Blog Editors: Jenna (US-NY) and Ananya (India)

Welcome to the first issue of the 2022 CRS Times! This blog post is brought to you by CRS second-year campers Ananya and Jenna. Read on and take a sneak peek into what’s been going on at CRS!

Leaders of the Week

Guiding us through Week 1 as our Leaders of the Day were our second year campers! While the position of Leader includes developing the schedule for the day, planning activities for SST (self-structured time), and waking everyone up, it also includes working around challenging roadblocks and coping with quickly-changing plans. Through thick and thin, our Leaders of the Day have seen it all, collaborating through difficulties and modeling what it means to be a servant-leader at Camp Rising Sun.

Ananya (she/her)

Hello! I am Ananya Jain from India, currently studying in Canada. I am a computer science enthusiast and am studying at the University of Toronto. In 2021, I was a first year camper at Virtual Camp Rising Sun. The instructions I attended and the conversations I had with the people I met really increased my knowledge and made me more open-minded. I enjoy film-making and traveling. Different cultures intrigue me, and I love exploring them through food. My favorite experience at camp has been canoeing in the lake. One advice I would give to the campers is if you come with an open-mind, you will be able to get the most out of it.

Anna (she/her)

Hi everyone! My name is Anna, I'm 18 years old (just finished high school), and I'm from Hungary. In 2021 I participated in virtual CRS, and this year I’m here as a second year camper! In my free time I enjoy doing all kinds of sports. I’ve been doing sports climbing for 5 years. I want to continue my studies in Budapest, learning Technical Management (basically problem solving and communication). My piece of advice: in this busy life, don’t forget to enjoy the little things!

Jenna (she/her)

Hello everyone! I’m Jenna, and I come from New York City. I first joined CRS as a virtual first year camper in 2021, and I’m now an in-person second year camper for 2022! It’s no secret that I enjoy reading in my free time, but I also enjoy writing, neuroscience, and genetics. My favorite experience at Camp so far has been meditating with Raven during second year training. One piece of advice I have for first year campers is to keep an open mind and always be receptive to new experiences, even and especially when they’re starkly unfamiliar!

Jude (she/her)

Hi! I’m Jude from New York City. I joined VCRS last year and am now a second year in person! I joined Camp Rising Sun because I loved the sense of community and the opportunity to learn skills from various campers. My favorite camp experience so far has been doing kitchen teamworks and leading a painting and drawing instruction. Other than painting, I enjoy bike riding and metalsmithing. I make jewelry by reforming antique pieces from all over the world! One piece of advice I would give first years is that it is okay to not be okay and everyone at Camp is willing to help you no matter what.

Julia (they/them)

Hi! My name is Julia and I live in Opole, Poland. I was a camper at VCRS last year and now I am a second year. I’m passionate about activism and social justice in Eastern Europe.  So far, I have absolutely loved just getting to know everyone and chatting about our countries. I’m also excited to attend instructions led by campers and explore the campus and nature surrounding us. Something I’d say to first-year campers is to take things slow and to try doing something you aren’t good at!

Naima (she/her)

Hi, my name is Naima! I am from Bonn, Germany and I am 17 years old. I am a second-year camper, so I joined CRS after my VCRS experience in 2021. In my free time I like writing poetry as well as learning about airplanes and airspace. My favorite Camp experience so far has been the tap dance instruction led by Tiffany and Katie! Hmm– one advice I would give first-year campers would be: be confident and unafraid of your choices!

Sarah (she/her)

Hey! My name is Sarah, and I am seventeen years old. I go to Denver School of the Arts as a junior in Denver, Colorado, USA. I am a second year camper, having done VCRS in 2021. I have been dancing for fifteen years now, and ballet is the style I’ve studied most. I have worked in mental health advocacy since my freshman year and plan to continue for the rest of my life! I have four siblings and two puppies, and my mom is my best friend. In my free time I like to read and bake. My favorite part of Camp so far was when we all got dressed up and had a dance party in the gym. We were all dancing around and shouting the songs and it was so much fun. I also love learning about nature and reading on the swing. I’ve even been eating wild raspberries!

Introduction of Week 1

The first week started with second years arriving from all around the world and commencing their training with our Leadership Education Counselors. After a number of team building exercises and activities, a bonfire with s’mores at night was the perfect end to a knowledge and information packed day. The second years looked back on their personal Virtual CRS experiences and were introduced to the workings of in-person CRS. Following this, the second years assisted the counselors in welcoming the first year campers to the campus and helping them move in! The week revolved around team-building and introductions within the community. The themes of the day included meeting 3 new people and finding your favorite spot on campus, which allowed the campers to interact with each other and the surroundings and make settling in a lot easier. 

