I’m not sure what compelled me to look up astronomical camps on that random evening and click on the IAYC website, but what I do know is that it was one of the best decisions of my life. I remember how nervous I was on the way to the camp house, especially because I knew that I was going to be one of the youngest at camp. But on the first day, I saw the oldies running to hug each other, so excited to meet again, with huge smiles on their faces, and I had a feeling that everything would be alright and that the next 3 weeks were really going to be amazing. And I was right. I remember being super confused by all the traditions in the first few days, and one of the oldies told me that I would catch on really fast. And you really do just embrace all the craziness of IAYC and become a part of it so, so quickly. By day 3, I felt like I was a part of something really great, and by the end of the first week, despite meeting everyone for the first time, it felt like I’d known them for forever before. That’s what the IAYC is like – you meet all these amazing people in a safe environment, and by the time camp ends, you end up with friendships that stretch all over the world.
There is so much to learn at IAYC, and not just about astronomy. You learn so much about others’ cultures, their interests, and you can learn a lot about yourself too. There were a lot of workshops organized, which were always a chance to learn something new. For example, I learned how to make mate and discovered the joys of caffeine outside of coffee!! It’s an amazing environment to be surrounded by, and I was really fascinated by everyone’s kindness and ambition.
The working group I was in was JEDI, which focused on exploring and analyzing data and images of stars and other astronomical objects. The project I worked on was about finding the rotation period of the Sun using pictures of sunspots we took with a solar telescope. I had never worked with a telescope before, but with my leader’s support, I was able to learn quickly. Apart from its iconic name, JEDI’s atmosphere as a group was really fun to be in. From our crazy obsession with German grapes and 10:03 to everyone’s kind support in helping me not lose my mind when I got crazy values for how fast the Sun spins… it was a great experience and also the first time I tried getting to an answer without being told what to do directly like you would at school. At times it was a bit tough, but getting to that answer was a really rewarding feeling, and I knew I could always ask for help from my amazing group. :)
But IAYC was not just about learning; it was about having fun too, and you could never get bored with the number of games, parties, and random funny moments throughout camp (like waiting for the kebab that was 20 minutes away a decade ago). Each NAP session was a fun chaos, as it was all about bringing back those games you probably played as a child and silly working group competitions that everyone took way too seriously. NAP was just always a chance to have a great time.
There was also quite a bit of free time at camp, which everyone used differently. Some participants would use this time to play on the camp guitars, while others would play games. And if you stayed up for a good part of the night observing outside, which happened to me almost every time the weather was favorable, you could use this time to catch up on sleep. And if staying up until sunrise sounds crazy to you, I will console you with the fact that the IAYC tradition gifts you a pickle for being awake until dawn (don’t worry it will all make sense at camp). But seriously, observation nights are some of the best memories you can make at camp. Just being surrounded by people playing songs on the guitar from the camp songbook, singing along, using telescopes to observe, or having a late night talk with your friends is a memory I cannot think back on without smiling. It’s such a magical part of the day, and even on the nights when the weather doesn’t allow for observation, there’s always something crazy going on at the camp house, like a hilarious game made up on the spot or people attempting to climb from one side of the table to the other… (another thing that will make sense at camp haha).
Coming home from IAYC is like waking up from a dream. And it’s the type of dream you try to prolong by going back to sleep because you just can’t believe it’s over so fast and the one that gives you a warm feeling of happiness when you think back on it. So, if you’re reading this wondering whether to apply, I say go for it. IAYC is such a unique experience that everyone goes through differently, but it is always a positive one, and it’s a memory you will be able to treasure.