Iosephus - Introduction

Blog post 1:
Salvete omnes! My name is Joseph (aka Jams) and I cannot wait to be your lead RA this summer! This is my third summer at GLA, having attended as a student in 2019 and an RA in 2022. GLA really is a magical place (I’m sure I’m not the first person to tell you this, and I certainly won’t be the last) and I feel very fortunate that I get to help you all have some of the amazing experiences the academy has to offer. My main tip for now: Come in with an open mind. You get out of Academy what you put into it, so the more people you talk to, the harder you try in your various activities, the deeper you engage with your classes, the more you appreciate your time in Ashland. The only people who don’t have a good time are the people who try not to. Choose to have a good time!

A bit about me: I’m a Virginia native (born and raised in Reston), although I currently live in Massachusetts as I work towards my teaching license. My plan is to return to Virginia as soon as possible, though, since the Virginia classics community has sunk its teeth deep into me. If any of you recognize me, it is likely because you have seen me on stage with the VSCLers at VJCL convention or moderating at a certamen. If you are ever looking for more Latin opportunities after GLA, let me know!

Outside of the classics, I like to spend my time outdoors or playing board games. I spent many years playing ultimate frisbee, although I hike more now because all that running got tiring. Some of my favorite board games include 7 Wonders (and not just because of the classical theme) and Settlers of Catan. I’m a big fan of word games too, such as Scrabble (in English or Latin) the wordle, or Wridges (which I recently beat and I’m very proud of). I also spend an excessive amount of time on Spotify, with Ruel, Noah Kahan, and Benson Boone being some of my favorite artists at the moment.

With that, I’ll sign off for now, but keep an eye out for another post from me in a few weeks about my elective. The details are in the works, but we’ll be looking at some ways people are still using the classics to inform their idea of how they and others should live. We will do our best to evaluate both the accuracy of the underlying history and culture and how well ancient ways of life hold up today.
​
Until then, best of luck with the ends of your school years! I’m excited to meet you all in just over a month!
Joseph