WJI 2021, Day 12 AM - A Bittersweet End in Sight

It’s officially the middle of the week, and it may be the most bittersweet Wednesday I’ve had in a long time. With consistent 12-hour days, I’m exhausted. It feels like I’m in varsity soccer pre-season intensive training but without the ice baths. Still, as tired as I am mentally and physically, I can’t believe how much drive I still have. I love it here, and I’ve felt so motivated throughout this entire experience.

In our three groups, broadcast, feature writing, or hard news, we’ve all hit the grind the last few days. With only 48 hours left, we’ve all dispersed and are trying to get finished copies of either handwritten articles or video stand-ups. I remember at the beginning of the week I was a little disappointed to be told I didn’t get to edit my pieces at the end, but, oh my goodness, am I thankful to Ben he will be editing our videos. I’m going to need every last hour I can get to finish my pieces. And I know my classmates are feeling the same way.

I’m in the broadcast group, which, initially, surprised me, but I’m loving it. I had never filmed a stand-up before last week, and so watching myself report news has felt weird. I notice all my little quirks. I will press my lips to the right in between takes when I’m nervous or raise my eyebrows a little too much. Growing up, I’ve always had people tell me how incredibly expressive my face is, and I guess my open-bookness is finally paying off.

I’m really looking forward to finishing my projects and also hearing from others, as I know how hard we’ve all been working. The evening’s are always fun and renewing though. We’re looking forward to a bonfire, then an ice cream night, which are incredible experiences to grow closer to both each other and our professors. Apparently teenage Pitts was in the kitchen making tacos at Taco Sid’s during a drug raid, and had a fascination with taking revenge on garbage cans.

I’m going to miss these people so much, as well as how much I’ve been pushed in an academic sense. Having the excuse to just go up to strangers and talk to them makes my heart so happy, and I really hope it’s in God’s plans for me to keep doing this work. But I still have two days left, so I don’t have to prep for goodbye’s quite yet.

- Mikaela Wegne