Orientation Bash – that one day when you hear different groups cheering as loudly as they can while they rush to complete challenges as if their lives depended on it.
Held on the 4th of March (Saturday) at Outbac Broga, as many as 300 new intake students participated in the different activities organised in what was the first Orientation Bash of the year. Out of the 300, the 250 freshies were sorted into 18 different groups with two facilitators from the Monash University Student Association (MUSA) assisting each group.
Before the participants proceeded to their respective assigned game stations, a briefing session was held by the appointed Outbac Broga instructors to explain to them what to expect and several safety precautions to take. The games were divided into two main parts – the Outbac Broga Race and the water games which included an obstacle course.
One of the water games activity included a raft building session which was then used by the participants to paddle around a little pole in the lake – the team that does all of that in the shortest time would score the highest points.
As for the obstacle course, several groups were led to a big pool with different entries and exits from all five sides. The group which managed to get their members in and out the fastest would be the winning group. The entry and exit routes included tyres which participants would have to climb up on, walking on a log, sitting on a large float and pulling yourself across the pool, walking on a tight rope with sticks across and walking across a rope bridge.
As for the station games in the Outbac Broga Race, the aim was to complete each task given in order to receive the utensils and materials needed to make a hot cup of Milo. Each station would present one utensil and as participants went along, they collected all the utensils needed to make a hot cup of delicious Milo, quoting Andrew Peter Lim.
“Best Milo I’ve ever tasted. You should try it.”
Some of the challenges the participants had to complete at these stations included having to crawl through mud, wading in a pond in search of Milo packets and swinging across a small pool of mud like how Tarzan would (Yes there was a lot of mud involved!). There was also the trust fall game, the wall climbing game, walking across a plank simultaneously with your partner, balancing a large yoga ball on a mattress and collecting a tin pan from the middle of the lake among others.
As the night fell, everyone was treated to a delicious barbecue dinner which was the followed by the lighting up of a huge bonfire by the Activities Chairpersons, Akanksha and Franklin. The night exploded in flames (quite literally) when the whole Monash group was entertained with a couple of incredible fire performances by the ever-so talented Outbac Broga instructors who swung fire on sticks and chains inches from their faces. Some of them also gave us the opportunity of having fire blown close to our faces (at A SAFE DISTANCE of course) using what was apparently just the 100 Plus drink before doing a close up of a fire-eating session where they literally ate tiny marshmallow lookalikes lit on fire in front of the students as the night got as fiery as it could get (pun intended)
When it came to the awards ceremony, every group proudly chanted their group names or cried out their war cries when they were asked which group they thought was going to be declared the winner.
Out of all the hardworking 18 groups, prizes were only given out to the top six. Starting from sixth place, Team 6 took the cake, followed by Team 13, Team 16, Team 10 and Team 8. Before announcing the champion, the winning group was complimented – they were said to have demonstrated teamwork and elegance in completing all their activities. It was Team 18, the rightful winner of the Orientation Bash 2017, led by Terry and Jean.
Even though the other groups did not win, a group member from team 7 said that “It was fun, definitely. Something different. Like the wall climbing activity, without my group mates I couldn’t have done it.” Well said indeed.
Another team member also said “I really REALLY enjoyed the bonfire. It was so close up and the games after that all got us hyped up. Definitely an awesome experience!!”
A team member from the runner up group, Team 8 said “I feel the entire process was a really good one because I really got to feel the teamwork and the spirit from each and every one of my teammates. I would really want to go for another round with them. I do feel that what they taught in Broga was beneficial for us too because it is survival skills. For example, how to build a raft. It is really useful and also the milo “thingy” :) A really good leadership program. Definitely recommend.”
Well we definitely have the amazing Activities Chairpersons to thank for organising this event.
The winning team expressed how proud they were to have won and how much fun they had at Outbac Broga. Despite having to wake up so early, getting really dirty and having been sun-burned, the members of Team 18 really embodied the spirit of sportsmanship (and so did everyone else actually) and they were all very enthusiastic in tackling the challenges at each station.
The night was definitely a sweet ending for all of the new kids and we hope to cherish this wonderful experience we have had with all of our seniors at the fabulous Orientation Bash 2017.
Written by Stephanie Leng
Edited by Calvin Fernandez
Photos and captions by Andrew Peter Lim and Tiffany See
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