Zooming Through

An OCdt reflects on their experience of the newly COVID-19 restriction compliant PODP.

The word “Zoom” can be affiliated to a huge variety of aspects through our course during these ever-changing times. We have been on Zoom from our bedrooms, Zoom from our block rooms but also time seems to have zoomed past us! Let alone the continuous zooming of fresh topics and ideas flying around our heads.

The maelstrom of topics, which at first seemed so far away, zoomed into view and flew past us before we knew it. From academic writing, culture and defence and international affairs in our first three weeks at home which also included a surreal moment as a PRMAS student donning a suit to stand in our bedrooms to complete our formal attestation.

We find ourselves 4 weeks into the course and finally meeting each other in person, the most common phrase at this point is “I thought you’d be taller!”. Our group bonds, already formed online, leading to the initial shock of capture for us direct entry civilians being hugely reduced. Our confidence with each other has already been cemented in the trials and tribulations of working online.

Therefore in week 7 of our shortened 8 week programme we hit the debating week, full of confidence, newly improved analytical skills and a thirst for success. Somewhat anticlimactically, we arrived at the socially distanced outdoor “amphitheatre” which really transpired to be a slight incline backing onto command tasks we are not allowed to take part in due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The arguments from opposing sides opened up, the passion exuding from all speakers, annoyance directed at my team for squirreling the debate from the outset, but all good fun in the end and a great taste for the environment we were going to occupy the next night. The teams were selected, topics researched, speeches crammed into heads and we zoomed into debate with the ETS officers here for training.

The responsibility of chairing the second debate fell to me, the sudden adrenaline rush of speaking to a smartly dressed sea of expectant officers, PO’s and PRMAS pushed me through and I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge. You will be told from the outset of the course to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable, every member of the debating teams did so impeccably during the debates leading to a two-nil win for the PODS course. I saw this event as concrete evidence of how much knowledge and confidence the course has given all of us even if 4 weeks were delivered over zoom.

We have blinked and zoomed through to our final week on the course, interviews, and final presentations loom with nervous excitement abuzz around the block. Anticipation to get to our abnormal socially distanced drinks on the lawn to finish the course on the final evening.

I shall leave you with a quote from an author that has repeatedly appeared through the course but it could not be more true, confidence in your ability to get to this course and effort to improve will see you through. So, believe that you are going to succeed as an army officer, and it shall have a much better chance of being realised.

“We are what we believe we are.” C. S. Lewis