On the 15th of September, 2014, the residents of Block B, NUS Bukit Timah Campus, gathered around to witness a truly magnificent event. It had style. It had class. It had never before been seen. It was…the Block (B)arty.
Dramatic language aside, the inaugural Block (B)arty, brought to us kindly by the 34th Law Club MC and LSIRC, took place at our beautiful Upper Quad in the evening just as the sun booked out of work. As it sank in the sky, our dedicated personnel set up the mats that are so necessary at any law school chill out, set up and tested the AV equipment, and near the back of the field, a truly awesome sight grew into being.
What was this, you ask?
A bouncy castle. Or to be very specific, it was a ‘3 Lane Bungee Run’, and while that just looks like a bunch of nouns stuck together, you had to experience it.
And experience it we did! Stressed law students had no reserves about shucking off their shoes (safety first, kids!) and leaping into the yellow-blue-red plastic creation to bounce all our cares (and energy) away. How’s that for awesome? (We hear that our Dean, Professor Simon Chesterman, who was around to enjoy this event with us, knew how to appreciate the awesomeness. Raaad.)
Besides that manifestation of joy, we were also provided with free popcorn, free cotton candy, free ice cream, free beer, free dinner, a free photobooth, free live music, and free games. That’s a whole lot of free stuff. The Law Club called it free welfare, and we have to agree. Things are easier to enjoy when there isn’t a price tag on them — hats off to the organisers, and many thanks to the sponsors!
The games stalls reminded us of being children at the school’s mini fun fair again, when we were young and uncoordinated and not very good at such games. There we were, a decade later, determinedly plucking marbles out of a cup with chopsticks and feeling triumphant when the time was up…only to discover that now, we were old and uncoordinated and not very good at such games. That didn’t detract from the fun of it all, though. Those who did manage to obtain a certain score in the games were rewarded with lucky draw coupons, and of those, a lucky few walked away with Capitaland vouchers.
As with every chill out, there were performances, and our Upper Quad stage saw several acoustic sets by groups of Year 1s who serenaded the crowd with ease and finesse. Freedom, our very own group of law school dancers, ended off the night with a coordinated performance which they had practiced several weeks for, pressing on despite technical difficulties and showing us their grit and professionalism. A great job by all performers!
As the night wound down and the ice cream (which this writer didn’t get to eat — L) ran out, pictures were taken and things were packed up as everybody got ready to head home. All good things come to an end, after all, and law students always have work to do.
Article by: Letitia Chen (Year 1)
Photography by: Jordy Kay (Year 1)