Preparing for camping is usually not the fun part, it’s even worse if you are going to a regimented one like the NYSC’s three weeks orientation activities.
For some corps members, they go to the orientation camp with so much yet so little. It’s imperative to get the extra white tees, shorts, personal effects but most people often miss out on things they end up buying at hyper-inflated prices at the Mammy Market.
While another category of ‘corpers‘ is not mentally prepared for 21 days of being away from their comfort zone. They often plot how to evade camp activities, redeploy or even avoid the camping in itself.
Well, it is possible to evade some of the rigors of the NYSC camp. But first, you just have to be open-minded and accept the fate that your life will be taken away from you for 3 weeks. Nonetheless, you can make the best of your stay in camp without having to succumb to the junta.
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- Get To Camp Early
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The best time to resume Orientation camp is the opening day to avoid making the camp any harder for yourself. Some of the perks attached to this include:
- A hassle-free registration process
- Less cranky NYSC officials
- You get to choose the best fit of your kits or closest to your size before the crowd comes.
- Getting the best dormitories and getting a perfect bed space.
- One for the benefit of hindsight, you’d realise some of your best moments in camp are before the crowd and the noise.
Con
Not so much of negatives here. You just have to prepare to meet highly spirited NYSC staff. At this point, they play to the rule. More time and energy to search bags thoroughly.
2. Join a Group
I don’t look forward to the parades, I might have to feign fainting three times so I’d evade the process.
A budding Lagos fashion executive laments jokingly to Burbles in a chat.
For her, exploring her career path would be an excuse to evade rigors of the camp.
I heard of the Orientation Broadcast Service (OBS). My media experience would be useful for the team. Win-win for everyone
Our secret chatterbox quipped again.
So here is a beautiful thing about the National Youth Service despite the bad PR hovering around the scheme. Corps members get hands-on experience in organisational management. They are the core of the system itself.
You have the platoon leaders, the legal team, medical team, Orientation Broadcast Service(OBS), Red Cross, the band, and quite a handful of groups manned by corps members according to their fields.
While the camp activities go on, there are brains behind the system keeping 100s of people engaged for the 21day period. So while you try to run from the parades and other physical activities, you can join one of these groups to make use of your skills in place of your muscles.
Mind you, being a member of some of these groups does not give you immunity from the parade activities.
3. The little details matter
Staying three weeks away from home does not mean savings get blown out. There are some little details needed to save you from claws of profiteering Mammy Market Vendors.
-Go with stitching tools if you can fix your clothes manually.
-Go with a mosquito net
-Get as many junks as you can carry.
– A torch
-Power Bank
-Extra Facemask
-Sanitizers
-Extra toothbrush
-Prepare to eat out so have extra cash
It-A a bit risky due to the country’s high insecurity, but having enough cash reserve on you makes life easier. There is a queue for everything and that can freak the meekest person out!
