Star Starry Night

Well the stars surely were up, out and about tonight. And what a stellar night it was...

The food was impeccable, the turnout stunning, the decoration and publicity praiseworthy, the entertainment exquisite, the mood and setting just right, and the cherry on the cake being the precocious ponding session to end it all - the night was just perfect...

A perfect way to start the new year for Block C. If tonight was any indication of things to come, its going to be another spectacular year here in C-Town.

I was instantly taken back to my early days as a C-Towner, where at the seniors farewell a much similar spread was laid out, having converted Uncle Vincent's dinner to the main course for the night, the gastronomical concoctions turned out by the block comm that year still makes my mouth water at the slightest remembrance. Tonight was no different than then, in terms of pleasure to the palate, however this time the fruits born were of the efforts of all the seniors of Block C, with every level contributing their own special delicacy for the annual block C Senior Treat Junior dinner.

And a treat it surely was, what with the addictive appetizers, satiating cream of mushroom soup, sizzling satays, the full-flavored fish curry and finally the delectable dessert of crunchy chocolate cereal balls and ice-cream. A lot of effort went into preparing this feast i'm sure and i'm surer that this effort didn't go unnoticed. With the star-studded backdrop set in place and the block C band's performance sublime, one couldn't help wish that the night wouldn't end. I dare say it was surreal in a way, sitting around the candle-lit tables; good food, good music; good friends; good chatter - its at moments like these that you can almost feel the inner spirits of block C secretly emerge from the walls and floors and entwine themselves in the souls of her residents bonding them with one another and reaffirming their faith in the 'essence' of block C.

After the block photo was taken and a highly animated anthem was sung, fate had made up its mind that such a glorious night couldn't be shown the door without a climactic ending. And thats when another common cause was embarked upon by the seniors - to pass down a sacred skill inherently forged in every C-Towner, in place to last the test of time and be passed from batch to batch - The Art of Ponding.

Strike First. Strike Fast. Strike Hard. Divide and Conquer. The first principles of ponding couldn't have been better executed as the freshmen were instantly left agape from the moment their first brethren fell.

"Is this how block C seniors TREAT their juniors?!!" Of course not. This is how we welcome you to the block, how we show our affection, show you we care, care about you, care about your hygiene, care about washing away your sins with generous amounts of shampoo and shaving foam, but most importantly, care enough to teach you through firsthand experience how to defend not only yourself, but also your block in times of desperate need. Do not take your safety for granted, young Padawans; we are flanked by Devils who will dare to bring you to the deepest, and Beekers that can hold enough water to fill up an entire pond... but after tonight, when duty calls, when the horn of C-town blows loud and sharp - YOU must be ready to answer!

But honor, valor and tradition aside, it was just bloody good fun. And surprisingly (or not) the freshies seemed to be having a pretty darn good time too! Whether it was Emily's and Jie Qiong's inventiveness to play 'possum and strike back when least expected, or whether it was Quin and co. who just didn't seem to mind getting ponded over and over again, the response was more than heartening as the baby C-towners didn't hesitate at all to flap their wings and learn to fly - or shall i say swim. The endearing image of the carnage will however have to be shared between the several lockdowns that took place in the level 8 toilet, with Tammy Lee Kian Tat having to crawl his way out of the raging mob as the nearby Deeblockers gaped across the gap in awe; and the sorry but extremely sporting figure cut out by Li Yong the POW who had to promise the blockhead he would keep his door open in order to be released.

Once again i'm reminded of the block C seniors farewell when I was in year 1 where the post-dinner ponding escalated into the legendary hall wide inter-block ponding that is still very much a part of Sheares Hall folklore. Today's massacre didn't share the same scale, but it undoubtedly carried the same essence. And we all know, practice makes perfect, and then next time the ponding wave hits Sheares Hall, block C will be more than ready - for all you know, we might even start the next wave.

We sure had a lot of practice today, the ultimate test being the battle of C701 where the hordes of C-towners flocked outside this fortress in vain attempts to flush out Alicia only to realize that she was never in the room to begin with. But at the end of it all, the most satisfying memory to carry back, especially for the seniors, was that the entire night's events were taken in exceptionally healthy spirit by everyone alike, and there wasn't a single incident to tarnish or sour the occasion, which in most cases is inevitable when adrenalin levels are so high. It was great thus to see the sporting-ness match up to the excitement and to see everyone take the entire bloodbath so positively.

A spectacular ending to a stellar night.

Kudos to Joyce and her team and to all the seniors for each of you helping in your own way in making this night possible.

Finally, i am compelled to end by saying this on behalf of all the lao jiao's in the block, that after all these years in hall, Joyce Huang, you make us feel young like freshies again

:)


Photos Courtesy How Wei Yen. Full photo collection available @ photocomm website. In-depth video coverage of hilarious ponding encounters available on request from photographer @ C705