Spirit: I know some people have been to a convention before, but it’ s still so surprising how well everyone learned the cheers, and how enthusiastic they were doing so. Everyone in the Virginia delegation was very patriotic. I began to feel that I was representing not just myself, or my team, but also Virginia. Dorms: In my case, learning to live( sort of) college life in the dorms was an amazing experience. I would walk down the hallway to the elevator or the bathroom, and might meet someone I know along the way. Although I didn’ t know my roommates, in the end, we became friends. Meals: The actual food was mostly delicious, but mostly, it was strategizing, or just talking with my friends that made it special. Certamen: The thing about Certamen is that we are all one team. If you earn points, you contributed to the team. Everyone is essential. We went in expecting to maybe score 5 questions for each round. Shortly after, we placed first overall in the total scores. We went into the semifinals thinking we would lose. And we almost did. The adrenaline, and the fear in the