⌨ Interdimensional Files: Mouse's SWC Co-Leader App
approximately 3150 words, not including the excerpt!

About Me
Hey y’all <33 it’s your local cabin wars menace, Rose here, ready to tell you all about herself for her app. Well, maybe not all about herself, it is important to stay anonymous and safe online, but enough to qualify as a reasonable about me.
I come from the faraway realm of est, where all of the best people come from, though you should expect to see me awake at all hours of my night. Don’t worry, I’m not completely insane. Though feel free to try and convince me to sleep, I need it.
There are a lot of things I love, and we’re going to try to go over them quickly, starting with music.
Music. Incredible and beautiful and awe-inspiring and one of my first loves. For a less poetic explanation, I have taken music classes since I was teeny tiny, later starting violin, briefly trying to teach myself the flute, singing in musical theater, and finally just learning how to sing and play violin for fun. Music has been such an important journey in my life and I am so glad to have everyone who helped me along the way.
I am currently trying to teach myself guitar and piano as well to add to my repertoire. My mother always says that music is an important skill to have as well as an important language to know, and I would like to be as fluent as possible.
My next love is reading. Ever since I was young, my parents have worked to develop a deep appreciation for literature in me, and I have continued that journey on my own as I discover so much about myself through incredible books. Currently, my favorite ones are the Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo, the Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater, and Babel by RF Kuang. The reason I call these my favorites is a love for the characters and dynamics upon rereads, but also this telltale feeling I get whenever I finish, a primal instinct that I never want this book to end. With Babel however, it was so much more than that. It was having to step away from the book because my feelings felt like they were going to overflow, it was tear stains marking the pages, it was wildly high rushes quickly followed by sobbing lows as RF Kuang tortured her characters, it was all of the intricate plot building and addictive character dynamics. It was every moment that I struggled to comprehend the masterpiece that lay before me and that was something incredibly special.
And finally I close this up with a hopefully as poetic piece about writing and my love for SWC.
Even through my struggles to open a new page and my solution of one ams on ao3, I have never stopped loving the ability to see an idea that someone else decided was worth the light and then refined into an art that gave me a spectrum of experiences beyond my meager thirteen years.
Writing is a gift given from someone who decided that somehow humans deserved a way to put all of their huge messy feelings on paper, a way to gift others something that said so much more than speech, a way to bare your souls without ever telling a single thing about yourself yet also showing your cracks and crevices to every corner of this earth.
I fell in love with writing as soon as I could put down my first idea, my brain bursting with stories I needed to tell. It was paper and pencil and bad spelling and copy-paste characters of me and incomplete endings and then it evolved, as everything does with practice. It became two sentence stories with my classmates and outlines hidden deep in folders to never be found and learning the mechanics of this magical tool. And then it became SWC and chaotic last minute dailies and rambles for cabin wars and accidental masterpiece weeklies and I finally realized how precious it was that we were given this. It became something that evolved into a skill I took for granted but never stopped loving. It became an amazing, incredible, community of talented people who would stand by my side through everything and that is something I will never take for granted because I love y’all so much and the glancing at a profile and clicking on the March ‘24 script cabin and filling out that sign up form in July was a series of wonderful happenings that have changed my life forever. It is a gift that keeps on giving and I hope to someday be able to give back as much as I received.
Yet as much as I love these, I have challenges as well, mainly neurodivergence.
When I was nine months old, my mom looked at me and decided my brain was exactly like hers. Then I grew up and I was a functional human being for twelve years. I was a helping hand, I was a genius, I was someone she could rely on.
Around the time I turned twelve, everything got worse. I was still a genius, all of the gifts were still there, I was just also blessed with an increasing amount of what I described as bad days. Days when executive dysfunction decided to exist, and then it was months when executive dysfunction decided to exist, and then it was my life that I had to struggle where it used to be easy, that I had to suffer and be shown that since the first years of my life were so easy, the rest of it would be ten times harder than a neurotypical’s.
There is also autism, which presents its own unique challenges, such as sensory overload and a complete lack of social skills. I love having a brain that is absolutely incredible at pattern recognition and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, no matter the absurd amount of challenges.
Anyways, that’s me, even if you don’t decide to give me an offer, or don’t have the power to do that, I hope you found someone you can chat with anytime in this mess of words <33

Previous Participation
This will be my fifth session of SWC, my first being July ‘24. My past cabins are as follows:
July ‘24 - Bi-Fi Minion Mania - Camper
November ‘24 - Bangsian Fields - Camper
March ‘25 - Action Into The Spiderverse - Camper
July ‘25 - Apocalyptic SpaceUN - Camper
I feel as though each of my sessions have taught me something special that I have brought along to continue my journey through life. My first session was a welcome, it showed me a glimpse of how incredible y'all are and gave me the gift of aspirations. I knew that I wanted to be as much a part of this community as everyone else seemed to be, and that has grown into applying for co, the current culmination of these hopes
November ‘24 was my second session and it gave me the gift of community, of people I could rely on. I loved being in bangsian and I feel like that was the first time that everyone here became people to me, with character traits and inside jokes. It wasn’t just watching this well-oiled machine of writing exercises and friendly conversations anymore, it was seeing all of these incredible people and friendships beyond just writing. I learned how to interact with everyone through scratch's intermediary and I learned that this in itself is a gift.
March ‘25 was my third session and it gave me the gift of skill. After two sessions of SWC, and so much writing, my skill had improved. It was definitely not the cringey fanfics I would write before, now the simple practice and the gift of being able to read other people’s writing had payed off and I began to feel proud of what I had created. I finally began to carve out a place for myself in SWC, people knew me. I learned how to write something people wanted to read, which felt amazing.
July ‘25 is my most recent session and it gave me the gift of understanding. The accumulation of past experience and everything I did then have helped me to feel as though my place here has been cemented. This application is because I want to be a part of what happens behind the scenes, I would like to make my mark on SWC as more than just a camper who sent an unfathomable amount of wars.
Most of my writing experience is through SWC and I haven’t entered in any competitions or been recognized in this one.
As for leadership experience, I did a week of leadership development in May through several exercises, trips, and activities. I also have experience as a leader as one of the older and more advanced students at my violin studio. I am a part of the student ambassadors program at my school, which focuses on showing people who would come to our school next year what that experience looks like and includes giving tours and public speaking.
Each quarter at my school, we are required to have 9 service hours to help us learn how to serve and be helpful towards our community. This adds up to 36 service hours each year, plus occasionally extra. I believe that the same life skills that these service hour requirements are designed to give are useful in a leadership position in SWC and that experience would help me to be an empathetic and camper-focused leader.

Cabin Preferences
I’ve been thinking of a fanfic cabin that’s an SWC fanfic. The premise would be everyone meeting up for an in-person SWC session and having fun together for the first few days—there would be a lot of roleplay. Storyline volunteers would then participate in creating chaos, perhaps someone commits arson and they have to figure out who. A series of chaotic events that resemble past SWChaos with suspects that the campers have to figure out.
I would also love to lead a Broadway/musical theater themed cabin (either lyric or script, most likely, but real-fi might work for this idea) where campers go through the processes performing a show, their being sorted was callbacks, but if some of them wanted to work tech or costumes that might be an option. The leaders would be the directors, and maybe a stage manager, and the campers would have activities that revolve around the process of putting on a show.
These are both just rough ideas that would definitely be refined and likely changed if I was chosen to lead any of them.
As for co-leading, I would open to pretty much any genre, however if I get multiple offers somehow, I may decide using storyline or genre.
I would prefer not to (co)-lead tctwnw this session due to a preference for a competitive cabin as that is a part of SWC I personally enjoy.

Time Dedication
I should be able to dedicate quite a lot of time to SWC this November. While I will have school, and so I will be less active than july, I should be able to dedicate around two hours most weekdays, with around three to four or more on weekends. It will definitely be harder in Mondays, so expect an hour or less then, because I have dance class and then violin, taking up from five thirty to past eight, plus driving times and I get home from school at almost five. I also have theater on Thursday, but that is only theater so it shouldn’t be as much of a stretch.
Time dedication is rarely a problem for me as long as I can stay on top of my school work, which I believe won’t be much of a problem as the first semester I haven’t burnt out and can still finish everything on time.
I am now trying to go to bed at midnight most nights, so I will likely be unavailable from twelve to six am est hopefully most days, but other than that, I will be online at all times of the day.


Time Management
I would say I have lots of strengths in time management, but naturally many shortcomings as well. I do struggle with procrastination like most SWCers, plus extra roadblacks such as time blindness and executive dysfunction make it a challenge, I would say I have a good track record with time management in real life. I can consistently finish work on time and have many tactics that I use to help such as lists and deadlines. The sorting of everything into a list makes it easy for me to plan out and just do, while deadlines add pressure that forces me to work.
One of my main shortcomings is in time estimations, I can often say that I will have something done by a certain time and then completely forget about it. Reminders are appreciated for things that I am supposed to do and I would suggest setting early deadlines in case I forget about it. Once I actually start something, I can generally finish it very quickly.
There are many situations in which I do struggle with time management, but I don't believe that this will be one of them.
I will not make any guarantees or promises, because while I feel confident now, I can often overestimate my skills and abilities, and I can definitely guarantee this will not be a perfect run where I am functional 100% of the time.

Collaboration & Assets
I bring many strengths to a leadership team, namely a strong problem solving brain. My brain thinks very fast and can see many solutions and possibilities for specific situations. This is useful because having someone who can take a unique and clever approach is great when unforeseen problems arise, whether midsession, or when brainstorming.
Adding on to this, I am clever and creative, which have similar advantages around problem solving and coming up with ideas.
Of course, I have weaknesses as well, some being that I can be pushy with my ideas and not let go of them in favor of better ideas given by other people. Similarly, I can be a bit controlling and that is never good.
Personal challenges with my neurological skills will be a weakness for me, and that isn’t something I can think my way out of. Rejection sensitive dysphoria is a roadblock and there is really nothing I can do about it other than be self-aware. I want constructive criticism, it is just that my brain reacts to it badly.
These are all weaknesses and while I hope they won’t be as bad as I fear, simply through the power of knowing what they are, there is, as I said before, definitely no 100% guarantee that this will run smoothly.

Reasons For Applying
Okay, the new question. This is my second time applying, and the first time I don’t even know why. It wasn’t a very good app, but it taught me a bit and this app wouldn’t be the same if I hadn’t taken that opportunity two sessions ago.
I think there are a lot of answers I can give here, but I am going to try to give the one that feels the most honest and real.
Because I want to. Not for some noble reason like I want to make SWC better for people (I mean, I still do, that’s just not the reason.) But because I want to lead. I want to experience this part of SWC that I haven’t gotten to yet, I want to understand what it’s like, I want to become a better person because of this responsibility, I want to get to know people better and make friends and I want this.
I know that isn’t the best possible answer, there are going to be people out there who want this so they can show people their incredible ideas or so they can be helpful and show new SWCers a great first experience, and don’t get me wrong, I want those too. That just isn’t why I decided to apply. I decided to apply because I want to be a leader, and that is honest and I’m not going to hide that.

Cabin Atmosphere
This cabin is focused on making friendships and lasting memories, with lots of support for campers individual goals and improvement. (132 characters)

Checkboxes
A.
- I will be available to help add points in the main cabin consistently throughout camp
- I’m willing to share a promotional project for SWC

B.
No, I am able to complete all leadership responsibilities listed in the FAQ

C.
I’m case of inactive leadership by one of the other leaders, I will wait three days, continuously checking in on scratch, and possibly a different platform if available (such as Canva.) After three days, I will discuss with the other leader making sure things we had planned for the other person to complete are still going to be completed.
After a week of continuing to check in regularly, we will bring it up with the hosts, and depending on how early or late we are in the session, we may choose someone else to fill in for the absent leader’s responsibilities.
If I am going to be absent from scratch, I will make sure to let the other leaders know in advance, if possible, and make sure a similar plan can be followed, though of course I won’t always know ahead of time, so sometimes they will just have to follow their plan and if I can let them know in any way, I will.

