HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF NYSC YEAR

Hi, my name is Janet Reuben Okon. I am a writer, inspirational, lifestyle, health and wellness blogger and youth corper currently serving at Rivers State, Nigeria. Welcome to part 4 of my NYSC Camp Experience! In this blog post, I will share my Interplatoon debate experience, Man O’ War, social nights and how to make the most out of NYSC year. I’m so excited!!! Let’s go!! 🥳🥳🥳

I’ve been meditating a lot deeply about my NYSC life, from my past decisions to the present and life after NYSC. I wake up at night thinking, sit on the bed in the quiet thinking and even after my midnight prayers, I wonder why God called me to serve this country and in the still, I open my vision book to remind myself of my purpose in life. My purpose is to build with God, people and things and this is why I am sharing part 4 of my NYSC blog series after what has felt like months of inconsistency. Here’s the link to our previous blog posts, kindly check it out:

Welcome To My NYSC Experience 2025: Get Ready With Me For NYSC, My First Days at NYSC Orientation Camp and My Inauguration Ceremony.

A Day in My Life at NYSC Orientation Camp, Rivers State

Attend My SAED Lecture And Exhibition With Me 

NYSC can be very stressful and this is why I have said YES to God to share how to make the most out of NYSC year.

Here are the ways we can make the most out of NYSC year:

✨PARTICIPATION: While I was at NYSC camp, I realized that participating in camp activities made the journey more interesting and enjoyable even though it was stressful. Through participating in camp activities, I met new people, discovered new things about myself and life in general, and fulfilled my purpose. Here are some activities I participated in at NYSC orientation camp, Rivers State:

🌟 INTER-PLATOON DEBATE COMPETITION:
This is a brief story about my life as a debater: While I was in secondary school, I loved participating in debate. My teachers and schoolmates knew me as a debater even until now. I took the debate competition very seriously because it was a path for me to express myself authentically. At the end of the journey in secondary school, we were awarded a certificate 🥳🥳🥳. Fast forward to NYSC camp, when I heard the announcement, I was very excited to represent my platoon in the Interplatoon debate competition for the 2025 Batch A stream 2.

After registering as a representative of my platoon for the debate competition, I started researching, reading, studying and practicing even at night! I prepared so much for the debate competition.

On Friday, 20th June 2025, I participated as a co-debater and second speaker representing platoon 3 from NYSC Rivers Batch A stream 2 😍🥰🥳🥳🥳

The topic of the debate was “Youth Demographic Dividend: My Personal Call To Action” and I used our blog as an example 🥹🥹❤️. Here’s a video of my speech:

And here’s a short note of my speech:

What does youth demographic dividend mean?
Youth demographic dividend refers to the economic growth potential that arises when a country has a large and growing youth population that is healthy, educated and employed.
The shift in Youth Demographic Dividend will lead to an increased labor force, increased salary savings, innovation and entrepreneurship, boosted economic growth, and greater investment in education and human capital.
Since we understand that Youth Demographic Dividend brings these benefits to the economy and country, here are my personal calls to action:
(1) Mentorship and role modeling
(2) Advocacy (3) Volunteering (4) Education and training (5) Community engagement
(1) Mentorship and role modeling: I am a writer and blogger. As a writer and blogger, I founded a blog site called artoftruezeal blog where I empower, inspire and guide the youths towards achieving their goals.
(2) Advocacy: During Mental Health Awareness Month (May 2025), I used my blog site to create awareness of mental health by publishing blog posts on the role of transparency, intentional living, vulnerability, and wellness in mental health to promote youth health and well-being.
(3)Volunteering: During my university days, I joined the Orange Tables Organization to volunteer towards SDG 5 in order to empower girls and women and achieve gender equality.
(4)Community Engagement: As a member of SDG 5, it is my role to reach out to communities, engage with the youths (girls, boys, women and men) by providing clean water, food and educating youths on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
(5)Education and Training: Through my Digital Skills and Certification, I’ve been able to train youths through using online platforms such as Canva and CapCut, thereby providing job opportunities for youths as content creators and job opportunities via LinkedIn, etc.

