MY NYSC CAMP EXPERIENCE

My name is Aramide, a graduate of the University of Ilorin. I would love to share my NYSC camp experience with you all.

I served my fatherland in a town called Okrika of Rivers State, and I absolutely enjoyed my stay there. But, before I go into the full gist, let’s have a rewind back to how it all happened.

I got my posting letter to spend three weeks at “Nonwa gbam tai” camp. I tell you, I was so pissed… Pissed ????

I was so annoyed; why do I have to be posted that far? I was so scared of the eastern part of Nigeria because of how the city was busy with lots of strange people and how they are so dubious and can do anything for money. But then Mama told me, “All will be well; you don’t have to worry too much; you will be fine.” I replied and told her, ”There is no way I am going to serve in that state for a year (I will just die).” 

READ: NYSC PRECAMP JITTERS

But as days go by, my nerves got calm and the excitement of being a ‘corper shun‘ drooled all over me.

The journey from Kwara down to Rivers state was adventurous and boring… adventurous because I haven’t travelled that far all my life, and boring because the journey was a long one (I had to sit on the bus for 15 hours). The other passengers in the bus were Corpers like me, and that made it fun and interesting. I would sleep and wake up to realise we are still on the journey. Again, I would tuck the earpiece in my ear and listen to songs then fall asleep again. My butts hurt so bad, but what ???? Girl is about to be a government pikin …

My NYSC Camp Experience

I was so anxious to get to camp and see what the world was like there. We got to the NYSC camp late at night. Everyone was already in their respective halls cos it’s about time for lights out. Fast forward to the second day, I did all the necessary registration, and boom, girl got her oversized kits (didn’t they see how short I was). Up next, I was off to the mammy market to adjust it so it would fit perfectly.

The first week was a struggle for me (I’d called it survival of the fittest). My body system was doing me one kain. I hated almost everything. From the soldiers shouting here and there to the early morning parade plus the SAED class got me sick. (I wanted to go home).

I haven’t gotten friends I could mingle up with yet, so I was all about myself. At the NYSC camp, I was in platoon 5 (platoon 5 people sha – we have the troublemakers, the bossy ones, the ITK types and different crazy people). I was just observing; maybe I’d find friends to roll with. Alas. I met the best squad. They made camp so fun for me; we acted like we had known each other for a long time. We gisted, made jests, took pictures, roamed about and all, it was fun.

Still, I was tired of the morning drills, endless lectures and the soldiers not wanting you to press phone in the SAED was annoying.

Life in the mammy market was amusing. Mammy market sells anything at all; you’d just find whatever you needed to make yourself comfortable. In the NYSC camp, there’s so much fun and enjoyment, especially at night (there was always loud music and drinking of alcohol). What do you expect from the Eastern people????

They love alcohol so much. Sincerely, I didn’t enjoy the mammy market food because most of the food was either half done or tasteless. Later I found one Iya Ibeji who makes and sells all kinds of Yoruba local dishes. So, I switched and that alone eased the worries of camp.

The third week, which was the last days in NYSC camp, was fun. I knew I was leaving camp in days, and that got me excited, but I had mixed feelings. I was already missing camp and all the friends I had made there. I made sure I spent those last days well by participating in the dance and song competition for my platoon (I didn’t participate in the match parade, but we took the first position). Carnival was lit too, and I enjoyed every bit of the last days in camp.

My experience in camp wasn’t too bad after all, with my squad, it was FUN.

Adeniji Aramide is a fashion and lifestyle blogger, a content creator, an online host, a solo traveller, educationist and entrepreneur.

I own a blog called Thediadem’s blog where I write about everything fashion, lifestyle, and travel. Food and Diy…

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