Excerpt
Their head was filled with a repeating tape of Anya shooting that person. Up goes the hand with the gun, click goes the trigger, bang goes the gunshot, whoosh goes the bullet, down goes the person. Blank goes Anya's eyes. They had known people would die. Had known that this was not a job for those with strict morals. But he had thought it would be from far away, a click of the trigger and an explosion. Something he could look at and think of the outpost exploding, not as people being killed.
They hadn't thought it would mean watching the body of a man crumple onto the ground as their world stretched and warped to include Anya with a gun, Anya pulling the trigger, Anya killing a human person who was right in front of her.
”Are you okay?“ They looked behind them to see Anya standing there looking so so sad that they just reached their arms around her and pulled the two of them into a hug. It wasn't very comforting, but it felt good to know that Anya, the one he had met and gotten to know through hundreds of afternoons and mornings spent just talking and talking and talking about whatever came to their mind was still in that shell somewhere.
They separated and Rylen looked into Anya's normally bright and shining eyes. ”I don't know,“ he said. ”Can we … just talk?“
Anya looked at him, straight in the eyes, and tried to smile, a broken thing that just looking at made Rylen's eyes begin to fill. No matter who they thought they knew, it was very clear Anya was hurting and they wanted to help her.
—
”You know I was raised into the rebellion?“ Rylen knew, and it was different from them. She had been raised onto the battlefield, he had been raised in a home where he was taught that the government was bad, where he experienced it, where he learned. She had been raised in a home where she learned how to fight the government, and later where she did fight it.
”My dad always told me about how he felt. About how hard it was to walk out there every day and know that you were hurting people who had lives and families and friends. He said that as long as I didn't lose sight of the fact that these were people too, that they had made bad choices, and that was the only reason they deserved to be hurt.
“I tried,” she said, looking at Rylen, eyes emptied of anything but the dull shine of desperation, “believe me, I tried so, so, so, hard. And then last year I pulled the trigger on someone to save a friend.” Anya was full-on sobbing now, and Rylen could do nothing but watch her collapse in front of them. “And I-I,” she sniffled and took a deep breath. “I didn't feel anything. At all. No guilt, no sign that someone's life had ended right in front of me, and because of me. I know I'm supposed to, hurting people is bad, even when they're bad too. I felt guilty, but not because I had killed them, because I didn't feel bad about it.”
She leaned into him and he wrapped his arms around her small frame. But not because I had killed them. He felt like that too, sometimes. Like he wanted to ruin the lives of everyone who would've stood by while Liza was murdered, even if they weren't there, even if they never had the chance. Even if, some days, that included him.
Anya pulled away for a second, that desperate, dull, shine in her eyes. “Please don't let this change anything, please just let us pretend that we didn't go on this mission.”
“What, why?”
“Because,” her voice cracked, “I’m not the same as the rest of them. I want to have a friend who is just friends with the part of me I wish I could be, the part of me that isn't messed up.”
Rylen jerked back. “No. I am not going to pretend that you're just one part of yourself. I know you want me to just be friends with the side of yourself that you like, but isn't it enough for me to know that you are amazing and kind and a shining star among everyone else here and also you have issues and those aren't you. I can be friends with both sides of you, one to have fun, and one for this wrecked world that we live in. Hell, I have issues too. Maybe they aren't as bad as yours, or at least not as serious yet, but I need this part of you, the part that understands.”
Anya takes a deep breath. “Trust me, you don't want this part of me. Just … please. Don't.”
They stared at her. “I am quite sure that I do.”
“Rylen…” she stood up and turned to face him where he was still sitting on her bed. “There is a lot more than what I told you. I don't want you to feel like you have to accept this part of me to stay friends.”
He stood up to be eye level with her—well, not eye level, she was five foot nothing and he was a head taller—and stared. “I am going to stay friends with all of you and sometimes we can be happy and hang out like we used to. But sometimes, we are going to be like this, and it’s better to have company.”
She smiled up at them and managed to crack a whisper. “Thank you.”
“And besides, I need someone too, sometimes.”

moosywoosy wrote:

theme ♡︎ mildred's leader app

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❥ : ABOUT ME

Hey, what’s up? How’re you doing? Starting with the basics, my name’s Mildred! My pronouns are she/they and I reside the bEST timezone, also known as Eastern Time (EST/EDT/ET)

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s move on to some of my interests and hobbies! I’ll only mention these briefly since if I ramble for too long I /may/ just make my 1000 word intro a bit too early…

First things first, I’m pretty big on anime. I love Detective Conan, and Angel Beats is beginning to catch up to it… I also watched Handa-kun and Barakamon during August, both are absolute peak fiction by the way! My friend also roped me into watching Sakamoto Days and The Summer Hikaru Died, both of which have been very enjoyable so far. My favorite movies also happen to fall under the category of anime, my favorites being A Silent Voice and The Tunnel to Summer. There’s most definitely a bunch of other series I’ve forgotten, but we’ll leave it at that for now.

Now, books. I mostly read light novels, mostly Mei Hachimoku’s works and I plan to read Yoru Sumino’s works too (I’m pretty sure I said this in my last leader app pfft—when will I actually go through on this…). I have surprisingly not read that much manga recently, but I enjoy reading manga as well.

Next up—games I enjoy playing! The first thing that comes to mind is Blood on the Clocktower, I am absolutely cracked at that game, source: trust me bro. As for video games, I enjoy playing Genshin Impact but haven’t played the game in a while. Same deal with Food Fantasy and Love Nikki, I think those games are currently collecting dust to be honest. Funnily enough, I downloaded Gacha World as a joke but it’s unironically fun I can’t lie. I also enjoy cooking games, despite the fact I don’t have the slightest idea on how to cook in real life. I realize I don’t actually play games that much, and spend most of my time scrolling on my phone (I know…not very good for me.)

Bringing us into our next topic, my hobbies! The first one that comes to my head is art. I draw during class…pretty much every day (Pay attention in school, kids.). I’m also currently working on a short comic which I may post on Scratch, though I have a feeling ST will jump me for it seeing as it handles a few heavier topics. Wow. I rambled about art alone for that long so let’s just rapid fire through the rest of my hobbies. I also like photography, singing, writing (I’m sure no one’s surprised), and reading.

I also love music, so it wouldn’t be fair not to mention some music artists I like. So to end off this introduction, I like J-pop, K-pop, vocaloid, and indie music! Some of my favorite artists are Eill, Alex G, and Cavetown. I’ll throw in MILGRAM too since one of my friends introduced me to it and I love the songs!

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❥ : PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

We’ll start off this question like always: my previous sessions here in SWC. I have one session of camper experience, and 3 sessions of co-leading experience. I think after having done this many sessions, I understand what needs to be done as a leader and the whole process.

My first co-leading experience was in Nov ‘24 in Sci-Fi, which definitely had a few bumps in the road, but it was nonetheless a rewarding experience, and served as my introduction to leading. In March ‘25 I co-led Fantasy, and, in my personal opinion, it ran much more smoothly than Nov ‘24. I think that goes to show my improvement from my first session of co-leading to my next. My third session of co-leading was Mystery on July ‘25. As the pattern goes, I feel that this is the session I did best in leading. With three sessions of past co-leading experience under my belt, I believe that I’ll only improve from here.

Moving on to Scratch camps outside of SWC, I know I’ve participated in multiple other camps as a camper. However, I wasn’t exactly the most active in a lot of these camps. I still do think each camp gave a rewarding experience, seeing things from the perspective of a camper is definitely helpful as a leader. I hope to be able to join more Scratch camps and be actually active in them in the future. I did lead a cabin in SDC in August, and also in August hosted SPC and led a cabin. Putting myself in the shoes of both a leader and a host that session was definitely stressful, however, I think filling in both the roles of a camper and host have helped me as a leader. Being in all 3 positions shows me what campers expect from leaders, and what hosts expect from leaders, which helps me figure out what and ideal leader is from the perspective of both a camper and a host.

Now, we move on to experience outside of Scratch Camps. I always hate coming to this part, since I’ve had the same answer to this time and time again, application after application. In real life, I hardly have any leadership experience. Though online I’d say I have quite a bit, I don’t have much in real life. I don’t think it’s because I’m not trying, even if this answer may be biased, but I think it’s because of a lack of opportunities. I haven’t been handed many opportunities to lead in real life, but I do have lots of chances to lead on Scratch. I think that’s the main reason why I have so much leadership experience in Scratch opposed to real life.

The only experience that comes to my head is being a part of my school’s student council. But, this was in elementary school, so it obviously wasn’t anything too major. However, I feel like a large amount of my existing leadership skills were at least developed early by this. Since, while it didn’t turn me into a perfect leader or anything, I still started to learn a few of my leadership skills early on from being in the student council.

Now, while not a leadership role, something I’d like to mention is a collaboration project I’m involved in. If anything, collaboration experience is just as important as leadership experience. I am a part of a fandub called Project Void. I’ve had to submit assignments on time, get things done by the due date, the whole shebang. I think that a lot of my time management skills have grown from my time in Project Void, which is why I felt it would be a good idea to mention.

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❥ : CABIN PREFERENCES

My cabin preferences haven’t changed much from the last time I applied, and if anything I’m fine with any cabin that I don’t explicitly say I don’t want. Even if I don’t have an idea for a cabin, I could probably figure something out. However, the following cabins are the ones I want the most, alongside ideas I have for each:

1. Fairy Tales: My general idea was somewhat inspired by SINoALICE. Inexplicitly, the fairytale’s endings were rewritten, taking away the character’s happily ever after and giving them all a bad ending. The leaders would be ‘storytellers’ of sorts, and would guide the campers through the storybook to change the events of the fairy tales, granting the characters a happily ever after. Alongside fixing the fairy tale’s endings, the campers will also live through their own story of discovering who was behind the rewritten endings, and perhaps stopping them from doing it again…

2. Bi-fi: The general idea was that the leaders of the cabin would be ‘conductors’ and the campers would be passengers on a train. The campers would wake up in a mysterious train, not knowing how or why they’re here with no recollection of their past memories. It’s then that the leaders jump in, telling them they’re on their express, one with the abilities to break reality and travel dimensions. Essentially, each train stop is weird, or, ‘bizarre’, each one being a strange experience campers will have to navigate through in order to let the train continue on, and as the train only gets weirder and weirder, campers will attempt to find a way to get back to the real world—if there is one left.

3. Utopian: Campers will be sent to an alternate world with no recollection of how they got there. It’s then that they meet the leadership team, who explains that they’re currently in the afterlife. While it’s seemingly perfect, the leadership team is convinced that something about this afterlife is wrong, out of place. They’re determined to get to the bottom of this afterlife, and if it’s really as perfect as it seems. The leaders are essentially the leaders of a rebellion against the higher deities of the afterlife, and the campers are other members of the rebellion.

4. Horror/Thriller: This cabin idea takes some inspiration from School Bus Graveyard. Essentially, every night when the campers go to sleep, they’re sent to an alternate dimension where strange creatures lurk, each one coming after them every night. During the day, they plan what their strategy for the night will be. This cabin will have a completely different storyline from School Bus Graveyard, only taking the setting and mechanics of the alternate dimension. I can see this concept working for both Horror and Thriller.

The list is ordered by which one I’d like the most, the top one being the cabin I want the most. But, really, I’m fine with most cabins. Even if I didn’t list a cabin concept, I probably would be able to figure out an idea if I were to be assigned a cabin I didn’t list above. However, there are still some cabins I would prefer not to have.

For starters, I’d rather not be in cabins I’ve already led. These cabins are Sci-fi, Fantasy, and Mystery. Additionally, it’d be preferred if I didn’t lead Non-fi or Hi-fi, since I don’t enjoy the aesthetics of those cabins very much. I’m totally fine with (co)leading any other cabin!

Now, TCTWNW. I have the same answer every time I get to this part. I understand TCTWNW’s purpose, and, really, it’s a good concept. However, it’s simply just not for me. I find myself to be a very competitive person, and competition is why I joined SWC in the first place. So, I would prefer it if I didn’t end up leading TCTWNW.

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❥ : EXCERPT

“did you know? in summer, the days last longer.”

i looked at you, sat with your legs swinging on the bench, sucking on a blue popsicle, the one you claimed to be the best flavor. watermelon was my favorite, blue raspberry wasn’t even a real thing.

“of course i know, we learned it at school.”

you pushed an ice pack against your knee, you scraped it when climbing a tree even when i told you to come down. you didn’t cry when you scraped it, but I screamed and called for an adult to get an ice pack. you laughed, smiling with your missing front tooth and said it was worth it, despite my protests that you should stop climbing trees. i knew you could again the moment i turned my back though.

“yeah, do you know why though?”

i rubbed the sweat off my forehead, i hated summer days for that. it was hot, and I didn’t like that. as a contrast, you adored the heat. I didn’t mind putting up with the heat if I meant I could be with you. that was what summer was for, after all. no school, just time to spend with those you care about.

“mhm, the earth is on a tilt, so sometimes where we are is closer to the sun, which means the sunlight hits us for longer.”

you pouted at my answer, slouching over and plopping your popsicle back in your mouth. you look over to me, eyes annoyed but not really.

“you were supposed to act like you didn’t know so I could feel smart!”

I made a ‘tch’ noise, though both parties knew I held no malice in my mouth. I didn’t like summer very much. the sun would melt my popsicle so I’d have to eat quickly, or else the liquid would get on my hands and it’d get all sticky. then it would stain my skirt when I tried to get it out.

I didn’t like summer very much, the metal slide would feel like touching a scorching hot oven, preheated to 100 degrees. I hated the summertime heat, the sunshine that met my skin.

i didn’t like summer, because i would be in my room and id feel sweat beading on my forehead even though im inside. salty bits of sweat would slide down my forehead and the back of my neck, and I didn’t like being sweaty. I’d have to sit in front of the fan until I got cool, and sometimes that wasn’t enough.

but summer was okay sometimes.

in summer, i could spend time with you, time that would’ve been spent in a classroom during fall, spring, or winter. I was okay with summer if it meant I could be with you. even if we sat on a bench, talking about nothing in particular, just talking to you meant everything to me.

I didn’t like summer very much, but I liked it a bit sometimes.

maybe sticky hands, burnt legs, and sweaty foreheads was okay if it meant spending time with you.

maybe it was an okay trade to make.

maybe being able to be with you was worth it, even if I hated everything else about summer.

maybe that’s why I said, “the days don’t feel long enough still.”

I wish that day could’ve lasted forever.

———

here i am, 10 years later. same bench, same ol’ me, same watermelon flavored popsicle.

only this time, there is no you, no ice pack, no scraped knee, and no blue popsicle.

it was still summer, but you weren’t there. should it even count as ‘summer’ if I didn’t spend it with the ones I love? what /is/ summer, what makes summer count as summer?

the flavor of watermelon is still on my tastebuds, still the same as it had been oh so long ago, but maybe it’s different. it’s been so long, I can’t remember the minuscule details.

this summer, I will not be with you, but it is still summer nonetheless. I have hope, one day, one day we’ll both be here again.

I hope that one day we’ll both be back on this bench, you and me. you holding the same blue popsicle you ran to grab, you with a scraped knee that you didn’t care too much about, you with an ice pack you used to soothe the wound.

same you, same trees, same missing front tooth.

one day you’ll come back, maybe you will. but for now, here I will be. alone, without you.

it was another summer without you, a summer where you were gone. not dead, but lost.

I hoped that one day you would be found.

but now, I suck on a watermelon popsicle without a blue one to accompany it, without swinging legs to contrast my steady. I didn’t have your wide smile this year, I haven’t had it for many years.

this year, I once again was unable to to be with you. I didn’t spend summer with the ones I loved this year. what was the point of it then? what was the point of sticky hands, burnt legs, and sweaty foreheads?

