i'll put something here later <3

skill of debate - text version
word count - 3000 words

introduction

debate. to argue upon a a subject and persuade the other to oblige is one of the greatest powers. we discussed the art of persuasion in wednesday’s club meeting, and i realised how everything depends on it. i have been participating in debates since the pandemic, and my love for it has only grown. persuasion, in life and in debates, is a valuable skill. our world is infused with different kinds of people, and to convince, one must master the art of persuasion. so, without further ado, here’s my application for this session - dedicated to the art of persuasion!

before we head into the application, meet giz and dio! he’s a tall giraffe who will be guiding you throughout this application <3

about me (420 words)

howdy doodle! i’m fins (she/her) – the perfect personification of perfectionism who takes interest in deep poetry, tv shows, swimming, debates and theatre. also a high-schooler, therapist friend and daughter, i try to offer a part of myself to all i commit to.

throughout my years, i have developed a pride for reading too many books. stories have always held the power of whisking me away to another reality, and there’s nothing i enjoy more. from when my dad gifted me the peppa pig series on my fourth birthday to penning down my very own tales, reading has been a huge part of my life. whether on the bus or at the dinner table, i have no shortage of books around. i wrote my first story (or rather comic strip) in forth grade, inspired by dog man. only then, i realised that i wanted to write more than just dialouges - and got encouraged to be a writer. my favourite books include babel and a thousand splendid suns. my tbr list just keeps growing.

when i started writing at the age of nine, i didn’t know how to truly write. while i could form sentences and come up with plot ideas, i had no idea on how to actually express it in words. but, that didn’t stop me from writing. writing, at that point of time, was something new – an abstract and magical hobby waiting on my doorstep. with the help of my english teacher, me and my friend wrote a ridiculous story which eventually got published in the school magazine! writing helps me express what i don’t say, and makes me feel more confident in myself. and that’s what i love about it.

i am highly addicted to music. in all honesty, i struggle to work or stay focused without some music in the background. most of the time, that music will be taylor swift, boygenius, phoebe bridgers noah kahan, or oh hellos – but i often find myself exploring new jazz and guitar tracks as well!

i started debating because it seemed fun. and it’s grown to be so. much. more. having a knack for writing, forming arguments was a piece of cake - but what really pushed me was the public speaking aspect. for most of my life, i’ve been terrified of public speaking - even while recording videos! participating in debates has shown me to leave aside my fears of judgement; and put forth my best self out there.

experience (133 words)

this july will be my ninth session, and seventh applying for the leadership team. below listed is my in-depth swc experience:
november 2021 - inactive camper
march 2022 - myth camper (led by elle, clem and cami)
july 2022 - script camper (led by lio, fae, mayhem, piper), {24672 / 28000 words}
november 2022 - horror co-leader (with wave and ethel), mbc member, {31263/30000 words}
march 2023 - non-fi co-leader (with alana and waterfall), mbc member, {29453/40000 words}
july 2023 - poetry leader (with niko), daily team member, {63565 / 60000 words}
november 2023 - mystery leader (with mabel and clev), daily team member, quail {61180 / 60000 words}
march 2023 - sci-fi co-leader (with zion and cd), daily team member, quail, {40304 / 60000}

besides swc, i have hosted five times (3x src, 2x tc), led more times than i can recall, and co-led fewer than the second! irl, i have contributed in mun, environmental protests, writing competitions, theatre team, clubs and debates.

genres (271 words)

this session, i would like to put forth a new genre. debate! i have themed and rambled upon debate and persuasion throughout this app, and would love to lead a cabin courtesy to the writing form. debate is such an extraordinary writing expression, and while it can come under different genres, i would claim it deserves a cabin of its very own. a parliament would be an exceptional storyline for the same, and i would very much enjoy creating a cabin where campers could debate upon a certain topic every week! this could increase bonding between the campers, and also have fun debates about the silliest of the things! even if a camper doesn't have any background knowledge about debates, they’d find themselves a place there <3

while it would be amazing to lead debate, i am overall comfortable in leading any genre. my top picks after the new genre would include fantasy, historical fiction, adventure and thriller! whether it’s the hi-fi bazaar or the myth monarchy, i am confident that me and my co-leaders could adapt unique storylines into absolutely any cabin. the only cabins i would stay away from leading would be myth, script, horror, non-fi, poetry, mystery and sci-fi since i have already found myself exploring those cabins.

regarding tctwnw, i would prefer against leading it. may, june and july tend to be free months for me due to summer holidays, and i would like to make the most of them by indulging in some friendly competition. while i value the overall vibe and idea behind the cabin, i believe it won’t be the best fit for me.


excerpt

the sun dipped below the horizon, commanding the stars that fell over me. as chaos threw its cape over my shoulders, the moon was beckoned out in the orange sky.

“chaim,
do you remember
when the sky was blue –

when chaos wasn’t infuriated inside of us?”

“star,
how could I ever forget
the day our life turned against us –”

letters. i had thousands of them. each word penned by chaim, it held fragments of our lives before the war. i reached for one, its edges ink-stained and worn with the emotions of a bygone era. unfolding the envelope, the words leapt off the page.

“chaim,” i muttered. “there's a story in all your letters, a life we could have lived. do you remember the days before the war? if only we had known sooner.”


“before chaos threw it’s cape,
i used to wear my own. “
– chaim

we all wore our own unique capes; until the germans stole them away. the nazis ripped them away, leaving us bare and shivering in the camps, stripped not just of freedom, but of hope.

that deafening boom will always stay in my memory; a haunting reminder of the night the nazis dragged us away. Ggving no chance to say goodbye to the life we’d always known, i bore witness to all my overwhelming emotions. your face, etched with tears and desperate love, burned into my mind. confining us in a room with thousands, controlling our minds and our every action; robbed all our chances.

un my youth, the world was a canvas and we were the artists. we'd walk hand-in-hand under endless blue skies, the scent of sunflowers trailing in the breeze. but life, a cruel artist, smeared those dreams with its brush.

after they took you away, a punishment for a crime you never committed, the sky lost its colour for me. you were my anchor, chaim. you stood up for me; and it cost you the world. tour drawings, a glimpse into prison life, it seems dreadful. the chains, pinning you to the wall, always remind me of the pressure existing in this world. the pressure to be someone else.

you always wanted to be a scientist; to study the planet we live on, and all its wonders. sneaking into the library after closing hours, you were always a bit of a rebel; upholding a passion for learning. the ache to know that you’re trapped in a place you don’t belong in; it pains more than anything.

i pen these worlds, knowing you’ll never read them; attempting to bridge the gap between our past and present. the dreams which we once dared, and the harsh reality we find ourselves entangled in. the stars have witnessed our bond, but also the tyranny of the war that tore us apart.

if i could only return your velvet cape to you, i would. even if it meant sacrificing the world. the cape, adorned with your quirks and imperfections is the only thing you have. but as the days continue to march forth, unforgiving and unyielding, leave me with the weight of what may occur with the slightest mistake.

starr,
i know that you may think that this is he last letter i'll bestow upon you,
but i promise –
i will meet you again. and together, we shall live the life of our dreams.

chaim, so naive; never knew that it may come up to this. destiny is a game not to be played, and it chose this life for us.

☽ ── ♔ ── ☾

as the years pass, i still continue to come back to this night. the last time i would ever see the blue sky painted by you.

