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| Poor dude, overnight internet sensation. |
I am very sorry you feel so sian about entering National Service and I also do not know why our NS social media admin(Ya lah, always the admin's fault) decided to sabo you and post a picture of you looking like this. I am sure (and hope) you have better pictures.
Maybe because you miss you long hair, your freedom, your girlfriend or maybe just DOTA, but let uncle Smith tell you something. Being in the army could probably be the best time of your life. And this is only possible if you choose to create a positive army experience like I did. Of course, there are things in the system that I do not agree with (and was really pissed) but trust me, the system in army might cause some pain here and there but it's not going to be any easier in life anyway. (Sorry I have to break this to you like this.)
It is not the easiest thing to adapt to considering how much freedom parents are giving kids these days but the fact is that life goes on and the choice is yours to make the best out of it. I mean I can't judge that you are really hating army just from 1 picture. For all we know you just really don't like broccoli or maybe your parents. (ok lah, maybe just the broccoli.)
I am not the brightest person in my camp and definitely not the fittest but I am proud to say I am probably one of the most positive guy in there. I was the "yes-guy" during my BMT and people call me the motivator. I always see the best in the worst situations. Yes, signing 1 extra duty is better than 2. Signing 2 duties is better than going DB. You get my idea.
Besides trying very hard to look for something positive during this 2years, I am going to share with you some real deal benefits of army and why I loved my army days!
1. The Camaraderie
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| The show that really represent Singapore's army life. Not the other one that got milked jialat jialat. |
When was the last time and next time that you can spend so much time with a group of guys? (I know I prefer ladies but..) Looking out of each other, watching each other's back, doing things together, having fun, and getting into trouble as a team? These guys will be your family. You practically eat, sleep, shit with them and spend more time with them than your parents and even girlfriend. There might be some people you hate or you do not agree but end of the day they make very good stories.
"Remember the sabo king?" "Remember the guy who never ever showers?"
I remember how much time we spent pranking each other. From faking ghost, wrestling, birthday bashes, and my favorite has to be the condom prank we pulled on one of the guys. Erm, no we didn't poke holes in his condoms but that's another story for another time. And yes, these stories are stories you bring with you for the rest of your life when you meet you people.
2. It is Your Last Chance to Screw-up
It is literally your last chance to screw up anything and it will not haunt you for the rest of your life. You can get fired at work if you screw it up, you can fail your degree if you screw up but being in army is the best time to learn by screwing things up. What's the worst that can happen to you? Sign extra? Okay, I mean unless you decides to misfire a weapon into your bunkmate or steal a rifle out of camp. Then, that is on your own. Other than that the army is actually very forgiving, all you have to do it learn how to manage people by eating the humble pie. 2yrs to screw things up? WHY NOT?
"Sorry sir, it is my fault. I drop 20." - ok, forgiven. If only your wife/gf forgives you that easy! #PayWithPushup
3. Change of Lifestyle
Enough of overnight gaming, getting wasted by drinks, and not able to complete any exercises. Army enforces teaches you what is discipline especially for teenagers like you or me(back then lah). Before army, I never slept until it was 4am and I couldn't even finish jogging 2.4km. I ate what I could find, I ate dirty food like it was ok, I drank till my liver wanted to divorce me(some people pick up drinking in the army but...), and I never stick to any of plans. Army set things straight for you. I had such good skin from the proper hours of bed time, the mandatory amount of water we are made to drink and of course, not only did I completed my 2.4km but I even went on to complete 21km half marathons.
We all know this might go downhill there after when you step right back into the society and start to work but at least you had a foundation from there on and it is not that hard to get back if you decide to one day as compared to starting from nothing.
4. Know the Country Better
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| Freaking old picture of myself. LOL |
I am not the most well-read person, I can't name every ministers of our cabinet, I am not the most patriotic person (although I do love national day parades) but at the end of the day, no matter what happened the country belongs to us. Our country doesn't belongs to the first order gahment but it belongs to the people, us. You might not know politics politics when in the army but you will know our defense better and even somethings that people doesn't? (but don't go around telling people things if you are from classified unit lah!)
You know how shameful it can be when you travel and meet people around the world and when asked about the country and you know almost nothing about it? It is funny how I feel like I've met people from around the world and they pay a lot more attention to their own country's happening as compared to us? But not bad hor, MOE doing something about it. You know, I didn't have proper social studies lessons when I was back in Secondary school! booooo (And also tell you how old I actually am)
5. From ah boys to men - Responsibility
I hate the title I used here but it is true. The responsibility place on our hands are more than what you think. You might complain that you are just a cheap labour but you have no idea how much money gahment has spent on you. (Actually you can find out easily on how much SAF spends on training) You are given weapons that can kill your bunkmates or CSM (whom you really hate) and this is the kind of responsibility and trust placed on you that you might not see. We all learn to be a bit more responsible as we grow older, some learnt it earlier while others later but I must say many boys mature during their army days. Yes, boys will always be boys, we still play games, have fun and monkey around at every age but having fun doesn't make you immature, the lack of sense of responsibility does.
Above all, you are given the duty to protect the country. Many was not ashamed to say that if there's a war they will run away when I was in the army. I always tell them that the worst feeling is being helpless when you can't help or take care of someone when you want to. So why give away this privilege to kill the enemies defend the country when the time comes. Can you imagine leaving the responsibility onto other's hand and they fail? The pain, the regret, and the agony when you know the enemies will takeaway our lives, our people, our land, and the real freedom that you wanted so much? Freedom is not about able to play DOTA till 4am, freedom is when you know at 1am, your mother, your sister, your wife, and daughter can come home safely. Freedom is when you can sleep at night.
6. Experience Money Can't Buy
You know how people always talked about experience > material? Why they rather spend money traveling, looking for new experiences, and do things they have never done? Guess what? The army experience is one thing money can't buy. Route march, field camp, eating combat ration, cooking maggie me in heavy rain in your smelly mess tin, taking a dump in open air, shooting a M16, falling asleep in your number 4 almost everywhere, exercise in Thailand, Taiwan, Brunei, and the list goes on. This might be 2yrs of your life that you seem wasted because the girls will have it earlier than you in terms of school or career but trust me, this is the 2yrs that you find it well spent on hindsight if you spend it well, of course.
This 2yrs is as good as $500 that hypothetically I am going to give you. You can spend it on a good experience or you can choose to buy 200 plates of chicken rice just because you can. My point is that there's only so much people can give you but it is your choice to make the decision and make the best out of it.
Question: Why you didn't sign-on and be army regular if you like army so much?
While I really loved the 2yrs of my time in the army but I believe that given my attitude the army ain't the best place for me to do what I do best. I am not saying that army is for everyone and everyone should be in the army forever but my point is that since everyone has to be part of the army. for at least 2yrs, let us make the best out of it.
Just like how everyone has been trolling this picture and I might as well make the best out of it since it is already uploaded.
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| shoot me lor. I don't care. |
All the best #SibeiSianRecruit,
Your Truly,
#SibeiPreachyNSMan
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