So comes the end of our tenth day at Shad Valley Queens. I cannot count how many times I have heard one of my fellow Shadians say ‘It’s ONLY been ten days?! It feels like a month!’ Not because we are tired or bored, but because of the tight bonds between friends that have formed and the tight-knit community that has developed. It’s hard to believe we only met for the first time a mere week and a half ago.
One might think that it would be hard to write about what would appear to be just a normal day at Shad but that’s simply not true. I’m sure I speak for all the Shads at Queens when I say that each day here is distinctive, unique and full of new experiences. As usual I started off the day with a refreshing run around the Queens campus, soaking in my relatively new surroundings.
In this mornings lecture Mary Hamoodi from Shad International visited us and pressed upon us the significance of our participation in Shad. Mary reiterated how becoming a part of the Shad community is a life-long connection. The speech had a huge impact on my fellow shads and I and I’m sure many contemplated these words on the breezy walk back to McNeil. After project time and the afternoon’s activities we got to take part in either yoga or fencing. I took part in the yoga activity, which was very unique as the session took place in a long banquet hall, reminiscent of Harry Potter (which excited everyone to say the least). The night consisted of dinner, house meetings and our first round of ‘Shadnars’ including informative demonstrations ranging from Karate kicks to Rubik’s cube solutions. The night will probably end with a rousing round of ghost stories, mafia and Chinese whispers with a couple of new found friends.
I can’t express in this short blog how surprising, challenging and eye-opening Shad Valley 2011 has been for me…and we are only ten days in. Lets see how the rest unfolds.
Aislinn MacPhail, Shad Valley Queen’s 2011
Hometown: Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
July 12 - Day 10
Here I am at Shad,
Oh! The fun I had!
Aren't I glad,
That today was rad?!
The morning was same,
Wake up early, *yawn* lame :(!
But I was excited for the games,
That the schedule had named!
The morning held a seminar,
To help us in the future to go very far,
It was all about marketing,
So we can sell people more things!
Next came "Comite",
C'est ce qu'on a appele,
Le temps a Laval ou on fait planifier,
Nos spectacles et banquets et fabuleuses dines!
Puis les "Olympiads",
C'est l'activite physique pour les Shads,
We assembled tents as fast as we could,
And riddles worked our brains like they should.
Dinner was delicious,
And I did laundry right after,
The next time slot,
We became project attackers!
Finally, my favorite part of the day,
Very outrageous and loud, I must say!
A Shad Late Night,
Ici a Laval!
We had a spectacular dance-off!
And the crowd laughed and WOWed!
It was all great fun,
AN AMAZING DAY :D!
Ici a Shad Laval,
J'aime bien mon ete!
Kevin Tran, Shad Valley Laval 2011
Hometown: Richmond Hill, ON
Oh! The fun I had!
Aren't I glad,
That today was rad?!
The morning was same,
Wake up early, *yawn* lame :(!
But I was excited for the games,
That the schedule had named!
The morning held a seminar,
To help us in the future to go very far,
It was all about marketing,
So we can sell people more things!
Next came "Comite",
C'est ce qu'on a appele,
Le temps a Laval ou on fait planifier,
Nos spectacles et banquets et fabuleuses dines!
Puis les "Olympiads",
C'est l'activite physique pour les Shads,
We assembled tents as fast as we could,
And riddles worked our brains like they should.
Dinner was delicious,
And I did laundry right after,
The next time slot,
We became project attackers!
Finally, my favorite part of the day,
Very outrageous and loud, I must say!
A Shad Late Night,
Ici a Laval!
We had a spectacular dance-off!
And the crowd laughed and WOWed!
It was all great fun,
AN AMAZING DAY :D!
Ici a Shad Laval,
J'aime bien mon ete!
