NYSC ORIENTATION CAMP

NYSC ORIENTATION CAMP (3 WEEKS IN CAMP)

This is by far the best part of the NYSC service year (in my opinion). I was a bit frantic to go to camp; I heard stories from how stressful camp was to the harsh punishment and toilet situation. However, I have always been “Miss prove them wrong” and so I was determined to prove everyone who said I couldn’t cope wrong. I got to camp and after all the screening and all of that I was asked by a military personnel to carry my box on my head to pavilion…I was like “oh no they can’t be serious…I’m a bit down” however, I wasn’t ready for the fuss so I actually carried my very heavy and big box on my head. The day did not get any better we had to queue up for a hall, room, mattress, uniform and registration and I was not able to complete mine on the first day so it dragged into the second day. I had to purchase a few things in camp on the first day as I could not carry everything I needed since I By the end of the week we had been sworn in and then camp life had started proper. I had gone into camp with a “I’d just be on my own mindset, you know I’m not their mate and I’m not here to play’ and so I was kind of a loner with the exception of one very good friend and a few acquaintances but by the beginning of the next week I was everyone’s friend and one of the platoon leaders. Camp became more interesting and exciting, I did not mind that we did not get much sleep, I was busy and time was going so fast. I met a guy who I’d call Chef for the sake of this blog (I already talked about him in the previous blog) and everyday became a routine event with him we walked around together and had fun especially at Mammy market (camp market). I fell sick towards the end of camp and I went to the camp clinic, I tested positive for malaria and I was given some minor drugs as I had already come to camp with some drugs from my clinic at home.  I actually had fun with the platoon sport events, NYSC competitions, talent hunt, parade, morning exercise (it was so much fun…shoutout to the DJ) and the Man-O-War drill. The soldiers and camp officials could be mean when they wanted to be but overall they were actually nice people once you got to know them. They would punish you and still be playing with you.

I did not enjoy their food so I only went to the kitchen about 3-5 times. Bathing was a bitter sweet experience as it was freezing in the morning and the water was cold, the state of the bathroom did not help and sometimes we had to bath outside. The toilets could not flush and most times they were messed up however, I could not bring myself to do the shot put (‘pooing’ into a nylon bag and throwing it away well mostly over the fence) so I used the toilet once in a while when it was very clean which was very uncomfortable.

THINGS TO NOTE:

You have to be prepared to queue for everything

Enjoy the punishments…lol it is actually fun (most of the time)

You’d be paid your ‘allawee’ before you leave camp and given 2500 (transport allowance)

Photocopy all your documents

Never wear slippers outside or any other footwear for that matter apart from your white sneakers/canvas

Mammy market has everything you need and variety of food…It was my favorite place in camp

DOCUMENTS TO TAKE TO CAMP:

CALL-UP LETTTER

GREEN CARD (NYSC)

CERTIFICATE/ NOTIFICATION OF RESULT/STATEMENT OF RESULT (Certificate of registration with your council/board for doctors, pharmacist or optometrist, lawyers and evidence of completion of housemanship/internship)

ID CARD

PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPH (between 8 and 10 because you’d need some at your PPA) although you’d take official NYSC passports later on in camp

ALL DOCUMENTS USED TO RGISTER AND INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT (foreign graduates)

THINGS YOU NEED IN CAMP:  (You can also buy them in camp at mammy market  but they’d be more expensive)

Money (obviously however if you do not plan to eat their ‘kitchen’ food then please take a lot of cash or at least be prepared to pay to withdraw using their POS machine)

Bedsheet

Bucket and bathing bowl

Padlock

Plate (flat), bowl and cutlery

Slippers

Toiletries i.e. toilet roll, sanitary pad, dettol/disinfectant, soap, detergent

Towel

Waist Pouch

White shorts, shirts sneakers and stockings/socks

ORIENTATION CAMP DAILY PROGRAMME

The program remains the same almost every day apart from the swearing in day and the day we leave camp, Sundays are free with the exception of social events at night.

The day usually starts at 5:30am with devotion, at 6am Nigeria wakes up meaning we stand at attention and sing the national anthem (while the flag goes up), after that its exercise time and them parade time. Somewhere between 8 and 9am we have breakfast. After that its lectures, debate, SAED (Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development) and from then on its lunch, siesta, sports and then dinner. From 8pm or thereabout its socials such as Talent Hunt, Drama, Dance, Mr. Macho, Miss NYSC and other competitions.

Till the next blog

Photocredit: Chef's phone
Photocredit: Google Images

Yours in service, 

Corp Girl