At Camp Menogyn, they had a tradition called "First Word." Every morning before breakfast, one of the staff shared a meaningful story, experience, or thought they had been pondering with the group. It was an excellent way to kick off the day, centering ourselves for the tasks ahead. Therefore, in a similar fashion, I'd like to share a "Final Word" for our trip. You've heard from most of my classmates so far, so I'll take a turn!
Today was our final day of class, and with that, our J-Term is over. We've spent the last few days compiling our individual research into posters, and today we presented at the J-Term research symposium. It was a wonderful opportunity to share our discoveries with our other classmates and professors, and to learn about what other students have been doing. It was a great feeling to see our poster freshly printed and hanging for all to see.
We had an incredible time being off campus this J-Term. While not always comfortable, we were able to challenge ourselves intellectually and physically, growing as individuals and closer to each other. I will always remember our winter adventure we had in the quiet Boundary Waters, and the bonds we created learning to love winter together.
And with that, this blog has ended! Thank you all so much for keeping up. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we did living it. Until next time!
-Ryan Rogers