I look around me, everything so familiar yet so different. the wind ran through my hair, same as it had all those years ago. its welcome, familiar. from that, I remember everything we did during summer. every stupid, silly thing we did just because.

it was nostalgic.

i love summer, not for the same reason I had before. I still don’t like my sticky hands, hot legs, and sweaty foreheads. I still hated summer for that.

but I loved summer, not for the sweet popsicle or lack of school, but because of the memories I have of this time. when we were both little kids looking for fun. I like the memories linked to summer, but maybe not summer itself. that was alright.

those memories were enough to make me smile, look up to the sky and taste my popsicle. they were enough to make me think,

“I’m glad today is just a little bit longer.”

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❥ : TIME DEDICATION

I honestly feel like a broken record at this point with all the similar answers I’ve been giving for each question, but my answer has always been relatively the same for this part. I overall don’t see myself being very busy during planning (Late September and October), nor will I be very busy during the session. I think the worst of my concerns is as it always is, and I’m sure a lot of us share this obstacle when it comes to time dedication: SCHOOL. I’m obviously going to have tests here and there that I’ll dedicate some time to studying for, and overall I won’t be able to spend the most time in school planning and writing since lately chromebook usage has gotten much more strict at my school. However, I still will be able to dedicate a bit of time to planning, writing, leadership stuff, during the school day, and a lot more time outside of school.

I estimate that I’ll be able to spend quite a few hours towards planning and the session itself. A rough guess would be I’d spend somewhere between 1-2 hours, and likely more, on Scratch for planning and leading, and during the session that time will go more towards doing camp activities and making sure everything in my cabin is running smoothly. My afternoons will be pretty free, and will likely be when I’ll be spending the most time towards Scratch.

I don’t have any major conflicts planned, or at least from what I’m aware of. However, there is of course no way to be 100% sure. I don’t have precognitive abilities, so I won’t know if in the future some sort of unexpected responsibility or plan will be sprung on me that will interfere with SWC. However, I can say with confidence that I will likely be available for pretty much every day of planning and the session itself.

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❥ : TIME MANAGEMENT

To start off with my negatives, I’ll get one of the obvious out of the way: procrastination. As I’m typing this, I have quite a few unfinished school assignments that I am currently procrastinating on working on. I can really struggle with getting the motivation to do something, and tell myself “I have plenty of time to do it, why do it now?” until the very last minute. It’s been an issue that I’ve struggled with not only with Scratch, but definitely with real-life responsibilities too. It’s never fully gone away, but it’s definitely a lot better than it has been before. If I put my mind to it, I can get started on things I had previously procrastinated on. However, another issue I have is how easily I can get distracted. When I’m working on something, I can get distracted by my phone and proceed to scroll or play games on my phone when I was originally working on something else. There have been many times while writing answers that I reached for my phone. A fix I have found is that I put on some headphones and listen to music or a podcast to keep my mind something else to focus on, but since it’s simply audio I can still spend time doing other things, like my responsibilities. Another thing is that, at times, I can be a perfectionist. I will spend time on miniscule details that don’t matter much because the perfectionist in me tells me I need to fix it. I spend too much time on little details, working them out and adjusting them until they’re just right. However, doing this can significantly slow down my progress on my responsibilities since I’ll spend so much time making sure one thing is spot on until I continue on.

Moving on to my positives, I know how much is too much and when to start delegating tasks. I know what my limit is, and once I’ve met that limit I can delegate to my leadership team to help move progress along. Not knowing how much is too much can slow you down if you get burned out and now don’t feel like working all that much anymore. That’s why I think knowing what your limits are is so important due to the fact that if you don’t delegate when you’re burnt out, progress will only slow down. Another positive of mine would be my ability to multitask. I can work on multiple tasks at once, and make sure to contribute to both things every time I get myself to work. Multitasking abilities can be a lifesaver when it comes to saving time, since working on multiple tasks at once can cut time down significantly.

I will say, I’m most definitely not the best at time management. However, my time management has definitely improved from when I started SWC. I’m not the best with it, but chances are I’ll get something to you before a deadline, even if it’s rushed.

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❥ : COLLABORATION AND ASSETS

To start off, some of my strengths. I would like to start with that I think I can be a very flexible person. I can adjust my working style to accommodate the rest of my leadership team, and if something isn’t going according to plan I can figure out a way to make it work. Flexibility is important, since we need it to be able to overcome obstacles. Another thing is I see myself as an empathetic person. I think I’m alright at reading people, even through text, and with this I can help understand who I’m working with and what they need. Empathy is more important than it may seem in collaboration, since being able to understand and be empathic for the people you’re working with can significantly help progress since you all understand each other and can help meet each other's needs because of that. Additionally, I would say that I am open-minded. I know how frustrating it can be when someone acts like their idea is the “right” one, especially if said person is a leader. I want to constantly be open to new ideas and not always have my ideas set in stone. If someone ever suggests a different idea, I’d be glad to consider it. If I preferred my idea over theirs, I would have a reason that wasn’t just “It’s my idea, so I want to use it”.

Next up, some of my weaknesses. For starters, I can be very socially awkward. In school, more times than not, if there’s a chance to go solo on a project, I will go solo. If it’s ever required for me to be with a partner, I don’t talk to them much. I do think that online I am much more talkative and assertive, but it doesn’t change the fact that I can be very socially awkward at times. Of course, online and while leading I certainly can communicate a lot more than I would in real life, but I’m also not a complete extrovert. Another thing is that I can be a people pleaser at times and absolutely HATE confrontation. Maybe I have a really cool idea for a certain aspect of our cabin’s storyline, but someone else in my leadership team already had an idea for that. I overthink how they’ll take me suggesting my idea, and fear I may seem egotistical like I’m saying my idea is better than theirs. This can lead to me not speaking up about my ideas due to this. I do think that as of late, after interacting with this community more, I have gotten more comfortable with expressing my ideas with them. However, this is still an underlying issue.

Ending with my assets, I’ll start off with my art skills. I’m by no means a professional artist, but I’m at a place with my art that I’m pretty happy with. A lot of art has been poured into this leader app, which can be a demonstration of my art skills. Another thing I can bring to the table is graphic design skills. Like said before, I’m not a professional at all. However, after SDC I do think I’ve gotten more into graphic design and also have gotten better at it. This leader app has more simplistic graphic design, so it doesn’t really work as a demonstration for my graphic design skills but I promise they exist. Nextly, I would say that I think I have coding skills that aren’t too shabby. I’m not Griffpatch, but I’ve been on this website for nearly two years now, I know how to code decently. I don’t think that this will be very necessary for SWC though, seeing as most cabins don’t require much coding skills for projects. Last but not least, creativity. I like to think I’m a creative person, and I certainly think it's an important skill to have. I think that creativity can be brought to the table through any ideas I bring, which makes it an important asset to have, as creativity can help make a cabin all that more unique and interesting.

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❥ : REASON

To be 100% honest I haven’t really decided on a concrete answer as for ‘why’ when writing this. If I have to be completely transparent, I can’t really decide on a precise ‘why’ still.

To start with, I’ll say that I simply think it would be a fun experience for me. Sure, SWC is competitive, and it takes a huge amount of work to make SWC what it is. Setting everything up, making sure things run smoothly, it’s hard for everyone involved in the leadership team. However, at the end of the day, this is all just for fun. We’re all just a bunch of writers who want to have fun improving our writing skills and connect with other writers. Sure, leading takes a lot of work, but it’s genuinely such a fun experience to have. That’s the main reason why I continue to apply time after time, session after session.

Another reason is that I just love this community. SWC has affected my life so much, I love this community so much and would love to interact with this community more. Leading is a great way to meet more people within this community, due to the fact that often campers will talk to their leaders, and also leaders interacting with other leaders. I also would just love to help this community out. Everyone has to do their part to make sure SWC runs smoothly, and I’d love to be one of those people to help out. In the past, I haven’t talked much with people in SWC, only doing activities and having an occasional conversation. But recently, I’ve tried talking with this community more, and I can say that I love this community with certainty. I’d love to interact with this community more, and being a leader certainly seems like a way to do that.

The final reason I have is the experience. As I’ve said before, I’m unfortunately not able to get many leadership opportunities in real life. However, leadership experience is such an important thing to have. With my lack of real life experience, I hope to make it up with online leadership experience. Leading in SWC is a chance for me to lead, giving me some rewarding experience, which I haven’t had a chance to do in real life.

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❥ : ATMOSPHERE

A cabin focused on camper’s personal writing goals and cabin storyline, all while encouraging friendly competition and completion of camp activities, plus making bonds with other campers.

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❥ : CHECKBOXES

☒ I will be available and help add points in the main cabin consistently throughout camp.

☒ I’m willing to share a promotional project for SWC

All responsibilities listed in the FAQ I should be able to complete. In the event that I will be unable to for whatever reason, I will alert the hosts and my leadership team and we’ll all try to figure something out from there.

In the event of inactive leadership from another leader, I would start off by notifying the hosts if not already done by said leader. I would then look at what responsibilities they had that wouldn’t be able to be completed, and figure out how to split said responsibilities between active leaders. In the event of inactive leadership from myself, I would start with notifying both the hosts and my leadership team. I would then transfer host of any studios I was host of to another leader. From there, I would list out all of my responsibilities, help split them between other leaders, and let them figure out the rest amongst themselves once I have to go inactive.

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❥ : BONUS QUESTION

This isn’t exactly a /cozy/ fall activity, but it’s a fall activity so…close enough? Something that I do every year in fall is the classic “rake up a bunch of leaves into a pile and then jump into them”. I know, maybe a bit childish on my part but it’s fun, sue me. I’ve never really grown out of jumping into a pile of leaves, I just think it’s really fun and I’m not stopping doing a fun thing because it’s considered childish. Every autumn, I wait until a bunch of leaves accumulate in my backyard, help my dad rake them into a pile, and just hop in!

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hey there! i'm pepper (she/her), and i reside in the lovely pst timezone :)) in my free time you can usually find me reading, playing/listening to music, kicking a soccer ball around, or writing!
i love reading so much, and have enjoyed loads of amazing books this year <3 some of my favorites are a mango shaped space, one for the murphys, the inheritance games series, the legend trilogy, and the six of crows duology! (any and all book recs would be appreciated :0)
as for my music taste, the main artists i listen to are forrest frank, hozier, noah kahan, laufey (NEW ALBUM), and josiah queen (ALSO NEW ALBUM AHH)! i am also in my school's concert band, and jazz band, where i play alto saxophone :D i like messing around on the piano, and i can play a bit of ukulele, too!
the past few years, i've played several different sports, but my main sport has always been soccer. soccer is by far my favorite, and i am a starter for my school's team, where i play as a center mid (lots of running for me bahaha). even though i don't have a lot of room in my backyard, i'm constantly back there juggling the ball, kicking the ball up our hill and letting it roll back down to my feet, or shooting it into our big dirt pile. i have practices and games nearly every day after school throughout october, so soccer's a big thing for me right now ;D
finally, writing! i've been writing for as long as i can remember, and i'm absolutely in love with it <3 my favorite genres to write in are dystopian, fantasy, and romance, whether it be short stories, quick sprints, poetry, or working on my novel! swc has been a huge part in my writing journey, which is one of the many reasons i continue to come back :))
(sneaking the bonus question in here as well ;D) fall is my favorite season ahh, there's just so many things about it that i love <3 cozy fall sweaters, running a few laps around the track with a crisp breeze, trying out all the new fall flavored drinks from local coffee shops…
but i think my favorite fall activity would have to be sipping on a nice warm cup of hot chocolate while being bundled up under the blankets with a good book or some paper and a pencil :0 being all warm and comfy while doing something i love :))

this session will be my 9th session (really dated myself there asdkjsdkj), and i've been on the leadership team since november 2023 :0 over the past 2 and a half ish years, i've participated in 35+ various camp sessions! 22 of those sessions i was a camper, 13 of them a (co)leader, and i also hosted one session of my own camp, a session of camp galatians, and am currently a host of scratch reading camp. you can find a list of all my camp sessions in the description, and below is a list of just my swc sessions <3
march ‘23 - (hade)script - camper
july ’23 - tragedy orphanage - camper
nov ‘23 - illu fi mushroom village - coleader
march ’24 - script theatron - coleader
july ‘24 - bi fi minion mania - coleader - memory book committee
nov ’24 - myth anti monster club - leader - memory book committee
march ‘25 - fan fi battle of the bands - coleader - memory book committee - daily team
july ’25 - horror skyscraper - leader - memory book committee - daily team

offline, i also have lots of leadership experience. this summer, i was a camp counselor and was in charge of 9 little kids for a week. i had meetings every morning and afternoon, and was responsible for getting the campers where they needed to go on time, as well as helping with activities and leading discussion after bible messages. at school, i lead group projects, overseeing the assignment and helping balancing the workload amongst everyone in the group. i've been captain of several of my sports teams, where i lead stretches, stay positive, and just am a role model for everyone on the team. this season, i am one of three captains for my highschool soccer team, which has been a blast!

as far as writing experience goes, i've been writing since i was a little kid :)) swc has played a huge part in helping me grow in my writing skills, and my hope is to make a career out of it in the future! i've placed in a national youth poetry competition, and in a few writing comps on scratch and offline :D i can't wait to see where my writing journey takes me :0

hmm, seeing as i'm only applying for co this session, i'd be honored to help bring any cabin to life! it would be nice to colead a cabin i haven't already been a part of (script, tragedy, illu-fi, bi-fi, myth, fan-fi, and horror), but i honestly don't have much of a preference :D
some cabins that appeal to me are poetry, fairy tales, and mystery, but again, there are so many possibilities and every cabin will turn out amazing :0
as for the cabin that will not win, i'd love to co-lead it <33 i think a relaxed atmosphere would be great as the school year starts up again! i've been wanting to give tctwnw a go for the past few sessions now, and i think it would be a really fun experience to help focus more on writing growth than on the competition :D

(this is a daily from last session, enjoy ;D)

wind rushed through my loose strands of hair as i ran down the field with the ball, coach's words playing through my head when i came up on a defender.

inside outside, inside outside, scissors. sell it with your shoulders and then go the other direction.

as the centerback lunged for the ball on one side, i skillfully maneuvered it the opposite way, leaving me with a clear path for the goal. before the keeper could come up too close for the ball, i shot it. with my left foot next to the ball, i used my right to kick the ball as hard as i could, aiming for the top left corner as my laces made contact.

instead of going into the net, the ball was driven directly into the crossbar, and it came sailing back at my head before i could react.

i fell onto the ground with a screech, my vision blurring. i could hear my teammates running over the help me, their nervous whispers filling me with dread.