“faye! It’s still a quarter till dusk!” chaim gazed, wistfully. “mama may allow us to walk in the field!”. so naive, chaim was, as if mama would let us step foot outside. at least, not when the naziz were supervising every street corner.

before I could stop chaim, i heard his voice cut through the walls “ma! can me and faye walk in the field?”. “absolutely not, young man! your father is risking our life enough with his trade business; i do not want you to interfere with anyone” mama scolded, her worry evident.

but it was too late. mama's voice, laced with fear, confirmed my worst dread. we were trapped. the stark truth settled in my bones, heavy and suffocating. yet, Chaim’s words never died for me. one day, we would paint our own sky again, a canvas bathed in love that defied even the cruellest hand of fate.

activity (209 words)

over june and july, my main commitments are an internship project and other interests of mine. i am pleased to say that i’ll be having summer holidays for 3/4th of this time period, so i can certainly dedicate 1-2 hours per day. school tends to be my biggest commitment throughout other sessions, although the summer session proves to hold no such problem. with minimum activities and being at home most of the day, i will have the opportunity to log in every now along with my low-time priorities.

i am going on a beach vacation from june 16th to 21st, but i will be carrying my basic devices throughout those days. while i won’t be able to dedicate as much time as on normal days, i can still check-in and respond for half an hour or so.

regardless of having summer vacations, i due realise the importance of spending time appreciating irl life as well - and am confident that i can balance my commitments, downtime and swc leadership.

as an experienced swc leader, i am well aware of the commitment it takes to lead a cabin. i am certain that i can effectively carry all responsibilities that may come with taking a leadership position in the following months.

time managment (730 words)

skills |

tools (spreadsheets, daily reminders, google docs) - until november 2023, i had continuously struggled with keeping track of word counts. whether it involved updating the studios or submitting my final counts for the results, adding words was not my strong suit. nevertheless, once i explored spreadsheets, this became a piece of cake. i was effectively able to code and design a spreadsheet for maintaining counts for mystery, and promptly updated the counts as well as encouraged the cabin using them. able to automatically add and keep a track of words, i no longer stressed about adding them or asking campers to follow up for their cabin war counts. furthermore, i set daily reminders on my laptop regarding deadlines (blurbs, cabin finishing, mlts), which provided an insight on the tasks we’re yet to finish.

perfectionism - perfectionist. no word describes me better than that. my overachieving tendencies always come after me, driving me to ensure that everything is completed and done well. if you go on the next question, i’ve donated this as a weakness as well. perfectionism comes with its advantages, for it acts as a push towards the perfect completion of tasks. while it is hard to bear failure as a perfectionist, it also poses to be a 24/7 task reminder looming in my mind. unable to rest until my mind is satisfied, i usually tend to work upon them to achieve a peace of mind. this skill comes in handy during time management, for it assists in storing all the tasks i have in my brain, and continuously budging me to settle them.

planning - one of my favourite ways to keep a hang of time management! i am a planner. even while writing, i come to plan my prose before i actually pen it down. in the form of a simple note or a detailed to-do list, i always provide myself with a visual representation of my tasks. i am obsessed with bear (note-taking app), and would definitely recommend you to try it out! up to date, i have 2103 notes, each divided into different folders. whenever i get to know about a certain assignment or important notice, it’s neatly penned down somewhere. this is a tremendous help for future references, and gives me an insight on my priorities.

shortcomings |

distractions - while my perfectionism forces me to fulfil my priorities, it doesn’t act as a barrier from distractions. i utilize my devices for most of my work, each of them opening a portal to the internet. with looming thoughts about scratch messages, emails, friends yelling and if i’ve done the wordle yet, it’s hard to stay on track. while this prevents me from being productive, i recently discovered this google extension that has been helping me to brush off this shortcoming. known as stayfocused, it offers a unique system where one can go nuclear mode and block all distracting websties for a certain amount of time. it doesn’t allow you to alter settings during that downtime, and you can customise an encouraging note to come up when you try to remove it. i installed this two weeks ago, and it has significantly reduced my distraction rate.

dealing with failure - the downside of perfectionism is the fear of failure. when i have already set my expectations in the concrete of my mind, it is natural to feel scared of not meeting them. i yearn for the best, and that each and every detail should be outlined perfectly. but when that doesn’t happen, it is absolutely infuriating. thus, i have grown to fear failure. failure looms as a threat in the eye, and sometimes, it may even lead me to not even trying. while i know it’s okay to fail, it doesn’t hurt any less. nevertheless, i have started working on it by focusing on the improvement instead of the result. last year, i failed to get shortlisted for the theatre team. that was a huge blow for me, and i constantly blamed myself for not practising hard enough. this year, however, i did get in. my success this year would not have taken place if i hadn’t tried out last year; and a reason why i’m grateful to my younger self for putting his foot forward. this experience taught me that failing is indeed as important as winning, and a winner is just a loser who tried once again.

collaboration (640 words)

strengths |

encouraging - a strength that has naturally come to me is optimism. i am easily able to weave an encouraging and inviting work atmosphere, contributing to an enhanced collaboration. as a friend and team member, i am always there to offer a shoulder and encourage them forward. some days can be real blows, and i aim to support my co-leaders during that period. whether we’re behind in planning or facing inactivity, i am confident in my ability to lighten the mood, create a welcoming atmosphere and motivate the other to continue trying. throughout my leading experiences, this strength has aided me in bonding with my co-leaders and inviting them to share their unique perspectives.

problem solving skills - as a science and physics kid, problem solving skills are essential in various fields. from simply dividing my time between different subjects to study or finding solutions for environmental concerns, i excel in problem solving. we all have our bad days, and it’s important to accept that. but, instead of grieving, it is better to find a way to jump through those obstacles. resilience is a crucial attribute in a leader, and that requires a certain level of problem solving skills. in my past experiences, i have effectively plotted solutions against our problems and smoothly sailed through them. whether this involved finding a way to get ahead of our word adding or covering up for camper inactivity, this strength was immensely useful in the face of unexpected issues.

weaknesses |

fear of saying no - empathy comes naturally to me, and i constantly feel afraid of denying another due to how their emotions will react to that. thus, i simply go out of my way to avoid it; which isn’t the best solution. this weakness prevents me from sharing my perspective, and highlighting faults of the other. saying no is a power, and gives us the ability to make decisions for ourselves. while this weakness is hard to deal with in a leadership position, i am certain that i can potentially convey my thoughts in a respectful manner. my fear doesn’t lie with the word ‘no’, but rather the emotions that it will trigger. hence, if i can portray my perspective in a manner that won’t trigger negative emotions, i will be up for it. i carried this out to some extent in sci-fi planning last session, and i hope that i can continue it in my leadership journey this july.

idealism - as an idealist, i tend to focus on every tiny detail and attempt to perfect it. my mind demands everything to be flawless, and as i result, i succumb to fulfil all those expectations. i am aware of how this yearning for perfection can sometimes lead to inefficiencies, as well as procrastination from the continuous refining. it can also be emotionally draining, for i am hit with a stroke of self-doubt and frustration if my expectations are not met. nevertheless, i have been trying to work towards balancing high-quality work and not spending too much time on minor details. next session, i long to brush off this weakness by trying to set a ‘good enough’ standard and directing my focus on the overall item rather than its miniscule parts.

assets |

creativity - creativity is an asset i bring to each team; for it allows me to approach challenges from new angles and think outside the box. it assists in sparking inspiration within my co-leaders, urging them to build upon the idea with her own unique ones. by brainstorming new ideas and finding innovative ways to do tasks, i am able to work with my co-leaders to create an immersing cabin.

experience - i have held various leadership positions in swc, and can contribute by sharing that collected knowledge with my team. each session has taught me something different, and by passing that down with my team, i can ensure that we don’t repeat previous mistakes and work upon past learnings.

