Things To Take To NYSC Camp

Heeding the Clarion Call? Heading to NYSC
Orientation Camp? Here is a comprehensive list of
things you need to take to camp. aka "NYSC
camp requirements" Included are some HOT
TIPS!
UPDATED: APRIL 2015
First off, the requirements. These are compulsory
and you will not be allowed to Camp if you don't
have them with you.
PART 1:
Official NYSC Camp Registration
Requirements:
1. CALL UP LETTER: This is a vital part of camp
registration and the only evidence that you are a
prospective corps member (colloq. Corper, or
Otondo) and you are not impersonating anyone.
This will be taken from and not returned to you.
So if at all you even forget you luggage never
forget this.
Tip: Since many will choose the N4,000 option to
print online, do try to use a café with laser jet
printers and not DeskJet. Why? Documents
printed with DeskJets are more susceptible to
water/moisture damage. Just to be on a safer side
and you should do this with any document you
intend to keep for a very long time. If you can't
find a LaserJet, use anyone.
Tip: DO NOT LAMINATE IT! And keep it like its
your life. I know someone who was sent back
because she forgot hers. Also someone who had
to beg and beg before his letter was collected
because he laminated his own copy. So please
avoid all these stress and make enough copies of
this letter.
Tip: Remember you can REPRINT your Call-Up
letter online if subscribed (N4,000) to that option.
2. Registration Documents: If you're a foreign
graduate, take along the original credentials you
uploaded (to the NYSC Portal) for physical
verification / evaluation. >> The List here
3. Green Card: It contains your bio-data. Print
and bring along your signed copy.
4. Final Year Student IDENTITY CARD
5. Notification/STATEMENT OF RESULT from
School
6. PHOTOCOPIES OF YOUR DOCUMENTS: Now
make about 10 copies of every document
required. There would be photocopiers in camp at
mammy market but trust me, it is double the
price and it saves time.
7. PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPHS: This is very
important. Take as many as you can, about 20 in
red backgrounds. You would need them for
different kinds of registration. e.g, skill acquisition
groups, religious groups, sports, redeployment,
bank account opening e.t.c
8. My CLEAR BAG: You'll need to put the
aforementioned in a portable envelope/bag that
can withstand some amount of wear/tear. Hence,
My Clear Bag.
Tip: The forms that will be handed to you are very
easy to fill. Attach your passport where necessary
and fill them correctly. After your registration, you
will be issued with your State Code Number. This
will be like your PIN throughout your Service Year.
PART 2:
9. CERTIFICATES/LICENSES: For Doctors,
Pharmacists, Nurses & Lab Scientists, take along
your proof of certification. Graduates of Medicine
and Pharmacy are expected to have their
Certificates of Registration with Nigerian Medical
and Dental Council of Nigeria (NMDCN) and
Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) respectively.
10. STATIONERY: PEN, PAPER, GUM. Yeah this
saves time and lots of unnecessary begging.
Tip: Some camps do seize staplers at the gate
during check-in. But do not forget to include pins
in your stapler if you still decide to take it along.
You will be given a meal ticket that gives you
access to the Camp kitchen for the 21 days. Lose
it and you have to feed yourself. Even if you do
not intend to use it, you will come across
someone who would appreciate the kind gesture.
Tip: After getting your NYSC State Code Number
(which you have to wear around your neck all
through camp with your ID card), you can
proceed to claim your NYSC Kit and Mattress after
which you can proceed to get a Room. After you
have gotten your kit and secured a place in the
hostels, you can settle down and you are good to
go to start the Military parades.
Now, Your NYSC kit should contain 1 NYSC
Crested Vest, A pair of Khaki Trousers, Cap
and Jacket, 2 White T-shirts, 2 Pairs of
Knickers, 2 pairs of green-stripped
Stockings, A Pair of Orange Jungle Boots
and One Pair of White Converse. A "Belt" is
also included.
PART 3:
DAILY NEEDS:
11. ROUND-NECKED WHITE T-SHIRTS: This is
an essential outfit in camp in fact in most camps
this is the only allowed cloth to be worn
throughout your 3 weeks. Even to church, you
might not be allowed to wear colored cloths. You
would be given 2 pairs of white t-shirts at camp
to just fulfill all righteousness which surely would
never be your size especially our very slim and
small otondo in size . So you can bring extra pairs
(6). Why? Because you probably wont have time
to wash during the week after being stressed out
from the parades and Man-O-War drills.
Tip: Do not carry more than 2 pairs of colored
clothes because you wont need them.
12. WHITE SHORTS: I beg you please do bring
yours. you would also be given 2 pairs of shorts
which are really poor in material. They tear easily
and it can be annoying. So my dear Otondos
bring like 4 pairs of shorts. Trust me also you
wont like to wash everyday, so bring enough to
last you like 3 days so that you wont be stranded.
13. PLAIN WHITE SNEAKERS/TENNIS SHOES:
This is a very important outfit. you would also be
given an ugly pair of low quality white tennis
shoes customized for NYSC. It's either you are not
given your size although you can find someone
with your size and swap. But after the first wash it
starts tearing. So just buy yours (white). They
also sell this in camp, so in case you are not able
to get you could buy in camp just carry extra
cash for that because the price would be higher –
as with everything in Mammy – because they
know you have no choice than to buy. Now, If you
happen to camp during the rainy season (Batch
'B' & 'C'), get white rubber sneakers/boots
especially if you're posted to the Southern part of
the country (esp. the South South. Read,
Bayelsa). The parade fields/mammy market will be
messed up after the rains. You will get this in
camp.
Rubber boots in action. Kaiama Camp, Bayelsa.
