ADVANCED
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VJCL Fall Forum 2017
For people that have never been to Castra, can you share a little about what it was like?
Ryan Klopp: You know those scenes in the war movies, where the new recruits are collapsing and crying on the training field while the drill sergeants scream at them and blast them with freezing water? It’s like that, but with more Latin. We spend Castra forging an unstoppable Certamen machine in a process only slightly less grueling than the Spartan Krypteria. At least, that’s the advanced room. I have been told that the novices and intermediates have “fun” (whatever that is) while training, but that must just be a legend.
What were the most difficult teams you played at Nationals? Any surprises?
Minyoung Hwang: In the prelims, I think our toughest teams were GA and DC. OH was also stronger than I expected (I believe we played them twice, once in round 1 and once in the semifinals), and of course the two teams in the finals, MA and FL, were also very strong (to nobody's surprise).
What was the craziest buzz you made or heard anyone else make at Nationals?
Simon Van Der Weide: The craziest buzz I witnessed was the Massachussets grammarian's buzz on the question about the cognate accusative. The only syllable that came out of the moderator's mouth was "salt…", but he managed to anticipate the question and recall his knowledge to get the right answer. It was amazing to see and has inspired me to start studying more intently.
What would be your advice to students new to Certamen?
Matt Nelson: For any new students interested in NJCL-level Certamen, I would make sure they knew not to get too fixated on the ultimate goal of winning finals. Although I strongly wish I could have contributed more and got Advanced a few more points to push us into first, my greatest regret this summer is not spending enough time just relaxing and having fun with the people I've met over five years of JCL in Colorado and Virginia.
Who was your favorite moderator, and why?
MH: My favorite moderator was Ms. Luongo; we had her for three rounds (round 2, 3, and finals). I really appreciated her jokes and attempts to keep us relaxed.
What do you enjoy most about Certamen - the studying, the material, the actual playing?
MN: Playing Certamen by far. I don't think it would actually be a stretch to say playing Certamen is my favorite thing period. Although I enjoy studying and I love the material, playing Certamen allows me to see my work manifest itself in the form of hyperbuzzes. Plus, I get a huge adrenaline rush when my buzzing instincts kick in, and that internal energy is something I've never felt doing anything else.
If you were going to replace the Aurelia passage, what would it say?
RK: I would leave the Aurelia passage the same as it is, except it would begin: “Ryan Klopp, optimus Certaminator, erat in Aegypto….
MH: Aureliae urbis quibus placitum erat, ingens erat in Aegypto cum omni domo ilius, et qui illius. Quia vidit tredecim magnos ludos Iovi et in amphitheatro Alexandria. Tandem reversus Equitesque irascitur. Eheu!
If you're curious, I used the Wikipedia translation of the Aurelia passage, and put it through Google Translate. If you think the grammar is wrong, you can direct your complaints to [email protected].
These are only a few of the insights into the world of Certamen! Click anywhere in this box to view more from our Certamen players!