I took part in the leadership camp as part of the Singapore Polytechnic Outstanding Talent (SPOT) programme, which is reserved for students who have done exceptionally well and shown good character in school.

 

The camp was held at Kota Tinggi Rainforest, Malaysia and it was for 4 days and 3 nights. I took part in this camp, with much fear as I do not adapt to changes easily and I am not used to being out of my comfort zone. However, over the camp, I learnt to overcome this fear through the numerous fun activities we took part in.

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One of the key highlights of the camp was the 7-hour hike through the rainforest. Personally, I do not consider myself to be an adventurous person, nor someone who is a risk-taker, however, this activity really pushed me to my limits. We had to traverse the harsh terrain, consisting of muddy paths, slippery rocks, ant-infested tree trunks and leech filled streams. This was only possible through the support we gave one another, helping to motivate each other and giving physical support through the obstacles. I also learnt to trust those around me for support.

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Another key highlight was the 4-way tug of war game which truly changed my perspective on resilience. We took part in 5 rounds of tug of war and every round we sent out a few strong members and a few weaker members to support the team. When the round started, all the teams put in all their effort to pull the opposition over the line. Our team also came very close to winning, but at the last moment, the opposition managed to pull us over. This kept reoccurring for the first 4 matches and this made us disappointed in ourselves. However, our team leader gathered us together and reignited our flames for one final effort. We followed in his footsteps and attempted our final round. When the game started, we slowly drifted to the line. Seeing this, the opposition became confident and reduced their pull, expecting another win. However, we channelled every ounce of energy we had and pulled one last time with all our might. In that split second, we pulled the opposition over, winning our first round. Through this game, I understood that no matter how tough a task, no matter the adversities we may have faced, we have to stay strong and have a resilient mind to carry us through to the end.

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All in all, the camp opened my eyes to the world around me and showed how much more I have to grow as a person. This camp also taught me that to be adaptive, I have to learn to be flexible and learn to have a resilient mind.