one value (300 words)

a leader is a person who leads. but why do they lead? what do they want to achieve as a leader? are they willing to put in the effort? that is their intent. intent refers to the willingness to achieve something, and i believe a positive intent is a value all leaders should possess.

positive intent goes beyond just winning; it's about doing the best they possibly can. they believe in making the best out of every situation, regardless of how dire it may be. to yearn for the best, to put in the impossible effort to fulfil a vision, and to swim regardless of how deep the sea is, is a positive intention.

instead of sinking, they attempt to stay afloat for as long - and have a set purpose : to try no matter what. to fulfil a leadership role effectively, a positive intention is a huge asset. whenever i find myself collaborating with a team, i tend to aim for the best - and bounce back in order to meet my goals. whether it’s by providing a small word of encouragement or coming up with creative measures to follow up a problem, a positive intent can go a long way.

my leaders, despite challenges, have always had a positive intent in terms of their cabin, and tried their possible best to ensure that nothing problematic comes in during the session. whether it was inactivity during cabin wars or as simple as a thumbnail issue, they found a way.

i can embody this value as a leader by upholding a passion to lead; and by truly willing to make the best out of the experience. by being resilient, optimistic, and working as a team, i am confident that i can personify this value and create a memorable experience for my campers.

atmosphere (97 words)

“tight-knitted and goal-oriented, aims to encourage long-lasting bonds and achieve personal milestones. with a bolt of competition, we strive to offer the motivation needed to grow as a writer" (201 characters, oops)

i am confident that my team can achieve this cabin atmosphere by designing an immersing storyline and engaging our campers in its plot. with the motivation and encouragement needed to achieve their personal goals, we can offer goal-oriented activities that will assist them in improving their writing. competition is quite a motivator on its own, and we could further use that in our camper-tasks.

checkpoints (146 words)

i am applying for both leader and co-leader - ✓
i am applying only for co-leader - ×
i am willing to share a promotional project for swc - ✓

B : i am confident that I can fulfil all responsibilities listed in the faq. as a past leader, i am fully aware of the effort and dedication required to complete them and i am certain that i can successfully manage it.

C : in the case that i’m inactive, i will inform my co-leaders, hosts, and anyone else who may be affected by my absence. i understand how the weight of inactivity impacts the entire leadership team, and i will promptly discuss how to effectively navigate through and ensure that everything goes smoothly throughout my period of inactivity. if another fellow of my team faces inactivity, i would actively divide their responsibilities and make sure that every co-leader has a manageable workload.

introduction
july 1 (1000 words)

Leave the poetry writing to the prose (prose without the ‘e’). Don't judge me, this is the first writing pun I found online. Moving on.

Hello everyone, I'm Finley (she/her), an idealist who didn’t let herself write this introduction until she completed her math studying session. Dwelling in (lyric)IST timezone, I’m fond of writing, reading, swimming, and studying subjects I’m passionate about.

This July will mark my ninth SWC session and my sixth on the leadership team. If anyone asks me what Scratch Writing Camp is, I blank out. Not because I’m not familiar with how it works, but because I don’t know how to express the beauty of it just in a few words. I don’t quite recall how exactly I found SWC, but I don’t regret it for a moment.

Writing is in my blood, for there’s nothing a reader could hope for than pen down their very own story. SWC has helped me cultivate that passion into a part of me, into who I am. If I’m asked to introduce myself, there’s nothing that describes me better than a writer.

I still cannot fathom the change that has occurred in me from September 2022. Ethel asked me to co-lead Horror alongside her, and I don’t think I’ve ever been the same again. The ecstasy was unlike I’d ever felt before. Firsts are always so magical, and that session was confirmation of that statement. I remember asking my own leader in March ’22 about SWC. And the following November, I was the epitome of that leader, introducing individuals to a community I’m grown with.

Here are all my sessions in chronological order:
November 2021 - (Inactive Camper)
March 2022 - Myth (Camper)
July 2022 - Script (Camper)
November 2022 - Horror (Co-leader, MBC Member)
March 2023 - Non-Fi (Co-leader, MBC Member)
July 2023 - Poetry (Leader, DT Member)
November 2023 - Mystery (Leader, DT Member, QUAIL)
March 2024 - Sci-Fi (Co-Leader, DT Member, QUAIL)
July 2024 - Non-Fi (Leader, MBC Member, DT Member, QUAIL)

My favourite thing about SWC is the community. I have literally never seen a community that friendly! I wouldn’t be here without them, and certainly not without : Nat, Clo, Lily, Coco, Summer, Lio, Ethel, Wave, Alana, Waterfall, Reese, Niko, Mabel, Clev, Alia, Soki, May, Willow, Luna, Elfie, Recca, Raya, Raye, Moonsy, Birdi, Zai, Inky, Robin, Moss, Snowy, Pepper, Jade, Goose, Sophie, CJ, Daisy, Leopard, Luka, Skye, Ollie and Fae <3 Woah, that’s a lot of people.

Hozier, Phoebe Bridgers, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahn, Boygenius, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Lana De Ray, Emei, Benson Boone and Conan Gray are my top artists this week, all of which I love dearly. Currently, my favourite Taylor Swift album is folklore, and I’ve kind of been with champagne problems.

In terms of animals, I identify myself as a mix between an otter, dolphin and owl. Otters are just adorable, and I somehow connect the name ‘Finley’ to dolphins? It’s no secret that I had a scratch account known as ‘owlgoing-’ before ‘essayist’.

My favourite books include Babel (R.F Kuang), Song of Achilles (Madeline Miller), Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), LOTR (J.R.R Tolkien), A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseni), The Poppy War (R.F Kuang), The War That Saved My Life (Kimberly Brubaker Bradley) and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (Ocean Voung). Poetry by Ocean Voung, Robert Frost, Courtney Peppernell and Mary Oliver are beautiful.

Netflix-binging is one of my ultimate vacation pastimes. Arcane, The Matrix, Manifest, The Dragon Prince, Gravity Falls, She-Ra, Nimona, Spiderverse and Disney movies are all so good. If you want to talk about some piece of media or need tv show recommendations, I’m your girl.

My idols / people I look up to consist of Sky Brown (teen queen <3), Emma Watson, Malala Yousafzai, Stephen Hawking, Virat Kohli, Anne Frank, Helaine Zhao, Han Zhango and my English teacher.

On YouTube, I follow Pol-R (Stan zai ;D), OxfordUnion, Heimler’s History, The Organic Chemistry Tutor, Abbie Emmons, Totally Emma Watson, Helaine Zhao, Sky Brown, Han Zhango, Bella, Stanford, MIT OpenCourseware, Ms Quiwiie, Yale Law School, Dartmouth, Caltech, Yannie Tan, Oxford Mathematics, TED-ed, Duke, Harvard, Yale School of Medicine, Princeton, clarisseintheclouds, Elise Pham and Lofi Girl.

Neuroscience, phycology, linguistics, criminology and history are topics I’m fascinated by / enjoy learning. Majoring in any of these as an international student in MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Harvard or Duke is pretty much my dream.

I’m hundred words away right now, so here we go: places I want to visit! London, Greece, Paris, Ireland, Denmark, Switzerland, Kerala, Los Angeles, Seychelles, Maldives, Tokyo, South Korea, Moscow, Finland, Sydney, Florence, Istanbul, Bali, Amazon Rainforest and Zurich are utterly unfathomable (wow, that’s great grammar).

Moving on to answering your questions.