Batch 'B' 2013
14. WHITE SOCKS: Just get extra pairs.
15. PADLOCKS: [BRING or BUY from Mammy]
Please lock your boxes and bags to avoid regrets
and tears. I know someone who lost more than 5
items including his two phones – like he's the only
one in camp.
16. WAIST POUCH: /Fanny pack/Bum bag (or
for the more fashion-conscious, a cross-
body purse). The bum bags are more popular
because they won't bang against you when
you're active and your hands are free to do
whatever. You need it to carry your money,
phone, small valuables, pens, etc around with you
at all times. You should sleep with it too.
17. MOSQUITO TREATED NET: You would do
not want to fall sick in camp from malaria and
miss out on the fun. Just bring yours. Also bring
ropes you would use to hang it. The nets usually
have these. I also used mine as a room to protect
my box and properties from thieves and also from
some insects and ants.
18. BASIC DRUGS: Like paracetamol, medicine
for your allergies, menstrual pain relief drug,
nausea relief drugs, antibiotics e.t.c. The camp
clinic is sometimes inadequately stocked with
drugs so help yourself. True story – A corper from
the previous batch donated at least a million
Naira worth of medicine to our (Lagos) camp
clinic, and barely a few days later, they claimed to
have run out of medicine.
19. ANTISEPTIC/DISINFECTANTS: Such as
Dettol etc. This is very, very essential. Firstly the
bathrooms can be very annoying and dirty and
more importantly, you would not like to have
infection from camp. Bad idea. Depending on
your camp, the water can be dirty. Most people
always have reaction to it.
20. DETERGENT: [BUY from Mammy.] Again, this
reduces the amount of load you're bringing into
camp. However, if you're lucky the mammy
market will have vendors offering laundry
services! It costs about N50 per item, N100 for
your khaki trousers or jacket, extra N50 if you
want your items pressed although cost will vary
across camps.
Tip: The Bucket: Buy this in Mammy. Don't
stress yourself taking one to Camp, which you're
probably going to leave behind after 3 weeks.
Toiletries: Toilet Paper, Sanitary Pad, soap dish
etc. BUY in Mammy.
21. TOWELS
22. A PAIR OF SLIPPERS: [BRING or BUY]
23. Bed sheets, Pillow Cases and A Pillow.
You could also get pillow from mammy market to
reduce load.
Tip: Mattresses will be provided by NYSC. It is best
to "double up" with the mattresses, as they are
about 1 to 2 inches thick. Lol.
24. HANDKERCHIEF. There will be BUCKETS of
sweating. Do yourself a favor.
25. FLASK, BOWL AND CUP: [BRING or BUY]
For eating. Important for those who intend
on eating Camp food.
Tip: You will be fed three times a day in camp but
I must not lie to you, the food there is nothing to
write home about. They can be nice on few
occasions like Sundays, but most days, they are
poor. If you are someone who loves to eat good
food, make provisions for your own food. You
should get some fast foods along, some breakfast
cereals and beverages. You should also hold extra
cash to eat at the Mammy market. You will get
good meals there.
26. BEVERAGE: The camp will supply you with
"Tea-water" or 'brown-water' so you can make tea
when you need to!
27. FLASHLIGHT OR RECHARGEABLE LAMPS:
[BRING] Most camps, do not give light except at a
specific time of the day. It's very essential
especially at night when you need to use the
bathroom, early in the morning when preparing
for morning drills and meditations and at night in
case you need to do anything. At the mammy
market, there is always light till they close, usually
10pm except on days like the Camp Fire Night
where they stay open till, say, 3am depending on
how lenient your camp commander is. You can
charge your lamps there for a little fee.
28. Some form of entertainment: Novels – for
those who get bored easily, please carry some.
And for guys PSP or chess. also iPod your and MP3
players for audiophiles.
29. Your Ray-Ban sunglasses for the sun. And if
you can't afford that, get a Ray-Bon.
30. Get extra phone batter(ies) and extra
Network SIMs. Some networks are not available
at some camps as they're usually in remote
locations, far from town centres. Once you get
your call-up letter, you can find out (from serving
corpers or tweet at me @_NYSC) which network
has the best reception at your destination camp.
If you need data access, find out if that available
also. Instagrammers and keekers, if you get EDGE
thank your stars. But there has been some
improvement as network providers have focus
31. CASH: Extremely important. You would need
about N15,000. Then between N20,000 –
N30,000 to be 'just' comfortable. For those that
can manage, say, N10,000 – N15,000. There are
lots of things that take up money. Things like food
(for those who don't intend eating from the camp
kitchen), energy drinks, recharge cards, charging
of electronic devices, laundry, pleasures e.t.c.
32. ATM Card: You 'normally' wont be allowed to
leave camp. So do not be stranded, trust me it's
not a good idea. Just budget N1,000 per day. You
should take your ATM card along, incase. (This
might sound counter-intuitive since there might
not be any ATM in your camp and you are not
allowed to leave camp. But figure it out…) You
can keep your extra cash with the Accounts
Department (as the case was in my camp) while
some shops offer POS services, you still have
access to extra cash whenever you need it.
If you have a camera you can take it along
because you will want to snap a lot of scenes. If
you have a Smartphone with great camera, that's
good for you because you can easily take and
share photos on social networks instantly.
Tip: If you don't have any of those, you will have
to pay some guys on camp who do that as
business to follow you around and snap you
wherever you go. They might charge up to
N2,000 for the duration of the camping. They
should give you all your photos and videos in
DVDs at the end of Camping. Or you could wait till
the last day of leaving camp and snap at a
cheaper rate.
That's all you need to take to camp!.

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