Down The Mountain: A Reflection On My Adventure At Arts Camp

I have to say, attending arts camp has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had. When I arrived, two weeks ago, I was unsure of what would await me, but now descending down the same mountain, I was feeling an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. I was missing camp, my roommates, the spontaneous trips down to the amphitheater where would simply reflect on the day with Sleigh Bells and Arctic Monkeys playing in the background, and the never ending excitement of it all.

The actual film/directing class was amazing, and the instructors included writers/directors from Everybody Hates Chris and lots of other films/tv shows. Everyday we would learn new film language, discuss the development of cinema over the years, and film different projects. We worked in a sound stage, so we had access to different lighting, green screens, and special effects. The class was taught in conjunction with the “Acting For The Camera” class, so we actually had the opportunity to hold a casting for our individual scenes.

Aside from the class part of the camp, my favorite part, was interacting with the students from all over the world. I had been to other camps before but this one especially stood out to me due to the diversity of the campers.I made friends with people as far away as Egypt, Switzerland, Singapore, and France; there were also people as close as L.A. and Pasadena, with whom I plan to meet up with. Everyone was so creative and interesting- one night I would find myself in the jewelry studio getting a henna, the other listening to the orchestra play. It was very refreshing to be amongst a group of like minded students who shared my love for travel and the arts.

To Conclude, I am forever a changed person because of this two week adventure I’ve had in the mountains. Simply meaning, I have a new perspective on the world and how I wish my education to be. I’ve heard of different school that offer annual service trips and are involved in lots of community outreach. Moving forward I definitely plan to make service, and travel, a larger part of my life.

 

Find me on instagram: @marisaxsinclair

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