A Fun-filled NIGHT CAMP Experience
by Marienne Galima
‘When you can’t wait any longer,
but there’s no end in sight.
When you need to find the strength,
it’s your faith that makes you stronger.
The only way to get there
is one step at a time.’
These lines from our night camp theme song One Step at a Time by Jordin Sparks really marked my night camp experience way back June 2013. It inspires me everyday to give the best out of me. Night camp is SSCR’s way of welcoming the new freshmen students.
It was one of the best and memorable nights that happened in my life. It was the start of the new chapter of my life, my college life.
When I first heard about the Night camp, I was not interested. I really didn’t want to attend that activity because I really didn’t want to participate in different activities because I know it would be tiring, but my friend forced me to attend that’s why I had no choice but to go. I saw a lot of faces that was so very excited that day. I saw their eagerness to participate in the event. But I, I felt bored because I thought I will not enjoy spending my one night with my fellow freshmen.
When the event started, I realized I was wrong. Yes, I was wrong. It was not boring. It was a fun-filled way of welcoming the Sebastinian freshmen. There were a lot of amazing things that happened that night. I got the chance to meet my volleyball player idol, Czarina Berbano. I idolized her beauty very much. I’ve also seen the other talented Sebastinians from higher years performing that night. I had the chance to know the school administrators more. I had the opportunity to socialize with my fellow freshmen students who also found their dreams here in San Sebastian. A lot of activities made me feel excited.
I had a chance to bond with my bloc-mates. That night camp was definitely the foundation of our friendship. That Night Camp has a big part of my college life. All the things that I have done and I’m doing now is the fruit of all the learnings and enjoyment that I started to experience that Night Camp.
I wish I could be a freshman again because I want to experience again the joy, excitement and learnings that Night Camp gave to me. I always reminisce the moments I had with my friends during that whole night.
Those experiences proved to me that the Night Camp was really a blast in the lives of freshmen!
NIGHT CAMP Origins
by Jaivie l. Del Socorro
When a Sebastinian asks: What is the most unforgettable experience you ever had in San Sebastian? the most answer that we could probably get is the “NIGHT CAMP.”
Yes, many of our alumni and students from upper levels could attest that Night Camp is one of the most unforgettable events in Baste. Actually, these Sebastinians who have experienced Night Camp tend to make comparisons between the Night Camp they attended and those that others went to, or they would share experiences about it.
Out of curiosity, I did a bit of research about the Night Camp. Since there were no documents about the history of this prominent event, I conducted an interview with the persons who said to have started this event.
One of the persons I talked with is a faculty of Religious Education Department (ReEd) and the former Registrar, Mr. Ramon Montierro. He then told me that the Night Camp was inspired by the World Youth Day in 1995. During the World Youth Day celebrations, the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Manila was one of the schools who hosted delegates from Luzon and Visayas. It was during the time of Fr. Tamayo with Guidance Counselor-Ms. Eden Corsiga and Student Affairs’ Head-Mr. Baltazar “Bob” Acebedo when the first Night Camp happened.
I have also talked with one of the pioneers of Night Camp, also a faculty member of the ReEd and the former Head of the Student Affairs Office, Mr. Leonardo Martin “Dindo” Bunag. He said that as far as he can remember, there was no concrete flow of program. He remembered how he and Mr. Montierro handled the event as the emcees of the Night Camp and that they would just do anything just to keep the event alive. The main purpose of the event they said was to welcome the new Sebastinians and to make them familiarized with SSC-R Manila.
Thanks to these two persons for helping me out to trace the origin of the traditional event for the new Sebastinians.
Then I found the various themes throughout the years:
1995 - I Just Wanna be Close to You
1996 - (No record)
1997 - (No record)
1998 - Hamon sa Bagong Siglo: Sebastino, Harapin Mo
1999 - Magpakatao Ka Sebastino, Sa Ama, Patungo Tayo
2000 - I-TXT MO, SMB C BASTINO S Santatlo Mahal ng Bawat Sebastino
(theme derived from the commercial of Coca Cola Company)
2001 - Ikaw at Ako Always Tama ang Timpla Haay! Love mo ‘ko talaga.
(theme derived from the commercial of Coca Cola Company)
2002 - Planet SSC-R Setting New Standards
2003 - HOTTAH Sebastino MISMO! [Holding On To The Augustinian Heritage Sebastino MakadIyoS MakataO]
(theme derived from EL NIÑO)
2004 - Dugong Baste Sabay-Sabay Skul ko ‘to walang sablay ahhhh…RECOLETOS
(theme derived from the commercial of Coca Cola Company)
2005 - Di laging AKO…KASAMA KA [Di laging AKO…KaiSA si MAria tungo sa euKAristiya]
2006 - Sebastinian Idol NYT Kamp 2K6 Sugod!
2007 - KALOOB Sebastinian! [Keeping A Look On Our Being Sebastinian!]
2008 - JAM NA SEBASTINO! [Join And Move NA SEBASTINO!]
(theme derived from the theme song “Jam Na”)
2009 - MAGSAYA SEBASTINO! [MAGkaisa SA tagumpay ‘YAn ang SEBASTINO!]
(the event was done as a Day Camp as precautionary measure considering Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome breakout in the Philippines)
2010 - Let’s DO it! Live it UP!
2011 - Today my life begins… The Sebastinian Way
(theme derived from the theme song “Today, My Life Begins”)
2012 - SEBASTINO AKO. BAKET. [SEBASTINO AKO. Believe And maKE a sTand.]
2013 - Opening Minds, Forming Hearts
(theme adapted from the SSC-R Manila Official Tagline)
2014 - Identifying, Defining and Edifying the Sebastinian Identity
(theme adapted the sub-theme for the first installment of the 3-year celebration of SSC-R Manila’s 75th Anniversary. the event was done as a Day Camp.)
The theme of the Night Camp would always be based on the current trend among the youth. As written, there have already been two day camps held for some significant reasons.
Currently, the working committee for this year’s Night Camp is on the process of conceptualization of the activities for the entire event. The committee would want to keep the program balanced, with the goal of having activities related to the SSC-R Manila’s Core values. This year, it will be held on August 28-29, with the theme: “UNLEASHING THE STAG IN YOU.”