Kevin Tran, Shad Valley Laval 2011
Hometown: Richmond Hill, ON
Monday, July 11, 2011
July 11 - Day 9
My morning began at the crack of dawn, when the orange sun was peering over the horizon. When the clock hit 6:37am my alarm sprang to life. It buzzed and paused until I surrendered and woke up. Realizing the fact that the first lecture began at 8:25am, I wasted no time and got to work right away.
Our daily schedule was a split between lectures and activities. During the first lecture on journalism I was able to gain in depth knowledge of the technology, skills and processes behind the television scene. Above all, I recognized the fact that individuals working in the journalism industry have to cope with a tremendous amount of stress and pressure. They only have one chance to present the news. From that experience, I was able to break through my fear of failing and taking risks in life and truly appreciate the comments made by others. Through Skype lecturing, we were able to hear from Alex Shipillo, our guest lecturer. He is an extraordinary individual, and a Shad alum himself! His inspirational lecture motivated me to aim high and forget the past and he let us know about numerous workshops and activities that we could participate in. At the end of the lecture, I realized how it only takes passion and action to achieve or accomplish anything in life. Life is a roller coaster - look forward and forget the past.
In conclusion, even though some of the lectures consisted of principals and ideas that I would experience in the future, I was able to apply that to my daily life. I want to create my own opportunities and hold on to the knowledge I gained. I want to maximize the Shad experience by getting to know each and every single Shad and staff member!
John Lee, Shad Valley Carleton University 2011
Hometown: Surrey, BC
Our daily schedule was a split between lectures and activities. During the first lecture on journalism I was able to gain in depth knowledge of the technology, skills and processes behind the television scene. Above all, I recognized the fact that individuals working in the journalism industry have to cope with a tremendous amount of stress and pressure. They only have one chance to present the news. From that experience, I was able to break through my fear of failing and taking risks in life and truly appreciate the comments made by others. Through Skype lecturing, we were able to hear from Alex Shipillo, our guest lecturer. He is an extraordinary individual, and a Shad alum himself! His inspirational lecture motivated me to aim high and forget the past and he let us know about numerous workshops and activities that we could participate in. At the end of the lecture, I realized how it only takes passion and action to achieve or accomplish anything in life. Life is a roller coaster - look forward and forget the past.
In conclusion, even though some of the lectures consisted of principals and ideas that I would experience in the future, I was able to apply that to my daily life. I want to create my own opportunities and hold on to the knowledge I gained. I want to maximize the Shad experience by getting to know each and every single Shad and staff member!
John Lee, Shad Valley Carleton University 2011
Hometown: Surrey, BC
July 11 - Day 9
The day started out as any other: my roommate and I fumbling around the room half awake, trying to get dressed, and bounding down five flights of stairs. We then rushed off to a scrumptious breakfast where our co-directors briefed us on the itinerary for the day, which was spotted by outbursts of puns and songs.
For a quarter of the Shads, today wasn't just any Shadtastic day. It was a day where those adept in chemistry, physics, and math were whisked away to Xerox's research and development facility located in Mississauga.
As we unloaded the two vans, I changed from my comfy runners into sleek black business heels. Before us stood a massive brown building with epic fountains cascading all along the front. Just as the heat and humidity was creeping into my curls and unraveling them, we stepped into the question-marked shaped (and thankfully air conditioned) Xerox building.
Upon receiving custom-made, pre-printed nametags that beheld all I've heard about Xerox's printing services, we entered the Nexus Room. It was a well-lit, professional meeting room, as if straight from Wall Street. It was complete with its own three flat-screen TV's to view documents, all mounted in front of a U-shaped table. From there, my enriching and surprising experience began.
Though the majority of the day was focused around chemists who explained how different toners and ink are created, and passionate physicists who manufacture photoreceptors, I was pleased to see that Xerox also educated us on what different business and environmental aspects they have to consider before funding a project.
