Student story: Socializing at a minimum at camp

 By Caroline Engle and Katie Crandall

Eight people dancing. Twelve people swimming.

At first, these numbers seem to indicate a group of friends having a good time. But when one considers that these are the numbers for activities sponsored by the Flint Hills Publication Workshop, which has 52 campers, it is a very different situation.

“I know there were more kids in the past and [the camp] was bigger,” said Alex Durano, a senior from Andover High School. “The dance was so weird in a big room and hardly anyone was there.”

While the drop in attendance for FHPW-sponsored recreational activities is partially because of fewer campers overall, it may also have to do with campers’ personalities.

“I’m actually very antisocial,” said Malory White, a senior from Pittsburg High School. “I kind of considered going when I heard about them but none of my friends wanted to go with me, and I didn’t really want to go by myself. Another reason why we didn’t go was because we were also exhausted from the walking and heat during the day, and we just wanted to go straight to bed.”

Students who did not attend camp activities participated in a number of other diversions.

“One night our adviser took us out because she went here for college and and showed us around a bit,” White said. “We went out for ice cream, and last night my roommates and I hung out in the basement lobby and gossiped. ”

The small quantity of male campers did not bother a large number of either gender.

“I would have been fine with it, but I didn’t want to split up from the other kids from my school,” Durano said.

Another issue was a lack of knowledge about some of the events prior to camp.

“We didn’t go because we didn’t really know about the pool party, so no one [from our school] brought swimsuits,” Durano said. “I could have swam in basketball shorts, but the girls from our publication wouldn’t have been able to swim.”

At least one of the attendees of the pool party  -- Mill Valley High School sophomore Cassi Benson -- was happy she went.

“[Swimming] was laid back and everyone wasn’t really watching you while you were at the pool with your friends and going down the water slides,” Benson said.