“delilah!” my mother called, racing from the bleachers across the field. and then i was out.

“delilah, honey! your alarm has been going off for way too long, you need to get out of bed and start getting ready for the day.”

i rubbed my eyes groggily and yawned. “what time is it?”

“time for you to get moving,” she huffed.

this session i'm a bit busier than i have been in the past, but i still expect to be able to dedicate a healthy amount of time to swc <3 i have school from about 8am-4pm, and soccer nearly every day of the week after school until the end of october. on wednesday nights i will be attending youth group at church, and my family goes to church on sunday mornings as well. other than that, i don't have any other events that would significantly impact my activity! september-october i'm a bit busier with soccer, but during november i'll have a lot more free time after school to spend on scratch.
i log onto scratch every morning for about a half hour, and am online after school to check in, then again after soccer. i plan to dedicate 1-2 hours a day to swc, more on the weekends. the majority of my time on scratch is through my phone, but whenever i'm home, i'll also have access to my laptop.

my time management skills have drastically improved over the past few sessions of swc, and i have no doubt that i'll continue to grow in them! to start, one of my strengths in time management is my organization. i like knowing everything i have to do, what i have to do to get it done, and when it needs to be finished by. whether i'm tracking tasks in a spreadsheet, the notes app on my phone, or in our team's planning forum, i feel less overwhelmed seeing everything laid out neatly. color coding and to-do lists are also a favorite of mine, and help with organizing tasks based on their priority and deadline.
like everyone, i also have things i need to improve on in time management. the main one being procrastination. with school starting back up and homework beginning to grow, it can be easy for me to push everything to the side and just take a “couple” more minutes to scroll (though we all know how that goes). what i've found that helps me with pushing through important work, is listening to music (specifically jazz, i will gladly take any recommendations :eyes:)! music definitely minimalizes any stress, and keeps me from being distracted. timers are also amazing for me, quick 5-10 minute sprints help laser in my focus for a nice chunk of time, then i spend a second to grab a snack or stretch before starting another timer. mini goals are extremely helpful to progress through tasks too, and help me feel accomplished as i'm working on something. i'm 100% a rewards person, bribe me with food or something fun, and those goals will be completed asap ;D

one of my favorite things about leading is getting to collaborate with a new group of people every session to make a new amazing cabin :0 even though i love collaboration, i am unfortunately a huge perfectionist. myself and the people around me irl have high standards for me, and it can be draining to constantly strive to meet those expectations. this can leave me feeling unsatisfied with my work, or spending too much energy focused on little details when i have bigger things that need to be done first. however, checking in with my team as i'm working on something and receiving feedback or little critiques helps me to put my focus on the most important part of a task. it also encourages me to keep working hard or lets me know that i can shift my attention to something else.
skills i've really grown in the past few sessions are my flexibility and communication. flexibility is really important with collaboration, because even if you think your ideas are amazing, someone else could contribute equally as amazing ideas. it's really important to me to blend people's thoughts together so everyone has a piece of what they imagined in the final result. not only this, but knowing what you have planned might not come out exactly how you expected! whether you experience camper inactivity, or scratch itself has issues that delay your cabin activities, i value being able to go with the flow, and i believe that i'm good at dealing with unexpected events while making sure everyone still has fun.
communication is another one of my strengths. no matter what you're trying to accomplish, it is essential that everyone is on the same page. making sure everyone feels heard is a high priority of mine, and it's key to ensure that you're respectful and uplifting while talking to the people around you. asking and answering questions is important when discussing new ideas and deciding how your cabin storyline/activities are going to work, and you can't do that without good communication. i strive to always encourage the rest of my team while being clear about what the final result should look like, and having loads of fun along the way.
as for assets, i have access to canva, and can do basic art on procreate :)) i've drawn matching pfps in the past, though i must admit i am far better at graphic designing than i am at drawing ;D i also think i'm a fun person to be around and to work with! i enjoy making memories with my team and having a blast! i will happily think up ideas for a project that others might not have thought of, and i like being creative and adding new thoughts to a conversation :))

ooh new question and i love it :0 swc has made such a huge impact in my life, from helping me along my writing journey, to improving my skills as a leader, and even providing me with some of the most amazing friends and experiences <3 i genuinely do not know what my life would be like up to this point if i hadn't been participating in this little online writing camp for the past 2 years. the people here are so encouraging, i always have so much fun getting to know other (co)leaders and campers, and i've grown so much as a writer and a human being. i've absolutely fallen in love with swc, and i don't see myself leaving anytime soon ;D the memories and relationships i've made over the course of the past 8 sessions will never be forgotten, and i want to give back to what has filled my life with so much joy, and give others the same unforgettable experience.

a cabin that focuses on relationship building and growth as a writer, while incorporating an engaging storyline and a nice touch of friendly competition.
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a) checkboxes
✓ i will be available to help add points in the main cabin consistently throughout camp
✓ i'm willing to share a promotional project for swc

b) are there any leadership responsibilities listed in the faq you cannot complete?
nope! i'll be able to complete all of them :))

c) in the case of inactive leadership (either by yourself, or by a fellow leader), what steps will you take to ensure that the cabin can still move on smoothly?
if i were to go inactive, i'd do my best to complete any responsibilities before i left, as well as communicate my inactivity with the rest of my leadership team and the hosts.
if someone on my team were to go inactive, i'd check in with them and see if anything came up that limited their activity. from there, i'd work with my team to make sure the person's tasks were able to be completed, and inform the hosts of their inactivity. i've had people on my team need to go inactive in the past, and each time my fellow (co)leaders and i have made it through successfully, and i have no doubt we'd be able to do it again if necessary :))

Hello, everyone! My name is Recca, my pronouns are she/her, and I live in IST.

What else shall I tell you about myself? I read copious amounts of fanfiction, which is…likely obvious. I adore just about every animated movie I’ve watched. In recent years I’ve learned that I hate green peas. I detest this fact, because they’re such a juvenile thing to hate. I would much rather not hate green peas.

Finally, I think that vampire lore is inconsistent and will shift to fit whatever is most convenient for the author’s purposes (e.g: animal transformations). Therefore, vampire AUs shouldn’t be called vampire AUs but rather leech AUs, because the only thing all vampire media can agree on is that vampires subsist on a diet of blood.

With that cheery note, onwards!

If I’ve managed to keep track correctly (I think I have), this should be my 11th session of SWC! This means I’ve been here for ten sessions across…five-ish years: I was a leader and writing comp judge in the most recent one (July 2025), was a co-leader for four, which leaves the remaining five sessions as a camper. Additionally, I was a panelist for the writing competition in March 2025.

Apart from SWC, I’ve also led Myth for SRC back in August 2024. Beyond that, I’ve been involved in various leadership positions on Scratch—mostly as a manager in fairly large studios—as well as offline. My most recent endeavour involved convincing my class to make the bulletin boards Barbie-themed. (It worked; the classroom looks amazing).

No preference as such! I’d be happy to co-lead any cabin that compels me enough, but I’d prefer not to co-lead TWCTWNW.

Spring was endless that year, and it was almost laughable, how eager we were for it to be over. The holidays dawned bright and cheery with the promise of happiness to come, but it wasn’t until the third day that we really believed it.

I’d walked out of the airport, skin cool from the air conditioning but already turning clammy in the heat. My suitcase kept veering off in the opposite direction of where I wanted it to go. I couldn’t tell where you two were despite fifty texts and an ongoing phone call. I was just about to give up when I heard you over the phone—isn’t that her?

I glanced up, rapidly whirling around to see you, with your arm raised like a beacon stretching out for miles. And then I finally saw her too.

She shrieked, I shrieked, and there we were—two longing souls colliding together at last.

We clutched at each other for so long it must’ve worn you out, but when I looked away from her long enough to glance your way, you were only standing there patiently, if a little uncertain.

I held out an arm for you, and she yelled, “Get over here already!”

The heat was unbearable, our skin sweat-slicked. I was still travel-worn and grimy, we were blocking the exit, it was uncomfortable and hot and it was joy like I’d never known. If I could, I would’ve stayed there holding on to you both forever.

I will have exams intermittently throughout October and November, but I am confident I will be able to manage all my co-leader responsibilities despite this. I believe I will be able to dedicate at least half an hour most weekdays to SWC, and since unexpected road trips are unlikely this year, I should be free on weekends as well!

I’ve struggled with time management in the past, but I like to believe I’m getting a little better at it every day. I tend to procrastinate on things that stress me out, so I do my best to cut down on distractions when I need to get things done. Schedules are always a hit-or-miss with me, which is mildly amusing when it isn’t actively exasperating, but if given a deadline, I WILL meet it. I’m happy to report that I no longer have to always wait for the last-second adrenaline-rush to kick in to accomplish this either!

To put it in simplest terms, while my brain does have a tendency to put things off for future me to deal with, I’ve gotten good at tricking it into making future me’s problems present me’s problems.

When it comes to collaboration, some of my strengths include the fact that I am resourceful and can easily adjust to unexpected situations. I’m good at compromising (this is because having a brother means you either learn how to compromise or end up at a murder trial), but I’ve also learned to stand by my own opinions instead of deferring to others if I truly believe that I’ve come up with the best course of action. I daresay I’m not too bad at delegation either—I like to think I’ve overcome the crippling perfection that usually drives me to do everything myself instead of trusting my team to do their share of the work.

Now that I’ve extolled my virtues, we must, of course, discuss the flipsides. I tend to joke about anything and everything, and while this isn’t usually a problem, it can create the impression that I don’t take things as seriously as I should. I can be indecisive and end up taking ages to come to a conclusion. I have trouble communicating exactly what I mean sometimes, and I can get swept up in chaos easily, which isn’t always very helpful. Such are the little disadvantages that may plague you while working with me.

SWC is something that’s always been incredibly important to me, and I’m always happy to be a part of it in any capacity. Being a co-leader just helps feel like I’m actively contributing to the community in a higher capacity. There hasn’t been a single session where I didn’t enjoy being a part of the planning process. I like coming up with ideas, I like the process of collaborating on making a vision come to reality. Given my upcoming exams, I did have to think carefully about applying, because there’s always the chance that I might neglect my studies in favor of camp. However, I really do think I can manage a healthy balance. Co-leading in SWC is easily one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Warm and inviting, with a healthy dose of fun. An engaging but not too intensive storyline that encourages campers to form meaningful connections.

(146 characters)

( ) I will be available to help add points in the main cabin consistently throughout camp.
(✓) I’m willing to share a promotional project for SWC

B. I will be able to complete all leadership responsibilities listed.

C. If I were to go inactive, I would do my best to inform my leadership team by any means possible. Following that, I’d let the hosts know or arrange for my team to inform them. Should any of my fellow (co)leaders go inactive, I’d contact them or wait until they revert back. If they take too long, I’d inform the hosts so that we can figure out how to proceed from there.

Link to project: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1211833104/
Word count with excerpt: 1868
Word count of the excerpt: 334
Total word count: 2202

Hi everyone! I’m Surf (I also go by Ray or Reina) and I use they/she pronouns. I’m from the EST timezone and I’m a high school student who loves to write. Other things I enjoy are tennis, reading, quiz bowl, and creating art. I’m a member of my school’s varsity tennis team, and other sports I enjoy are skiing and roller-skating. I’ve been on Scratch for more than eight years and I’ve been part of SWC for two years. I’m creative and passionate, and I love to explore topics I find interesting. My interests include science, the environment, and geography, and I hope to study geology or geobiochemistry in the future.

Writing and reading are my favorite things to do. My favorite authors include Brandon Sanderson and Andy Weir, though I read from a diverse range of authors. As of September first I’ve read 156 books this year, though I hope to reach 200 books by 2026. I like to read sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian, and nonfiction, which are also some of my favorite genres to write in. Writing is something I love, especially worldbuilding, since I’m able to craft unique places that would only exist in my imagination. Right now, I’m mainly writing smaller short stories but I have a novel I started in the summer that I’m planning on continuing. I don’t think I’m going to pursue writing as a career, but I hope that I’ll be able to incorporate writing into science if given the chance.

While I’m not the best musician, I love to listen to music! My favorite artists include Twenty One Pilots, Of Monsters and Men, Hozier, Imagine Dragons, Dreamers, and a few other different groups. I don’t have much time to watch shows during the school year but this summer I finished Gossip Girl, and I also enjoy ones such as Arcane, the Buccaneers, Rebels, and Star Trek Discovery.

Another one of my interests is art! I love to find time to make art, ranging from digital art and drawings to collages and paintings. Unfortunately, I don’t have room in my school schedule to take art classes this year but I’m looking forward to getting to design murals as part of the art club, which will be a fun project! Alongside more traditional art, I like to bullet-journal and experiment with new styles.

This November will be my seventh session of SWC!

• Sci-fi Camper November ‘23

• Sci-fi Camper March ‘24

• Solarpunk Camper July ‘24

• Mystery Co-leader November ‘24

• Adventure Co-leader March ‘25, Polar Bear

• Sci-Fi Leader July ‘25, Polar Bear

Co-leading Mystery and Adventure both taught me valuable skills about collaboration, and being able to lead Sci-Fi this past July was an incredible experience that taught me the finer details of leading a cabin!

Outside of SWC, I’ve had a few leadership positions on Scratch–I hosted Scratch Journaling Camp in April-May ‘25, and led Writing Universe Camp in April ‘24. I’ve additionally participated in several Scratch camps besides SWC.

Writing is something I’ve been doing my whole life. While I generally just write for myself, I’ve submitted several essays and pieces to local contests, and I have writing included in my school’s magazine. I also did NaNoWriMo in 2023 and 2024, though I currently don’t plan on doing it again this year due to time constraints this fall.

