Fun & Philosophy, Hardship & Hoops

Two days in, the students of the California Summer Program seems to be settling into a routine. They are becoming more familiar with the schedule, each other, and life on a college campus.

They are also becoming more comfortable with the Discussion Method, having taken to heart yesterday’s advice to step out in courage and speak more in class — and that’s helping them to gain a better understanding of the material. “When the students were heading into Tuesday afternoon’s class on the pre-Socratics, I asked them, ‘On a scale of 1-10, how well do you think you understand the material?’ The average answer was 3.5,” says one prefect. “I asked them again on the way out, and the average was more like 7 — that’s pretty good for one class!”

After class it was time for the afternoon recreation period, with one small group taking a hike up to the Painter’s Shack and then a dip in the campus ponds. Most, however, found their way to the athletic fields. According to a prefect scouting report: “Natalia is very, very good at Ultimate Frisbee and volleyball, too.”

Then came dinner in St. Joseph Commons (pork loin, potatoes, green beans, and blueberry cobbler) and study hall, where students read Genesis in preparation for this morning’s class. They then made their way to the Chapel for the nightly Rosary, followed by Coffee Shop, where the prefects served Italian sodas, and students played a variety of games:

The night concluded with parties in the residence halls. For the boys, there was tug-of-war and whiffle-ball dodgeball, then grilled hot dogs in the courtyard. The whiffle balls stung a little upon impact, said one prefect, and that was a good thing. “Just as when the Trojans suffered together, that created a sense of camaraderie, our boys unified through their shared battle,” he observed. “I could see it in their eyes as they were eating their hot dogs — and in the lively conversation. They bonded over that hardship!”

For the girls, there were fun icebreakers followed by dancing in the common room. Students Amanda and Rocio taught a new dance which was quickly dubbed “The Cuban Shuffle,” and Molly Zepeda led a 90s-era performance of the Macarena.

It was then time for Consecration and lights out. And, for the second day in a row, a group of hearty students arose early for basketball at 6:00 a.m.!