You'd never guess that Karen, Emily, Lauren, Brooke, and Lily only just met each other on Sunday. They shared their thoughts on their newfound friendships and their EXPLO experiences so far.
Loyal followers of the blog will also recognize Annie, who joined in for the group photo!
What's been the highlight of your day?
Lily: Hanging out with these people! We're already all besties, which is awesome.
Lauren: It's been a short time, but we've really made some connections.
What have you been up to in your courses?
Karen: Today, for my Course, I had Mock Trial. We have a big case packet with lots of information, and we're working in two teams: the defense and the prosecution. The case is about a guy who got mauled by a leopard. It is really fun, though — coming up with arguments and everything.
Emily: I had Role-Playing Game Design, where we design our own role-playing games. Instead of using a screen, or props, we mostly simulate everything in our minds and also vocally. We can also use dice rolls and other things like that.
Lily: Brooke is going to give you all the information about our Course since we're in the same one!
Brooke: We're in Criminal Investigations. We were learning about fingerprinting, and we're solving a case about this doctor who got her work stolen and we're trying to figure out who stole it. It was really fun – we were matching fingerprints and learning about how to tell the difference. We also blew up balloons to test our own fingerprints.
Lauren: Today, I took International Law + Diplomacy. It was really fun. We've done a few simulations on Chinese cyberattacks. We all act as different countries or members of the U.S. cabinet, and we try to find a diplomatic solution.
What would you say is your favorite aspect of your EXPLO experience so far?
Lily: For me, it's the fact that everyone here is just so nice and welcoming. I jumped into this little group yesterday, and I already feel like I'm besties with all of them. So that's really, really nice. I've also met a bunch of other people just today who were all so nice. I can just go talk to anyone here, and that's awesome.
Brooke: I agree! The way that we're all unplugged from the internet, and we can just be with each other — it's a lot easier to connect. I feel like we can all share our personalities without worrying about being judged.
Emily: We also get to learn how to be more independent. It's nice that we have times we can choose whatever we want to do — as long as it's on campus. I also feel like there's a lot of acceptance at EXPLO.
Karen: Another thing, besides how awesome everyone is, is that all the classes are really fun. There are so many different topics — you can learn about crime, the human brain, medical careers, game design...there's something for everyone. I feel like everyone has had really positive experiences with all the different types of classes.
Lauren: I also really like the diversity — even just in my courses, we have people from at least ten different countries, with backgrounds from there. It's amazing to meet so many people from different backgrounds, because that's not what would happen in my small hometown.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Brooke: Everyone should come to EXPLO!
Lily: Come EXPLOre your interests at EXPLO!!
Victoria Lyons