I woke up the following morning fully energized and ready to conquer the cold and have my bath behind the hostel in the open field at 3 am. I made this strong resolution after I saw the state of the bathroom. The well-equipped bathroom was quickly scented with a strong pungent smell all thanks to urine and most of the toilets were already messed up filled with faeces.
This came as no surprise for me but still! I could not imagine the pretty faces that filled up the hostel rooms were capable of tossing caution to the wind and ready to wreak havoc.
My bath was a walk in the park. I mean I did not spend six years in a boarding school for nothing. I was already well equipped with managing such bathroom situation except using a potty again! yes in order to avoid toilet infection we had to get little buckets for this. I hated every bit of this part.
This was basically my personal routine until I bid camp farewell.
Falling In Love
Honestly, the NYSC love story is one Nigerians are very familiar with. And I could smell the thirst trap miles away. It was honestly pathetic to me but still to each his own right?
In my head, I really wondered how people actually managed to fall in love like this in bleached whites. Some people especially the guys must have hated bleach so much they loved their off coloured white shirts and shorts. Or perhaps it is during the SAED class where you are bored out of your mind to even speak. Or at Mami market where I always had a hard time deciding what to eat and I end up buying noodles or just cornflakes, I played out these scenes in my head and knew I was going home single.
Food Situation
My meal tickets still come to me in my dreams asking why I choose to neglect it. It was only put to use on the days of Bread, egg and tea or Sunday Jollof rice. I know you have to stick to whatever suits your taste buds for me, camp food was no friend of mine.
Camp Activities
Imo state NYSC orientation camp prides itself in orderliness and time management I will suggest they add budget management to the list too.
Falling In Love
Honestly, the NYSC love story is one Nigerians are very familiar with. And I could smell the thirst trap miles away. It was honestly pathetic to me but still to each his own right?
In my head, I really wondered how people actually managed to fall in love like this in bleached whites. Some people especially the guys must have hated bleach so much they loved their off coloured white shirts and shorts. Or perhaps it is during the SAED class where you are bored out of your mind to even speak. Or at Mami market where I always had a hard time deciding what to eat and I end up buying noodles or just cornflakes, I played out these scenes in my head and knew I was going home single.
Food Situation
My meal tickets still come to me in my dreams asking why I choose to neglect it. It was only put to use on the days of Bread, egg and tea or Sunday Jollof rice. I know you have to stick to whatever suits your taste buds for me, camp food was no friend of mine.
Camp Activities
Imo state NYSC orientation camp prides itself in orderliness and time management I will suggest they add budget management to the list too.
Photos from the activities in other camp were enough proof to convince us that maybe social life might be a not so fun situation in Imo. To understand this scenario where in the world are the winners of a pageant awarded gas cylinders and kettles? I shall leave you to your thoughts now.
There were a good number of inter- platoon activity that went on in camp. My favourite being the inter-platoon parade. I look back and think of that day Eight Platoon (my platoon) won the parade and I say to myself that was pretty dumb. I never failed practice and I was really committed to us winning by playing my part. You need to see a photograph of my commitment. It was hilarious because there was really nothing to gain besides getting firm legs and bragging rights. Still, It felt good.
I wish I participated more. Wanted play volleyball but l remembered how much I sucked at P. E activities and made it my mission to avoid being a meme.
I could never be Miss NYSC because I am short ( I mean who comes up with all these dumb rules), and above all actually attend an OBS meeting.
I wish I participated more. Wanted play volleyball but l remembered how much I sucked at P. E activities and made it my mission to avoid being a meme.
I could never be Miss NYSC because I am short ( I mean who comes up with all these dumb rules), and above all actually attend an OBS meeting.
SAED Lectures
Whenever you meet a person who has undergone the entire camp process or better still finished NYSC, ask how was SAED. Ask this because I feel like people are getting prepared for the wrong things. Don't ask how was camp because there is always a way to adapt. However, Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development is something everyone should understand. A four-hour tortuous journey of different lectures and talks that would make you want to fall deeper into sleep. This you can't because there are actual volunteers who would wake you up and tell you to stop using your phone.
Although SAED is a beautiful initiative added to the scheme for corps members to better themselves and fight unemployment in Nigeria. I felt it was just hectic being bombarded like that. No break just an hourly reminder that you just might not make it in society because you are late and the only way to make it is by shoving the lessons down your throat.
