Ready for Rag
Temasek and Eusoff Hall residents hard at work on their floats
The campus is abuzz with some 1,800 students in full preparation mode for the annual NUS Students' Union (NUSSU) Rag and Flag event to be held on 7 August. This year, Rag Day will be held at The Float@Marina Bay, showcasing solidarity with the community as part of the SG50 Golden Jubilee Weekend and National Day celebrations. It carries the theme "Where I belong and tagline "To be with the people, the original catchphrase used for the inaugural Welfare Week in 1957, the predecessor of modern Rag and Flag.
A decades-old tradition, NUSSU Rag and Flag unites the entire NUS community in the spirit of giving. The signature event will see thousands of students from all the halls and schools venture island-wide on Flag Day on 4 August to seek donations for the less-privileged. To show their appreciation to the public for their generosity, a colourful display of performances will then be put up by the students for the second segment, Rag Day.
Besides a fun-filled carnival, this year's Rag Day will feature performances by NUS' cheerleaders Alpha Verve, NUS Acapella Group Resonance, and People's Association, as well as home-grown musical talents The Sam Willows and Gentle Bones and American singer-songwriter Christina Grimmie; all performing against the backdrop of the night skyline. In addition, the public can expect to see stunning fireworks as well as, for the first time, a giant "birthday cake" decorated with thousands of messages of love for Singapore. Showcasing the technological spirit of the times, guests can donate by tapping their ez-link cards on electronic terminals mounted on the "cake".
Meanwhile at the various sites on campus, students from all backgrounds were seen decorating and painting their eco-friendly floats or rehearsing their dance routines.
First-year students from the Faculty of Science rehearsing their choreography for Rag Day
Over at Eusoff Hall, students were hard at work on their five "The Wizard of Oz floats, including one with buildings depicting the actual Singapore cityscape. The floats were made of discarded fans and bottles, transformed into unique structures. Together with Temasek Hall, the group of 24 students had started working on their combined mobile display in May. "The longer you rag', the more you enjoy the ragging' process, said Year 3 Political Science student Kenneth Chan.
At the Faculty of Science, the students are adding a mystical twist to their routine this year, inspired by fairies. Their performance hopes to bring home the message that despite differences, everyone has a part to play in the community. "Science RAG 2015 is about bringing individuals together through a magical and light-hearted theme, said Year 2 Life Sciences student Yasmin Ong. The Faculty chose only to have freshmen as dancers in order to give them a memorable orientation experience.
Judging from the feverish atmosphere and arduous work put in by dedicated students round the clock, the public can expect to see some stunning performances and spectacular floats this Rag Day. "NUS students who are involved in the various performing groups are rehearsing very hard and will be doing their best to put up a good show to thank the public for their support. We hope that everyone will have a good time and contribute generously for charity, said Lim Kok Seng, NUSSU President.
NUSSU Flag Day will be held across Singapore on 4 August. Rag Day will be held on 7 August at The Float@Marina Bay from 5pm to 11pm. Members of the public can register here for their free tickets or at any of the 47 authorised agents island-wide.
