New grade 8’s ran into the school gates with bright eyes and
bushy tails trying to find their friends. All the seniors of the school were
thinking “fresh meat” (although I can’t be sure as I am not a mind reader…).
This was the start of a new year, the start of a new school, and the start of
the grade 8’s orientation week. The very first thing that happened was that all
the grade 8’s had to gather in the hall waiting to be told what registration
classes we were in. All of us clung to our primary school friends in the
crowded, noisy, stuffy hall. As we were sorted into our different classes we
had to be separated from our friends, that we loved so much. We all followed
the person who was going to be our registration teacher for the rest of our grade
8 school year. Our teachers laid down the law and our two mentors got to know
each one of us. Before soon our very first day of high school was over and we
were running out the gates to our parents to tell them about our exciting first
day of high school.
I woke up the next
morning still not sure whether I was in a dream or whether I was really getting ready for my second day
of high school. I once again walked into the school gates a bit more accustomed
to where my registration class is. We went to the hall in the first lesson to
listen to Mrs Nightingale tell us a few helpful hints (even though various
teachers and our mentors already told us all the basic rules of the school over
and over again, we all hung in there. I even saw a few friends of my classmates
miming the same words Mrs Nightingale was saying). Yet surprisingly this was
one of the only ‘helpful hints’ that we hadn’t heard already: the meaning of
the school motto - fortiter, fideliter and feliciter meaning with strength,
with loyalty and with joy.
We got the low down of co-curricular sports on the third day
of school in the hall. We each got a booklet containing all the information
about after school activities. We learnt what uniform we should wear for which
sports and when and where each sport was happening. We learnt of new,
innovative sports that DGHS offer such as sailing, rock climbing, waterpolo and
touch rugby.
On day 4 and day 5 all the grade 8 classes made crumpets and
did map work on different days. A few girls got lost while exploring the enormous
school (including me) but we all found our way in the end. We also learnt a new
skill with Mrs Cuthbert… Making crumpets. If ever we are stuck at home alone
and we’re hungry…We can just whip up some yummilicious crumpets dripping in
syrup.
We were allowed to get some rest after our busy first days
of school and we all headed off for the weekend. But on Monday we all arrived
back to get more info stuffed into our already crammed brains. In the first
lesson of the day we headed to the hall (again) to get more information on co-curricular activities,
this time on culture extra murals including book club, drama club and art club (just to name a few). Vocal avenue
sang for us and Zama Zikhali in matric performed a poem she wrote herself
(titled ‘My mind’) to showcase a bit of what Rhymcite is.
Everyone in grade 8 had a great time during the grade 8
gala. The pool was crystal clear and very inviting. All the girls enjoyed taking
a dip in the pool (including Mrs. Sturgess). Later on in the term the grade 8
girls will get to know each other a lot better when we go to Seula Zimbili. That
pretty much sums up all the things us grade8’s did in our orientation week,
here at DGHS!
By JESSICA wEAKLEY
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