Leadership positions I hold outside of Scratch include being the Historian and Secretary for different clubs at my school, teaching tennis to younger children, volunteering for a community science project as well as at a garden that supplies food banks, and being a member of a local environmental committee. These different communities that I’m involved in have allowed me to build valuable connections and improve my collaboration skills.

I would love to co-lead Dystopian, Non-Fi, Fantasy, Spy-Fi, Sci-Fi, or Steampunk! I also wouldn’t mind co-leading Illu-Fi, Action, Hi-Fi, or Mythology, or any newer cabin genres. I’m up to working with any ideas that a leader might have.

I would prefer not to co-lead Horror because I’m not much of a fan of that genre.
I’m very much open to co-leading The Cabin That Will Not Win this session!! I am hoping to work on editing and revising some older projects and working on some short stories this November and I believe TCTWNW would have the atmosphere I’m looking for and would match my schedule well; that being said, I am still open to co-leading a competitive cabin!

(Three paragraphs from my short story “by the time April comes around”)
She looked out the window to the frail, bare branched trees, clinging to their few remaining leaves the best they could, their empty, hollow bones bending in the wind. The trees groaned and creaked against the frigid winter air which seeped into their trunks. The blustering gale would linger until April, when it would be liberated by rain showers. In April, the breeze would thaw the dormant earth that had been solid for months in its hibernation. The steady drip of the melting icicles was like intravenous therapy, and soon, in the colder months, there would be thawing spires hanging off every overhang.
She rubbed her hands together, as if the friction could spark something other than the resignation that permeated the air. Her eyes flashed behind her for a second, to the white sheets that might as well have belonged to a ghost. A hollow husk, held suspended between life and death. She looked back to the ruddy glass window with an empty sigh. At least there was comfort there, in the everlasting oaks, forced into their perpetual cycle of abscission.
The dirt ground was firm, the needle ice below the uneven and clumped-up surface that was dotted with frozen crystalline lattices. Frost lined everything; the grass sparkled, along with the telephone pole and the metal hand bars on the accessibility ramp up to the main entrance. Each glittering blade and sheath, rigidly attached to the sod, were illuminated in turn by flashing rays and headlights. Everything was studded with shining diamonds, gelid and bitter in their frozen form. Gemstones so sharp that they’d leave your hands raw and numbed by the intoxicating beauty. Soon there would be delicate snowflakes, their ephemeral allure melting at the slightest touch; a memory, nostalgia attached to a forgotten sensation. Maybe the monochrome photos she’d find when emptying her mother’s bedside drawers, bent at the corners and stained with homemade jam from a family reunion.

My largest time commitments during November are school, tennis, and my sleep schedule. School takes up most of my day, as well as tennis practice and matches. The tennis season is from the end of August potentially through late October depending on if there are a lot of rain dates, so I’ll be busier during this time. I tend to have a lot of homework during the fall, but I’ll have a study hall in place of gym class for the season, which should allow me to get ahead of assignments. Other commitments I have are clubs, work, and volunteering. My top priority is my academics, yet I can still dedicate time to SWC and writing in the autumn. I can spend thirty minutes to an hour each day on SWC activities with consistency, though some days I’ll be more active than others. I can check in throughout the day as well as working on larger tasks in the mornings and evenings. On weekends, I will have an hour to two hours free. I currently do not have plans to travel during the session, though I will notify the hosts and my leadership team if I have plans that will impact my activity.
For planning in September and October, I will be able to dedicate half an hour to an hour each weekday, and more time on the weekends.

Time management is something I’ve really improved at over the past years. My schedule during the school year is packed with honors and AP classes, several clubs, playing varsity tennis, and writing; due to this, I’ve had to make sure I’m as efficient as possible, though there are a few areas that have room for improvement.

A skill I can improve on in terms of time management is consolidation. I tend to write down everything I have to do in a bunch of different places and work across lots of different spaces. In order to become more efficient, I worked on creating a planner for myself that links both to my home and school account to use for the school year. I’m hoping this will keep me more focused and streamline my work ethic, and so far, it’s been working very well!

One ability I have regarding time management is how I’m able to focus well. Even when I have homework that I’m less-than-thrilled about, I can still power through it and keep from becoming distracted. This is especially relevant to math, my least favorite subject, since it can feel so tedious to work through a long problem set for homework. I know that I’ll have to do the work eventually regardless of how boring it might be, so I don’t procrastinate and end up completing tasks on a reasonable timeline. Because of this, I’m able to devote more time to the things I enjoy doing, like writing and reading.

I love being able to collaborate with others from all over the world through SWC, since it’s such a respectful and open community.

A key weakness I have when collaborating is that sometimes I can be a bit too ambitious. As fun as it can be to make elaborate plans and include every idea, I’ve learned that biting off more than I can chew ends up putting unnecessary pressure on all members of the team. Due to this, I consistently try to see whether or not current ideas will be feasible, which might mean paring down an elaborate brainstorming list in favor of something more realistic that still captures the original essence of the plan.

One strength I have is being flexible whenever an unexpected situation or hurdle appears. If plans change or an idea doesn’t work as intended, I’m quick to suggest a new idea or an adjustment to the current plan. These challenges can range from a technical issue with some code, or having to alter a piece of a storyline on a short notice; by being adjustable and able to pivot, I’ve developed the ability to react productively to issues while limiting stress.

There are a couple assets I can bring to a leadership team! This includes creativity, and I enjoy both drawing and graphic design. I’m open to making forum signatures, thumbnails, PFPs, or banners! Despite my time constraints, I should be able to design one of these given ample time.

I would love to co-lead a cabin this session because I want to help give new campers the same amazing experience in SWC that I had! I love to be involved in creating a welcoming and fun atmosphere to encourage campers to get into writing and improve their writing skills. SWC was something that inspired me to experiment with new genres as well as to write both short stories and longer writing pieces. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and try something new, making new friends and gaining leadership experience. SWC is something that definitely made me a better writer and more organized person, and I want to help other writers on their own path! I find it very rewarding to be able to contribute to what makes SWC so great, and I would love to help give back to the community by being a co-leader this session.

A friendly and creative cabin with a welcoming community! It will encourage collaboration and have an emphasis on both personal improvement and growth as a writer. (163 characters)

A.
I am not applying for leader
I will be not available to help add points in the main cabins consistently throughout camp
I am not willing to share a promotional project for SWC

B.
There are no leadership responsibilities I am unable to complete.

C.
If I have a planned absence, I’ll notify my leadership team and the hosts ahead of time, as well as helping to divide up and complete any urgent responsibilities to ensure that the session runs smoothly. If I end up having an unplanned absence, I’ll let my team know as soon as possible and make sure that my responsibilities are delegated. If a (co-)leader has been inactive without notice (4-5 days), I will reach out to them; if they don’t respond in a reasonable amount of time, I’ll plan with the rest of the leadership team to redistribute responsibilities and create new adding studios if necessary.

My favorite cozy fall activity is apple picking!! I love to pick apples (especially when it’s raining lightly) and look at all the different flavors. The best part is coming home and then baking all sorts of delicious apple desserts–pies, crumbles, breads, and whatever new recipe I find!

• Focus: When I am doing something I enjoy, I tend to be naturally focused at the task at hand, and when it’s a task I don’t particularly enjoy, I have a few techniques I use, like removing distractions and tracking my focus time. I find that when I track my focus time, it gives me motivation to continue to increase the time logged and stay focused—and it also comes with a relaxing rock rain soundtrack, which is a nice bonus.
  
• Organisation: I utilise lists and spreadsheets to keep track of my responsibilities and organise relevant links and documents. This helps me use my time efficiently, so I can finish tasks a little faster.
  

• Procrastination: I often used to find myself putting off responsibilities when I didn’t feel the motivation to start a task, but I’ve since realised that for me, something becomes much easier to finish as long as I make a start on it. Therefore, I try to encourage myself to at least start tasks, even if I only complete them on the same day, because I know that will encourage me to finish.
  
• Perfectionism: On the one hand, my perfectionism encourages me to continue improving until every detail in the cabin is perfect. However, these sometimes unrealistic expectations of myself can also hinder my work, causing me to spend all my time on a small fraction of the work I have to do, neglecting any other responsibilities. As a compromise, I try to complete all tasks satisfactorily first, and then I will come back to perfect them, once I know I have at least done everything I have promised.
  

• Open-mindedness: I find that I can work with almost anyone, perhaps due to my adaptability. I’m always open to hearing anyone’s opinions, and I will gladly incorporate others’ ideas into a cabin, whilst trying not to hold any biases.
  
• Adaptability: I would say that I’m able to react to sudden changes or setbacks effectively, from taking on more responsibilities in the event of another leader’s inactivity or making edits to the cabin storyline if the campers don’t seem to be enjoying it. I’d always be happy to take on more tasks if another leader wasn’t able to complete them.
  
• However, I can be quite indecisive, perhaps because I’m afraid of offending anyone if I don't agree with their ideas, or if I’m unsure what we as a leadership team would prefer to do. This could also stem from my tendency to be a people-pleaser, but I’ve been trying to remind myself to contribute to a team and offer my opinions and ideas.
  

• I have experience with graphic design on Canva, and I can also create digital art on Procreate. These assets could be helpful in creating matching cabin aesthetics.
  
• I also have experience in the expectations of a leader and a Polar Bear cub from the previous session, which could be a useful asset in a more inexperienced leadership team.
  

YO WSP?! If you don’t know me already, I’m Vicky (she/her) — your one and only queen of chaos .

You'll probably find me working on my latest piece, whilst chanting some random kpop song or trying to mumble funk, convincing my friend to join my latest fandom and spiralling too deep into homework.

Yup, that’s me! My variety of hobbies has made me a great multi-tasker who thrives on keeping life busy, colourful, and just a little unpredictable.

Creativity is my heartbeat, and I express it in more ways than one. I’ve collected more hobbies than most people expect, but each one adds something unique to my creativity, the main ones being — writing, reading, art, designing (fashion and graphics), crochet, and stanning my favourite fandoms!

Writing is a hobby that has stuck with me since a very young age, and now is a skill I cherish and cradle – not only is it my source of comfort and cleansing, it's a way for me to make sense from the chaos in my head.

A lot of the things I write are vents or rants, but for me the beauty in it is when I edit and polish it into something that beauty shines through; something with a meaning and purpose. The genres of pieces I write with this motivation are usually phycological horror, tragedy or real-fi. Furthermore, writing for me is also a way to create characters, worlds and lore from the ideas I map out before bed. Building these and shaping them into what I want is such a satisfying process I aspire to continue to work on to become a great author. I've always loved exploring new genres for this, but fantasy, dystopian and sci-fi are the genres I have been enjoying writing in for this aspect of my writing journey.

My love for reading also goes hand in hand with my passion for writing. Much like writing, I have been a bookworm since I was young and enjoy delving into worlds of fantasy, dystopia, real-fi and horror. Reading has always been an inspiration for my writing, especially when I read fellow swc'ers work I can't help but be in awe.

Moreover, I'm always looking for new book recommendations although I am someone who loves re-reading my faves, that including Six of Crows, Heroes of Olympus, Children of Blood and Bone and more.

I’m endlessly drawn to stories — whether on a page or on a screen — and the worlds they create. My favourite movie is definitely Spiderman Across the spiderverse and it feels like the years are stretching on as I wait for the sequel: Spiderman: Beyond the Spiderverse, so feel free to join me in the wait XD. My favourite series overall would be Arcane (League of Legends) although I love so many more, especially the ones I grew up with like Avatar The last Airbender, and Beyblade Burst. My watch list stretches on and on,(k-dramas being the latest hit (WATCH WEAK HERO CLASS)) but I want to talk a bit about The Unlisted, which actually inspired the theme for this application. This series is one of my all-time favourites; I’ve watched it sooo many times, and each re-watch makes me love it even more. The plot revolves around a group of youth navigating a society where people their age are being secretly mind-controlled. I would recommend it to anyone, and I’d love to chat about it with you! <3

I mostly take on traditional art like bullet journaling, sketching, painting etc. Art for me is a way to channel my creativity into a visual representative of what I’ve been thinking up. I have a wild imagination and being able to actually see what I'm imagining in front of me just makes up for all the effort i put into the actual process.

Art is my creative pathway to visually represent designs I think up and I love expressing my creativity in traditional forms, mainly painting, sketching and I want to pick up bullet journaling again. The most satisfying thing about art for me is to see a finished end piece, reflecting all the work I've put into the piece. My art is usually a very trust-the-process thing, during the start and middle people are like, ‘omg what chaos is she brewing’ but by the end I'd like to say I'd have changed their minds. I am going to be doing art gcse's so I can't wait to see my skills flourish.

Talking of visual representations, crotchet is one of my beloved hobbies. Crotchet is sometime underestimated as ‘boring’ or even mistaken for knitting, calling it for ‘old people’, but you just have to make it intriguing for yourself. Really, the only limit is your imagination and once I get really good at this skill and have lots to show, I would love to start a miny business someday… Maybe when I'm slightly less busy or faster ;'D

Chaos is my style, creativity is my language, and leadership is where I bring it all together.

Beyond my hobbies, my religion is an essential part of my life. Being brought up in a religious Islamic household has taught me to love my Creator (Allah) and love His Messenger, Muhammad (SAW). My faith shapes the way I live — it’s the foundation of the values I hold closest, like honesty, loyalty, and compassion. Because of this, I greatly value the bonds I share with others. I can usually read people well, and it helps me be a trustworthy friend who values deep, genuine connections. No matter how chaotic life gets, I never take real friendships for granted.

◈ Co-Leading Utopian SWC March 25'
I can confidently say that this was my best experience on scratch like, ever. Just getting accepted for the first time made me so happy, and I have no regrets on choosing Utopian as it was one of the best experiences of my life. Despite many unexpected obstacles coming in the way of pre-session activity, planning for the campers was its own memorable experience. I bonded a lot with my fellow co and leader, and I love how organised we were. A lesson I will definitely take from pre-session planning is if you prepare enough most things will run smoothly even if difficulties are thrown your way, like seriously we had a backup plan and a BACKUP, BACKUP plan, although luckily, we had to use neither. Actually participating in the session was its usual delight, except this time I experienced the joy of watching our enthusiastic campers make memories and complete the activities so fast we were left stunned. XD Overall, I’m so grateful for every moment of this journey. Thank you to everyone who made it so special—I’ll carry these memories with me for a long time.

