The end of 2010 is approaching. To some, it is the period where we should spend our time and enjoy ourselves, seek forgiveness from each other. To others, this is the time to relax before a new year of STUDYING begins.
Well to me, as a VI, it marks the end of another chapter of my unit, and the start of anew chapter to a new group of individuals.
Thats right, I always look forward to the day when I get to see the future leaders of my unit in 3 years time: The new sec 1s! You're looking forward to see them too right?
Those cute little faces of boys and girls, all eager to learn what we have to provide them. Of course to some of you who had a bad impression of some sec 1s this year, you would be saying "Oh great new sec 1s. Those grumpy good for nothing kids who are so pampered that they can't even do a sedia right. Last time we used to be able to yada yada yada yada yada blahblahblah (ranting goes on about how good his squadmates are compared to the younger one".
Well, you would be surprise to know that you seniors had probably said the same thing about your squad too!
It is a common trend to see seniors saying how lousy the juniors are, and the cycle always repeats. I'm old enough to see nearly 10 batches of seniors saying that. Haha, I'm guilty of doing such a thing last time too!
"But it IS true!" some of you might say. The younger batch takes a longer time to travel from place to place, they drag their feet, they talk back to seniors, they can't raise their arms straight, they don't greet, they look sloppy and the list goes on.
So the problem is: Why do sec 1s get worser and worser each year? What should we do to stop this?
To me, they don't get worser. They're still the same. Why? 2 reasons:
1. They are sec 1s after all.
It takes a long time for them to adjust to the UG way of life. With the society getting a better lifestyle each year, more children are getting more comfortable with the way they live. It is thus not surprising to see them bringing in their old habits into trainings.
You can't deny that you love to fidget in squad last time. Or you don't see a point in shouting "YES SIR/MA'AM!" or greeting everytime a senior walks past you.
That is because you are not accustomed to the new lifestyle. You feel weird, you want to feel comfortable, you want to go home. And UG is never about being comfortable. It is about pushing you to the higher limit to improve yourself as a whole, and the first way to do that is to infuse the ultimate word: Discipline.
And to sec 1s, discipline was never in their dictionary.
So it is natural for them to act this way in the first 8-12 months of RC life. They don't get worse. They are just like that in the first year.
They will slowly change as they reach sec 2-4. No worries.
2. We see only what we like to see.
We like to see negative things. So even if the squad does not have a problem at all, we will still think that they do if we see the slightest mistake.
This is a common problem that I always observe in many senior batches. We love to see, "See la, they so slack. That boy just dragged his foot." or "Walao can't even stand properly, they all slouch" "Toufu batch la, I think our unit die liao in the future."
How many of you are guilty of saying these lines before? Nod if you are! (nods myself)
But if you analyze yourself and your friends further, how many of such judgmental phrases have actual evidences? Is the WHOLE squad really slack? Or is it just one person slouching, making you generalize that the whole squad is slack?
It goes the same for every "mistake" that you have spotted among the new sec 1s. We always see the bad things. But have we ever tried to open our eyes a little bit more to start spotting the good things about them?
Its an easy thing to do, but subconsciously, we humans like to always be the better lot. So even if it is easy, we rarely do it unless someone tell us to.
Have you ever seen at least one of them standing really straight, and praising him for his effort?
Or have you always been watching for someone to slouch, and then scold everyone for being too slack?
Looking back, the problem of a new squad of sec 1s doesn't heavily rely on the people in the squad. Rather it relies on the people who are receiving them, the people who are guiding them and nurturing them, the people who are to embrace them into the family. What the sec 1s turn into depends on all of you, from sec 2s to sec 5s.
What you tell them, how you motivate them, how you scold them, what reasons you give them when they ask you "Why do this? Why do that?".
Sec 1s are new, so the very first thing that you tell them will leave a lasting impression on them of RCY. The very first way/style that you use when yo talk to them will leave a lasting impression on them of RCY as well.
Someone who threatens: "Don't Drag! Or else you owe me 20 sit ups!"
versus another who reasons: "Don't drag, so that when you learn marching in Footdrill, the habit will not be there. Dragging is a common mistake, so start learning from now."
versus another who motivates: "Cmon everyone lets not drag! You don't drag, I don't drag, we all happy. ok?"
versus another who warns: "If you drag at HQ activities, you confirm get scolding. So don't drag!"
versus another who compares "Do you see me dragging? No right? I look professional when I lift my footd when I walk. So you want to be like the NCOs and myself? Yes right? Then don't drag!"
versus another who commands: "Dragging only makes you sloppy. If you want to be seen as a professional and good looking person, don't drag. For the benefit of you and your future."
These 6 NCOs who keep using these styles over and over, will create different batches of Sec 1s. And you know which kind of sec 1s will come out from the various styles of training.
My point is, sec 1s will always be sec 1s. We always want the best from them, and we always set standards based on what we think should be the standard, or based on our own standards that we have achieved before. But before we even start looking out for their mistakes and criticizing our new juniors, we should first look at how we can help them improve as fast as possible to fit into the UG lifestyle. We need to look at ourselves, the way we train them.
We need to start to look for the good things as well as the can-be-improved issues. Only then can the new sec 1s benefit and improve. Only then can we improve and move ahead as a unit.
Criticizing won't bring you anywhere. You don't get EUA gold for saying your juniors are not up to standard. They won't improve too.
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain.
Never think life negatively but more of a challenge? It is all this things that happens in life which made it so much more interesting and colourful? =]
Hmmm. For example, usually camps that is tougher, more tiring, more disgusting, more scary etc that made it so memorable and unforgettable. If it is just a normal boring dull camp with all the usual thing a camp programme has, not much campers will remember it after a few years down the road maybe?
Why do you want to step back and wait for it to pass when actually you can just step up and you will have all the fun you want! You will experience thinks that you can never thought of too! Never let fear overtake you. Just think positively always and grab whatever opportunities given to you before it fly away!
Think positively during your papers too! You will then feel less stress up and can focus better in it too. X]
In life, there is always setbacks. Everyone have setbacks definitely, but it is just a matter of how you handle it. So people, lets work together and never ever let our setbacks make us down and emo. But instead, a learning point in life and to never repeat such things again. XD WOOHOO.
There is always a rainbow after the rain, so lets all get ready for that beautiful rainbow after the rain then!
Credits: http://theunichannel.blogspot.com/
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