As Red as our Singaporean pride: National Day Celebrations 2024

Mass singing of NDP songs. Photo taken from Muhammad Danial Tan Tong Sian from Writers’ Circle on 8 Aug 2024

National Day is a day where flags fly and pride roars. This year’s NDP Celebration featured various activities, inviting students to enjoy the day before the arrival of the Promotional examinations for J1s and the A Levels for J2s. The event was well received with a full capacity of sign-ups for games and workshops like Bubble Soccer and Poetry. Additional activities were available for those who could not sign up for some.

Student Louis Dsouza from 24S55 said that “(The NDP activities) catered to the needs of every student.” The activities included intellectual elements for the students who sought to test their mind’s mettle. Furthermore, the sports activities were engaging for students who wanted to let loose and compete against one another.

Some suggestions for improvements include having more spaces for events that were oversubscribed as well as a stronger emphasis on class bonding instead of having classes break apart to go to different stations.

According to an emcee of the performances, Fellah Citra from 24A12, a main challenge for her was adapting the script to suit the audience and the tone. Additionally, there was a mass singing segment which was freestyle which meant that they had to gauge the audience.

NDP celebrations ended up being a success and more importantly, wholesome. During mass singing, all Victorians had their arms around their friend's shoulders and were singing earnestly, embracing the cheesiness of the National Day songs with heartfelt enthusiasm. The feelings of patriotism were palpable on that day, highlighting the level of respect Victorians have for Singapore.