By Nicole Lee (26S05A)

Every year, close to a hundred more RI students are exiled to the borders—a dreaded building tucked away from the Y5-6 campus, right smack in the middle of RI JC and Y1-4. You’ve probably heard of it from a senior, or from their senior’s senior’s senior way before you even entered RI.

The Raja block.

To the rest of the school, it’s an urban legend. To the incoming Y5s, it sounds like a bad omen, and as for the banished one hundred, it’s a life sentence to 6 or 7 levels of daily cardio (bear in mind that’s at least 5 levels to climb, which amounts to 5 x 2 = 10 flights of stairs, and so 10 x 14 = 140 steps a day), and a 10-minute walk to and from the canteen. 

No one on the outside knows exactly what goes on in there, or how life is living in the Raja Block. Still, though, they tend to cross their fingers and pray to never be sorted to a class there. 

So how exactly is life like living in the borders of RI? Is it really as bad as everyone makes it out to be? Let’s dig into it. 

1. Extra “Windy Benches” 

“Meet me at the windy benches.”

“…Which ones?”

If you’re a student in RI, you most likely would have heard your seniors mentioning the “windy benches” at some point, commonly referring to the study area located conveniently opposite the bookstore. The title was coined mainly due to the frequent gusts of wind running through these benches as students mug intensely, unaware of their overturned fringes and exposed hairlines. 

But I contest for a change in titles—anyone who refers to the study area opposite the bookstore as the “windy benches” has clearly never been to the level one benches of the Raja Block before, much less stay there long enough to experience the devastating impacts of its wind. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to direct you to the true windy benches of RI, dearly located in the Raja Block. There, you will enjoy blasts of wind at maximum effect, whether you like it or not. 

Muggers, please take note. 

2. Gen Alphas

Being at the border of JC society also means having to share the area with another community, the Y1-4s. We share not only age gaps but also a (slightly massive) generational gap.

Everyone knows Gen Z for our slang, but nothing beats that of the rising stars—Gen Alphas, armed with their extensive internet-influenced lingo, who skillfully keep up constant changes in phrase, so much so that their seniors struggle to even comprehend their word choice. Sharing the block with the secondary school section means that one inevitably chances upon hordes of Y1-4 juniors, in their natural habitat next to the Professor Brawn Cafe. Sooner or later, you (willingly or unwillingly) pick up on high-pitched conversations, and eventually some golden phrases. 

For example, here’s some which you might be familiar with: 

1.  “Well, well, well”  [pronounced: weoul-weoul-weoul]
2. “Low Taper Fade” [pronounced: lieow-taper-fade]
3. “Skibidi” [pronounced: skee-bee-dee]
4. “Chat” [pronounced: chat]
5. “What the sigma” [pronounced: what the seegma]

For seniors, this is the time to connect with your juniors (keep up with the brainrot), and for juniors, this is the best way to interact and learn from your seniors (teach them the brainrot). The Professor Brawn Cafe is conveniently located right under the block, with great food and great bubble tea: all available and complemented with your daily dose of brainrot, from yours truly, the juniors. 

Skibidi.

3. Chill @Y14

Most importantly, Raja Block is the nearest Y5-6 students can get to RI@Chill (Y1-4). I know that some may argue that there’s a Chill at Y5-6 too, but nothing beats the Y1-4 version: take for example their famous waffles that come in many flavours (unlike the Chill at Y5-6, they have the option of ice cream in your waffle). Residents of Block Raja are luckier in this aspect—this mini paradise is just a short walk away. 

One small “nerf”, though, is that the instant noodles are not for sale to JC students until 2.30pm; I learnt this the hard way on the first day of school. Other than that, the snacks there are pretty good. 

4. Project Rooms 

Here in RI, there are hidden gems in every corner of the campus, especially in the Raja Block. Residents of the Raja Block can enjoy an extra 3m x 5m expansion of space within their classrooms, in the form of a project room— a place where legendary moments take place. Introducing some uses of the multi-purpose(4-in-1) room directly connected to your classroom:

1. Dining room: the area features a good number of tables and chairs, with a quiet ambience of sunlight pouring in through multiple windows. The doors are also tightly sealed, containing any food aromas within the room. For these reasons, the project room is the optimum spot for dining, easily accessible to those who are too lazy to descend 6 or 7 levels just to eat. 

2. Rave room: the room is relatively soundproof, and dimly lit in some cases, making it a perfect environment for your beloved raves. Although this action is only recommended during break times (for obvious reasons), you can always choose to blast your Spotify at full volume, gracing the class next door with your amazing music taste.

3. Mugging/crash out room: This one goes out to all the science students—the project room is a great place to crash out both outwardly and internally as you solve a grand total of just 3 questions in 2 hours. Try to not break the tables and chairs though, class funding is quite tight these days… 

4. Hiding spot: the room provides a blind spot for very desperate students who are 6 lectures behind to hide themselves in. Just like how you have run from your responsibilities, you may have to hide from your tutors, and the project room provides a safe haven for that. To ensure extra security, students may consider locking the door and ducking under the table, although their email may still find you well. (This paragraph is satire, purely written for entertainment reasons. Please do not skip your lessons or hide from your tutors.)

5. Peace and Quiet 

Last but not least, everyone’s biggest concern—the location of the Raja Block. Although it is widely criticised as being inconvenient and the furthest away from the main JC area, life in the Raja block can be rather peaceful. 

Turns out being exiled has its own perks too, as students may enjoy an extra-quiet afternoon anywhere within the Raja block. Be it the nicely lit project rooms or the spacious homerooms, this place is a mugging haven, a true hidden gem that deserves more recognition. In my opinion, anywhere in the Raja block is peak cottagecore, since it can get so peaceful that the atmosphere matches that of a rural cottage. Even if you happen to be a fan of bustling canteens and lively homerooms, I believe that the zen atmosphere of the Raja block will win you over at some point. 

Its isolated location also doubles as a great hangout spot since you won’t have to worry about any chaos in the background, fighting for an empty table, long snaking queues, etc. There’s even a GongCha on level one of the block, making it the perfect setting for your various ‘yap’ sessions, or group doom-scrolling periods.

Great vibes. 

So here they are: my honest thoughts as a resident of the Raja block. Overall, I would say that the general experience isn’t too bad; although it may have a questionable location and facilities, life in the block is still quite peaceful. In fact, ex-residents do share common sentiments of missing their life in the Raja block, despite the ‘upgrade’ in locations to A or B block. 

You probably expected this article to be yet another horror story about life in the Raja block, but it’s surprisingly nice to live here—and that’s why I’ve come to write this article. The Raja block deserves more recognition and appreciation than just its infamous reputation. 

To those who are sorted into the Raja block, I hope you enjoy a memorable experience at the borders, and try not to over-binge on the waffles. You can even walk past and enjoy the scenic view of RI boarding each morning, a great way to start off your day. Maybe the Raja block isn’t too bad after all…

….except for the stairs.