Although SAED is a beautiful initiative added to the scheme for corps members to better themselves and fight unemployment in Nigeria. I felt it was just hectic being bombarded like that. No break just an hourly reminder that you just might not make it in society because you are late and the only way to make it is by shoving the lessons down your throat.
The Sly
You know how there is always that popular guy or girl because they have attractive features. For me, I noticed none but then again, to each his own. So there was this boy who was not so tall and had a skin that was subjected to bleaching cream. He tried to keep up an appearance by holding a bottle of water. As opposed to sachet water which is cheaper than bottled water. Holding a bottle of water apparently speaks for you that you have money and is capable of spending it. I believe this is so because Nigerians see some things as a waste of money and actually respect you for just tossing it to.the wind.
The sly understood this that's why with a bottle of water in his and a fake gold chain and fake Ray-Ban glasses that might perhaps be two hundred naira, purchased from the always bright and friendly abokis at motor parks the won the heart of many females.
You know how there is always that popular guy or girl because they have attractive features. For me, I noticed none but then again, to each his own. So there was this boy who was not so tall and had a skin that was subjected to bleaching cream. He tried to keep up an appearance by holding a bottle of water. As opposed to sachet water which is cheaper than bottled water. Holding a bottle of water apparently speaks for you that you have money and is capable of spending it. I believe this is so because Nigerians see some things as a waste of money and actually respect you for just tossing it to.the wind.
The sly understood this that's why with a bottle of water in his and a fake gold chain and fake Ray-Ban glasses that might perhaps be two hundred naira, purchased from the always bright and friendly abokis at motor parks the won the heart of many females.
The news of this guy's activity soon spread all over camp amongst the ladies. My roommate who I could tell was glad he noticed her was invited to Mami market for some sort of hangout which she was so eager to go for because truthfully, the sound of free food was definitely music to everyone's ears. In my case, the only guy who offered to pay for my meal was some guy who was hoping for some sort of attention but let's just say I did not fancy him (I do hope I do not sound too cocky I tried to avoid the whole "he is not my type sentence'")
The sly would take girls out and when the meal is over will ask them to pay. My roommate who was completely livid by this outburst had nothing to say until she returned back to the room and poured it all out. The next day he was out with another girl. He did that every day till the close of camp.
Better Generation?
Over time there has been a move for the government to end NYSC. I too was a firm believer of this until I went camping and returned. My camp experience was some sort of eye-opener about how my generation that I had so much faith in might just not be " The Generation".
I was appalled having a conversation with fellow millennials and a good percentage of them were tribalistic in plain sight. I knew what tribalism meant but it was just a term for me until I got to camp and understood it firsthand. Being told that minority tribes, that I come from don't matter except I associate myself to the major tribes really pushed me off balance. And they struck a nerve whenever someone asked me to play the role of an Igbo woman during out inter-platoon drama rehearsals. It was fine by me except I had to speak Igbo being that I am from the south-south. I protested saying I am Isoko and Isokos have their own language.
I spent time trying to make a friend of mine understand that five distinct tribes make up Delta state and he brushed it off saying we are confused. My effort to show that Nigeria was heterogeneous in nature fell on deaf ears.
Then I understood the gospel NYSC having been preaching. I met amazing people from various ends of Nigeria and whenever the discussion of scraping NYSC comes up I defend it with so much gusto because now I understand.
I was appalled having a conversation with fellow millennials and a good percentage of them were tribalistic in plain sight. I knew what tribalism meant but it was just a term for me until I got to camp and understood it firsthand. Being told that minority tribes, that I come from don't matter except I associate myself to the major tribes really pushed me off balance. And they struck a nerve whenever someone asked me to play the role of an Igbo woman during out inter-platoon drama rehearsals. It was fine by me except I had to speak Igbo being that I am from the south-south. I protested saying I am Isoko and Isokos have their own language.
I spent time trying to make a friend of mine understand that five distinct tribes make up Delta state and he brushed it off saying we are confused. My effort to show that Nigeria was heterogeneous in nature fell on deaf ears.
Then I understood the gospel NYSC having been preaching. I met amazing people from various ends of Nigeria and whenever the discussion of scraping NYSC comes up I defend it with so much gusto because now I understand.
Comments
Post a Comment