Speaking about my blog to more than five thousand corps members, including the staff felt surreal. It felt like my dream came true because it surely did. It felt like my hard work of 6 years finally paid off. God said He will compensate me this year and He has done it! Thank you, God! The feedback I got was mind-blowing! Is it the way that people changed my name to ‘our co-debater’🤣 or people asking me about the blog and checking out my blog or people asking me how I was confident to speak so passionately about my blog on the stage to the large crowd? OMG! This is why I blog. This is why I do what I do (write and blog) and this is why I cannot give up on my purpose. This is my message to you: Discover what God has called you to do, pursue it and fulfill the purpose of God upon your life. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you God that I get to live out my dreams 🙏🏽🥰

Honestly, I felt sad after my performance because I didn’t mention all five points within the short time that I was given, I didn’t perform as much as I had prepared for and also, some of my platoon members spoke badly about the performance (and these are the same people that we represented). It was really disappointing. Each platoon had a male and female representative. I was meant to be the first speaker but we switched positions because my co-debater wrote on the first part of the topic and some ideas that I introduced were declined. Those are the exact ideas other platoon debaters used to win. As a result of our incredible performance, we were all awarded a certificate and cash prize. In all things, I’m utterly grateful that I participated in the debate competition because this is a dream come true.

🌟My Man O’ War Experience:
Happy Man O’ War experience to me, you and all who celebrate! 🥳🥳🥳

On Tuesday, 17th June 2025, I had my Man O’ War experience 🥳

First of all, introduction because after me na me!!! 😂🥰🥳🥳🥳

This particular experience is so special to me. It brought me so much joy. I had an insane level of fun. My darlings, I have a confession. While I was climbing the GREAT WALL OF Rivers State NYSC Camp, I lost my breath. I’m afraid of heights and I kept shying away while hyping others to climb. I’ve never in my life done such a thing 😭😭😭. It was at this point that I knew in my whole heart that this NYSC experience would be a lifetime experience.

I felt alive. I felt the joy, beauty and greatness of being alive. It was in this moment that I realized that life is more than surviving and thriving; it is enjoying the moments until you’re endlessly happy, joyous, seeing your dreams come true and living in your dreams.

I looked so good on my Man O’ War Day. Looking good is my business 😍🥰

Would you believe me if I told you that a platoon member was jealous of how much fun I had? 😂 I was very loud with my fun and hype, and the person was so pressed that I couldn’t stop being joyful. The person made some people join in her jealousy. Meanwhile, there were people who were so happy and grateful that I was there to hype and make the place fun. In this life, whatever you do, don’t let anyone stop you from enjoying yourself because problem no dey finish o!

The complete NYSC outfit 🥰 Give way for Corper Janet!!! 😍😍🥳

Once a baddie (hottie), always a baddie (hottie)! I know that’s right! Lol!

I was born for a time like this 🥰🥰🥰 the hottest Corper ever 😍😍😍😍😍

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This picture is my way of showing you the beauty of this journey – the people I’ve met.  
I don’t think I’ll ever forget this moment and capturing the moment so fineee 🥹🥹🥹❤️. It looks like we were in the barracks 😭. What a time to be alive! Forever in my heart 🥹🫶🏾. 

🌟SOCIAL NIGHT

One thing I loved very much about camp life was social nights.

We started our social night proper with gospel songs 🙏🏽😩
This is one of the greatest signs that we had the best social nights ever! 😭🥳

The way our camp commandant used to sing for us? He’s such an intentional singer 🥹🫶🏾

Our camp commandant told us to hold our hands and sing, “Hold somebody (somebody), tell him that you love him (I love you); lift your hands together and praise the Lord” by Panam Percy Paul. He always made us sing this song in our hall activities. He shared with us that no matter where we go in life, we should always remember that we are ONE. We should always unite together. This was just the perfect way to end our social nights because if there is one thing that caused division and unity the most, it was social night activities (specifically Interplatoon competitions 🤣).

NYSC Batch A stream 2 and upcoming musicians were like 5 & 6 😩😭😂. I loved it so much 🤣🫶🏾

We had other social night activities such as MR NACHO, MISS NYSC, MISS PETITE, MISS BBB (Big, Bold and Beautiful) and Mr Tall and Handsome.