All in all, the tour of million-dollar equipment, demonstrations, labs, and the playful creation of "Shad Valley Chemicals, Inc." was memorable. But I think the most valuable advice I received today was from researcher Jordan Wosnick who said that to work in the crucial field of developing science, you have to be patient, but impatient at the same time. He then explained that one must be able to conduct multiple experiments without becoming too frustrated, but still be excited enough to have the motivation to finish the project and get those results!
Today I ventured into the new world of research, development, and business, and was enthralled by all the knowledge I had the opportunity to collect. And, I can't wait for tomorrow!
Dayah Johal, Shad McMaster University 2011
Hometown: Richmond, BC
For a quarter of the Shads, today wasn't just any Shadtastic day. It was a day where those adept in chemistry, physics, and math were whisked away to Xerox's research and development facility located in Mississauga.
As we unloaded the two vans, I changed from my comfy runners into sleek black business heels. Before us stood a massive brown building with epic fountains cascading all along the front. Just as the heat and humidity was creeping into my curls and unraveling them, we stepped into the question-marked shaped (and thankfully air conditioned) Xerox building.
Upon receiving custom-made, pre-printed nametags that beheld all I've heard about Xerox's printing services, we entered the Nexus Room. It was a well-lit, professional meeting room, as if straight from Wall Street. It was complete with its own three flat-screen TV's to view documents, all mounted in front of a U-shaped table. From there, my enriching and surprising experience began.
Though the majority of the day was focused around chemists who explained how different toners and ink are created, and passionate physicists who manufacture photoreceptors, I was pleased to see that Xerox also educated us on what different business and environmental aspects they have to consider before funding a project.
All in all, the tour of million-dollar equipment, demonstrations, labs, and the playful creation of "Shad Valley Chemicals, Inc." was memorable. But I think the most valuable advice I received today was from researcher Jordan Wosnick who said that to work in the crucial field of developing science, you have to be patient, but impatient at the same time. He then explained that one must be able to conduct multiple experiments without becoming too frustrated, but still be excited enough to have the motivation to finish the project and get those results!
Today I ventured into the new world of research, development, and business, and was enthralled by all the knowledge I had the opportunity to collect. And, I can't wait for tomorrow!
Dayah Johal, Shad McMaster University 2011
Hometown: Richmond, BC
July 11- Day 9
Memorial University grounds proved to be very windy this morning as myself and thirteen other Shads made a 7am trip to the athletics building. After an hour of intense early-morning badminton, we all headed over to the dining hall to officially wake up and indulge ourselves in the usual buffet breakfast. Upon finishing breakfast, all 48 Shads headed back to the dorm quarters – just in time to leave for lectures at 8:45am!
The first lecture was regarding sales forecasts for new ventures, and the next lecture was all about internal waves in different densities of fluids. Both were very informative and useful towards our house projects!
Then it was off to the dining hall again, to grab some pasta before travelling to our respective seminars. The seminar I attended was probably the highlight of my day. It was all about Newfoundland music and dance, and halfway through the workshop, an Inuit drumming band came and taught us traditional dance, songs, and games of their culture. Dinnertime arrived all too soon, quickly followed by a House meeting and then – drum roll please – idea vetting for our project in front of a panel of experts. After the long day, a snack, and quick socializing, bedtime had arrived. Thus was the close of another typical day at Shad MUN!
Julie Huttemann, Shad Memorial University of Newfoundland 2011
Hometown: Rossland, BC
The first lecture was regarding sales forecasts for new ventures, and the next lecture was all about internal waves in different densities of fluids. Both were very informative and useful towards our house projects!
Then it was off to the dining hall again, to grab some pasta before travelling to our respective seminars. The seminar I attended was probably the highlight of my day. It was all about Newfoundland music and dance, and halfway through the workshop, an Inuit drumming band came and taught us traditional dance, songs, and games of their culture. Dinnertime arrived all too soon, quickly followed by a House meeting and then – drum roll please – idea vetting for our project in front of a panel of experts. After the long day, a snack, and quick socializing, bedtime had arrived. Thus was the close of another typical day at Shad MUN!