From the Campers…

Favorite Spots on Campus

Here at CRS, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the campus– especially if it’s very different from home! We polled campers on their favorite spots at Camp, giving them five locations to choose from: the swing by the main building, the Campers’ Lounge, the couches in the main building, the Tent Hill Swing, and the Chicken Coop. Here are the results!

1. Swing by the Main Building - 8 votes

2. Campers’ Lounge - 9 votes

3. Main Building Couches - 7 votes

4. Tent Hill Swing - 9 votes

5. Chicken Coop - 2 votes

The winners of the poll are THE CAMPER’S LOUNGE and THE TENT HILL SWING!!!

Song Suggestions from Campers

Here are songs currently within Camper rotation!

Angel Eyes -  ABBA.

Beige (Audiotree live version).

Our Lips Are Sealed - The GoGos

Grapejuice - Harry Styles

The Camper Advice Column

Interested in what life is like at Camp Rising Sun? Below are ten delicious bits of advice from our very own campers on how to thrive and survive at CRS!

Sarah (2YC, US-CO)- “Be open to making friends with everyone, even if in the beginning you couldn’t see yourself along with them.”

Noa (Israel)- “Have a bag to carry around; keep hold of your water bottle.”

Helmi (Finland)- “Take your hair out of the shower drain.”

Astrid (Greece)- “Wake up early if you want to shower.”

Elina (Sweden)- “Bring your flashlight to the evening program.” 

Annie (US-GA)- “Clean up after yourself in the bathroom; from my tentmate, get into your sleeping bag when you’re warm.” 

Jenny (US-MN)- “Tuck in your mosquito net.”

Paula (Spain)- “Prepare yourself for cold showers.” 

Phoebe (Counselor, United Kingdom)- “Bring two flashlights.” 

Instructions

Week 1 started off strong with engaging and innovative instructions led by our very own counselors! Topics ranged from performance (Katie and Tiffany’s tap instruction and Lindsey’s Chekhov acting technique instruction) to creative (Phoebe’s blackout poetry instruction, and Jaehyun’s photography instruction), and even reached the realm of the philosophical discussions (Justin’s cinematography instruction and Jose’s politics instruction). On the second day, some of our second year campers also led instructions - Jude’s painting and drawing instruction and Sarah’s friendship bracelet instruction. Regardless of the subject matter, each camper left their instruction having learned something new!

Highlights of the Week

From delayed flights, thunderstorms, evening programs and variety shows, a lot has happened during Week 1! Read on and zoom in on our Highlights of the Week!

The Thunderstorm

On the first night of Camp, our campers experienced one of the greater outdoor trials: a thunderstorm. Though most were safe and dry in their tents when the rain began to pour, some campers arriving from airports had to sleep in the gym. Although it became a little humid for the next few days, certain spots on campus became scenic wonders. 

Drills

Safety is our priority at Camp Rising Sun, and this week everyone on campus took part in the fire drill and lost camper drill. 

Evening Program

Our evening programs included informative sessions on the importance of feedback, cultural criticism, and community and solidarity, all of which proved to be excellent starts to our camp season. We also had Robert and Roger (second year campers’ alter egos) host a ‘This or That’ game about the counselors' fun facts!

Pictured: Roger and Robert host the counselor trivia night, Justin leads campers in a evening program focused on criticism and feedback, Ella enjoys an Oreo, Campers participate in an evening program discussion

Variety Show

This week we had our first variety show of CRS 2022! It was an evening filled with talent, laughter, and popcorn and cookies. Roger and Robert made a comeback to host the show and some of our campers and counselors showcased their artistic abilities on the stage. 

Canoeing

If getting soaked in the thunderstorm wasn’t enough for our campers, some ended up taking a dip in the lake. Canoeing was a part of the field day organized by the leaders of the day on Day 5, which also included playing gaga ball and other games. Campers got to enjoy canoeing in groups of three on the picturesque lake on a sunny day. 

Post-Pandemic Changes

Compost is set!

The environment is deeply valued here at CRS. In order to become a more sustainable and ecologically responsible community, CRS has started composting!

New Mural

Due to the installation of windows into the gym, the iconic mural on the front of the main building had to be painted over. However, the new season of campers are ready and excited to repaint the wall with a new mural design, from our own alumnus Olivia ‘14, ‘15. Right from sketching, gridding, scaling, and organizing, the campers and staff are all working tirelessly to complete it.