Dalat International School: Senior Scribble

By Ryan Choi  I say this almost every year, but this year went by so, so fast. It feels like yesterday when we seniors were still getting used to wearing the blue senior shirts and not seeing any pink ones around.   Christmas came early with less than a full week left in the semester, and students were blessed with a long, relaxing, five-day weekend, and they took full advantage of it. Some slept in and relaxed, some indulged in outdoor activities, and others traveled. The dorms also made full use of the long weekend and traveled to Ipoh. Dorm students had the opportunity to go white water rafting, swimming in a cold waterfall, and sing worship songs with marshmallows and chocolate. I fell off four times during rafting, and it was genuinely the most fun I had in months.   When students came back from their extended rest, a new month – the month of red, green, and white -- had settled in, and we saw decorations everywhere. Josh Morrison (12) says, “Christmas is t...

By Yun Kil The school year started with a bang--we’re finally seniors! With Sneak, hoodies, and privileges all on the way, the year seemed like something we could truly look forward to. However, as the novelty wore off during the first couple weeks of school, being a senior didn’t seem to be as glamorous as I had initially thought. From college applications to AP courses, school has been nothing short of stressful, and as we trudged onto the last week of semester one, the vast majority found ourselves scrambling to get all our work done.  “I haven’t slept in days and I have to do a TED talk, I have to do a whole bunch of other work, and I feel as if I’m a racoon stuck in a cage and its eyes are like glued open and I CAN'T SHUT THEM!”  Noella Seevaratnam (12) exclaims, exasperated. Other students, like Brendan Loke (12), realized early on how busy this year would be and with careful planning, avoided being bombarded with work during the final week, “You know you gotta plan out ...

By Marcus Ang In November, the Food Science Club embarked on a series of engaging activities and projects. The diverse range of initiatives included constructing gingerbread houses, crafting homemade mac and cheese, and planting lettuce in anticipation of an upcoming project. Most recently, the Food Science Club faced the creative challenge of constructing their own gingerbread houses. Divided into three groups, club members were tasked with unleashing their imaginations. Equipped with materials such as whipping cream, gummy bears, pocky sticks, chocolate, and square crackers provided by the club, members embarked on the construction process.  "It's unfortunate we couldn't use real gingerbread to make the houses, but the crackers were a lot of fun to use," stated Tia Moore (12). Overall, the experience was enjoyable, fostering creativity even in the absence of ideal materials. Earlier in the month, the club explored into the culinary realm by preparing homemade mac an...

By Pranjal Malik The court, once again, came alive with competitive spirit as Dalat International School hosted the annual Island Shootout basketball tournament. Teams from Kuala Lumpur descended upon Penang, setting the stage for thrilling matchups. Dalat faced challenges in the boys' division, showcasing resilience and learning valuable lessons. Island Shootout, a basketball tournament hosted by Dalat International School, took place from the 1st to the 2nd of December. Bringing together four boys' teams—Dalat International School, Oasis International School, Garden International School, and TLC—the event unfolded on campus. With the strong support of the home crowd, the Dalat boys’ team was ready to face the competition. The journey of the Dalat Varsity Boys kicked off with a closely contested match against TLC. Despite a valiant effort, Dalat found themselves on the losing end. The absence of some key players due to the SAT added an extra layer of challenge, setting the sta...

By Arielle McIver School ended, and it was time for the players to get their game on. It was the first tournament of the basketball season for both the girls' and guys' varsity teams- Island Shootout. Teams from around KL and Penang came to the school to compete in a two-day tournament full of games.  Having lost the first game Friday against ISKL by one point, the girls' team came back the next day, more determined to win. That determination and wit put them in the finals, where they fell short but still got 2nd place.  When asked what their favorite part about the tournament was, one of the varsity girls' team captains, Alexia Nyul (12), said, “What I really enjoyed about Island Shootout was not just the opportunity to get to play basketball, but to grow as a team and learn more about how we move as a team. I really enjoy playing with this group of girls. We lost, we grew, and we won!”  Besides practice, basketball games and tournaments give further opportunities to g...

By Caleb Jun  The bumpy roads took me out of my sleep, and as my eyes slowly adjusted to the light, I realized we had arrived at our Annual Dorm Retreat to Ipoh.  Everyone's stomachs growled as we smelled the delicious fried rice, spring rolls, and many more cuisines before us.  "This is bussin," said Mary Grace Guffy (11). "I wish I had a stomach big enough to eat all the food," said JD Guffy (10) as he gobbled down his food.  Strength renewed; some dorm kids were impatient to get on the white water raft, while others, feeling drowsy from so much food, proceeded to the housings for a relaxing long nap. Suffering from a back injury, I could not participate in the white water rafting, yet the housing area had a beautiful hill overlooking the mountains of Ipoh. As I looked over the mountains, it was a lovely time to slow down and reflect on the semester. As the truck returned from white water rafting, drenched in water, everybody waddled their way back to the hous...

By Anna Ruble Hiding behind a pole, your eyes darting around. You are trying to find the person who is supposed to be walking down the library stairs at this exact moment. “What if he left study hall early?” “What if he’s not at school today?” Finally, you see him walking down the stairs, and a rush of excitement washes over you. You watch as he walks through an organized line of 6 people, all throwing flower petals at him. His friend standing at the end of the line with a large and decorated poster clutched in her hands. Everyone stands around and watches with you. You can sense the smiles on every single person’s face as they wait to see if he says yes. A mix of fear, anxiety, excitement, and happiness all occurs just between your C and D block classes. A time when you would typically walk down the hall while thinking about what homework you have to finish before your F block.  I just walked you through a typical high schooler's experience during CB asking week. CB askings: this ...

By Danny Pham  November 20th, 2023, marked the day when the Dalat senior class began to host an elementary service week during high school A and B blocks in which seniors went to hang out with the elementary students through duck-duck-goose, freeze tag, talking with them while they ate freezies, and playing around with bubbles with the preschoolers. Anna Ruble (12), a senior who participated in the service week, described hanging out with the elementary students as “a great opportunity to bond with the little ones and to get to know them as well as it was a great way to give back to my community before the end of high school.” The children were absolutely ecstatic about being able to have extra time to stretch their legs with exciting games and time to hang out and talk with the big high school students in the morning. Noah Brooks (12), a senior who spent time with the fourth graders while they ate their freezies, said, “I loved being able to spend time with elementary kids, and it...

By Tia Moore As the semester draws to a close, the curtain falls on the various stages of college applications. Many have hit the submit button on their applications, while others are still in the process. The college application process, once a rite of passage, has transformed into a high-stakes journey filled with anxiety and sleepless nights. The countless requirements for transcripts, LORs, and other essential documents leave seniors running to the guidance office. You'll find a parade of seniors making a beeline for Mr. Looi's desk in the guidance office every day, all sporting that "I need help with my life" look. "These kids, man," sighed Mr. Looi, having to answer the same exact questions daily.  "Applying to college is like having a second job for real," Aurelia Bernier (12) remarks, capturing the essence of the seniors' collective experience. The process has transcended the status of a mere obligation, becoming an all-encompassing com...