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By Mei Feifei (22A13A), Sophie Goh (22S07B)

You may be a Y5 excited to start Orientation and spend time with your new friends, or a Y6 tired of going to the same benches again and again. As long as you 1) have friends and 2) want to hang out with them, here is a non-exhaustive list of hang-out spots that you may wish to consider (actually, there is nothing stopping you from hanging out with yourself either). 

1. Windy benches, of which there are many

You can go to B Block L1, currently one of the most popular (and unfortunately sometimes crowded) study spots amongst students. Sandwiched between the Popular bookstore and the staircases leading up to Block B, it’s a convenient location if you need to grab some pen refills mid-studying, or have to head up to your classrooms for lessons after. 

If this spot has run out of available seats, you can just head up one level to the B Block L2 benches, next to the mirrors. Another option would be to cross over to the A Block L1 benches as well. 

There are also several benches scattered outside the Lecture Theatres that students congregate at during breaks or before lectures. 

2. Hodge Lodge 

Hodge Lodge is only a stone’s throw away from the canteen, but it has significantly less noise and footfall compared to the hustle and bustle of the canteen. 

Another perk is that its transparent walls are decorated with affirmations and hedgehogs (a great mood lifter). Don’t go here expecting air-con, though—the room itself is closed (except to student councillors for Work Purposes), but the benches outside are quite lovely too. 

3. Canteen(s)

Easily the most popular and frequented hang out spot, there is really not much to introduce about the canteen. You have pretty much everything—and everyone—here. 

Everyone has to go to the canteen at some point in time, so if you are hoping for a serendipitous encounter with a friend who has disappeared off to Raja Block or HP block, this is the place to go. 

However, owing precisely to how essential the canteen is, it can be quite noisy and crowded during recess and lunch. There is also the legendary ‘jock table’ that is actually quite easy to identify—just look out for a bluetooth speaker blasting music (sources claim that it is usually rap). 

To avoid this issue, simply head up the stairs near Asia Ghani Prata Hut to access the HP canteen (that is NOT exclusive to HP students, whatever its name suggests) that is both quieter and better ventilated than the main canteen. 

4. Crib

The Crib is nestled between the lockers and the council rooms, leaving it relatively secluded. When at the Crib, look out for our beloved school cat, Teddy, whose palace is located in the vicinity. The drawings on the blackboards and House Sheds also bring a lovely touch of nostalgia and vibrancy to the place. 

5. Hidden benches

Named as such due to their relative inaccessibility, these benches are found scattered around the lockers on A Block L4. If your classroom is located near this area, you may wish to have a little snack there with your classmates in between lessons; otherwise, it is quite dark and not worth trekking up four flights for. 

We strongly encourage you to make the most of your two years here by forging memories in these uniquely RI spaces—in addition to the LTs and canteen, there are many more nooks and crannies waiting for you to explore. 

Above all, there is no need to be daunted by the size of the campus. While it may be hard to navigate around at first, you will, sooner or later, come to know the campus like the back of your hand (or you can always check out this map). Until then, we hope this article is some help in making the unfamiliar a little more familiar. 

This is part one of our ‘Chill Go Where’ series. You may access part two here. 

Edited to correct that Hodge Lodge is not named after the hedgehogs; rather, it is named after our ex-principal, Mr Winston James Hodge (2001-2007).

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