Irl in terms of writing experience I have been writing since a very young age, even publishing my work in a joint book at the age of 10.

Since then, my writing has only grown and discovering swc was the biggest improvement to my writing yet, making me discover my own style and enhance my joy of writing - all of a sudden, my writing was something i could be proud of and share to fellow writers. I'm grateful to swc to everything it's taught me, from the helpful workshops and weeklies, to the swclassic dailies and every swc'ers work i read and was inspired by, each one of you special gems have helped me so much in my writing that I'm even looking at it professionally thanks to swc, so I hope it continues to grow my writing and many others too.
In terms of leadership experience, I've always had a loud, confident leader-like personality. I'm someone everyone loves and feels free to talk to; I avoiding being involved in drama unless I'm resolving it. In primary school I was constantly taking on rolls like prefect, well-being lead and even co-hosting a talent show. In secondary school I have been student council only once, although during that time I'd like to say I did a good job, rallying the class with pep talks, leading the class to victory more than once, and earning our class an unforgettable reputation (a good one XD). So yes, I'd like to say I stepped down from my duty knowing I had had made steered my class to victory and done us proud. We're currently starting a new academic year, and I've been selected as antibullying ambassador. This role means a lot to me as I greatly dislike seeing people bullied; the class selected me because they've seen me settle arguments before and step up to bullying so I can't wait to help people with this new role.

I have one cabin theme tied to my idea of The Unlisted, my app being themed also by the young adults Netflix series; the most suitable genre to claim is Dystopian, if not Thriller and Sci-fi also match the theme. I do understand these are highly competitive genres so Biopunk, Conspiracy Fiction and Post-Orwellian Fiction also would work with this theme.
In terms of TCTWNW i would prefer not to lead this cabin as i enjoy the competitive side of swc, but if it comes to co-leading then i'm ok with it <3

5. Time Dedication
This is my weekly timetable along with how much time I can devote on that day:
Monday - School, Tuition, Madrassah (religious school), Homework/studies - realistically around 20-25 mins
Tuesday - School, Madrassah and Homework/studies 25-30 mins.
Wednesday -School, Tuition and Homework/studies. 25-30 mins
Thrusday - School, Cook dinner and Homework/studies. 30-35 mins
Friday - School (half day), Madrassah (short) and other scratch duties. 3-3.5 hours (popping on and off) sometimes differing to 2-3 hours
Saturday & Sunday - popping on and of the whole day, from 2-3 hours upwards.

Skill: As I have previously stated, I'm a great multi-tasker and balancer as I do have to juggle a lot of things at once. I work well under pressure and was made for a busy packed lifestyle.
Shortcoming: Although I do work well under pressure, too much pressure and closing deadlines will make me panicky, resulting in work underperformed or not turning out the way I wanted it to.
Skill: I'm good at preventing this by setting earlier deadlines, organising my time and sorting out things beforehand. Even when I do sometimes procrastinate, I never fully miss a deadline, and I know how to prioritize so if it becomes too late I can cut unnecessary things of and get the thing done before time runs out.

Shortcoming: Me meilluere ennemie (my greatest enemy) comes rolling in like a thunderstorm wrecking all my productivity and organization. Yup, it's procrastination. Procrastination is the fire; scrolling and reading are the fuel. Being brutally honest I'd say I'm weakest to procrastination during the weekends and Fridays when I have more time, otherwise I just don't have time, and I know I don't have time so I get things done. But when I do ‘have time’ I could spend hours just reading a book, or staring at the screen in worlds of my own. I admit it.

Skil: BUT! I am actively trying to fight procrastination, by actually sticking to my to-do lists and schedules, breaking tasks into smaller bits and rotating between them so I don't get too sick of any one thing, and generally just reducing my to-do lists to sometimes something more do-able. As I said before, I mostly procrastinate during the weekends so actually putting more tasks on would help, spacing them through the day so I do get breaks but I'm still being productive. Anway this is a journey I'm still on so wish me luck! <333

Shortcoming: I can accidentally take on more than I can actually handle at once. I have difficulty resisting some activities or saying no, and aim really high, but sometimes too high for me to reach. It's like having a bouquet in front of you of all your favourite foods and thinking ‘oh I can have that too and that too’ then u realise you can't finish it all. Maybe you do, but after eating it all you're too full and feal sick. This has previously been one of my big downfalls and basically the shredding of my sleep schedule, although I'm getting a lot better at managing them together or prioritising and dropping things I can't do.

. - ⌗ ⧅ ꕀ

➜ ⬚ 7. Collaboration:
Skills: I genuinely love meeting new people and getting to know different personalities — I’m the type who can strike up a conversation with anyone and make them feel comfortable. I’m sociable and compassionate, so in group settings I often end up being the one people turn to, whether it’s for leadership or just to break the awkward silence. I don’t mind taking the lead on projects or stepping up when something needs to get done, and honestly, I kind of thrive in those moments. For me, collaboration is about making everyone feel included while keeping the vibe positive.
Skills: I'm also the ‘group hyper’ or the positive affirmation vending machine, because everyone needs motivation and everyone needs someone to tell them they're loved, or their work is good. I do this from personal experience, in times when all I needed was just one person to care and no one did. Our generation is so affected by mental health, and another thing I want to do with my cabin is include self-care and affirmation.
Skills: I’m very open-minded, and one of my favourite things to do is take bits of everyone’s ideas and fuse them into something bigger and better. I always try to be fair and inclusive, making sure every voice is heard. From past group leading experience, I’ve learned how important it is to be the person who ‘cools down’ a conflict — I’m the type to listen to both sides, empathize, and find common ground. Honestly, I think one of my strongest collaboration skills is being a good listener, because it allows me to understand what people actually mean, not just what they say.
Shortcomings: I’d say my energy can be… a lot. I’m loud, enthusiastic, and sometimes that intensity can overwhelm quieter people. It’s something I’ve been learning to balance — knowing when to take the lead and when to step back. My chaotic aura is what shapes me as a person, but I do understand that it can be both a strength and a weakness: it makes me bold, but it also means I need to stay mindful of balance. To be honest I am told I'm ‘chill’ but sometimes I just get a little too loud.
Shortcomings: I can be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to projects I care about. Sometimes I get caught up in the tiny details, which can slow me down or make me feel like nothing is ever good enough. In collaboration, I’ve been learning to balance this by trusting my team and reminding myself that done together is better than done alone. Perfectionism pushes me to give my best, but I’m working on not letting it hold me (or others) back.

Assets I bring to a leading team:
Graphic design & aesthetics
Organisation → I’m good at structuring plans, keeping deadlines in check and generally just organising things in a clean aesthetic way.
Idea generation → My brain runs on chaos + creativity, so I’m always throwing out fresh concepts and ways to improve projects.
Communication → I’m approachable, a good listener, and able to bring together different perspectives.
Adaptability → I thrive under pressure and can adjust quickly if plans need to change.
Team energy → I bring enthusiasm and motivation, making work feel exciting rather than stressful.

> In every session I have been a camper, and the one in which I have been a co, I have been in awe of the amazing work that leaders do. Watching from the view of a camper has been truly inspiring and I only become more in awe as the sessions go by. THe memories and cabins they create has always been a wonder to me and last session as co really opened my eyes. Liv was extremly organised and disciplin,

My idea of a ‘The Unlisted’ themed cabin has kept me up awake at night, dreaming and imaganing. THe Unlisted is such an underrated show that I would love to introduce to swc to share the joy of one of my favourite show to others. It has a great plot- And I should proably stop talking before i accidentally drop spoilers XDD.

9. Cabin Atmosphere
A cabin with a rich, immersive storyline focused on making memories and bonds that last A lifetime. We will thrive on creativity and self-care, but still geared toward competition.
180 characters 29 words

question 1: tell us about yourself!
hi! i’m veni, your local overthinker and arts enthusiast :) i go by she/any pronouns and currently exist somewhere along the eastern shore of the u.s., so the daily changes at 7 or 8pm for me (eastern time)! i am currently a sophomore in high school <3
as expected, i love to do anything that’s creative and/or allows me to express myself - name it, and i’ve probably picked it up at some point. some defining hobbies of mine include art and drawing (surprise); both digitally and traditionally! i’m currently taking a 3d art class and hope to be more involved in my school’s art program this year, whether it be for the theater department (letsgo theater :fire:) or doing murals. additionally, i like to write, but i’m sure this is also no big surprise given the circumstances you’re reading this under ;) i love the freedom that whipping up a good story gives you, the feeling that anything could happen as long as you can imagine it. could you believe that this wasn’t always the case, though? - i used to hate writing as a kid since i’d always viewed it as schoolwork, but thanks to my love of reading i learned that storytelling definitely exists beyond that. my favorite genres for both hobbies are fantasy and adventure!
i’m also a big music person, and you can always count to find me at a piano, in my school’s orchestra (team violin rahhh), or on spotify winding down with a good playlist. i think my music taste is always going to be changing by the day but in general i like folk, rock, and pop!!
my favorite place to hang out is my room (very cozy!!! i’ve made an effort in decorating every corner in the most whimsically maximalist way with crochet, craft, or trinkets) or in nature. i love being outside and touching grass and breathing fresh air and absorbing the world around me <3 i’m always down for a good nature walk, and will probably sneak some flowers, leaves, and cool rocks into my pockets along the way!

question 2: previous participation
this upcoming swc session will be my 15th, i believe - marking a complete 5 years! i’ve been participating in every session since march 2021, where i stumbled upon (backup) camper signups and fell in love with the community and chaos. (i’m not even that old by the way swc has just been in my life for… nearly a third of it now :skull: /jk i love you guys and wouldn’t trade that for anything) so many cabins, roles, themes, stories and memories later i’m still here and ready to apply again!
(adding onto my stats from last leader app) so far i’ve been a camper 7 times, co-led 6 times, and been a leader once! my previous leading session was back in july 2024 as a co-leader for gothic - iconic session by the way <3 my experience beyond my cabins includes near-constant participation in the memory book (including non leading sessions now!), and twice(?) on the daily team. i’ve also lead/camped/cohosted - albeit the camp was small and long ago - other scratch camps, although sadly none in the past year or so. but i think i can confidently say that i understand the “system” haha
and to be honest, i wasn’t really crazy for writing until it came to swc. i’ve grown to love it though, and beyond a hobby i could see it in my future as a side gig or something similar!
as for my personal life - i’ll admit, i’m more than likely to be timid in leadership roles when it comes to real life. however i have been involved in things such as honors societies and student government, and although those are alongside other people they’ve gotten me to feel more sure in my ability to be a community leader as well as a working team member! additionally, i’m stepping outside of my comfort zone to be first row (not first chair hah oops) in my orchestra these first weeks of school so far, and although it’s not ‘real’ first chair i hope i’ve been able to set an example and support the new orch freshmen.

question 3: cabin preferences
as i’m exclusively applying for co-leader this session, i don’t really have “strict” cabin preferences! i’d just be grateful for whatever offer to be honest. that being said there are still some genres i would be more motivated under/have more inspiration for, such as fantasy, adventure, fairy tales, illustrated, bizzarro/surrealism, and any other kind of mystical magical (sorry) fiction. i consider these my comfort genres, aka the ones i write, read, and know about the most! i found myself to know what i’m doing more when (co)leading under these genres, so i’m able to hit the ground running right away haha. however, i’ve also stepped out of my comfort zone before and found each time a fun learning opportunity, which usually ends up with me appreciating a previously unfamiliar genre (horror, mystery, the non-fictions usually)! i think there’s charm in everything. in conclusion i’m not picky genre-wise, but to be entirely honest it may or may not impact the extent of my contributions in early cabin planning :,)
i would prefer not to lead tctwnw, it’s a lovely concept but i don’t believe that i’m the right person to pull it off. the friendly competition is one of my favorite aspects of swc :)
i also have a couple of theme ideas rattling around. the first would be a society built on empty space, surrounded by stars and comets. the campers would have to secure the “platform” that they’re built on before it collapses and everyone falls into oblivion!! the other would be inspired by yaelokre and follows an ominous group of kids in the woods who like to sing, tell stories, and be silly.

question 4: excerpt
marley had never paid much attention to flowers before, or plants of any kind for that matter. but that was before she had met skye, before she somehow found a dandelion at every chance and tucked it tenderly into her hair. every time.
“yellow looks good on you,” she’d insist, knowing full well that marley only ever wore neutrals and avoided neons of any kind like the plague. but skye would smile so brightly and she loved to see her happy, so the dandelion would stay. it felt like carrying a piece of her beloved, and when she got home she’d stuff the little flower into her journal with the intent to keep it forever.
so, it was only natural that she began to notice every dandelion that lurked in the grass. they never failed to bring a smile to her face, reminding her of time spent with skye and sunny days.
~ excerpt from my flower daily last session

question 5: time dedication
i should be able to dedicate around an hour per evening towards swc - i’m not really the type of person to be on for a long period all at once, instead opting to check in short but frequent bursts. you can pretty much always count on a reply within a day since keeping up with things is a huge priority of mine! that being said, i have no huge plans in the coming months during the session and my main commitment this november is probably towards school, which shouldn’t be too surprising :,) given that it’s still pretty early in the school year, i’m still trying to figure out which extracurriculars i want to pick up and schedules for those, plus the best way to manage the workloads for my new classes. i also have a week off for thanksgiving, where i am very free and able to contribute more than usual!
as for the planning period, i’m going to be away for the first weekend of october. this shouldn’t impact things too much other than longer-than-usual periods of inactivity, since i’ll still have a device the whole time. there’s also a couple days here and there where i’ll have minor commitments, including homecoming, orchestra concerts, and general shenanigans around halloween - none of which look to be pressing issues in relation to swc, but i can be a last-minute planner and things are always subject to shift around! i’ll be sure to let my leaders know if i’ll be gone for longer than a day, and notify the hosts if that stretches to interfere with my (co)leading abilities.

