5/16/2018 0 Comments Just Getting StartedCampUS 2017
This is one of the very first things we do when we all arrive together. We get together in small groups just to get to know one another. After a few minutes of that we are instructed by a counselor to create a skit on a difficult situation a deaf or hard of hearing person might go through in the real world. We then act it out and see how many people relate. It's crazy how we all understand one another when acting these skits out. So for final discussion we all meet back together and share a time when we went through a situation where we could.
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6/9/2017 0 Comments Campus TourThis is the Ohio Union. We stopped here on our visit because it is important to keep a good social life while in college but not being able to hear should not hold anyone back. We talked about some good solutions to overcoming the loud crowd that would be at a popular place like this. Maybe pulling the conversation to a quieter place or just making the person aware of your difficulty hearing. This was important because it teaches overcoming a frustrating situation.
6/9/2017 0 Comments Stop #2 on the TourThis statue is right outside the library we stopped at. In this building we learned how as a college student having a quiet outlet for studies is important. We saw many examples of that as we walked through. While being in a quiet environment it comes with its challenges, meaning softer speaking and lifeless lips as others are talking. As a hard of hearing person myself being able to read lips is very important so when people become unaware of their lip movement it is my job to make it known that I need the extra assistance when they are speaking.
6/7/2017 0 Comments Having Some FunAfter we've toured the campus and had some dinner it was time for some relaxation at the RPAC. Not only was this to take a little break but it was also for bonding skills. A few of us decided to play a new version of volleyball where instead of yelling the number we all looked at the person serving the ball to give us a number in sign language. For some of us who didn't use sign language this was a good learning opportunity to learn something new. I still remember how to sign those numbers for when I go back and see my friends again.
6/6/2017 0 Comments New ActivitiesThis is my friend Mia with our "questionnaire" beach ball. On the beach ball were many different questions whether they be personal or opinion based. With this group activity we threw around the ball and as the ball was caught, we had to see which question our thumb was placed on and which ever one it landed on that was the question you answered. It was an overall fun activity because not only did we get to hear more about one another, it also helped with public speaking skills. Some people there were just a little uncomfortable but in a crowd full of peers who are just like you makes it so much easier.
6/5/2017 0 Comments The Next MorningAt this camp we stay overnight in the dorms at OSU to get the real college experience. I roomed with my friend Katie, pictured in the lower right corner. Together we set our alarms so that they would be loud enough for us to hear the next morning at 7:30. We got ready for the day and headed out to eat breakfast. After that we broke out into small groups with counselors to discuss empowerment. Further discussing how we are like "normal" people who can hear. We have one minor setback and that is hearing. We live our whole lives through experiences so we can overcome our daily obstacles that come our way.
6/4/2017 0 Comments Another Small Group SessionIn our next small group session we talked about advocation. This is important to us because we are slightly different than the rest, and we need to know how important it is to be true to who we are. The counselors talked to us about their young lives in high school and how they stood up for who they are. They talked about how they had a very supportive family and friend base and how that is important to have as you transition to college. This really left a positive mark in my head even until today. From this group discussion I feel like I learned the most and still carry that knowledge with me today.
6/3/2017 0 Comments Service DogWhen the counselors kept telling us we had a surprise guest no one would've thought that it would've been this cute service dog. It's not commonly thought about that people use service dogs for the deaf but they really do help. Say this lady was trying to cross the street and didn't hear a car coming or a horn going off, that is when the dog is there to tug at her and let her know she could be in danger. The guest had her husband come in with her and he explained her story about her severe sickness that caused her to go almost 100% deaf. He talked about how the dog saved the lady from a fire by tugging at her to tell her the fire alarms were going off when she couldn't hear them. I thought this was an amazing story and I'm glad she joined us to inspire many.
6/2/2017 0 Comments FriendshipsWith the last few minutes we had before our final activity of the weekend we got together and shared some of our good times we had. This is also the chance for people to share what they liked doing at the camp or maybe some request for the next year. It was a mini social hour and a little mini goodbye as we all travel back to our different cities of Ohio. While we were in this lobby we also got goodie bags which contained our matching T-shirts, water bottles, and many other cool items. And just before we left we all put down our phone numbers and social media so we could all keep in touch. Still to this day I talk to one of my best friends I made at this camp and her name is Courtney.
6/1/2017 0 Comments KeynoteThe final thing we do before heading home is have a guest speaker come in that is also hearing impaired and have them share their story. Since I've been attending this camp they have invited some pretty extraordinary people. This picture is from 2 years ago when we had both, Elena LaQuatra and Emma Faye come in and speak to us. They are both superstars in my eyes because Elena is Miss Pennsylvania and Emma is Miss San Antonio, and that just amazes me. They really know what it's like to have self confidence and advocation for themselves. Hearing their story and how they got to what they've accomplished is very inspiring. This was the best way to end the camp. Feeling moved, motivated and knowledgeable. I learned so much from my peers, the counselors and the keynote speakers and it is an experience I will hold with me for forever.
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