As I entered West Hall on the first day of the High School Journalism Institute, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The writing aspect of the camp, I was prepared for, but spending a week away from home with strangers was a new experience. Duffel bag slung over my shoulder and key in hand, I fumbled with the door, wondering what I would find on the other side. Finally, the lock clicked, revealing the face of someone who I would soon come to consider a friend.
Curly auburn hair. Wire-framed glasses. A shy smile.
“Hi,” she said. “I’m Eliana.”…