question 6: time management
my time management skills are something i’ve been working on for a while now, but i’ll be honest, i slip up my progress very often and there’s still plenty of room to improve. over the years, though, i’ve managed to figure out routines that work best for me! for skills, i will always finish things on time - i take deadlines very seriously and there’s something inside of me that screams if i have to be the slightest bit late. i hate to ask for extensions and will only ever do so if something other than myself messes with my time management. i am also good at spacing out my work, starting early and working on it bit by bit instead of rushing the entire thing at the end. this personally works for me because i get overwhelmed fast when a deadline is in my face, and also a good skill to have because more often than not i get a bit of extra time to tweak my work or even… turn it in early :0 i’ve started using a planner this year as well, which has helped me with managing a balance between rest and work!! a final skill of mine is knowing where my limits lie. it sounds a bit silly but so helpful in the long run. i know when to refuse a task i can’t do, which helps prevent mental crashouts and false expectations from the entire team.
some shortcomings of mine include panicking when my to-do list reaches any more than, like, 4 items. as mentioned earlier i do tend to get overwhelmed and flooded with confusion of where to start (another skill to work on - my procrastination lies in *starting* things </3). thankfully, my planner has helped with this a great deal, allowing me to learn the best ways to split and map out multiple tasks. another issue i have is getting distracted easily. i’ll find myself drifting to p!ntrest, or yartube, or my messages during blocks of time where i’m supposed to be working which messes up my focus. a workaround to this that i’ve been trying is to close all distraction tabs in order to create an environment less likely to screw me over :) and lastly, my motivation levels fluctuate very unpredictably. which is unfortunate, because a main decider of whether i do the thing or not is if i’m feeling up to it - one day i’ll be on a roll and the next i’ll be staring at an empty screen like a sad snail. i don’t know how to fix this :D

question 7: collaboration & assets
ah, groupwork. working together in a team is always such an interesting topic, because i’m one of those people who like to go the easy route and work alone whenever possible. while being solo and lost in my own mind is a lot simpler, the tricky bits of teamwork do tend to pay off and i love the mix of personalities that show through!!
some of my strengths in collaboration include being a good listener. i will always hear you out, i love to absorb new or unusual ideas i can’t come up with myself. additionally, i always try to see things from all perspectives - i’m always one to believe that every side has a point and i do my best to develop an understanding of them before forming my own opinions! i’m not a rash decision maker, nor one to get angry or violent when dealing with conflict both online and in real life. i like to keep things calm and stay peaceful, opting to talk it over or come to a compromise! you’ll also find that during collaboration, i’m a very flexible and go-with-the-flow type person. i’m open to changes at any given moment, because i know things are bound to turn when so many minds are working together. i also think i’m a good communicator, i like to throw any ideas that i have into the open because more of them can never hurt. i know when and how to communicate my needs and concerns and stay up-to-date with a team - i believe that one of the hardest and most important parts of collaboration is making sure everyone is on the same page.
as for weaknesses, i am a chronic people pleaser. it feels sometimes that everything i do is in favor of someone else, whether it’s being too shy to give an honest critique or not bothering to defend an idea or something i care about just so that someone else is happy. i tend to overthink anything that i’m about too say, caring too much about other’s opinions and if it’d change the way they perceive me, if it’d anger them, etc. this carefulness leads me to not… truly being myself, if that makes sense? like as soon as i’m put to work in a group my self-consciousness skyrockets to 100 and nothing i do feels natural. this is much easier to battle from behind a screen, but i do have to remind myself every once in a while that not everything i say is so deep ^^’ another weakness is that i get shy when asking to help out, always preferring to be invited in. i have a deeply buried fear of rejection that gets in the way of finding opportunities. i do believe i’ve overcome this somewhat in the past years, coming out of my comfort zone step by step and learning to speak for myself instead of having others do so. overall i acknowledge that my weaknesses exist and try my best to counter them every day <3
as for assets!! i consider myself to be a very creative person, i have a lot of ideas all the time and have no problem coming up with something wild on a whim. i think this could be useful in coming up with the foundations of a cabin or a storyline. of course this creativity also carries into visuals, which i hope is semi-evident through this app - i enjoy drawing and would love to sprinkle some of that into a cabin! i’m also quite familiar with graphic design, whether that’s actually drawing a design itself or coming up with something through canva. both of these skills combined could bring some visual whimsy to a cabin if ever needed :) lastly, i would consider myself good with interacting with campers! from answering questions and utilising my (kind of) extensive swc experience or having fun little chats, i’ll be happy to be there.

question 8: reason for applying
the main reason i’m applying to (co)lead again this session is because it’s fun i love swc and miss the feel of being more closely involved :) regretfully, i think i’ve fallen off with the community in recent sessions, recognizing less people over time. i’d love to be a part of the leading team to connect more, because swc has had such a huge impact on my life and i like you guys
and while being a camper has its charm, i want to put my ideas, creativity, and 15 sessions to use this session and step into a leadership role that isn’t too overwhelming on my end (hence why i’d prefer to co-lead)! my goal (besides the above one of course) is to share the magic of swc (sorry that’s kinda cringe) to campers older and newer alike, hopefully having an impact on someone out there somewhere. i remember in my early sessions, my leaders were so warm and welcoming and got me hooked onto writing and the community(!) very quickly. carrying on this flame is singlehandedly enough of a reason to apply for me, to be honest.
and lastly (less of a whimsical answer i fear), although it’s online i do believe swc gives me experience for things in my life. even by writing this app, i feel more confident and less scared of the idea of applying to something - cough, cough, a j*b. i genuinely value the relationships, experience, and lessons learned around here and hope i can apply these skills further someday!

question 9: cabin atmosphere
a warm, tight-knit community where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and being themselves! it’d emphasize cabin bonding, improving writing, and be stitched together with friendly competition. (198 characters)

question 10: checkboxes
part a:
i will be available to help add points in the main cabin consistently throughout camp.
i am willing to share a promotional project for swc.

part b: no. i will be able to complete all responsibilities listed in the FAQ! if this status were to ever change, my leaders and the hosts would be first to know.

part c: in the unlikely event that i have to go inactive, my number one priority is to give my fellow cabin leaders and the hosts a notice as soon as possible. from there, i would transfer any studios and projects present to a willing leader, and gather all of my responsibilities to redistribute as needed. i will be as open as possible about the situation and/or my activity to ensure that my absence won’t impact cabin planning or operation.
in the event that another (co)-leader suddenly disappears for longer than their usual, i would first reach out to them on all possible accounts to make sure that they’re okay. i would make sure to bring up concerns to a host, and follow their suggested directions before coming up with my own plan. if the inactivity persists or is permanent, i would work with the other leaders in my cabin to take over their responsibilities and ensure that our cabin is able to continue without too many bumps.

bonus!! question 11: favorite cozy fall activity
fall is arguably the best season and there are too many good cozy fall activities to choose a favorite. one of the higher-ranked ones for me, though, is hiking! the weather is perfect and the views are immaculate with all the changing colors of the leaves - i also like to pick a couple off the trail and preserve them in a notebook. and of course, the fun part is getting home to the warmth of a fireplace and having apple cider and fresh apple pie from the day before <3

-BookDragon- wrote:

⌨ “Title”: Mouse's SWC Co-Leader App
approximately 3177 words, not including the excerpt!

» About Me

This section was super fun and chaotic in the best way! The seven random facts idea was super original and a great way to show off your personality. That said, a few of them were on the longer side and could probably be trimmed down just a little to keep things snappy and fun. Cutting out a bit of repetition or combining thoughts would help the section flow better and avoid overwhelming the hosties. Your ✨chaos✨ is amazing, not much revision needed here! <3

» Experience

This section was awesome!! You have SO much experience both in SWC and outside of it, and the way you tied in real-life leadership (like scouting and volunteering) really added a ton of depth. If anything, it might help to group the sections more clearly (SWC first, then other Scratch camps, then IRL stuff), and maybe break up some longer parts with bullets or shorter paragraphs to make it easier to read. Also, some ideas (like “I learned a lot”) pop up more than once, so trimming those a little would tighten things up. But overall: amazing job!!

» Time Dedication & Time Management

Really appreciated how honest you were here! You’re super self-aware, and it’s clear you’re putting in real effort to grow. Your strategies (like breaking down tasks, prioritizing, and writing things down) are solid, and it’s great to see how you’re adapting things for what works best for you. Just a suggestion: the section’s a bit long and focuses a lot on what’s hard for you. Shifting the spotlight a bit more toward the tools you’re using and the progress you’ve made would keep the tone more confident while still staying real.

» Collaboration & Assets

This was another really strong section! You did an awesome job showing your strengths in teamwork — communication, flexibility, and being open to ideas really came through. The way you’ve grown more comfortable with tricky stuff like saying no or dealing with conflicts is super impressive. The only tiny tweak I’d suggest is making the “flaws” part a bit shorter — some parts go into a lot of detail, and you could shift the focus more toward the progress you’ve made. You already show you’re improving, so don’t feel like you have to explain every past struggle — we get it, and your growth speaks for itself!

» Reason for Applying

This was super heartfelt and genuine <33 You clearly love SWC and the way you talked about wanting to give others the magic it gave you really landed. There’s nothing major I’d change here! Maybe just trim a tiny bit of repetition in places like “I’ve gotten so much out of SWC” — but honestly, it’s already doing its job really well.

» Cabin Atmosphere, Bonus Question, and Misc

All of these were super clear and got the point across! Your cabin vibe is perfect for SWC - fun, chaotic, competitive, and welcoming is literally the dream. You also covered all the logistics in a thoughtful way, which shows you’re thinking ahead and ready for whatever comes up.

» Overall Feedback

This app was packed with energy, heart, and ✨chaotic experience✨ - it’s clear you care a LOT and you’ve put your all into leading and being a part of SWC. The main thing I’d suggest is cutting back a little on the length by trimming repetition and tightening up longer parts. You’ve got so much great stuff to say - making it slightly easier to read will help the awesome parts stand out even more. You've GOT this Mouse! Good luck! <33

-BookDragon- wrote:

⌨ “Title”: Mouse's SWC Co-Leader App
approximately 3177 words, not including the excerpt!

» About Me
Why hello there ✨✨I’m Mouse (they/any), a homeschooled chaotic music-loving entity who resides in the wonderful timezone of MDT!
Looking back at my past apps, I tend to talk about the same things over and over again, so this time, you get seven random facts about me to (hopefully!) get to know me better ;D

Seven is my favorite number
I’ve liked many numbers over the years, but for the last few years my favorite has been seven! I’m not sure exactly why, but I just like the vibes it has and how it splits up Some of the other favorite numbers I’ve had in the past are two, thirteen, and twelve!

I like rocks
I like rocks!! Rocks are really cool, whether they’re just random pebbles on the sidewalk or a fancy gemstone. I actually collect rocks, and I have quite a nice variety✨ I couldn’t really pick a favorite kind of rock, but I do love labradorite, obsidian, and opal! I also have some fossils, my favorite being my most recent acquisition, which is an ancient fish!

I make music
I’ve loved singing ever since I was a tiny (this might be a bit smoother if you said “little” but that's up to you) kid, and I even wrote a couple of songs back then (although those you will probably never get to hear ;D) (I would flip “those” and put it at the end)! As I grew up, I kept that love of music, even though I got more self-conscious about sharing my voice. I eventually took up voice lessons and made a few covers, and I picked up writing songs again maybe a year or so ago! Since then, I’ve had two bands, one for a weeklong band camp and then, of course, From My Heart or Whatever, my band with Nova and Ivory! I also have a secret experimental songwriting project and, naturally, I write songs for myself (that I might release one day)!

I SCUBA dive
I joined Sea Scouts (which is a branch of Scouting America) last year, and my Sea Scout Ship is a SCUBA-focused one! Doing activities through them, I’ve gotten PADI open water diver certified and attended one fairly large SCUBA event in my area, which has been super cool! I’ve always loved the water, and I’m adoring the chance to spend hours underwater with no need to come up for air ;D

Halloween is my favorite holiday!
I love creepy things, especially when Halloween comes around. It’s so much fun to plan and try to make elaborate costumes, decorate the house, and try to give trick-or-treaters a light scare. The candy you get is also a great bonus ;D Halloween is the best holiday, and you can’t convince me otherwise ✨✨

I once started a plane!
One time, when I was little, I was boarding a plane and the pilot spotted me and asked if I wanted to help him start it. I said yes, and my dad and I got to go into the cockpit and the pilot and co-pilot told me what buttons and things to press until the plane turned on!! That was pretty random but really cool

I sew stuffies
I’ve wanted to make epic-looking stuffies since I was a little kid, but the ones I made back then…certainly fell short of the mark. The first amazing looking stuffie that I made was a very special gargoyle, and since then I’ve also made an owl and a penguin, and I plan on making many more!! (Once I fix my sewing machine….. Which is currently broken. Oops.) the broken sewing machine is so relatable sob my machine hates me passionately

» Experience

November will be my twelfth session of SWC! I’ve participated in every session since March 2022, and I always do my best to be as active as I can be while still prioritizing real life <3
Here’s all my SWCExperience:

March 2022 - Real-Fi - Backup Camper
July 2022 - Script - Backup Camper
November 2022 - Hi-Fi - Camper
March 2023 - Horror - Co-Leader, MBC member
July 2023 - Action - Co-Leader
November 2023 - Sci-Fi - Leader, MBC member, Daily Team helper
March 2024 - Dystopian - Leader, Daily Team helper
July 2024 - Gothic - Co-Leader, Daily Team helper
November 2024 - Paranormal - Leader, Polar Bear, MBC member
March 2025 - Illu-Fi - Leader, Daily Team helper
July 2025 - Sci-Fi - Camper

