Welcome back pals to the continuation of the series 20 mistakes you should avoid during your national service. If you missed the previous article you can read it up on this link
“I am living the best time of my life right now.” Can you say that about your NYSC?
“Best time! Never!” some would say. The last time we learned something about not to complain about our lot in life even as a corp member.
If life is too short, and if every breath is a miracle, then you have to live your National Service as a blessing and make a memorable experience out of it.
To be able to achieve that you will have to cut out the regrets and increase the fun during your service year. That is what this series targets to help you realize.
So we continue with the list then.
1. Wasting Your ‘Allawee’
That reminds me of how I was just chatting with my girlfriend, Sylvia, the other day about marrying her and she was like, “how much do you have.”
I told her, “19800x7months” (because I was 7 months into my NYSC).
Filled with shock she replied, “Are you serious?”
“Yea, very serious”
“damn, we are rich. When are we going to Tinapa, in Calabar? You know you promised me.”
That is where we are about wasting your “allawee.” I remember my friend warning me against befriending any girl am serving with because all their eyes are on that my allawee (don’t get me wrong that is his opinion).
Well, the point is we do not want to unnecessarily waste our ‘allawee’ on girls or boys as the case may be. That doesn’t stop us from being kind. We have to draw the line between being kind and being a spendthrift.
Other things that can waste your allawee for most guys is over drinking. Once a while that is good but making it a habit is being irresponsible.
Another thing that can waste your allawee is traveling here and there in the name of missing home or looking for fun. Are you not getting too old to be missing home every minute?
The money you afford to save during your service year might actually save you for a while before you get a job. Note that I am not encouraging being a miser or not taking care of yourself during your NYSC.
So back to that my girlfriend I told her, “baby, am saving the allawee for our honeymoon” (winks).
2. Having A Roommate
A lot of ex-corpers I have discussed with shared the opinion that having a roomy during your service year is not the best thing to do.
After all most of the PPA’s are in rural areas and they are usually cheap or free rooms. It is a time for alone time and personal meditation. In their opinion, they believe that this one year of service is a time for each corp member to reconnect with himself.
Most of us have lost ourselves while struggling day by day through the four walls of the university and neglecting some important areas of our personal growth.
To them, it is the best time to rediscover oneself, fully understand one’s weakness and strength and try to build on their strength while working on their weakness.
It is believed that at this stage you have to begin to see the man or woman you truly are and what picture you want to portray to the world or before you choose to settle down with any marriage mate.
I think this can also enable a corper to properly plan his life and get focus for the task ahead. You could be of a different opinion though.
3. Forgetting Your Original Certificate
My first ordeal in the camp was when I realized that I needed my original certificate to get past my registration process.
I forgot mine at home which was a 10 hours drive from the camp. It was quite a distressing situation for me to start looking for someone who would get my original cert from a 10 hours long journey to the camp for me.
To worsen the case the registration was a day to be closed. Although by some miracle of providence I overcome it but it taught me a big lesson I won’t forget in a hurry.
Even after the camp, you need to realize that you are going to need your original cert with you. Gone are the days when dad or mummy had to hold it for safekeeping for you.
At any time could be your job interview so you have to be very prepared always.
I remember a guy, who missed being retained in the university where he served because he came along with the photocopy of his certificate for the interview, and by the time he rushed home to get the original cert the vacancy was already taken by another prepared corp member.
THINGS YOU SHOULD ACHIEVE IN YOUR FIRST 6 MONTHS OF NYSC
4. Avoiding Reading Like Plaque
You just got out of the university where reading was forced on you, now that you are out that shouldn’t be the end of your reading. It should rather be the time to read more. You need to get yourself motivated to read day by day.
There are a lot of things to read in newspapers, articles, motivational books, and self-help books. You will need the information in this reading to get along with the pace of the world.
To understand your society and fit in with it you will need to get abreast with current information and trends. Most of the job offers, most of your opportunities, and most of the help you would get would be hidden in these written words.
5. Poor Feeding Regimen
When I served I promised myself that I was going to be feeding well. That gone were the days of schooling where we had to get by with any food to keep going.
At least this time around the government is paying for your upkeep, so what stops me from not eating well.
A lot of things contribute to poor feeding regimen of corp members such as eating out most of the time, preparing poor meals in the name of saving their ‘allawee’ and over-drinking.
When we eat well we are healthy, we feel better and we can relate well in our workplace and with other people.
Your PPA is a long place away from home to get sick or to find your place in an unhappy mood all the time.
Uhmm, stretching my hands, am tired now. Let’s get it over from here. See you some other time on the series of this article. Hope you enjoyed today’s? Thank you for visiting www.awajis.com/nysc
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