“What is your favourite dinosaur?” - Zy
Definitely Compsognathus (Compy), courtesy to Non-Fi March 2023’s mascot, Iggie the Compy!

“Favourite Ikea purchase?” - Myself
I got this super cute bear from HK Ikea and he’s always been my favourite ;D

“What are your comfort things?” - Lily
Food - Biriyani (indian rice dish). I am a lover of rice, and flavored rice + meat is just somehow comforting. I don’t know how to explain this, but biriyani has always been my childhood favourite.
Movie - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Another childhood favourite.
Music - Phoebe Bridgers, especially when I’m in a bad mood.
Place - Just cuddling on my bed is really comforting + with my poetry journal. Also having my disney shoulder plushes and ikea bear with me.


“Favorite genres to read, write, and watch?” - Lily
Reading - Dystopian, Fantasy, Hi-Fi
Writing - Dystopian, Hi-Fi, Poetry
Watch - Thriller, Steampunk, Dystopian

I guess I’m a big fan of dystopian bhwhaha.

I’m trying to speed write this while messaging irl bestie about arcane (I politely forced her to watch it). She’s the same friend who I introduced SWC and claimed that scratch was a kiddie website ;( I somehow still love her.

Even in thousand words, I feel like there’s so much I haven’t written about myself. Cheers to SWC July!

letter to future self
july 2 (340 words)

Dear Future Finley,

July is a month that will test you in every aspect. Your social life, academics, theatre productions, debate events, self-studying, swc leading, writing and much more.

I’m writing this at 5:22pm on July 2nd after completing some practice math questions. Let’s just say, it didn’t go that well. I know you wouldn’t want me to share your score in public, so if you want to check it out again, it’s in the pink amazon notebook. Whenever you’re reading this, I hope you’ve improved.

In terms of SWC, I hope that you can complete all the activities in the session. This is a rather far-stretched goal, and while you have your commitments, there’s nothing more your past self is yearning for than some good writing pieces. Practice makes perfect, and who knows, you may just fall in love with writing all over again. Forty thousand words is a realistic goal, and I daresay you’ll be able to pull that off with just the assignments.

Three theatre productions is no joke. I just learned about it today, and my mind was already spinning when I comprehended my schedule after summer holidays. I don’t want you to quit, and I don’t want you to overwork yourself. While two of those productions will take place after August, I’m sincerely longing for the success of the Animal Farm one.

Navigating your social life is the worst. It’s hard enough making friends, and even harder to step away from them. You know what I’m talking about, and you know it’s time to leave that friendship. This is by far the toughest goal I’ve set for myself, and I know it requires more courage than I can put in real life. But, surprise me ;D Leaving that friendship will lift such a weight of your shoulders.

While I would love to write more about what I’m aiming for in July, I’m afraid I have to log off to practice some French grammar. Happy belated birthday - proud of you queen <3

Sincerely,
Past Finley

timing
weekly one (word count)

part one (with @Miss-Mash-Mash)

my scene - Rain. It pelted against my window. The clouds bathed the sky in hues of dark blue, as the moon was beckoned out. Light illuminated the demolished city, its ruins sinking in the abrupt flood. The monsoons in August were no joke, though the city has been developed for the worst. The flood was a stew of building debris and shamrock trees, but the most occupying were the bodies. Czar and me were high up on the Felix tower, unable to fathom reality. Everyone was dead. Everyone except us. My handkerchief was soaking wet, the tears not ceasing. Czar walked up to me, his right hand shaking over my gashed shoulder.

“Elliot, we need to fix your wound”. He pulled me into a hug. With a boost of remaining energy, I forced him away. “I don’t need to do anything” I yelled, the sound wave hitting the wall. “Please, talk to me. We need to do this together.”

my partner's scene a decade after - “It’s over.” Jason’s voice cut through my mind. But, what if it isn’t? I took a deep breath. The forest was destroyed, and we had slayed all the phantasmal monsters. “J, what are you worrying about” he asked. I couldn’t explain Jason. He would never understand. My life has always been a run against the monsters. Ever since they escaped the ZOO (Zoo Of Occurrence), reality had become a dream that didn’t feel like one. Everything had changed. Instead of the canopy I’d always slept under, I now contemplated life on a canopy bed. The silence was too hard to bear. Forest screams were instilled in my brain, playing as a record on repeat. We were game players. The Meeks were just viewers of an apocalypse they had no idea how to defeat. I looked outside the window, buildings towering over my mansion. Lights flickered in the distance. Was this, really the reality?

oriri - a kingdom
july 3 (500 words)

Oriri, a monarchy in Italy, was nothing but a land of slavery and thrall. Children were bound by chains of menial work, their life nothing but a devotion to whoever agreed to hire them. Menfolk found employment in the manufacturing factories, their wives offering their life as a bonus for running the family. The castle was leveled in the eye of the kingdom, protected by pliable ramparts. Arid humidity was a frequent visitor to the community, and the temperature burned even the Queen’s tongue.

A decade later….
Queen Diana continued her reign, supporting the regime forged years ago. Ruling with a firm hand, the citizens rolled under her dry parlance. Oriri was excluded from the country, its belief lying in its power to rise. But this year, they were expecting visitors. The walls of the castle were draped in crimson, and burgundy banners hung across the marketplace. The Queen’s Nobles yearned to disguise the kingdom from what it still was, for as much as they hate to admit it, they didn’t want any external individual deciphering their true methods.

A decade later….
Travelers in Oriri were frequent now, much like the constant rain that bathed the sky in hues of the darkest blues. King Alaric claimed the throne after Queen Diana’s death, and new laws rose. The children, earlier bound by the chains of menial work, were granted access to rudimentary education. Slavery became a thing of the past as a new era painted the kingdom. The marketplace was a whizz, and all sorts of traders did their business there.

A decade later….
New policies came up. Delegates and diplomats visited the kingdom. Oriri was no longer a monarchy in the abyss of Italy, but rather, a risen community. A drop of rain fell on Alaric’s tongue, as he allowed the clouds to finally let go of their weight. Freedom was not a word in the dictionary, but what citizens were allowed to embrace. Youngsters went to school, and could finally dream of lives unlike their one before. Adults could choose their occupations, and do what they truly loved. Antonio Bruno become the first artist known to the kingdom, teaching Alaric himself how to paint. Development came with its price, and strained the kingdom. The environment was in shambles.

A decade later….
Alaric’s death resulted in Queen Alana’s reign. She was a visionary, and introduced sustainable living in Oriri. Restoring natural beauties, cleaning the West End river, replanting forests and establishing wildlife sanctuaries were just a fragment of her conceptualization. Seminars were held, and taught by the Highness herself. She was not a queen, rather a leader the kingdom needed. Students were allowed to go to universities after school, and continue their education if they fancied. Slavery and thrall were a mere memory of the past, as the kingdom of Oriri lived up to its name, and rose amongst the ashes. A monarch is one who leads with a vision, and Oriri was a snippet of what monarchy came to be.

let the pretty wind fly past
july 4 (300 words)

Dear Val,
Do you remember when we spotted that sail boat? It travelled almost effortlessly, gliding with the horizon. Talent, I had mused. Really, it was just the wind.

You’re my hero, V. My math exam, the one I aced with flying colors? The wind that powered it was you. I flew so high. “Look at that pretty boat sailing through…”. That was the caption you gave your instagram post. I didn’t know that friends posted stories about each other, but I followed along your excitement. The truth is, you were the wind that sailed my boat; pushing me in my longest days. The wind moved gracefully, and the sailboat was obliged to follow. Storms, hurricanes, still waters–there’s aways a speck of wind.

