Day 1 - Move in, getting settled, and elections

​Salvete parentes et amici!
This is RA Jams, recapping a day 1 so packed that it’s hard to believe that we all just met this morning. After moving in, we convened for our introductory meeting. Then it was time for lunch and goodbyes. I know it might be hard for you all to adjust to the students being away from now, but we’ll all adjust, I promise. Our first academy activity was a frantic race to compose lists of 10 things ranging from mythical heroes to geographical features (there is a place!). This was a great way to start weaving what will be tight knit communities in our provinces. From there, we braved the heat and briefly explored the buildings that will be our home for the next three weeks. Next, we learned each other’s names with the name game, which involved finding items whose first letters match our first initials (shoutout to Ian for “impervious lock”). Having enjoyed dinner at the new and improved dining hall, we learned about Roman elections and began the campaigns. Posters in Roman cursive are already covering the halls, and much more is to come. Stay tuned for results in the coming days. An hour of campaign planning proved tiring, and an early bedtime seems to have been much appreciated. All in all, it was a great first day!