C1 POP Night 2026: Hwa Chong Spirit Shines Through the Downpour

Written by: Xiong Zhihan (25A12) and Rychelle Wong Zi Yen (26A15)

Edited by: Lei Yanyang (25S61)

C1 student from Apollo faculty decked out in face paint. Studio Ardent/Rayanne

The afternoon of February 24th saw the C1s from the four faculties, decked out in their colourful faculty shirts, streaming into the wings of the Central Plaza with an almost palpable energy. The chilly breeze weaving through the crowds forewarned the arrival of rain, however, with a light drizzle quickly turning into grey skies and flashing lightning alerts. It quickly became clear that the original plan to perform outdoors was no longer an option.

Students from Ares faculty ready for POP! Studio Ardent/Junhong

However, in spite of the gloomy weather, facilitators from the Faculty Committees kept spirits high, rallying their respective faculties to start a “Bomb” chain, a game where the faculties take turns to pass on a cheer “Bomb” to each other. Faculty cheers echoed across the Central Plaza, with Apollo even bursting out in a rendition of “You are my sunshine”. The C1s of each faculty mirrored the high energy of their Faculty Committees, cheering with enthusiasm as eager parents packed along the corridors of the ground floor watched.

Students from the Ares and Apollo faculties continuing their activities in the right wing amidst the rain. Studio Ardent/Junhong

Though rain continued to batter the Central Plaza, the show had to go on, and the much-awaited Post-Orientation Party (POP) officially began with a spirited opening speech by the emcees. Cheers and screams erupted from C1s of the four faculties — Ares, Artemis, Apollo, and Athena — kicking off POP with a bang, their excitement buzzing through the air.

Artemis faculty's CGLs leading C1 students into the Inner Plaza. Studio Ardent/Junhong

The faculty dance showcase was led by Athena, streaming into the Inner Plaza with chants of “Athena, Athena” echoing behind them. With complex dance moves and precise canons, they put on a strong first performance, setting a high bar for the faculties after them. Ares followed next with powerful movements and impactful formations, shaking the floor with their dance. Artemis was next on stage, their dance weaving together heartfelt choreography and lyrics with the symbolic firing of hunting arrows and howling of wolves. Finally, it was Apollo’s time to shine. Their synchronized movements perfectly complemented the upbeat choreography and catchy lyrics, ending the faculty dance performances on a high note.

Students from all four faculties show off their dance performances in the Inner Plaza. Studio Ardent/Rayanne, Xiyu and Junhong

The C1s celebrated the end of Orientation with a final SODACHE session, jumping and singing their hearts out to 当你孤单你会想起谁, 细水长流, and several other iconic SODACHE songs. As the weather finally cleared up, the faculty heads led their respective faculties onto the Central Plaza. There, an Orientation montage was screened and the results of the war games held during the previous week were released, punctuated by the cheers and screams of each faculty as they were called.

C1 students from Artemis faculty singing along to SODACHE songs in the Central Plaza. Studio Ardent/Li Ting

As all the faculties came together for one final cheer to Rock You, the vibrant red, yellow, green and blue shirts of all the C1s gathered in the Central Plaza painted a picture-perfect image of the “4 Facs 1 Hwach” spirit. A final dance to “I Got My Mind Set On You” marked the end of POP, but also new beginnings. Despite the unexpected setbacks in weather, the energy stayed high and the Hwa Chong spirit stayed strong through the rain.

POP ending on a high note amidst cheers. Studio Ardent/Kai Lun