Even when the teardrops were a tad too much for the sea to handle, but Val, you were always there to carry me on. I guess I flunked on my audition, but only to be invited as a producer. I want you to know the truth, of course I know it. I would be noting without you. I wanted the glory, you wanted the love. We both were different, yet you were the hero all along. I’m not jealous, like I would have been a few months ago.

You remember Alex, from the hallway? All those years, I devoted my life to her. You’re worth a million of her. I wish I could go out and throw myself in the world. Throw my words, and shout out my soul. You are the wind behind my sails, and took me so high I almost touched the sky. I love you, V. You’re everything I wish I ever had. A beautiful face with a pretty smile

“Let that pretty wind fly past…..”

XOXO
Jared

the hero's journey
july 9 (420 words)

Ordinary World - Vivamus dwells in Duke, which is the city of kings. He lives on the streets with his brother, Mycroft.
Call to Adventure - When we wake up on June 14th, 1984, he discovers that Mycroft is missing. Mycroft is the only person Vivamus has ever known, and he needs to go and find him.
Refusal to Call - Vivamus reaches out to the police, who confirm that they’ll find him and he needs to stay put. However, his gut says otherwise. He believes that Mycroft is in some sort of danger and he’s the only one who’ll be able to find him.
Meeting the Mentor - As he searches his Mom’s house, he meets Elizabeth, who claims to be Mycroft’s girlfriend and knows where we would go.
Crossing the First Threshold - Vivamus and Elizabeth set on a journey to the Mountain King, which is where they believe he is been captured.
Tests, Allies, Enemies - Vivamus and Elizabeth meet the Fallen, two twins who had somehow managed to escape and find their away after their imprisonment by the Mountain King. They learn to trust them. On their way, they also meet Alies, who claims to have seen where the Mountain King took Mycroft. However, the Fallen have warned their friends about such scams, and succeed in not falling for it.
Approach to Innermost Cave - Vivamus and his friends have reached the Mountain King’s castle. The only thing left to do, pull a heist and get Mycroft out of the mess he put himself into.
Ordeal - Vivamus challenge the Mountain King to a sparring match in return of Mycroft’s freedom.
The Reward - He wins the sparring math. This increases his determination to win and problem-solving skills. He learned that deal-making is not always enough, and goes back to Duke with his brother, Elizabeth and the Fallen twins.
Return - As they plan their return, they realize that the Mountain King had sent a spy to capture the entire pack. They face Nini, and learn that she’s not the alone.
Resurrection - Vivamus is face to face with the Mountain King himself. He wants to protect Mycroft after all the trauma he’s faced, though he learns that they require his expertise to win his fight. With the help of the Fallen’s powers and Elizabeth’s fencing skills, they win the battle and slay the King.
Return with Elixir - Vivamus returns back to Duke, celebrations in order after his victory against the Mountain King. He reunited with Mycroft, and made three new friends along the way.

letter to my future self
november 2 (315 words)

Dear Future Fins,

I can’t believe it’s SWC already, and your tenth session too! It’s crazy to think that you’ve been a part of this camp since three years. It’s currently November 2nd, and I’ve enjoyed a fantastic long weekend courtesy to Diwali. November’s looking so great, and I hope it continues on like that. I know you’ll have a couple of tests this month, and while I’m expecting perfect scores, I know that it’s hard to secure that every time. What I want is for you to try, to study and work so hard that you simply can’t get a question wrong. Maths has been a challenge for you ever since this grade started, so keep on practicing and getting those questions right! I believe in you. Furthermore, I hope you had a splendid outbound trip. I know you’ve been looking forward to travelling with your friends, and I hope it goes exactly like you imagined. I know it’s going to be a bit challenging, and a little outside your comfort zone. However, I know you’ll have fun with your friends (hopefully they don’t launch at you). You’ll be on a plane with your friends for the first time, and I’m so so excited to see how it goes! Also, I was supposed to have a theatre meeting on the last day before Diwali break, but it was cancelled. The teacher mentioned they had something urgent to talk to us about, and I’m frankly very curious as to what it was. I’m guessing it’s some kind of event planning, though whatever it is, I’m hoping it was fun and went splendidly! (I’m actually so curious XD) I’ve also started writing in my journal again, and I really hope you continue the habit throughout the month. Best of luck in SWC, I know paranormal will be a slay experience!

With love,
Past Fins

boops this was deleted for privacy reasons

prompted word war with crystie
november 4 (322 words)

In a word of black and white, you would be red.

That's the last thing Fox ever said to me, adding on to the collection of heavy teardrops stored on my eyelid. I don't really know how she had the courage to even admit her love for me, because I could never pull myself together to do that. It had been ten sweet years living together, and I still couldn't get myself to confess my feelings for her. Fox was someone you'd meet once in a lifetime, and absolutely impossible to forget. I wish I could travel through the void of time and change everything, but it was too late now. Her smile was all I ever craved now, but my need could never now be fulfilled. Those midnight strolls by the horizon and 5am study sessions defined our beautiful and chaotic relationship, which exceeded beyond anything I could ever dream of. A life without her wasn't worth living at all. After she passed away, I dwelled in a self-drilled cave inside my heart for days. With all the lights broken, all I could observe was the darkness of missing someone so terribly that you'd sacrifice your own soul for it. It was so much harder to be left behind, mourning the passing days as if they meant everything yet nothing at all. The tears wouldn't stop flowing, and I couldn't continue with this anymore. Fox probably wouldn't want this, but she wasn't there anymore. I thought of her as my world, but she viewed me as her entire solar system. No matter how many times my Mom would feed me, ask me to get out of the house and take in some sunshine, I simply couldn't. Not if Fox wasn't there to do it with me. It's funny, how you could admire, fear and miss a person so beautifully. I was the red in her black and white world, and she was my oxygen in a planet without any fundamental gases.

victorian flowers
november 5 (308 words)

The heaven released petals of rhododendron down the sky, commanding them to land over my freckled nose. I'd heard about how old folktales talked of when it rained cats and dogs, but never about flower petals! Was I the first witness to such a spectacle? Or was I simply sedated and imagining myself in a weird fantasy? I took a minute to settle myself down on a bench, and clear out my mind. Seconds later, the crimson petal was still reclining on the roof of my nose. It definitely rained flowers, and a rhododendron petal most certainly fell on my nose. I looked around the neighbourhood for any trees growing flowers, but didn't find any. So, where did that petal come from? Inquisitively, I scanned the library shelves for old folktales about bizzare rains. I would call my scavenger hunt a fail, for I didn't exactly find any book that cured my curiosity. Actually, it further increased it. When I opened John Bivardo's Guide to Exceptional Things That Happened in History, I found two more flower petals waiting inside it. Helebore and Japanese Kerria, I recognised immediately. I was a botany nerd, and maybe a bit crazy about all subjects in general. But, why the devil would these flowers be pressed in this book? This was the second time I was enveloped with rare flower petals. This couldn't just be a coincidence. Suddenly, everything came to be in a memory. I was studying exploitation in the Victorian era, and came across a peculiar language, with flowers instead of letter. The Victorian Flower Language, they called it. So, all these flowers were simply communicating with me in the Victorian Flower language, and were sent to me from the divine. Danger, Madness and Thoughtlessness. What a great message! I surely had a wonderful life to look forward to.

dialogues
weekly one (1172 words)

part one
I am shackled. Not by the chains of petrous steel, but the reneges of a utopia. Gray walls bind my shattered self, and all I can recall now is calumny by the masquerade.

I hear a noise. A tiny din in this inferno.

