Competitions and Games in NYSC Camp
The NYSC camp is packed with entertaining social competitions and activities that help liven up the atmosphere and alleviate any monotony. Whether you’re an adventurous soul or not, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
The camp follows a regimented schedule filled with various events strategically designed to engage corps members and instill the values of service. While the programming can feel repetitive at times, the overall experience proves to be quite rewarding.
You can get involved either as an active participant representing your platoon or as a supportive spectator cheering them on. Many of the competitors also appreciate receiving some financial backing from their peers.
Right after the swearing-in ceremony, the platoon officers will nominate and select volunteers to partake in the different events. Announcements will go out about each upcoming competition, and interested individuals can then put their names forward.
The social directors play a vital coordinating role, working closely with the platoon leaders and officers to ensure their platoon’s success. They advise corps members on which activities to prepare for, share insights from previous batches, and provide guidance on meeting the judges’ criteria.
Some of the key social competitions and activities include:
- Cultural Dance & Drama: A showcase of traditional dances and theatrics, with a panel judging aspects like stage presence, creativity, audible vocals, tribal diversity in portrayal, and alignment with the given NYSC theme.
- Variety Night: Features highlights like Mr. Macho (best looking male) and Miss NYSC (best looking female).
- Miss Big, Bold and Beautiful: A beauty pageant for plus-size female corps members size 18 and up.
- Miss Petite: A pageant for petite female corps members.
- Quiz Competition: An academic quiz with two representatives per platoon.
- Intellectual Work/Debate: Public debate with two participants from each platoon.
- Cooking Competition: Two cooks per platoon whip up a surprise dish using provided kitchenware.
- Camp Idol: Singing contest with one male and one female performer from each platoon.
- Inter-Platoon Drill Battle: Synchronized drilling and marching displays judged by army personnel.
- Man O’War Carnival: A costumed cultural carnival organized by the Man O’War contingent.
- Man O’War Drills: Physical drills like rope climbing and tree scaling between two platoons.
There are also various sports competitions like football (male), volleyball (female), relay races, and table tennis (male/female).
If interested in any event, you’ll need to obtain the form from your platoon inspector, fill it out, and submit it. For pageants, apply as early as possible to avoid disqualification. Substitutions are permitted within the first two days only.
Remember, all of these competitions are just friendly events. Take them seriously to perform your best, but don’t get disheartened if your platoon doesn’t emerge victorious. The essential aspect is partaking wholeheartedly in the complete NYSC camp experience.
Aside from the formal competitions, there are plenty of other pastimes like Chess, Ludo, Draft and the traditional Ncho that anyone can casually enjoy during free time.
Overall, the NYSC orientation camp offers a lively blend of social activities that create bonding experiences and lifelong memories for the corps members. Just enjoy your stay.
