Here is something I’ve wanted to write for a long long time but have been procrastinating on because I visualized something too large for me to handle. I’ve decided to start small.

So here’s the problem I’m trying to solve. Let’s assume that mandatory national service is here to stay for all Singaporean males for at least a couple of decades. That means hundreds of thousands of young men going through an experience that many find suboptimal. So I want to play a tiny role in helping to change that. There’s something called a committee to strengthen NS. I’m not going to get involved in that- I’m going to assume that NS remains what it is and we can’t change anything about that.  That way any positive change is a pleasant surprise,  but we can do without it.

Preparation for NS. It’s vitally important that you go into NS as physically fit as possible. This is for your own comfort and sanity. The fitter you are, the less physically exhausted you will be from training, and the better equipped you will be to cope with the social, emotiobal and psychological effects of NS.

It’s important that you plan what to do with your spare time. I was fervently committed to NOT playing games in camp- it can be tempting to get a PSP or some other device to pass time, but really, that won’t set you on a better path. NS is a time for you to correct any imbalances you might have with your peers. Many will be demoralized or desensitized by the experience, and describe experiencing a brain drain or a loss of motivation.

Save your money. I think that’s the best incentive to become a specialist or an officer- you get paid more, which means you can save more. There’s also the opportuniry to be put in a leadership position, which allows to learn to be more responsible and mature. Nobody ever taught me to be responsible. I was hoping to learn it in NS to some degree but I was certified not-combat-fit.

Don’t go clubbing. It’s overrated.

If you don’t have a girlfriend, don’t get one. Go on dates and learn to socialize, but I highly recommend that you don’t commit to a relationship. You won’t have much time, and you’ll be tired all the time, and that puts a strain on whetever relationship you might have.

Get to know yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are you good at that the world might reward you for?

Do the minimum possible but no less. Carry your share of the burden and be responsible so that you don’t piss people off or get in trouble, but remember that your main commitment is to your personal development. You can grow or you can stagnate. It’s a fairly simple choice.

If you don’t smoke, don’t pick it up. Just putting that out there. It probably won’t change your decision.

Create something. If you did something creative before NS- music, writing, art- DON’T GIVE IT UP. Keep doing it. Learn and get better.

Choose your friends carefully. NS is a great time to distance yourself from undesirable influences in your life. Nobody judges a tired NSF who has no time to socialize. (Well- even if they do, you have a valid reason to avoid them). Your social network can change quite significantly during NS. Make it deliberate. Spend time with people you trust, respect, admire, want to learn from.

Choose your inputs. Watch good classic movies. Read some good novels. If your command of the English language isn’t that great, brush up on it. It’s a huge asset. Try  not to spend too much time on Facebook.  

Ok that’s all I got for now. Criticisms and suggestions solicited