“Dante, someone wants to talk to you. And put on a smile, for god’s sake. It’s an officer.”

Another guard trying to demand verve out of me. How typical of these supervisors.

“No” I grunt. I wasn’t going to wash my hands of guilt in front of another officer, especially when they were never dirty in the first place.

A fist meets my face.

“Don’t be insolent, child!” the guard growls. I can taste iron in my mouth. I stagger back, leaning against the stone wall.

“You think this is a game? You’re in the prisons of Woecliffe—every refusal has a price.” He steps closer, a glint in his eyes. “You’ll play the part, or you’ll wish you had.”

Despite the blood trickling from my lip, I smirk. “You think your threats scare me? I’ve faced worse than you in this inferno.” A chuckle escapes my mouth.

“You’re a fool to provoke me. This isn’t about fear, kid–it’s your life.”

Suddenly, the door unlocks. It’s the officer, draped in coins like there’s no shortage of them in Woecliffe. His face is sharp, angular, as if cut from stone, with eyes that gleam like polished obsidian. He surveys the room with a slow gaze, his lips curling further in disdain as his eyes settle on me.

“Dante,” the officer snaps. “Looks like you’ve made quite the impression with the guards here. Most of them knew who you were, despite this being the biggest criminal house in Donus.”

What gibberish. “Impressions are all this place is built on, isn’t it, Officer?” I mumble slightly.

“You’re very witty for someone in chains, you know. You see, in Woecliffe, everyone is judged. Even the innocent” the Officer points out, brushing off dust from his cloak’s dark fabric.

“Don’t pretend you care about innocence.” I shout in agony. The only reason I was trapped in this place was because of the masquerade’s false claims. “We’re all just pawns in your game.”

“Perhaps.” The officer smiles. “But that’s not what I’m here to discuss. What if I tell you there’s a way to escape the shackles of your twisted fate? Win the favour of the upper class?”

So many Officers have tried to bribe my loyalty with alluring rewards, yet I fall for none. I know better than to trust them. “No, thank you.” I say, looking straight in the Officer’s eyes. “I’m not interested in whatever you have to offer.”

The Officer looks annoyed. “Child, this is not an offer. It’s an ultimatum. Join me if you ever want to see the outside of these walls again, or you can continue to rot in this cell.”

“Join you? I’m no fool.” I scoff.

Suddenly, his eyes narrow. “Do you think you’re brave? You think I haven’t dealt with others who’ve been wronged by the masquerade?”

part two
They were all fools to provoke me. My sadistic grin simply served as a distraction for what I was about to launch.

“Dears, did you really think poking the lion won't earn you a bite? It’s a shame really… how little you understood what you were dealing with.” The power tingled at my fingertips, itching to be unleashed. “Allow me to correct that.”

part three
“Don’t be insolent, child! You think your threats scare me? I’ve faced prisoners far worse than you. You think this a game? You’re in the prisons of Helmini—every refusal has a price. You’ll play your part, or you’ll wish you had!” He steps closer, a glint in his eyes. “But that’s not what I’m here to discuss. What if I tell you there’s a way to escape the shackles of your fate? Win the favor of the upper class?”

So many Officers have tried to bribe my loyalty with alluring rewards, yet I fall for none. I know better than to trust them.

“No, thank you.” I say, looking straight in the Officer’s eyes. “I’m not interested in whatever you have to bribe me with.” 

The Officer looks annoyed. “Child, this is not an offer. It’s an ultimatum. Join me if you ever want to see the outside of these walls again, or you can continue to rot in this cell.” 

“Join you? I’m no fool.” I scoff.

“Okay, continue living like this. All without your sister.”

The mention of her name hits like a fist to my gut. “You know where my sister is?” I staggered back, meeting his twisted oak brown eyes.

“See, we can do a lot for you. Just as you can for us. Maybe she’s dead, or simply trapped in one of our cells. There’s no way you’ll ever know unless you join us.”

I lunged for his throat. That guy thinks he can snarl about my sister and get away with it? He was so wrong. Oh, if only he knew what he sentenced himself to. I was not a lion who could be tamed. I was not a soul who would kneel on command. I was a tyrant in my very own world, and gosh, things were about to get messy.

part four

DANTE: Go away.
OFFICER: Who're you talking like that to, huh?
DANTE: You, big guy. Just leave me alone.
OFFICER: I guess you don't want your food then.
DANTE: No, I don't. Now will you leave me or what?
OFFICER: Only the Masquerade can deal with you now.

FLICK: Hi! You're Dante, right?
DANTE: I said I don't want the food.
FLICK: Okay…..? I wasn't giving you food.
DANTE: Who are you?
FLICK: For a moment I thought you were depressed. I'm Flick, your new room mate!
DANTE: Room mate? They gave me a room mate? That's the last straw.
FLICK: Yo, chill out a bit. It's okay. You were the only one without a room mate and they had to accomodate me.
DANTE: There was a reason for that, y'know?
FLICK: Wow, I can see why.
DANTE: (mutters) Well, there goes my peace and quiet.
FLICK: Come on, don't be such a downer. This place isn't exactly a paradise. We might as well make the most of it, right?
DANTE: (glares) I didn’t ask for company, Flick. And I’m not interested in making “the most” of anything here.
FLICK: Deal. (leans back, grinning) This is gonna be fun. I can tell already.

HANA: You're my opponent?
DANTE: Scared much?
HANA: You think?
HANA: (glances at Flick) And who’s this? Your sidekick?
DANTE: He’s not with me.
FLICK: (grins) Hey, I’m just here for the entertainment.
HANA: (crossing her arms) Well, enjoy it while you can. Dante here talks big, but I’ve seen plenty like him who crumbled when things got real.
DANTE: (steps closer) Oh, you have no idea what I’m capable of.
HANA: (leans forward, unphased) Then show me. Let’s see if the “infamous Dante” lives up to his name.

cabin creation
weekly two (1090 words)

part one

As you step into the office, the first thing that hits you is the sheer absurdity of it all. The room is dimly lit, with flickering fluorescent lights casting shadows that look like they've given up trying to be spooky. A sign on the wall reads, “Department of Ironic Affairs: Making Sense of Nonsense Since… Well, Never.” Everywhere you look, there are posters with slogans like, “Work Hard, or Hardly Work… We’re Honestly Not Sure Anymore,” and “Existential Dread is Just Job Training Here!”

Behind a cluttered desk sits a figure with a pencil tucked behind one ear and a grin etched across her face. She gestures to the nameplate on his desk, which reads: Fin Silly, Director of Irony and General Tomfoolery.

“Ah, you must be our new recruit!” she says, gesturing for you to sit on a beanbag chair—yes, a beanbag chair, in the middle of an “office.” “Let me guess: here to join the Satire Saga TV Programme?”

Just then, another bursts through a door labeled “Department of Whimsical Yet Misleading Directions.” She’s balancing a tray with two cups of “tea” (one of which looks suspiciously like soda) and hands one to you with a grin. “We’re here to help you get settled in the most confusing way possible!” she declares proudly.

At that moment, someone else who’s been rifling through a stack of dusty books marked “Dramatic Exaggerations and Ironies,” looks up. ”Oh, did we give you the pamphlet?” he asks, pulling out a brochure titled, “How to Survive the Satire Saga: If You’re Reading This, You’re Already Behind.”

They hand it to you with a solemn nod. “Read it carefully,” they advise. “It’ll answer most of your questions—if you read it backward and skip every other line, that is.”

