The line of eager students and advisers snakes through the West Shaw lobby with feelings of anticipation in the air. To check in they make a few stops: grab their name tag, turn in any remaining forms, and receive their room key, bathroom key, and access card. For the next few days, they’re living the lives of journalists, leaving their advisers behind and fending for themselves.
A few hours of free time are spent briefly exploring the campus or grabbing a quick snack before the opening session. Opening Session included a crash course of the rules and regulations of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association and Michigan State University. The occasionally mundane moments become interspersed with fun moments, such as Kahoot movie trivia and “Finish That Line” with movie quotes. After, students and teachers dispersed to attend a quick meeting with their respective classes.
To round out the class section of the night, Karl Gude gave an inspiring and riveting lecture about the importance of creativity in life. With all of Gude’s words in mind, dinner began, followed by the option to join in on the night’s recreational activities, a scavenger hunt and playing bingo, before the mandatory meetings with floor counselors.
Students surely fell asleep with thoughts of the stories they aspire to write, the pictures they long to take, and the enormous potential this week gives them to take their passion for journalism a few steps further. The next four days hold happy thoughts and the promise of making memories.
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