Secondary One Annual Camp 2026: Building Bonds and Resilience

Written by: Yang Jiaming Matthew, 1i2 (2026)

Secondary One Orientation Camp (SOAC), held from 11 to 13 March 2026, was an honestly fun and exciting experience, with both ups and downs. Over the three-day programme, my classmates and I encountered many challenges and setbacks, but we still managed to overcome them together.

On the first day, early in the morning, we boarded the bus that would take us to Sentosa for an unforgettable trip. The bus ride was lively, though not so noisy that the teachers had to ask us to quiet down.

Once we arrived, we walked to the pavilion to put our things down. I was not used to sleeping or doing activities in a pavilion because in my Primary 5 camp we stayed in dormitories, with separate ones for boys and girls. The dorms even had mosquito nets and the food was served buffet-style. Because of that experience, I was quite surprised that we would be spending the night under the pavilion instead of in dorm rooms.

That night, when we were told to wash up, I realised that I had forgotten to bring my toiletries. A few days earlier, I had gone to Decathlon to get whatever supplies I was missing. The day before camp, I decided that I would pack my toiletries the next morning, but I ended up forgetting them completely. From that experience, I learnt to be more responsible and to take better care of my belongings.

Sleeping under the pavilion was also a new experience for many of us. The unfamiliar environment made it difficult to sleep well on the first night. However, after a full day of activities the next day, everyone was so tired that we slept much better on the second night.

One activity that I particularly enjoyed was the low elements course. We had to carry some of our classmates through a series of nets, which required teamwork and coordination. By the end of the activity, my arms were quite tired, but it was satisfying to complete the challenge together.

Another memorable activity was the improvised rafting challenge. Working together as a class, we assembled a raft using the materials provided. Everyone played a part, and through cooperation we managed to build a strong and stable raft within a short period of time. When we carried out the “shake test”, where the raft was shaken vigorously, it barely moved. That showed how sturdy our raft was and how well we had worked together as a team.

At one point, while another class went to shower first, our class helped to clean the sand off the equipment used for the activities. As a result, we had to queue behind the other classes before it was our turn to wash up. Being wet and sandy was uncomfortable, but no one complained. Instead, we were glad that we had helped lighten the workload for the instructors and support the overall running of the camp.

The highlight of the camp was the campfire on the second night. Each class had the opportunity to go on stage to perform and lead cheers. There was also a mass singalong, where everyone, including our teachers, joined in with enthusiasm. The atmosphere was lively and energetic, and it was a moment where the whole cohort came together. The campfire truly showed the strong school spirit in Hwa Chong and made many of us feel that we were now part of a bigger community.

On the bus ride back to school, I reflected on everything we had experienced during the camp. SOAC taught us valuable life skills such as resilience, teamwork, and responsibility. More importantly, it helped us strengthen our bonds as classmates and created many memories that we will carry with us as we begin our journey in Hwa Chong.