SWC isn’t the only scratch camp I’ve done– in total, I’ve participated in 31 sessions of camps across scratch (including my 11 in SWC)! I’ve been a camper 20 times, a co-leader 3 times, and a leader 8 times!!
I’ve hosted two camps in the past, and I’m currently a host of Writing Universe camp alongside Toko, Cat, and Chocolate! While my other two camps are currently inactive, WUC certainly word certainly isn't needed here is not, and all have taught me valuable lessons in leading, how to run a camp, how to manage all the responsibilities, and how to make it a fun experience for everyone! you can erase all but the first “how to” since it repeats
As I mentioned in my about me, I’m working on a few songwriting projects, and all of those require some planning, organization, time management, and dedication to get things done, which I admittedly haven’t been the greatest at, but I’m always getting better! Outside of scratch, I have a lot of activities! Only some of them incorporate leadership, however, so those are the ones that I’m going to list here ;D
I volunteer for my community at least once a week, and I have over 230 volunteer hours because of it! I get most of them from serving on my community’s youth advisory board and working at the senior center <33
I also do scouts– Girl Scouts, Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts), and Sea Scouts (a branch of Scouting America), which are all very leadership-focused!
Let’s start off with Girl Scouts: I’ve been doing Girl Scouts for around 11 years, and in that time, I’ve served as president and vice president of the troop (which means preparing for and running the meetings), I’ve earned my Bronze and Silver awards (the third and second highest awards in Girl Scouting) and I’m working on my Gold Award (the highest award in Girl Scouts), which all very “very” is a clutter word and makes this sentence a bit clunky heavily rely on leadership as you pick, design, and spearhead your own project. I’ve earned four leadership awards and completed a 13 day leadership training camp. I’ve also organized and led many would replace with “several” since you use “many” later or vice versa large (100-200+ people) Girl Scout events and helped many younger girls earn badges!
As for Boy Scouts Since you said this is now Scouting America, I would go ahead and change it to that to reflect its current title, I have served many leadership positions in my troop, and I tend to be the go-to person whenever a younger scout is looking to learn something or to get a requirement signed off. I’m Life rank, which is the second highest rank in scouting, and I’ve participated in many service projects and activities. I’ve completed NYLT (National Youth Leadership Training), a program that provides three months of leadership skills and experience all packed into one very would go ahead and delete this again busy week.
I haven’t been in Sea Scouts all that long, but I’ve collaborated with my brother (aka my dive partner) to plan one or two dives that we successfully executed, I’ve done some service hours, and I’ve helped with a lake cleanup!
All of these things (especially helping the younger scouts and doing NYLT) have taught me things like patience, teaching by example, public speaking, how to handle conflict and/or diffuse situations, how to work with a wide variety of people, taking action, guiding a group toward a goal, and it’s all really improved my leadership skills a ton in general.
As for writing, I’ve been reading and telling myself stories for as long as I can remember! I’ve been writing seriously for quite a few years now, and I’m slowly working to improve my skills and have fun!! I’ve taken multiple high-level writing courses and workshops, online and off, and I’ve attended quite a few workshops by authors in my area, and while I wouldn’t consider myself to be all that great at it I’m always having fun and always striving to improve!! i would break this last sentence up somehow as it's quite long

» Cabin Preferences

Since I’m applying for co-leader, I don’t have a cabin preference! If I get an offer, I’ll choose based on storyline and how much fun I think I’ll have in the cabin! I’m open to any size leadership team, and I’d love to work with anyone <3
However, I would rather not lead TCTWNW since I adore the competitive aspect of SWC >;3

» Excerpt

https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/744763/?page=4#post-8470715

» Time Dedication
I expect to dedicate at least two hours a day to SWC and even more time to writing! I have regular activities such as volunteering, scouts, halloween costume making, school, and sports, but I will still have plenty of time each day around these things! would recommend deleting those last three words as they don't add much to the sentence, would replace them with “to dedicate to SWC” or something similar
Once a month, I have a campout on the weekend that I will be pretty much completely offline for, except possibly for a bit in the late evenings. This will only impact the full day of Saturday, and I will let my leadership team know the dates beforehand. This shouldn’t cause much of an issue, and besides that, I don’t think there’s anything major in the coming months! If something does come up, I’ll be sure to immediately let my leadership team and the hosts know.

» Time Management
I’ve never been the best at time management–in fact, I often struggle with it. I’m better than I used to be, but nowhere near as good as I wish I was, so I’m always striving to get better!
There are two things that I believe are my best skills, and those are prioritization and delegation!
I’ve improved a ton at prioritization, and now when I have something important to do I write it down and I get it done. This is especially helpful if I have a lot of things to do– I’ll order them from most to least important and take them on one after another, often breaking each into smaller pieces and doing timed focused sessions to make the Large Scary Tasks more manageable. I’m also working to be less of a perfectionist and settle with “good enough” as often as I can.
I’ve also gotten quite good at delegation! I believe delegation is an important skill because it makes sure everyone has something to do (and no one person is completely drowning in work), and it helps the team meet deadlines and complete tasks efficiently! Delegating to people’s strengths, especially if they cover others’ weaknesses, can help make sure no one’s struggling with something that they’re unequipped to complete.
I can also usually recognize when a workload is too much for me and ask for assistance, which is something I’ve really struggled with in the past!
My biggest weakness is I will procrastinate. A lot. And if I don’t have a physical reminder (like writing it on a list or getting pinged by someone), I tend to forget about the task completely. I absolutely hate when this happens, because I usually end up letting someone down when it happens, or at the very least, I have to scramble and rush to get the task done, resulting in something that I may not like as much as I could’ve.
My other weakness is I am super easily distracted. The internet is full of shinies that are all more interesting than work, and my to-do list can sometimes be forgotten under things that I’d rather be doing.
Another thing that is both a strength and a weakness is my ADHD ✨✨ I got diagnosed a few months ago, and my struggles with time management certainly make more sense now ;D since SWC in general is a huge interest of mine, it usually isn’t a problem! But sometimes it is, and I’m working to try and make sure it doesn’t get in the way of a beautiful cabin! It can also be a huge strength- I work great on a deadline, and the added pressure makes me even more efficient. The flip side of this is I can procrastinate UNTIL the deadline, which can be annoying when I’m constantly turning in everything last second.
I’m working to manage all of these things and get better at time management in general, especially during the upcoming session. I’m planning on making a point to write every responsibility down as soon as I get it, rewarding myself for completing tasks, and making sure each is broken down into small enough steps so it’s not overwhelming.
And of course, I will always make sure to ask for help when I need it! SWC is an incredibly supportive community, and I’m certain that I’ll get any assistance that I may need with you guys around <333

» Collaboration & Assets
Collaboration is my favorite part of working on a team, and I’ve gotten SO MUCH better at it over the years!
My first strength is communication- I love talking to people, online and off, and I’m happy to approach and work with anyone!! I love meeting new people and hanging out with old friends, and I love the different viewpoints and perspectives brought to the table by having a diverse team. Multiple viewpoints and opinions are incredibly valuable, and more often than not it makes the project far better than it would have been without!
My second strength is open mindedness. I’m very open to different ideas and changing my plans, especially if the new idea would work so much better. the latter chunk of this is rather unneeded, although you can certainly keep it if you like. also, the word “very” cropped up again – try a synonym for variation, like “quite” I try to make any space I’m working in warm and welcoming, so people feel comfortable sharing their ideas and knowing that they’ll be heard, valued, and considered equally. This goes beyond just SWC– I do everything I can to be kind, open, and approachable (while still ofc “ofc” clutters the sentence in this instance) being goofy and chaotic ;D), both online and off!
Finally, I’m very good at adaptability! Things hardly ever go according to plan, no matter what you do to try and make it so nothing goes awry. Maybe campers are super inactive–or maybe they’re TOO active, breezing through your activities that were supposed to take all week! Maybe something came up and a plot piece can’t be completed in time. A thousand things could go wrong, and if you aren’t adaptable, it could just keep getting worse. In the past, I’ve had cabins fall apart for whatever reason, and I kept pushing ahead with the original plan, and… it didn’t work out. Since then, I’ve learned that if you quickly pivot into something that’s simpler and doable, most of the time your campers won’t even notice that it was a backup solution! I’ve pulled quite a few cabins out of inactivity and unfinished plotlines with some quick action and a little graphic design.
Naturally, I am not without my shortcomings. Firstly, I am not great at organization, which can range from being annoying to hindering a team. I can easily lose track of my own tasks and forget to check in on others, which can lead to a team falling behind.
Second, I’m not good at saying no. As a leader, you will eventually be put in a position when you have to say no to someone, and it’s hard, especially if they’re super excited about the thing you need to say no to. In the past, I’ve really struggled with this, often putting it off and stressing about it for days before finally giving an attempt.
Third, I’m very bad at confrontation and contradicting people. I’m afraid to upset people and if I do I’ll feel absolutely horrible about it for a long time and do everything I can to make it better. Partially because of this, I’m a pretty go with the flow people pleaser only one of these phrases is needed to make the point most of the time, prioritizing other’s happiness over my own, and going with ideas that I don’t really like for the sake of the rest of the team being happy. This is definitely my biggest flaw and the one that gives me the most problems while working with a team, but I have actually gotten better at it!
Over my various leadership opportunities over the summer, I’ve learned new skills and been put into new situations that made me do things like confronting someone or telling someone no (in a kind and respectful way, naturally).
During this session I will continue to work to improve on all of these flaws by doing things like trying to be more organized, kindly saying no in a timely manner when I have to instead of taking a long time to respond, and fighting a little harder for things that will make me happy as well as the rest of the team!
The assets that I will bring are my multitude of ideas, my silly chaos, my endless support, and my skills in writing, graphic design, art, and other random talents!!

» Reason for applying

SWC means so much to me! I first stumbled across it back in 2022, and I’ve never looked back. It’s been with me through many ups and downs, and I’ve learned SO MANY valuable skills from it!
When I first applied to be a co/leader, I had no idea what I was getting into. Turns out, I was about to jump into a world of fun, chaos, leadership, and friends! I’ve gotten so much out of SWC, and it’s my goal to help give others the same–and that’s the reason I’m applying!
I want to make SWC as magical for others as it has been for me, and there’s no better way for me to do that than being a part of a leadership team. Each session, I always look forward to the worlds that will be spun and the memories that will be made, and I can’t wait for a chance to do it all again <3

» Cabin Atmosphere

“A fun, chaotic, competitive, and welcoming atmosphere where campers will come together, make new friends, have fun writing, and enjoy the wonderful craziness of SWC!” (165 characters)

» Checkboxes & More

(x) I will be able to help add points in the main cabin consistently throughout camp
( ) I’m willing to share a promotional project for SWC

I can complete all leadership responsibilities!

In the event that someone on my cabin’s leadership team goes inactive (which to me means 3 or more days of sudden inactivity with no prior notice), I’ll discuss with my team and we’ll figure out how to best move forward! This could look like splitting up the inactive person’s responsibilities, simply waiting for them to come back, or turning to the hosts for help.
In the event of my own inactivity, first of all I will do my best to let my leadership team and the hosts ahead of time that I will be inactive, how long that inactivity might last, and if extra steps (like stepping back) are needed. I will also do my best to not go inactive and if I do check in if possible to make sure everything’s being handled! Hopefully, nothing major will come up, and there are always quick ways to reach me if needed <3

» Bonus Question

My favorite cozy fall activity is spending time outside! I love the cooler weather, the changing leaves, and looking at all the Halloween decorations that are out ;D

⌨ “Title”: Mouse's SWC Co-Leader App
approximately 3177 words, not including the excerpt!

» About Me

This section was super fun and chaotic in the best way! The seven random facts idea was super original and a great way to show off your personality. That said, a few of them were on the longer side and could probably be trimmed down just a little to keep things snappy and fun. Cutting out a bit of repetition or combining thoughts would help the section flow better and avoid overwhelming the hosties. Your ✨chaos✨ is amazing, not much revision needed here! <3

» Experience

This section was awesome!! You have SO much experience both in SWC and outside of it, and the way you tied in real-life leadership (like scouting and volunteering) really added a ton of depth. If anything, it might help to group the sections more clearly (SWC first, then other Scratch camps, then IRL stuff), and maybe break up some longer parts with bullets or shorter paragraphs to make it easier to read. Also, some ideas (like “I learned a lot”) pop up more than once, so trimming those a little would tighten things up. But overall: amazing job!!

» Time Dedication & Time Management

Really appreciated how honest you were here! You’re super self-aware, and it’s clear you’re putting in real effort to grow. Your strategies (like breaking down tasks, prioritizing, and writing things down) are solid, and it’s great to see how you’re adapting things for what works best for you. Just a suggestion: the section’s a bit long and focuses a lot on what’s hard for you. Shifting the spotlight a bit more toward the tools you’re using and the progress you’ve made would keep the tone more confident while still staying real.

» Collaboration & Assets

This was another really strong section! You did an awesome job showing your strengths in teamwork — communication, flexibility, and being open to ideas really came through. The way you’ve grown more comfortable with tricky stuff like saying no or dealing with conflicts is super impressive. The only tiny tweak I’d suggest is making the “flaws” part a bit shorter — some parts go into a lot of detail, and you could shift the focus more toward the progress you’ve made. You already show you’re improving, so don’t feel like you have to explain every past struggle — we get it, and your growth speaks for itself!

» Reason for Applying

This was super heartfelt and genuine <33 You clearly love SWC and the way you talked about wanting to give others the magic it gave you really landed. There’s nothing major I’d change here! Maybe just trim a tiny bit of repetition in places like “I’ve gotten so much out of SWC” — but honestly, it’s already doing its job really well.

» Cabin Atmosphere, Bonus Question, and Misc

All of these were super clear and got the point across! Your cabin vibe is perfect for SWC - fun, chaotic, competitive, and welcoming is literally the dream. You also covered all the logistics in a thoughtful way, which shows you’re thinking ahead and ready for whatever comes up.

» Overall Feedback

This app was packed with energy, heart, and ✨chaotic experience✨ - it’s clear you care a LOT and you’ve put your all into leading and being a part of SWC. The main thing I’d suggest is cutting back a little on the length by trimming repetition and tightening up longer parts. You’ve got so much great stuff to say - making it slightly easier to read will help the awesome parts stand out even more. You've GOT this Mouse! Good luck! <33