And platoon 3 won Miss BBB 🤣🥳. A very deserving win for us 💃💃💃

I’m absolutely in awe of how much I can recall these activities and bring them to life. Indeed, NYSC is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

OTHER WAYS WE CAN MAKE THE MOST OUT OF NYSC YEAR:
🌟 Where you work: You will enjoy your NYSC more if you work in a place that is good and you like. It will actually make the journey easier.
🌟 Where you live: You will enjoy your NYSC more if you live at a place that makes the journey easier and stress-free because the truth is that your mental health matters this year. And also, you will enjoy your NYSC year more when the basic needs such as food, shelter (light, water, good housing), and clothing are available and you’re not living in a survival mood. If you are in a survival mode, it may limit your dreams and potential. Remember, do not live a mediocre life. Be excellent, diligent and disciplined.
🌟 Pray without ceasing: This is the most important; do not stop praying! Let your prayer life keep burning brighter and brighter. Pray fervently. Don’t play around with your prayer life. There’s uncertainty, confusion, and stress with NYSC year and after NYSC, so you have to pray to God to grant you clarity, direction, and guidance during your NYSC year and beyond. Create time to join fellowships such as NSPPD, Online Morning Devotion (OMD) and Hallelujah challenge. Keep your spiritual life vibrant because there’s so much temptation that comes with service (whether serving your purpose, country, or the kingdom of God).
🌟 Socialize: Associate yourself with good people. It’s people that will make the journey more enjoyable, exciting and relieving. Go out and meet new people. Network with people. Build a community.
🌟 Take charge of your life: Don’t let anyone influence you negatively. Don’t let anyone control your life negatively. Have a mentor, if possible.
🌟 Be audacious: Be audacious about your goals. Don’t let go of them even if you face challenges. Challenges will only make you stronger, wiser and better. You can do anything you set your mind to do. Believe in yourself.
🌟 Enjoy and explore: Try out new things because it will make you curious about life and eventually set your heart & mind on fire to do great things that you’ve never done before. Before you do anything, make sure you pray, plan and prepare for it.
🌟 Be vulnerable, transparent and intentional about your journey: Don’t bottle up the struggles. NYSC can be very stressful, so it’s best to share your experiences with people especially those who have been on this journey before or your mentors because they know how to make the journey easier and better.
🌟 Make the best out of every opportunity: Check out opportunities such as job opportunities and how you can make the best out of the opportunities.
🌟 Stay happy, joyful and grateful: NYSC is one of the hardest parts of being an adult in this country because it’s very demanding, especially when you don’t like your PPA. So, don’t let anyone steal your shine, joy, happiness, or peace. Keep shining everyday. We got you.
🌟 Learn skills and practice what you’ve learned: Develop yourself. These skills could serve as a source of income for you after NYSC.
🌟 Schedule: Schedule your day, week, month and year. Scheduling your financial life saves you from unnecessary expenses and a reckless lifestyle.
🌟 Have a vision, purpose, goals and plans for the NYSC year: This will keep you going through the stress and have a fulfilling year.
🌟 Live in the present: This will enable you to document and enjoy every moment. As much as we love preparing for life after NYSC, we should try to live in the present so that we can make the most out of NYSC year.
🌟 Follow artoftruezeal blog for more.

I wouldn’t have believed that this blog post would take me this much time and experience to make it a reality. This is what it truly takes to bring an idea to life and produce greatness. What is greatness? Janet’s NYSC Experience 2025! 🥳🥳🥳

Thank you for attending my Interplatoon debate competition, Man O’ War and social night with me. I love sharing my NYSC journey with you and I hope you enjoy it much more than I did. Stay tuned for Part 5 and the last part of my NYSC camp experience 2025! 🥳🥳🥳

I’m coming to terms that my blog is bigger than me. I pray that God continually grants me the capacity to carry this seed and be a light to the world. There is no Artoftruezeal Blog without God.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Happy October, My Artoftruezeal Family And Happy last quarter of 2025! 🥳🥳🥳
How has 2025 been for you so far? 
Have you ever served as a corps member in Nigeria? Which state did you serve in? And how was your NYSC experience? 
You’re welcome to share 💕 

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Contact+ Any questions, inquires or collaborations: okonjanetreuben@gmail.com

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