the time. We hurried out of our rooms, down the stairs, and out into a cool North Dakota night. I’d tell you I was panicked, but I was definitely still asleep as I walked outside. After some waiting (I wish I could tell you how long, but again, I was basically a zombie), someone came to tell us that there was no fire, and everyone was safe. We all headed back inside, only to promptly realize that because we had rushed out so quickly, most of us had left our keys in our rooms. Thankfully, either my roommate or I grabbed our key, so we were able to get in. But as far as I know, it was well past 2 am when everyone finally got into their rooms. Needless to say, the girls did not join the workout the next morning.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA (VJCL CON. 2019)
At my sophomore year VJCL convention, I organized a canned food drive for the Arlington Food Assistance Center (otherwise known as AFAC). Thanks to the generosity of many VJCLers, we were able to donate over 700 cans– 826lbs. of food! That being said, before it could be brought to the facility for weighing, we needed to get it on the bus, and I definitely didn’t bring enough bags for 700 cans. So, I scavenged around for any box or bag I could find, and the Washington-Liberty delegation started packing. It should be noted that some of the boxes we used were test boxes; originally made to hold paper. But, we crammed a bunch of cans inside, and it seemed like they’d be fine. Key word here: seemed. As my partner and I were carrying a box across the street to the bus, I felt something start to slip. It was exactly as I feared: the bottom of the box was starting to break. Hurriedly, I shoved my hands underneath it in a futile attempt to save it-- but we only made it a few more steps before the box gave way and cans started spilling out. Onto the street. In the middle of traffic. Nice.
“Hey guys, a little help here?!”
Wide eyes turned my way as students started running to help. This was probably the third time a box had broken, so thankfully, everyone knew what to do. They sprang into action faster than David Chen hyper-buzzed in the certamen semi-finals on Menippean Satire. After half an hour or so of struggle, we got those cans onto the bus. And we tipped the bus driver. A lot.
So what’s the point of this article? As much as I like storytelling, that wasn’t the sole purpose of writing this. My point was– and is– that none of these stories are about big, life-changing things. The JCL experience is impossible to describe, but I think it’s best explained as an equation. It’s a sum of all the little moments– the kazoos. The lollipops. The fire drill. It’s the silly things, the stupid things, that make convention worth the sleepless nights.
So please. Don’t make your conventions all about one thing. Spend time doing what you're passionate about, but don’t forget to live a little as well. The best memories I’ve made were made with the people around me. As we go into an incredibly uncertain year, don’t forget to keep making those memories.
written by
VJCL President
Savvy
Thompson
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