Live from July camp: Day 11

This morning was a beautiful, peaceful day — a nice way to start off class. Too bad there’s no windows in the classroom to admire the day.

Annie came in and told us the DEADLINE FOR OUR FIRST DRAFT WAS 2:30 P.M. TODAY! Just as mentioned on the packet we had received on the first day of journalism a schedule of the entire time at camp.

The whole morning everyone was on task. Focused to finish. Less chatter then other mornings. We typed away.

Lunch came by; half of us stayed inside the others went outside to admire the day.

When I finished eating I headed outside and sat in front of the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center, on the grass hoping I’d get tanned for the remaining 10 minutes before heading up stairs for class. Ha! Iris accompanied me; she played “Stand by me” by Prince Royce, on her cell phone. We sat there sucking on our straws, drinking away at are drinks and sang the lyrics:

“When the night,has come and the land is dark
Y la luna es la luz que brilla ante mi
Miedo no, no tendré, oh I won’t, no me asustare
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
And darlin, darlin stand, by me, oh stand by me
Oh stand, junto a mi, junto a mi.”

Then lunch was over. Again everyone focused to finish before the deadline. If you had stepped away from your computer and closed your eyes all you would hear in the background is “Tap, tap, click, tap, tap, click!” And a few chatters here and there.

Once you were done you were to email your first draft to your editor by 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon.

— Janelle Calvo-Nieto, July 2010 Introduction to Journalism camp