You can’t help but laugh, half in disbelief and half because… well, maybe part of you thinks this place is perfect.

part two



part three
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah

I joked another time, I lost another job
Lost to work, but I'll just get employed again
I feel losing down, I keep forgetting my voice
I always rise up now, to see what's fresh

I don't just fail, I fall down and cry too
Nobody slays without getting it wrong

I will give up, yeah, I will give in
Till I ace the show, and then I'll laugh again
Yeah, I wanna leave, I wanna act everywhere
I wanna act even though I could fail

I will give up, yeah, I will give in
Till I ace the show, and then I'll laugh again
Yeah, I wanna leave, I wanna act everywhere
I wanna act even though I could fail

Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Act everywhere
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Act everywhere
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Act everywhere
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Act everywhere

See how far you've programmed, you've filled all eyes with interest
Dear, you've slayed enough, take a dark turn
Don't beat yourself up, no need to pressure so much
Sometimes you'll fall but you shined your test

I will give up, yeah, I will give in
Till I ace the show, and then I'll laugh again
Yeah, I wanna leave, I wanna act everywhere
I wanna act even though I could fail

I will give up, yeah, I will give in
Till I ace the show, and then I'll laugh again
Yeah, I wanna leave, I wanna act everywhere
I wanna act even though I could fail

I'll keep on making those new noises
I'll keep on making them everyday
Those new noises

Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Act everywhere
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Act everywhere
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Act everywhere
Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah

Act everywhere

part four
“Welcome! Welcome to Satire Saga’s Scintillating Show!” A juggler strolls around you, tossing apples up and down with such flair that you can't help but grin. Each apple spins through the air, painted with silly faces, some grinning, some frowning—tiny caricatures of every emotion you can imagine.

“You’re in for a treat!” he winks, catching an apple and tossing it right back into his rotating act. “This is where irony meets artistry, where every story is a satire, and every satire, a saga.”

“Oh, Miss Fin Silly! I was finding you everywhere. The show is about to start, and you’re up first.”

You turn, caught off guard, and spot a girl in a dazzling silver cloak, adorned with stars that look like they’ve fallen straight from the night sky. She beams at you with exaggerated excitement. “I’m Luna,” she says with a theatrical bow, “Mistress of Moonlit Irony and All Things Dramatic.” She gestures to the stage, where a spotlight has just appeared, illuminating a set of comically oversized props—a typewriter, a giant pair of glasses, and an impossibly large stack of books labeled ‘Satires to Scandalize.’

“Right this way, Miss Fin Silly!” Luna grins. “The crowd awaits! It’s time for your grand debut as our new ‘Narrator of Nonsense.’ No pressure, of course!” She winks, guiding you to center stage.

The curtains part, revealing three more characters lounging on an intricately designed, almost absurdly colorful set. A girl with a sunflower tucked behind her ear bounces over, giving you a wide grin. “Faith,” she introduces herself with a quick wave. “Resident Idealist and the only one around here who believes satire can solve anything. You’ll be in good hands, I swear. Or good jokes, at least.” Faith gestures to the two others onstage with her.

Lora offers a small smile. “Lora the Literal,” she says with a slight, knowing smirk. “I make sure all our satire comes with a sprinkle of realism. Irony’s good and all, but sometimes you need to keep one foot on the ground… even if the other’s on a banana peel.”

Finally, Skylar stands up, giving a nod. “I’m Skylar, the Queen of Cynicism.” She says it with a practiced roll of her eyes. “They call me ‘The Keeper of Sighs and Sarcasm.’ Every good story needs a touch of cold”

The juggler appears again, throwing apples that Luna, Faith, Lora, and Skylar catch with ease, each one grinning mischievously. Luna turns back to you. “So, Fin Silly, are you ready to start the saga?"

With your nod, the juggler flips the last apple into your hand. “Break a leg, Fin Silly,” he says, grinning. “Just don’t take it too literally, alright?”

And with that, Satire Saga’s Scintillating Show begins.

lipogram (without a)
november 11 (200 words)

Hold me, don’t let go.

We were running through fields of fireflies, choosing the long route home. With belongings clutched on our shoulders, broken cycles following the journey, we were set off to Oxford. We evidently missed the one o’clock flight from London to Oxford, justisfying our devotion for hiking the entire journey.

“How much further?” Finn put down his duffel, flopping his legs on the deserted ground.

Positioning the logbook on my knee, I scoured for the city guide which I remembered keeping in the left pocket of my purse. But, I couldn't find it. Sighing, I bluntly lifted Finn’s duffel, finding the guide crushed under two chicken burgers. The rest of our journey could be described with our feet spotting mud whilst we trekked.

It poured on our muddy boots, influencing us to dress ourselves in the sou'westers we bought from the shop ten minutes before.

“Few more miles left!” I puffed, resting my cold body next to the tree beside me.

When we both set foot on the porch of our house, the skies welcomes the ether for a difference. Exceedingly tired from our journey, we both sipped some hot coffee, then slept through the endless night.

(Co)Hosting
- Co-hosted Camp Tropiland once (TC) and I'll be hosting next session!
- Hosted SCM (Scratch Change Makers)
- Co-hosting SEC (Scratch Exploration Camp) once
- Hosted SRC (Scratch Reading Camp) five times

Leading
- Led TC twice
- Led JWC once
- Led SFC one
- Led SCM once
- Led SBC but it closed down in the middle
- Led SWC four times
- Led in SRC four (?) times

Co-leading
- Co-led SWC four times
- Co-led SRC twice
- Co-led JWC but the leader went inactive so I became leader
- Co-led SEC

Campering
- Campered in SWC thrice
- Campered in SRC twice
- Campered in SAC once
- Campered in SIC once
- Campered in FWC one
- Campered in SMC once
- Campered in SEC once
- Campered in SPEC once

fini poofs up a 1k intro action, 1008 words

Hello everyone! I'm Finley (she/her), lover of debate, reading, writing, poetry, theatre, swimming, musicals and all activities related to organization (spreadsheets my love <3). I'm so thrilled to be leading thriller this session alongside Mabel and Livy! They're literally the most iconic co-leaders ever and I'm having so much fun planning with them. Whether it's planning activities, passing things to each other (inside joke) or designing thumbnails on canva they're nothing short of incredible! We have so many funsy things planned hehe and I can't wait to see how they go throughout the session. Hunger games is one of my favourite books and among us is just a vibe so having a cabin combining both those ideas is a literal dream!!

SWC, or Silly Wandering Caterpillars, is literally my favourite place on Earth. The SWC community has shaped who I am today and with all honestly I wouldn't be anything without them. All the inside jokes, mascots and sleepless nights has been so much fun and I wouldn't give anything in the word for them <3 It's actually insane to think that I've been a part of this wonderful community since more than three years. Three years is a lot of time but it certainly didn't feel like it. My amount of sessions is a double digit number!! That's crazy. And out of the ten sessions I've been in, I have (co)led cabins in seven of those. Young Finley in September 2022 would have never believed me if I told her that LOL. She was so excited when she got an offer after four days after leader results and had such a blast with Ethel and Wave in horror (ily both <3). My favourite session is definitely between either Horror Nov ‘22 with Wave and Ethel or Mystery Nov ’23 with Mabel and Clev (silly little evil pineapple. I'm coming for you). While I'm going to be applying again for July's session, I won't be for November and it's going to feel so weird after doing so since three whole years. I've made so many friends across my SWC journey and I only realize that I'm getting old when I see those people leaving SWC forever. I really enjoyed being in the DT back in July ‘23, it was a wonderful experience and the chats were crazy lol XD

