Renewal and Exposure

Yemenat

Ahmed Saif Hashed

The period of “renewal” lasted forty-five days, starting from the day of enrollment in the college. It was a heavy and intense time for the student, serving as a preliminary indicator of their ability and readiness to surpass the subsequent stages. A considerable number of students would either drop out or flee during this demanding period when they found themselves unable to endure its severity and pressure.

More students were admitted than necessary for each cohort, or rather, more than required, leading to a sifting process where the number would decrease until it reached the desired count. The principle of survival of the fittest was very much in play during the renewal phase, which was regarded as the most challenging time of the two academic years. The pressing question for each student during this period was: “Can I complete the 45 days or not?”

The renewal period was exceedingly arduous and exhausting for us, laden with rigor, strictness, and discipline. Harsh penalties awaited even the simplest and most trivial mistakes, sometimes to the point where one could not even grasp the nature of their transgressions. I often felt that those imposing such sanctions intended to drive us away rather than correct us; at times, it seemed as if they were indulging in revenge and, on other occasions, I sensed that some enforcers of these penalties harbored sadistic tendencies and deep-seated insecurities, projected onto others.

The renewal phase in college is the most demanding, requiring a great deal of discipline and resilience from the student. It marks the transition from a civilian to a military man, embodying a different temperament. This phase is a true crucible, a grueling test that transforms the student from civilian life into the stringent, regulated world of military life—a stage of “military