels as if the school does not fully recognise her accomplishments and dedication because it is not “a part of the school.” Making up work and tests is hard as there is little to no leniency, but it is worth it. She is following her pas...

Doris Koay As the 3:50pm bell rang on October 30 th , most of the elementary and secondary school students were heading home while the KICs club teachers were organizing the various sports equipment before the high school girls gradually entered the gym with beating hearts and sweaty palms—it was the day for varsity basketball tryouts. “Unlike how it was two years ago, the girls who came for the tryout increased from 18 to 36 in just two years!” said Mr. Steinkamp, the coach for the girls’ varsity basketball team. As all of the girls gathered around Mr. Steinkamp, he blew the whistle and the boys were sent out of the gym to avoid adding more stress for the girls. It started raining so heavily that we could barely hear what Mr. Steinkamp was saying. Most of the girls tried their best although they had not played before. Well, at least I did. The players from the basketball team last year showed their skills and led the other girls who had no idea what to do. The sou...

Zachary Kok ‘What should I do during the fall break?’ This was the question all Dalat students were thinking when the final bell rang on Friday, October 13 before the long-anticipated fall break. Some students were clueless as to what they would do, while others had plans arranged since the beginning of the school year. Fall break is a one-week holiday where classes are put on hold and all activities cease. The break is meant for students, as well as staff members, to relax and enjoy a week without the worry of schoolwork. The most popular activity students planned is travelling. Most students have families who are living overseas, so this one-week holiday is the perfect opportunity to be reunited with their loved ones. Rainbow Chan (12) said, “I went to China to visit my parents. They are missionaries and I went there to spend some time. I also helped babysit some kids.” Alicia Chin (11) commented, “I went to Canada to visit my brother, Anson (Class of 2017). Even...

Chan Woong Won Don’t ask the seniors where they are applying for university. Don’t ask them what work they want to do in the future, either. Most likely, they won’t know the answer to either question; I don’t, at least. The good years of high school have passed, and now the forty-seven members of Dalat’s Class of 2018 are furiously squeezing their brains to polish their college applications--or so hopes Mr. Dobson. In starting their application process, the seniors are queried on their career of interest and the highest degree they intend to earn; it is a mandatory section, and the choice “undecided” is at the bottom of a long list. For many in high school, “what do you want to do in college?” is an unexpected question. Freshmen, like Sumin Lim (9), who have all the time and leisure in the world, can easily say, “no idea fam.” Sophomores think similarly;  Joseph Chandra (10) comments on the same query, “I don’t know, but I don’t care.” Clearly, this lack of...

Jonathon Chinn One crucial match against Uplands A would decide the fate of two tournaments – PSAC and Spike and Strike. The game was a close one, but in the end, Dalat lost on penalties. It was two tournaments packed into one day for the boys in blue and white. The Spike and Strike football tournament had been scheduled that week, but because of an earlier draw against Uplands A they were forced to play for the PSAC trophy in that same game. The pressure was mounting in the buildup to the match. Everyone was tense and nervous. As time came for the Dalat boys to step out onto the pitch and battle their opponents in an all or nothing match, viewers could sense that it was going to be special. Both teams went at it all the way, from the first minute to the last, in a dirty brawl. There were crunching tackles and thumping headers, and there was a lot of time wasting that some considered to be unsportsman-like. Dalat had some great chances, but they flew just over the goal. Ex...

Chia Hoong Ewe   It was the week of Spike and Strike, twelve volleyball teams filled the gymnasium, along with a spirited crowd, pondering the question, “which team is the best?” Deafening spikes and squeaky shoes echoed throughout the gym. Sweat raced down each player's face as they desperately shuffled around the court to keep the ball in play. Despite it being the third Friday in a row for volleyball events, our varsity volleyball team still had the drive to win. And even though Penang State wasn't in the tournament, the competition was just as fierce. Three teams stood out above the rest. If Spike and Strike was a cell, there were three mitochondria. The cohesively coordinated Chun Ling, the intensely quick Heng Ee, and the tenaciously sturdy SMK Perai. Though I supported Dalat wholeheartedly, the difference between those three times and the rest were as clear as night and day. Dalat stood tall amongst Han Chiang and ICS Singapore. Against both teams, Dalat t...

Aaron Tan Locking his eyes on the volleyball in the air, Daniel Kim (12) braces himself to make an accurate set to Simon Jeong (12). The ball falls into his hands for less than a second before it's sent flying directly above the spiker. Launching himself into the air, Jeong swings his arm down on the volleyball as the spectators watched in suspense. Spike and Strike started on September 29th and ended the next day. The school’s volleyball teams challenged many teams from other schools. For the tournament, the varsity boys volleyball team challenged players with calibers as high as state level. The team fought hard, even though some of the other teams played with higher skill levels. “It was a real hassle to deal with the top three teams (Chung Ling, Perai, and Heng Ee) because there were Penang State players spread throughout those teams,” said Yigal Ang (12). “They had really good fakes, quirks, and spikes. The matches made me realize how far I was from being a good p...