The Next Chapter

Linus Lim

The date is 28th of February 2019; as the class of 2019 prepares for their retreat to Paradise Hotel, we’re reminded of the tradition at Dalat where the senior class skips two days of school to prepare for their next chapter in life. Many students don’t get this opportunity to look back on how the school has shaped them and prepare for the transition to college, so it’s a privilege that we should be thankful for.

On Thursday morning, we see smiling faces across the senior lockers as they talk about whom they’ll be rooming with and what they can do in their free time. When the first bell rings, the seniors slowly stroll along the pathway to Paradise Hotel. The retreat starts in a conference room where students are made aware of how diverse of a class they are, and they are given the definition of Third-Culture Kids (TCK). Then the seniors discuss who’s impacted them and how they can show appreciation or gratitude during these last three months of school towards the influencer.

After talking about that, the seniors eat lunch and have free time to wander around Paradise Hotel. The students quickly scramble around and participate in all kinds of activities from playing cards to swimming. During the evening when free time comes to an end, all seniors gather around the conference room to talk with the principal (Mr. Brewster) about finance in college. The seniors learn how costly college is, and they shouldn’t waste a penny on it by making poor choices, such as skipping class. The night ends with some fun activities that bond the class as one. The seniors play mini-games such as Never Have I Ever, Truth or Dare, and Brewster’s Monopoly game.

The following morning, Mr. Steinkamp talks about the topic of choices. Students do an activity to show their core values, and they are reminded to remain true to their values when making decisions in college. The seniors continue to engage in college-preparing topics and the retreat ends at 3:10p.

On Monday morning, I asked Bethany Davis (12) for her takeaways from the Transition Retreat. She says, “I really enjoyed getting away from school to prepare for my transition to college. I feel like a lot of schools don't focus on that so I really appreciated the opportunity to learn about what college is really going to be like. I especially liked getting to talk to older guys about questions we as girls had.”

A chance to learn and prepare for what’s ahead, the Class of 2019 looks to cherish their last three months being students of Dalat.

Picture of Isabel Smith, Bethany Davis, Lydia Kim, Esther Ko, and Jeremy Worten enjoying the sunrise on a Friday morning. Photo Credit: Ryna Mayekar