Freshmen Teambuilding Camp (FTB Camp)

Freshmen Teambuilding Camp (FTB Camp)

Finally Its over!

Yes, all of my 4 camps that i have signed up. Just came back from my FTB camp. This was the only compulsory camp of all of the camps that were available in school.

Before this, I have heard from Terence, Jin jie and many others that FTB is not something that i should look forward to. So i was hoping that things would turn out a better experience for me. Luckily, it did. I had a memorable camp for my FTB.


Day 1 :
Well, the day did not start on a high note. It rained heavily in the early morning and it cast a mind that the camp might be ruined by the weather. Anyway, things got better when I reached at school. We were given a briefing about the camp and I got to talk to some of my group mates before we reached the campsite. Campsite was located at Outward Bound Singapore (East Coast).

As usual, we started off for some Ice-breaking games. To my surprise, this group of people that i was with consists a few very hyper ppl. That made the start of the camp a good one and everyone had hoped that we would bond and work together well for the activities that was awaiting us.

To add to it, we had a very nice facilitator who carried out her role as a faci and as a friend very well. She had managed to bring across aim and viewpoint to us, balancing a hard task of disciplining us and bonding with us.

After lunch, the activities started.

1) Over the Hoops :
This station was considered easy. We had to be tied on our ankles together. There were 5 hoops on the ground and we had to cross over all hoops without touching the side of the hoops. For this activity, I must say that we made a decent start. There was a nice balance of brainstorming, accomodating and executing among us. Though it took us a couple of tries, we finally made it with a above average timing.

2) Foot Antenna:
Next was to build a foot Antenna / Tower. Out feet had to touch each other from heel to heel and we had to build a tower as high as possible. This was not an easy task given the fact that the team only got to know each other. Planning took a long time as we ponder which way was the best way to do it. In the end, we managed to pull of a result of 2.45 metres. Here, I started to see the enthusiasm within the team. The girls were actively involved, and were willing to risk and adapt to what was needed of them to accomplish the task. Guys were there to support and provide the strength needed.

3) Tunnelling :
Here, we had to go through a tunnel, totally dark-pitched. We only had 3 small lights that had to be shared among the 7 guys. What we had to do was to find picture moulds and shade it on a piece of paper for the points. It was definitely one cool activity as I was the one to lead the pack. Though humid and stuffy, we had a lot of fun climbing and crawling aound our way. Along it, we had some laughs too!

4) Night Games :
For night games, we had to play 6 stations. Some of them were normal fun-playing games while others needed good listening, observing, following skills. One memorable game was that our grp had to be splitted into 3 teams. One team had to make a pose, the second team had to descibe the posture to the third team. The third team, blinded, would have to based on their listening skills act out the pose.

For the sleeping area, we were assigned to tents. Unfortunately, our tent were in the middle of the pack, so it was the coolest of place to sleep in. Luckily, for the first night, it got cooler in the middle of the night. Those who could not stand the heat went around the campsite to find suitable place to sleep instead.


Day 2 :
Games today were much more challenging than the ones from the previous day.

1) Tranfering of Marbles :
Here, our task was to transfer a marble using plastic tubes up to a hanging pail which was two odd metres high. Well, it took us a long of time in planning, simulation, and execution. But through this activity, we had developed a "never give up" mentality in us. Despite all the failed attempts, we just kept on going, repeating the process upteen times. Towards the end, when we managed to accomplish the task, our timing was considerably good.

2) Spiderweb :
This activity was tough on the guys' knees and arms. Here we had to start the game from inside. From there, without touching the web, we had to escape out. Similiarly, we spent quite some time planning. I initiated with a brief plan for everyone to follow and as the team start to simulate the steps, adjustments were made in order for everyone to come out accordingly. In the end, though we didnt managed to complete it, still the fighting spirit was in us. We just kept on going and going and going even though we had already exceeded the timing allocated for the activity.

