Kreekakon's Weekend Epicosity

**Kreekakon** · 12-03-2012, 07:55 PM

Hey there all. Now before I start I want to let you all know that this may be a bit of a blog post, so if you hate that turn away now. Just suddenly felt like sharing a little.

Now as some of you may have realized I have been very inactive over the course of last week, and completely vanished the past couple days. Here's a quick run-by of why:

A few of you will (Most of you won't) know that I partake in a community service club in university that specializes hosting weekend camps as well as winter, and summer ones for children. The short version of my story? I was busy preparing for the camp that took place last weekend (2 days, and 1 night) over the course of my absence.

Now here comes the long (boring) version.

This club, which is called Firefly in English is a club I've been in for two whole years now with this being my third year, starting from when I entered college. We are a club with massive amounts of discipline, so order is an important thing in any of our events. Most of our activities in the club involve our people dressing up as spectacular characters who relay information to the children depending on which activity is currently taking place.

This weekend camp is the first one that I've had being a third year club member. The third years (There are a total of 1 year through 4 years) are basically the central core of the entire club, with the 4th year members taking a backseat as the "Advisers Clan". With all their/our immense experience from the past two years, we have to make sure everything goes smoothly for the camp, and teach the younger 1st, and 2nd years how to do certain aspects in our club activities properly.

This also means we'll (3rd years) be the most tired of the bunch. It is common knowledge among the more elder members (3rd, and 4th years along with a few 2nd years) that the 3rd year members are basically unable to sleep at all during the night of the first day. We basically have to pick up after the mistakes some of the younger students did, and prepare for the upcoming day. We also have to hold a private third year student meeting to discuss problems in the camp. In this particular camp, by the time we were all done with everything it was already 5:30 AM with the morning call being 6 AM.

So this is how my weekend basically went: We got together at 12:30 PM on Saturday to start, and then it was work, work work all the way until something like 3:30 AM to 3:50 AM during which I caught some Zs, and then kept playing with children, and working until I got back to my dorm at 8 PM on Sunday.

I remember my sate of being awake slowly deteriorating over the case of these two days until around 4 PM on Sunday during which I transgressed beyond being plain tired into a numb half-sleeping, half-dreaming state. I didn't exactly feel tired anymore, but the whole world was plain fuzzy. It's a feeling that makes you question reality, and whether you were dreaming, or not. That's why once I got home at 8 PM I flopped onto bed without a second tough, and slept till noon the next day.

And this is only a weekend camp that lasts two days. Need I elaborate what a summer/winter camp (I've been to two of these) which lasts for EIGHT days would be like? I think not.

Tough life I know. But no matter how tired we are, or how hard we work, to see the smiles on the children's faces, and that of the younger club members really makes it all worth it in its own special way.

But even though it's worth it in a special way, I can feel my passion for the club's activities slowly slipping away. This weekend camp has already nearly destroyed me from my responsibilities in it as a 3rd year member. I'm reluctant to join the upcoming winter camp as I'm afraid I'll be obliterated completely, and end up being tardy on the job from all the pressure.

That's also not the only reason I'm reluctant. Joining, and preparing any one of our club's major camps is a task that will eat away all the free time in the several weeks prior to the camp.

The reason I'm concerned for this is my Amnesia TDD mod, it is now officially on top of the list in my priorities in life, maybe even qualifying as a dream. The weekend camp however forced production to completely halt for three weeks. I just can't live with it that joining the winter camp will put it on hold for another month, and a half.

Regardless of what anyone says, I firmly believe that the longer you don't work on a mod, the faster you burning passion for creation at bringing your work to life will diminish.

I admit...I love my club, and I love my mod. But this club of mine is slowly tearing me apart with its insane amounts of responsibilities I gain from taking part in major camps, and these in turn put a dent on how well I am able to work on my mod. Therefore I've made a decision to not partake in any further winter/summer camps for my own well-being, as well as my mod's. I still love my club as hell though, and will still happily partake in the smaller activities it may have from time to time.

If you've read all the way here, I would like to say congratulations to you, and shake your hand.

I don't really expect this topic to be long-lived as it's mostly me talking about me, and venting off steam, but as an attempt to do so you may all do the following below (Besides talking about what I just talked about above of course): Post/share any experiences that you feel relates to mine, be it community service experience, social life clashing with mod working time, responsibility overload etc. Or if you simply want to know more about my club, and what it is we do, and/or how, feel free to do so below!

Thanks for reading Smile

EDIT: Oh I nearly forgot. Here's the site for our club which was made by yours truly: http://student.ncyu.edu.tw/~club0534/

Sorry if certain aspects seem a bit suckish, but the main reason I made the site for our club was for a club contest, and I pumped it out in just three days.

**Kreekakon** · 12-03-2012, 08:25 PM

(12-03-2012, 08:15 PM)Robosprog Wrote: Wow, that's a fairly difficult position. I hope that.. somehow, it improves and allows for both to be worked on.

Partaking in any club from my camp means that you will have little to no free time in the few prior weeks, so if I choose to join one, it means putting my mod on hold, or greatly reducing production rate during this time.

Basically these are the huge camps my club with have over the course of one school year:

1st Semester Weekend Camp (This is the one I just got back from)
Winter Camp
2nd Semester Weekend Camp
Summer Camp

Besides these there are several other small activities which really don't put that huge a dent in your free time.

I've assessed my state of mind quite a few times recently, and concluded that my state of mind is ill-suited to participate, and cope with the stress in eight day long summer/winter camps, especially as a central 3rd year club member. I still will participate in the weekend camps as the stress is okay enough for me to endure, and I still can help out in my club.