Student story-The other side of the pen

By Nikki Koppers
Two notebook-wielding girls walk up to a tight-knit group of kids sitting in the K-State Student Union and utter the magic words, “Can I ask a few questions?”

One camper immediately shifts her attention on the questioner, leaving her friends behind. She knows what it is like to be on the other side of the pen.

This is a common sight at the Flint Hills Publication Workshop. Since most campers have interviewed before at their own schools, this is old hat. What makes it different, is now the journalists are in the hot seat.

Bailey Buer, a junior at Kapaun Mt. Carmel, strode into the Advanced Writers classroom, picked a face and dove into the interview. After a few easy-going minutes, she got what she needed. Buer noticed the difference in the answer styles compared to the ones given to her from fellow classmate at her school.

“Other journalists know good answers and what a good quote is while the kids at school just give short one word answers,” she said.

Around every corner of the Union, Kedzie Hall and the Holiday Inn, campers are interviewing, and most people feel in their element. It is not out of the ordinary to suddenly go up to a total stranger and bombard them with questions about their life.

Katelyn McCarley, a sophomore from Bartlesville High School, easily walked up to a table full of girls, burst through their bubble and pulled a girl out to talk for a few questions. After she was done with her interview, a girl from the table popped right up and started firing questions back at her.

In another interview McCarley spilled, “Everyone here is willing to do full interviews while at school no one even really wants to answer questions.”

Some people feel awkward being interviewed, knowing that the pressure is on. One girl being interviewed would pause and close her eyes before answering the questions, then relay her response slowly after forming the sentence in her mind.

After being questioned, Notre Dame de Sion senior Lynn LeCluyse said, “I know what they want me to say, so I have to think about the wording I use before I answer a question in the way I would want it to be answered.”

Nikki Koppers is a junior at Notre Dame de Sion and a student in the advanced writing class at the Flint Hills Publication Workshop.