Sunday night,  before dinner we were told to have everything packed, besides our tents, by 8am the next morning. Slight fear and wonderment filled the room. We had heard of the dreaded “airport scenario”, where we go without all our belongings, except what is in our daypacks, sleep in the blasted ac with noise and lights on the whole night, just as if we had to stay in an airport overnight on travel days. Or, maybe it was just a fast drill to get us ready for a quick change on the field. There were many theories but we wouldn’t be told until lunch today. 

To give you some background, AIM has been very careful with our safety since we have been here. There are 4 squads on campus. My squad is squad F, consisting of 24 racers and 10 leaders of different positions. My squad will be the only group headed on our specific route to Romania, South Asia, and Costa Rica starting in January. Because there are so many people on campus AIM has required us to stay distanced, always where masks in crossing areas, we even have our own squad porta pottys WAHOOO. 

Within our squad there are 4 teams, 3 girl teams and 1 boy team. To separate further, our squad had to be split up into two cohorts. Another team of girls, along with my own nestled into our designated campsite, getting comfortable and waiting with anticipation to hug our friends that we had been so eagerly waiting to hug for a year. We all understood the precautions and respected the rules but we could not WAIT to be one big family again. 

The original plan was to wait the two weeks that covid usually takes to pop up with symptoms after being exposed. So that would hopefully have been in a few days. BUT they surprised us!

After our session Kyndal, our mentor, stood in front of us to tell us WHY we had to pack up allllll our belongings. She said they had decided to join cohorts EARLY. Immediately, and I mean immediately, the energy in the room changed. Kyndal repeated to us that after we were dismissed we could go move our stuff into the other cohort’s campsite. Anyone could hardly hear her cause we just wanted to get started. She let us get together and friends rejoiced in each others arms- as cheesy as it sounds. I kind of laughed to myself because we have 9 months to spend 24/7 together but who doesn’t like a hug?

Some friends sprinted to start moving their stuff, others took the gamble of being last and getting their tent stuck at an odd slant. 

These first almost-two weeks have been great, getting to know a lot of the girls pretty well, but the best is yet to come. Especially now that the “C-word” (cohort) is forbidden at our campsite, so that we only can remember the times when we’re together and not separated.

Being together has been wonderful and a much smoother transition than I would’ve anticipated. It feels like a family together again, although we are just getting to know each other really. I am still so so excited!