Camps

Honestly the whole saga regarding the camps in nus is ridiculous af. There's no better word to describe it. And this is me speaking as a year 3 student who attended 2 camps as a freshie and was an ogl for one during my second year. Camps are not important. Yes, they serve as an opportunity to meet new people, be it from your faculty, intended major, interests, people from different faculties even, but at the end of the day you realise that none of that matters. The friends you meet in camp become just that: friends you meet in camp. Maybe if you're lucky, they become the friends you attend modules with. Maybe if you're even luckier, you get to develop a bond that will last a lifetime. But let's face it: the chances are slim to none. Cos after camp you guys will have nothing deep to talk about. 

I was once a freshie, and I was once naive to think that making friends in university was the sole purpose of university in the first place. And why is that so? Because society has brought us up to think that without friends, you're lonely. Eating lunch alone is something to be embarrassed about. Attending lectures alone will cause heads to turn. And perhaps it is true, but only if you believe it, only if you allow them to be true. I came into university, desperate to create bonds that will last, but only to find out that it's not as easy as I thought it was. The friendships felt nothing but fake, all just to make one feel as though he fits in, that he isn't ostracised, that he isn't alone. Recognising people and saying hi while moving from one class to another becomes a highly sought after opportunity. What was I thinking??

Maybe all freshies think this way. Or at least, the immature ones, just like I was. The wonderful prospect of "starting all over" and making new friends and being able to portray the person you want others to see in you, was just too desirable. But at the end of the day you realise you're just not being yourself, and others around you aren't themselves to. True friends aren't made from camp. They're made from after that. And I'm just appalled by how some if not most fail to see that. 

As for the idea that camps are promoting rape culture (what even in the world is rape culture?? Sounds so horrible), both sides fail to see the real issue here. Those who are vehemently against this view, then you are ignorant to those who have issues with the games and sexual innuendos. I have never been victim to forfeits but I have contributed to it. A guy and girl from my arts o week had to play a forfeit where they had to put their hands on whichever part of the body we told them to, and it got quite weird at the end. And yes at that time I was guilty and perhaps insensitive to those who might have felt uncomfortable. But this is where the line gets drawn: those who felt uncomfortable should have drawn the line and said that they were uncomfortable instead of going alone with it just because of peer pressure. Being open minded and being okay with being touched or close to the opposite gender is completely different. When one feels uncomfortable, fucking voice it out, not complain to your parents (like you're freaking 19 & above do you really need to tell your parents about such stuff??). If you're comfortable, then have fun with it, but never push it when someone doesn't want to. I don't know, to me it wasn't that hard?

Whatever portrayed on the media about nus is just tragic and a joke, I can't decide which is worse. It makes nus look bad, it makes us students look bad. And I just can't help but laugh when I realise all camps were cancelled. Guess they had no choice but to do that, but still it's quite hilarious somehow. The camps (if there will be) will be closely monitored from next year on I'm sure. Hahaha just poor. 

I just hope that everyone can understand the different perspectives on this whole matter. Honestly I don't see why one can't. There are valid points for both sides, but those who stand on only one side should just rethink their thoughts. Such games and cheers are meant to be fun, but of course that's if they don't cross the line. But for it to not cross the line, people need to speak up to those who are involved, not behind closed doors and causing shit to blow up. But of course like I said at the end of the day it doesn't matter much at all. Trust me :-)