Moving ahead, I’m only at four hundred words and I'm at a loss of what to write about next. Let me enlighten you about my favourite books, movies, artists and anything else I can think of ;D Babel, In Memoriam, AGGGTM, A Burning God, Song of Achilles, Caraval, Six of Crows, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Inheritance Games, Hunger Games, The Book Thief and Circe are my all time favourite books (I'm pretty sure I'm still missing a few though lol). I love all books written by R.F Kuang, Khaled Hassini, Leigh Bardugo, Holly Jackson, Madeline Miller, Rick Riordan, Ocean Vuong, Suzanne Collins and John Green. My top artists (as per my spotify activity in January and February) are Sleeping At Last, Noah Kahan, Phoebe Bridgers, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Linkin Park, Lana Del Ray, Lyn Lapid, Avery Anna, Laufey, One Direction, Clairo, Emei and Conan Gray (wow that's a lot). They're all super cool and you should definitely try listening to them hehe ;D My current favourite songs are everything Arcane bhwahaha (#stanarcane). From that, you can already guess that arcane is my treasured tv show. Everything about arcane–the characters, world building, plot, graphics and music leaves me in shock every time I binge watch it again with the people I've successfully persuaded to watch it (wow this sentence is wrong is so many ways but I'm too lazy to fix the grammar in it right now so you'll just have to bear with me). Vi is easily my favourite character but Jinx, Isha and Mel are close seconds!! Apart from Arcane, I also enjoyed watching Never Have I Ever, Manifest, Shadow and Bone, Heartstopper, XO Kitty, Young Sheldon, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Stranger Things, Locke and Key and Lockwood and Co. Nimona, the Spiderverse movies (omg i'm so hyped for two spiderverse cabins this session). Enola Holmes, the Matrix, Harry Potter, Wonka, Wicked and all disney movies are close to my heart <3 And that's all about my favourite I guess!! Wow that helped me reach seven hundred words omg.

In school, my favourite (yep we're back with it) subjects are Math, Physics and French. While I love History and Literature too, it some times gets too tedious and requires me to swot a lot which I don't enjoy much XD Robotics is a field I'm really interested in and hope to do something across the lines of mechanical engineering and computer science in the future. Being a lawyer would also be super cool though :0 As for my extracurriculars my interests lie in (summer) internships, school teams (especially theatre), clubs (i'm a leader+founder of one), project teams (community helping, tech creations) and actually anything that gets me up and running! I love my theatre team–we're all such chaotic dancing nerds who send way too many silly messages and miss far too many classes for rehearsals :zany: Our group chat is such a vibe <33 The theatre teacher (aka the head of the music department) is actually super scary (she yells a lot) so we have a lot of inside jokes about her too (is that bad). I'm an introvert and like to maintain a few strong friendships rather than having multiple friends who I'm not that close too. I have this bestie who's literally me in everything except her food tastes LOL. We vent to each other a bit too much and also send a concerning amount of youtube shorts (I don't watch like most of what she sends but oh well she doesn't need to know that).

Yayyy as you're finally approaching the end of this super long thousand word introduction, eat some mangoes and cheer for thriller–or else <33333

five words story, 300 words
solace, reverie, kismet, pursue, yearn

It was in my kismet to have lost my bottle that morning. That bottle wasn't particularly special but it was a gift from my late grandfather on my first day of school and I cherished it. My grandfather and I were very close. We used to spend hours at the beach playing monopoly and he would win every time. He was a game player and there's nothing he would rather do than solve a good puzzle. His bookshelf wasn't lined up with books but rather board games from across the world. They were like pokemon cards for him, to be collected from wherever he went. It brought him solace and instilled excitement in his sixty year old mind. He also loved to travel. Exploring new locations made him feel better about his life and assured him that he hadn't wasted it.

I yearned to be like my grandfather–optimistic, intelligent and a game player. So, while I was deep in this reverie, I missed the bus to school. I suppose fate had other plans for me that morning. The bottle he gifted me was a plain white one with a few symbols drawn on it– a dice, a car, a pen and an apple. They all symbolized something to my grandfather, and that was good enough to me. Not pursuing my thoughts any further, I got a late slip signed by my Mom and hurriedly walked to school.

I couldn't focus in school. The thoughts about my grandfather, who was now dead, made me shed some tears. I quickly ran outside the classroom, locked myself in a stall in the bathroom and cried. I missed him more than anyone in the world. He was my idol, my parent and my favourite puzzle to solve. He was truly a one-of-a-kind game player.

ffftiffffi's penciltons, 603 words

Step up, step up, we’ve got the one and only perfectly pointed and posh looking Pencilton! In Finley’s Fingernail’s Factory That Inspires Fantastic Fashionable And Fascinating Freaky Innovations we’ve just released our newest invention, the Pencilton! Do you keep losing your pencil and wish there was a way to stick it to yourself? Or are you bored of the boring old buttons and want something fashionable to go with your sweaters? Well, if so, the pencilton is the perfect thing for you! Combining a pencil and a button, a pencilton is a button with a miniature pencil attached to it. Penciltons are the company’s highest selling products which allow the customer to have an iconic outfit and ensure that the individual has a pencil at all times (to jot down fun story ideas, of course!).

These innovative fasteners come in ten different colours, eight unique textures and five scents! We have penciltons with glitter pencils, rose-smelling buttons, neon green leds and even ones with googly eyes attached to them! So, the next time you go to the market, ask yourself this: Can I survive knowing that buttons with googly eyes that have attached pencils exist and I don’t have one? There’s only one correct answer to this question, and I think you already know it.

As the March session of Scratch Writing Camp (SWC) begins, a pencilton is all you need to lead your cabin to victory! With penciltons on your clothes, you can write de-attach the pencil and write absolutely everywhere. FFFTIFFFFI (Finley’s Fingernail’s Factory That Inspires Fantastic Fashionable And Fascinating Freaky Innovations) have also released limited edition penciltons specifically designed for SWC purposes. With a word counter in the pencil, you no longer need to spend two hours counting your handwritten words! These limited edition penciltons are infused with a mango scent and are decorated with fire emojis. Now, there’s no SWCer that doesn’t need that! A mango-smelling fire decorated with a word-counting pencilton–that’s a literal dream!

Limited edition SWC penciltons can magically boost creativity and summon prompts when twisted a certain way! These have been tested and tried by the O’Mighty Fini’s Mom, who has endorsed this business with five dollars. Rumor has it that top designers are adding penciltons to their latest runway collections! Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, J.K Rowling and Leigh Bardugo have been spotted wearing these penciltons and it helps them jot down any ideas they get, and anywhere!

We’ve had millions of five star reviews, one of them including: ““I wrote an entire novel on my sleeve thanks to my pencilton!” or “I bought one pencilton… now I own 47. Help.” These pencils also change colors based on your mood — blue for writer’s block, red for plot twists, and rainbow when you hit your daily word goal! Now, that’s something extraordinary indeed. Every time you detach the pencil, it releases a tiny burst of confetti (just enough to annoy your friends, but not enough to clean up). The button also whispers motivational quotes when you’re stuck, like “You’ve got this!” or “Write that cliffhanger, I dare you.” If two people wearing penciltons bump into each other, they must engage in an impromptu writing duel. Winner gets bragging rights (and maybe another pencilton).

Penciltons are a one-of-a-kind funsy tool that are absolutely perfect for anyone willing to spice up their outfits and step up on the swc trackbear leaderboard (and beat Alana, Mousey and Luna) <3 So, the next time you go to the grocery store, make sure to buy a pencilton for yourself! As our customers say, “Pin It, Scribble It, Slay It!”.