Countdown to Khaki: My Eventful First Day at NYSC Camp

Welp! I barely slept the night before, partly because my head was sore from my new braids and partly from sheer excitement.

I woke up at 5 a.m., made spaghetti, got dressed, and hopped on a bike to leave. I was wearing an Ankara dress, but the ride tore the back of it, so I rushed back home to change. Somebody shout “THE DEVIL IS A LIAR!” I could’ve taken it as a bad omen, but instead, I saw it as God’s way of pushing me towards something better. I swapped into a nicer blue dress and hit the road again.

I took a bus to the park, then boarded another bus heading to my deployment state. When I got there, I saw other PCMs (Prospective Corps Members) waiting around, but I didn’t say hi to anyone. Not sure why. Eventually, our bus arrived, and we were charged 2,500 naira for a fare that shouldn’t have cost more than 1,200. Some people just take advantage, and it’s really not nice.

At the camp gate, we dragged our bags in, and a policewoman asked me to put my hair in a bun. She asked the same of the fair girl behind me, and that’s how our friendly “hi’s” and “hello’s” started. I wished we’d get the same corner in the hostel, but God had other plans.

Quick backstory: when I first learned my deployment state, I asked friends who had served there about the best female hostel, and they all gave me the same recommendation. I prayed for that specific hostel, and thankfully, that’s exactly what I got! I also prayed to be assigned to Access Bank, seeing that I already had accounts with First Bank and GTB — and guess what? That also happened.

Now back to the present. Upon reaching my hostel, I was directed to an upper bunk, which neither I nor my bunkmate liked. We went to see the hostel supervisor, who explained that lower bunks were reserved for heavier people and upper bunks for lighter people. So, we accepted our fate, dropped our bags, and headed to the hall for registration. Before leaving, I realized the spaghetti sauce had spilled and stained some of my things, but I didn’t stress over it.

When we got to the hall, I had to separate from my new friends because I hadn’t printed my documents beforehand (I can explain!). But I was mad at myself because the printing station charged 700 naira for a single document that should cost 100! And don’t get me started on the passport photos, which cost three times the normal rate. Eventually, I forgave myself and moved on.

Document scrutiny came next, and the staff member who checked mine was super nice. Then we headed to ICT for biometric verification, which turned into a bit of drama, thanks to squabbles between staff and PCMs. I was kinda jealous of married, pregnant, and nursing moms who got preferential treatment, though.

While waiting, I chatted with two girls who shared some stories to pass the time. One of them ended up panicking about having lice, so I shared my go-to lice treatment trick with her, and she calmed down.

After the biometric capture, we were assigned to banks. Just as I’d prayed, I got Access Bank! I filled out my details, submitted the forms, and then headed to the hall to collect my uniforms from my platoon officer. Turns out I was assigned to Platoon 2, and I was thrilled to finally have my khaki, crested vest, and cap. Of course, the khaki was way too big, and they had to charge us 1,000 naira to adjust it, which felt unfair.

I went to look for the OBS (Orientation Broadcasting Service) office to sign up since everyone recommended joining OBS to get posted to a good PPA. They asked me to come back the next day, so I was a little nervous but excited.

Around 6 p.m., I went for the last step of registration, which was taking a photo for the camp magazine. Then we lined up for dinner from the kitchen. The fish was surprisingly good — no clue what species it was, but it tasted amazing. Back at the hostel, I finally ate my spaghetti and rice, which, if I may say so, was delicious because I can cook up a storm.

I took a bath in a clean bathroom (a nice surprise), bonded with my bunkie, practiced Chinese on Duolingo, and then passed out from exhaustion.

The next day, the bugle woke us up at 4 a.m., which was funny because I’d planned to wear mufti and skip morning drills. But no one was allowed to stay back.

Morning devotion was unlike anything we were used to; we learned the new national anthem and the NYSC anthem. During the devotion, they called out for content creators, writers, and decorators, and I had a feeling it was for OBS, so I volunteered. We wrote down our names and were asked to meet at the pavilion after the morning session.

Then came the morning parade. The soldiers were strict, and we all laughed nervously at their threats. The parade was meant to prepare us for the swearing-in ceremony the next day. After that, we had breakfast and returned to the hall for a briefing.

Tips:

1. Lock your bag before leaving for any activity to guard against theft.

2. Ensure all your documents are properly arranged at the registration stand to avoid being sent back.

3. Try to arrive at the orientation camp early to settle in before activities start.

4. Do not forget to print all the necessary documents before coming to camp, unless you are a billionaire.