3) Rafting :
However, the toughest one was up next. By mid-afternoon, we had to do rafting. First, we had to build a raft on our own and then with it, row it out to the sea for a certain distance. A few of us knew how to tie, so they were the ones who led the tieing while the others including me help out in whatever way we could. We managed to be the first team to complete the tieing and our raft was very solid.
Things became worse when we were out to sea. The strong, windy condition had made our next part of our tasks a very difficult one. From shore, we had to row out to the sea. Our target was about 50-80 metres away. Our rowing was not our strengths. Time and time again, we were being rushed backwards by the strong currents. We simply could not finish the task within the stipulated timing (30 mins). However, those who were on the raft including me just kept on going and going. Once, we were just about 5 metres from the mark. Losing the momentum and with the currents, we were pushed backwards all the way back to the starting line. In the end, we spent 30 mins just rowing and rowing without a decent progress.
Still, this persistence and determination won the station master over. We simply went through an endurance test instead of the relay test. Definitely, the toughest activity throughout the whole camp.


At night, we were all into the relaxed mood as it was performing time! The whole camp was split into 5 different sections (Spartians, Retros, Cyborgs, Pirates, Cavemen). Each section had to come out with a cheer and a role play. I was in the Spartian section. Fierce we were, strong we were.

For the play, I was involved in the play where i had to dress and act like a caveman. So candidly, I simply jumped around in caveman-like attire, with a strnage caveman language. Friends whom I knew before this camp must have been quite surprise to see me do those stuffs. hahaha... In the end, though our section did not win the performance or cheer, I had a great time, watching and involving. Before the night was over, we had a short mambo session.


Day 3 :
This day was the last day of camp and all of the groups had to complete the Final Challenge. Here, every group had to go through 8 stations across a distance of about 3km. Timing would be recorded and the average timing in the respective section will use to determine which was the best section from the camp.

To me, this was a kinda examination for the team, testing us on what we have learnt throughout the camp. Here are some of the memorable stations :

1) Caterpillar walking :
Coming to this station, I thought it was easy to accomplish. We had to be tied together using Masking tape and together as if like a caterpillar, we had to walk a stipulated distance. However, this is the one of only failed task. How so, the masking tape were tied in a way that it snap or was simply not sticky enough for our soles to bare. Valuable time was wasted here and it kinda lowered the morale, given the fact the it was only our 2nd station.

2) Legs rotating pail of water.
Here, we had to lift up, rotate a pail 360" using only our legs. Here, it simply required full coordination from the whole team and we completed the 2 rounds with ease. It was simply a simplfied version of how a team should plan, simulate, execute. The only shack thing from this station was that I volunteered to be the one to fill up pail of water for the facilitator where the toilet was about 150 metres away from the station. Totally Shack!!!

3) Water-Filling Barrel
This station was the last station for the Final Challenge, yet it was toughest of all. A ball was inside a big barrel which was filled with holes. The main aim was simply to fill it up with water and force the ball out of the barrel.
Quickly, girls were down to the barrels to block the holes, while the guys were off running to collect the water from the sea (which was about 20 metres away up slope). Things went on smoothly early on where managed to fill up the barrel with water at a very fast pace. However, things got a little cocked up when we could not splash the ball out of the barrel. We tried different methods. From multiple splashing, to simply just filling it up with water, we had difficulty completing it. By this time, the guys were getting lathegic and the pace got a little slower. To my amazement, Ling yi and Sihui started to help us with the filling of water. Things resumed pace soon and we managed to force the ball out successfully. Without any further thought, we ran with our might to the finishing line.

Though completed, we as well as the other groups within section stayed around the area and continue to cheer the other Spartian group from the latter details. The Spartian race showed tremendous spirit. We simply cheered all the way for all of the teams, offering advises on how to complete the Barrel task. After the last group, the whole lot of us ran havoc at the sea, posing pictures, throwing people around and shouting like crazy warriors.

Things got to a much slower pace after the Final Challenge. We were given ample time to bathe, eat, pack up. The next few hours were bascially doing a final debriefing, chit-chatting.

As the results were out, Spartians indeed won the Final Challenge!!! On the individual group basis, based on the results, we were not the top 3 groups because the winning team had Power cards (one is to deduct time while the other is to skip a station). However, if purely based on our real timing without any power cards, my group came out tops within the section. We had really accomplish what we had set out to do. Learn, Fail, Grow and Win as a Group, As One!

The next meetup will most probably be the Convocation and the Freshmen Bash. Till then, let's hope that each of the team members will bring the experience and use it wisely in our respective future work...