Julie Huttemann, Shad Memorial University of Newfoundland 2011
Hometown: Rossland, BC
Sunday, July 10, 2011
July 10 - Day 8
It’s been one week today since our arrival at Shad UNB. We are 58 diverse students from across the country, yet somehow we already feel like a family after only a few days of knowing each other.
Today, our second Sunday as fellow Shads, was the perfect way to end an exciting weekend. After sleeping in, finishing our laundry from the camping trip, and eating brunch at the meal hall, we walked twenty five minutes to beautiful downtown Fredericton. We received a very interesting tour of Beaverbrook Art Gallery, which is New Brunswick’s most well-known art gallery and is home to numerous exquisite pieces of art from many different time periods. We also enjoyed some free time and group games in the sun on the bank of the Saint John River. We walked back to the UNB campus and ate dinner in the meal hall before having “Shad time” (free time!) After Shad time, we had a hilarious improv workshop, which was a lot of fun for everyone. Finally, we ended the night with a Piano-themed “Late Night” where we saw the incredible piano talent among our fellow Shads. Our first week at Shad UNB has been unbelievable and we can’t wait for more Shad experiences to come!
Nicole Pitre, Shad University of New Brunswick 2011
Hometown: Burlington, ON
Today, our second Sunday as fellow Shads, was the perfect way to end an exciting weekend. After sleeping in, finishing our laundry from the camping trip, and eating brunch at the meal hall, we walked twenty five minutes to beautiful downtown Fredericton. We received a very interesting tour of Beaverbrook Art Gallery, which is New Brunswick’s most well-known art gallery and is home to numerous exquisite pieces of art from many different time periods. We also enjoyed some free time and group games in the sun on the bank of the Saint John River. We walked back to the UNB campus and ate dinner in the meal hall before having “Shad time” (free time!) After Shad time, we had a hilarious improv workshop, which was a lot of fun for everyone. Finally, we ended the night with a Piano-themed “Late Night” where we saw the incredible piano talent among our fellow Shads. Our first week at Shad UNB has been unbelievable and we can’t wait for more Shad experiences to come!
Nicole Pitre, Shad University of New Brunswick 2011
Hometown: Burlington, ON
July 10 - Day 8
To start off another incredible day at Shad Valley Dalhousie, the other Shads and I were delighted to be able to sleep in later than usual, especially following our long hike on Cape Split to the Bay of Fundy yesterday. At 11am, I met with my house project group. After an hour of seemingly getting nowhere with an idea for our product, we finally agreed on an idea! There was great excitement about our progress.
At 1:30pm, the Shads gathered together and we were divided into groups of 5 for an Engineering Challenge. Our goal was to create a device using a mousetrap that would launch a ball and knock over 10 bowling pins. My group, the “M&M Meat Launchers, tied for 1st place!
Next, it was time for me to present my “ShadSpeak”. I spoke to my fellow shads about my passion for songwriting, and performed one of my original songs. I was amazed at the reception I received from the other Shads. As the first week comes to a close, I can say with certainty that this experience has already stretched my limits and changed many of my perspectives, and I know it has much more in store.
Jacqueline Pitre, Shad Valley Dalhousie University 2011
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
At 1:30pm, the Shads gathered together and we were divided into groups of 5 for an Engineering Challenge. Our goal was to create a device using a mousetrap that would launch a ball and knock over 10 bowling pins. My group, the “M&M Meat Launchers, tied for 1st place!
Next, it was time for me to present my “ShadSpeak”. I spoke to my fellow shads about my passion for songwriting, and performed one of my original songs. I was amazed at the reception I received from the other Shads. As the first week comes to a close, I can say with certainty that this experience has already stretched my limits and changed many of my perspectives, and I know it has much more in store.
Jacqueline Pitre, Shad Valley Dalhousie University 2011
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
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