Pranayam Camp

Early in Grade 11, we attended a pranayam camp every morning for a week in school where we practised different forms of pranayam and benefited from it immensely.

At first, everyone was like why pranayam? Doesn't school have anything else that is more fun? How about football? But as we progressed into the camp, we learnt a lot. Pranayam benefits us in so many ways where we become healthy individuals with regular pranayam exercises. This weeks camp was a brilliant experience and we loved every minute of it. Pranayam was a new challenge to all of us and some of the forms weren't easy! We had to bend from every possible angle and hold a position for a lot of time... it was not easy! But we were committed to the exercises and did not give it up!

In all, it was a week filled with inner peace and tranquillity. A week with less stress, and a new outlook to life.

  

Leadership Camp

This year I went to my first leadership camp in february 2013. My classmates had been there before and told me all about it. Naturally, I was excited because they described it as an experience that would be unforgettable. Leadership camp was a 5 day camp where we have to rough it... LITERALLY!! No TVs, no internet, no beds to sleep on... only nature, tents and more nature. The perfect camp like experience.

The plan was in place, the activities were decided; the class was divided into 2 groups and we are supposed to work collaboratively with each other to complete all the given tasks. The first day started and we were made to watch a movie about leadership and tough decisions where it is a question of life and death. Later, we were asked to reflect upon the movie and how it can change our way of thinking and what can sometimes be the right decision to you but not for others.It was a typical dilemma of two different outcomes from two different decisions and it the process to being a better decision maker had already begun.

Next day we had to test ourselves physically with a fun yet important paintball game. It was important because we had to make critical decisions immediately. Our aim was to capture the opponents flag and return it to our base. During the course of the game, I came across skills I never knew I had. I was surprised as to how well we were able to communicate with each other and work effectively... Also, we showed perseverance and commitment to complete the game and win it which was an important outcome from the game according to me. After the paintball game, we continued onto an obstacle course called the discovery course and rightly so. It wasn't easy but I understood the face that nothing in life that is worthwhile, comes easily; one has to work towards achieving everything they want and hard work always pays off.

Next day, our third and final task took place... The hardest one yet... We were to survive a night in the wild with limited resources. We were allowed to carry only one water bottle and food which we had to cook with whatever that was available and let me tell one thing - NOT EASY at all!! I mean, how can an urban person survive on a bottle of water with limited food? Surprisingly, we could survive which was a victory in my heart because it was a new experience but our commitment to the task made us complete it.. Sure there were few hurdles but which task doesn't? The art of finding our own way with a compass and a map was shown to us and we had to find our way back to the school trekking through the steep hills in the night! It was a memorable experience and now I know what my classmates meant. I was more aware about my strengths and weaknesses and I grew as an individual and that was the best part about this camp.

The entire group that attended the camp

Roughing it in the wild where we had to plan our resources.