*Disclaimer: all photos in big groups or without masks were taken pre-Covid (before 2020)
As the pandemic approaches its second year anniversary, many of us have gotten used to participating in large-scale activities online. This includes online lectures and tutorials, group project meetings, and even orientation camps. However, on April 26th 2022, Singapore lifted the majority of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions (finally!), allowing for more people to hang out in bigger groups.
If you are an incoming freshman for the Academic Year 22/23, then you are in for a treat! All NUS orientation activities are now allowed to be physical instead of digital (as it was the past two years). The respective organizing committees have been putting in huge efforts to ensure that the comeback of physical camps and activities will be both engaging and extremely memorable for you ;)
Excited to kickstart your orientation journey but don’t know what camps to sign up for? Not to worry as you’ve come to the right place! As CNM is under the Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FASS), this article will share short but valuable information about the various Freshmen Orientation Programmes (FOP) that FASS has to offer. If you are a student coming in under the Faculty of Science (FOS) through the College of Humanities and Science (CHS), feel free to sign up as well!
In total, there are 5 programmes under FASS FOP, and we have taken the liberty to ask the respective Project Directors three burning questions to give you a better understanding of what each programme is about.
Read on to find out more!
What is your Orientation Programme about?
Arts Camp: Arts Camp is an annual camp that is part of the FOP! Freshmen will get the chance to meet fellow freshmen and play fun-filled games, competing for the prize of best house!
Arts O’Week: Arts' O'Week 2022 is for incoming students to meet new friends and senior and also to learn more about FASS and CHS. Our camp will feature games and other events in a fully physical 4-day camp. Look forward to fun games, cool prizes, and good times with batchmates and seniors!
Arts Rag: Rag stands for Receive and Give! We support Flag’s fundraising and volunteering project, and our event aims to show gratitude to our community for supporting our efforts in Flag with colourful, vibrant performances by our students. 🕺🏽🥳💃🏽 Incoming freshmen can get a chance to either perform a dance with new friends, or help build our stage floats and props! ✂️📦
Arts Flag: FASS Flag under NUSSU Rag & Flag is an annual freshmen orientation event for the NUS community to give back to society. Through incorporating our engagement programmes with our chosen beneficiary under Community Chest and raising funds on NUSSU Flag Day, FASS Flag hopes to raise awareness for the underprivileged and improve their wellbeing in meaningful ways!
Arts Mode: MODE is an artistic endeavour where we champion social causes like ethical and sustainable fashion! This year, our theme is Metamorphosis. We aim to encapsulate different stages of our lives, and the common human experience of overcoming hardship and becoming comfortable in your own self through fashion and art.
What are your key dates? How do freshmen sign up?
Arts Camp
Camp dates: 20th June - 22th June (sign-ups are open now!)
Camp mode: Fully physical 😙😙
Where to sign up: Links found on IG @fass.artscamp, Facebook @FASSAC
Arts O’Week
Camp dates: 20th to the 23rd of July!
Camp mode: Fully physical
Where to sign up: Our Instagram page @fass.oweek. The sign up link will open on the 6th of June!
Arts Rag
Camp dates: 13th to 15th June! (sign-ups open 18th may)
Camp mode: Fully physical camp, so look forward to meeting new friends IRL without having to deal with any awkward Zoom breakout rooms ;)
Rag performance date: 6th August
Where to sign up: IG @fass.ragandflag (our sign-up links and all other relevant information will be posted there).
Arts Flag
Event dates: 26 & 27 July, 2 & 3 August 2022 are our tentative dates for Flag events, and 1 August 2022 is NUSSU Flag Day.
Where to sign up: Can follow us on our IG above ^ for more information!
Arts Mode
Event dates: Held within the first two weeks of August!
Where to sign up: This year, sign-ups to indicate interest in MODE 2022 will be released during Arts Camp and Arts O Week!
What is one thing you would say to the freshies to convince them to participate?
Arts Camp: If you’re looking for the chance to meet new people who can help you along this new journey, then come join us!
Arts O’Week: Take chances and grab opportunities, starting university life right is really important so join O'Week! We guarantee a fun time of games, bonding, and learning about uni life!
Arts Rag: This is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to be involved in such a massive rag performance! We’re not just your typical camp, but we also guarantee many bonding opportunities with your OG through building and dance practices (and meals? suppers?) after the camp ~
Arts Flag: To all incoming freshmen of NUS CHS, come join FASS Flag 2022 as a volunteer for a meaningful and exciting experience! Look forward to giving back to the community and creating long-lasting friendship at the same time!
Arts Mode: Our committee will reach out to participants of Arts Week and Arts Camp to be a part of MODE 2022! We hope to see you ❤️
Now you can’t say bojio ~ Still not convinced to join an FOP camp? Check out last year’s article on reasons why you should join NUS’ FOP when it was online, and imagine how much more fun a physical camp is going to be!
No matter which camp you choose to go for, we are sure that you will have a swell of a time and hope that you’ll make long-lasting friends in this new stage of life.
See you in the next article!
Article was co-written by: Cheng Leng & Clairene
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