Once again, another one of those "last", because this year is indeed my last prefect camp.
Last year, I wrote the post called "Perfect Prefect Camp?" and I expounded on how everything went almost perfectly well, when the seniors started to criticize mistakes and failures. But how was this year?
First day
Started off in school with PRAYER. Lie Keat, Shu Min, Hui Xin, Andrew and Timothy Hong were all there. After a short time of just committing the camp unto the Lord, I just felt energized and started to mingle around with other prefects. The day started off with games and some fun, which I felt it was good, the only thing I feel that the organizers could have work on was not the games or even the logistics of it, but the implementation, as in to get people to be excited, to get them to be "yea! I wanna play!" Other than that, it was good overall. After having lunch, we finally boarded the bus and headed straight to Dusun Eco. My bus in particular had a hiccup halfway. The bus suddenly stopped by the road as we all wondered why until the driver told us that he was giddy and blur, couldn't continue driving. What to do? Somehow they manage to contact the first bus which have already reached and told it to come back and pick us up. It was a long long long wait, but I personally had some little fun by jumping into a dry drain, pretending to pee. Besides boredom and some random singing, the bus finally came, we switched bus and continued our long awaited journey. Upon reaching, a truck took us all the way to the campsite because the steep mountainous roads was too much for the bus. By that time, a lot of groups already started going through the obstacle course. I personally started taking photos of them as they went through it. Fast forward, after dinner, headed to the hall for a game and we started a perhaps interesting investigation, which I felt the answer to it is STILL, suicide, because it makes PERFECT SENSE also. Supper came and every group started to discuss their fun night drama. However, the Form 5 ended up going back to the hall to rehearse the morning dance which comprised of a few songs, oh what fun we had laughing so hard until my jaw hurt.
Second day
I wanted to start with devotion or prayer, but I was busy taking care of Hong Ken the night before, I was too tired to wake up. I went for the morning dance and danced while losing my ego =P but all is well as it was rather fun and cool. But once again, I still felt that it became more of a duty than an activity because of how it was carried out. After breakfast, we went for jungle trekking which I really loved so much. I drank fresh river water and became refreshed! Excellent! I also had a really fun time with the instructor at the back, we laughed, joke and made fun of some stuff that we did and see. Lunch came and after that was the inaugural station games. I wanted to join my team but I offered to help Lie Keat distribute some stuff. But the games was so long that I still managed to join my team. Ran around with them and solved 'missions'. This part got very tiring because of the hilly terrain from one place to another. Some prefects in fact crashed out halfway and didn't continue. Everything ended at the pool, I didn't participate in the game but I sure did jump inside, I had to, I needed to, the weather was quite hot, but the water was freaking cold. Took bath had dinner and then it was fun night. By that time I was already falling asleep but kept myself awake by clapping doing some standing ovations anytime something cool appears in the various skits done. By midnight it was over, I played 2 rounds of a new card game and I slept.
Third day
I was just too tired to wake up. Heard my alarm but slammed it back off, went back to sleep. The rest carried on with the morning exercise, I woke up just in time to gobble down some breakfast. After breakfast, was the annual talk by a certain college, this time it was Sunway with the all-too-famous Ms Wong. Seen her, known her for at least 5 times ever since Form 2. I must say, it was a SUPERB talk but it is all too useless if the top doesn't understand, or unwilling to realize. The talk seemed short because it was just too good, after that, groups played tug-o-war in the pool. From then onwards, time seemed to pass really fast. After the game, ate lunch and started the closing ceremony, thanking various individuals for their hard work, gave prizes took photos and packed up, left. All happened in a blink of an eye, we boarded the bus, headed back to school.
This is Prefect Camp 2010. As I went into the bus I lost one of my bag pack, while my luggage is in the bus compartment. Indeed there were important stuff in there, but I prayed and slept nevertheless. The cool part is that when we reached school, the bag I lost, I found, but the bag I put into the bus I lost. AMAZING! Seriously, until now, I do not have it, meaning that I don't have all the clothes that I brought, including my jeans, underwear, umbrella and of course, my water gun. I am still hoping that I'll get it back soon.
So what is my opinion on this year's camp?
As I said earlier, games and activities could have been run more cooler and awesome. Too many a times they make things serious, making it more of a activity in the time schedule than an activity which people are excited. Secondly, if this was really a leadership camp, apparently, the theme was 'new beginnings', I didn't feel that it came out, but what I felt was that after the talk, I am once again hoping for a new beginning in the Board of Prefects, as I have for the past 3 years. Thirdly, likewise, I felt some people could have been a bit calmer, some people could have not been so authoritative, some people could have been a bit more lenient, and some people a bit more understanding. But as for me and my part, since I was not in the committee, I helped out in every way that I can, and unlike Kidzone Fun Camp where at least I was publicly appreciated, this time I didn't get it, but I felt perfectly well, because now I realize how enjoyable it is to SERVE without any expect of return. Yes, teachers did appreciate me and some friends, and I love it and cherish it.
All in all, this year, I felt that it could have been better, but nonetheless, good job to all those who planned it, to all those to put in time and effort, to all those who were stressed out, to all those who had sleepless nights, and also to all those who participated.
Like I mentioned earlier, this leadership camp is a new beginning, if and only if, certain people, and you know who you are, take a stand and change for the better. So many times a group of us have been mentioning changes, but we stopped because we were tired, now you hear a professional, and like the shirt I saw Zhi Cheng wearing, written on the front was 'same same', at the back was 'but different'. At first I didn't understand it, but now I do. If a leader is in front leading and followers are all behind, when we encounter people, we can have the same personality, same posture, but behind us, a different system, a different power, different followers, followers that follow out of freewill, not forced to.
Thank you once again, and as of now, I had a good rest before school started, now I have to rush all the freaking homework left, I bet you too!
Participant of Prefect Camp 2010,
Wai Leem
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