Kingfishers reunite at the final Balik Kampung!

On 16 August 2024, the Yale-NUS community ushered in a new academic year with the fun-filled Balik Kampung event on campus. The College’s annual Welcome Back event – Balik Kampung (a Malay term that refers to ‘coming home’), is an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to reconnect with each other after a rejuvenating vacation break and bond over exciting games and good food.

This year’s Balik Kampung was particularly special. Along with the warmth and chatter of reunions and new beginnings, there was a sense of nostalgia in the air as Kingfishers acknowledged that this would be the last iteration of the back-to-school festivities. Teera Altal (Class of 2025) remarked, “I can’t help but feel a sense of “Balik Kampung” when I returned to Yale-NUS this semester – it is a return to a place that has become my second home. This event has always allowed me to reconnect with the vibrant community of students, faculty, and staff who have made these past years so special. This year’s Balik Kampung event also marks the beginning of my final year at Yale-NUS, and I intend to cherish every moment. It’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on the journey so far and embrace the experiences that lie ahead, surrounded by the people and the place that have shaped my time here.”

Dean of Students, Cory Owen, who has been organising the Balik Kampung events since 2022 shared what they meant to her, “We started Balik Kampung as a way to celebrate the new academic year and come together as a community.  While historically we’ve held it on the Sunday before classes begin, this year we wanted to kick off the semester with a party to celebrate the completion of our first week.  As always, the hope for this event is to have a fun way for everyone to connect after months apart. The term Balik Kampung holds such a special meaning and I’m excited to welcome everyone home for our final year!”

Several concurrent activities were held at different parts of campus. At the Multi Purpose Hall, students, faculty and staff had fun bumping into one another while wearing bubble bump suits. Laughter and applause filled the air as amused audiences enthusiastically cheered the players on.

Meanwhile, other Kingfishers tried their hand at laser clay shooting at the Cendana Courtyard.  Shouts of triumph could be heard as the participants aimed their guns at flying clay discs and tried to shoot laser beams at the moving target to accumulate points on a scoreboard. Brian Shim (Class of 2025), who emerged the winner at one round of laser clay shooting, shared, “Balik Kampung has always been a fun event for me to reconnect with the school community and my friends. The Student Affairs Office (SAO) always organises activities that I would not typically have the chance to try by myself outside of the College.”

Many Yale-NUS community members also enjoyed numerous food stalls around the Cendana Courtyard. Local and regional snacks were available, such as Thai milk tea, Korean street egg toast and fried ‘mantous’. Attendees savoured these delicious snacks while catching up and looking forward to the semester ahead. “Sharing food as a community is a big part of the College’s culture to me. Be it grabbing food at the Dining Hall together after class, cooking together with my Residential College Advisor (RCA) during cultural festivals, or trying delicious delights at events hosted by SAO – all of these casual moments form core memories of my Yale-NUS experience and have helped me feel closer to the diverse community,” said Feng Yunzhe (Class of 2025).

The event was filled with a relaxed and homely atmosphere. Associate Professor of Social Science (Environmental Studies) Marvin Montefrio shared that he was especially fond of this event. “When we arrived back in Singapore recently, the first thing my two kids asked me was whether ‘the Kampung event’ would be happening again this year! And for me, it’s always nice to chat and catch up with students at the start of the semester,” he said.

As the afternoon passed and the end of Balik Kampung drew nearer, Kingfishers gradually headed to their residences and the Cendana dining hall, rejuvenated by the welcome-back and ready for the new academic year.