Written by: First-year student Ji Yongyun
The annual intensive camp event was held this year from October 15 to 16 at our school’s Linkou campus, Linkou Laogongqi Trail, and Sanxia Community, featuring a two-day, one-night experience. The first day was divided into two main parts. First, we engaged in ice-breaking activities with our group partners to interact and get to know each other. Then, we used teamwork and brainstorming to solve problems and accomplish tasks. During this process, I learned to accept and embrace different ideas and to collaborate through negotiation to complete tasks. Our group’s task was to retrieve name tags placed far away without stepping on the rope on the ground, which was quite challenging. As the tallest in our group, I took the lead as the first person to retrieve a name tag from mid-air. After moving everyone’s name tags closer, the other team members each retrieved their own tags. Completing this challenging task not only gave us a strong sense of achievement but also strengthened the bonds between group members.
In the afternoon, we hiked the Laogongqi Trail, allowing the college students to step outside and enjoy the beauty of nature. While relaxing our minds and bodies, we also achieved a certain level of physical exercise. Due to the rain, the trail was quite slippery, and in some sections, there were no handrails, so we had to climb up. Throughout the hike, team members encouraged each other and reminded everyone to stay safe, which allowed us to successfully reach the Friendly Pavilion before heading back. Along the way, we saw a century-old sacred tree standing tall and reaching towards the sky, and the sound of water flowing gently under a small bridge created a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere, making it easy to leave all worries behind.
In the evening of the first day, the teachers led the college students in deep exchanges. Each group recorded the most memorable moments of the day through drawing, creating posters to share with the other groups. I noticed that several students had excellent drawing skills, which were quite impressive! After the sharing session, I found it fascinating how we all visited the same places, did the same activities, and admired the same scenery, yet the things we observed were completely different. It made me realize how important communication and sharing are for stimulating new ideas.
The college organized a local creative life activity visit the next day, exploring the公益店铺 (public welfare store) established by "Ganle Cultural and Creative" in the Sanxia community. Unfortunately, due to bad weather, we were unable to carry out the creek-cleaning activity, which was a bit disappointing. However, the subsequent tour of Sanxia's traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage was so captivatingthat it made us forget the earlier regret. Ganle Cultural and Creative has uncovered many traditional crafts and cultural stories from Sanxia, combining the local humanities and landscapes to offer creative design and culturally immersive experiences. They are actively engaged in social welfare, environmental protection, and other activities, aligning with several SDGs from the United Nations. This allowed everyone on the trip to practice the spirit of environmental care and land preservation. The "Xiao Cao Bookstore" and "Qing Cao Vocational Training School" under Ganle Cultural and Creative teach various traditional crafts through professional masters, fostering cultural roots, achieving cultural inheritance, and caring for students. They have also brought more warmth and sparks of creativity to Sanxia.
Research has shown that young people in their teens and twenties are the most likely group to change the world. Filled with ideals, we are eager to try. With just a little more courage, a little more willingness to try, and by helping each other, collaborating, and brainstorming, if we bravely step out of our comfort zones, we can surely bring innovation and positive change to the world.
