August 01, 2023 What surprised you the most about the Pre-College Summer Session? How many friends I made and how many people I was able to connect with. While it sounds cliche, I was able to connect with so many artists about my interests and our shared experiences in art that l was never able to talk about before. Everyone at this program was creative, insightful, and kind. The friendships I made during this course and the belonging I felt as an artist alone made this program beyond worth it and a true joy to be a part of. What aspect of the program has had the biggest impact on you? How much I was able to learn about art history, drawing, and my major in less than three weeks. The class set up made me feel like I was actually going to college and studying art. Because of this, I feel more secure and confident about going into a higher level of education and my ability to pursue art as a career. The skills I learned also made me improve in my own art tremendously, which I couldn’t be more thankful for. How has your artistic practice changed from being a part of the program? My artistic practice has changed in many ways, but mainly in how I am able to stylize my pieces and complete them in an organized manor. I have always been an artist and in different art classes, but I was always unsure about my painting abilities and just how much I could get done at once without getting distracted. Since I was able to practice my painting and time management skills for multiple hours a day to get my artwork completed, I am much more confident in my ability and style as a painter, as well as time management skills for my up-in-coming AP art class in high school. Instead of slapping paint on a canvas and hoping it turns out well, I am better able to plan and improve on my pieces because of how much I learned and improved during my major course. What was your favorite experience, outside of the classroom? Going out with my friends and bonding with the other painters in our shared studios. During the PCSS program, we had a lot of freedom to explore Minneapolis, relax at our dorms, work on our artwork for our majors, or do the copious activities the Resident Assistants (RA's) had set up for us. Through this freedom of working on my painting late at night to being able to grab a donut with my friends in the morning, I was able to bond with the other artists there as well as become incredibly close to them in a short amount of time. Because of this, I can’t put my finger on one experience, but the overall ability to connect with other artists at camp was my favorite part of PCSS and something I genuinely think I will cherish for a long time. What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about coming to Pre-College Summer Session? Really jump in and try everything you can. There is so much effort put in by the RA's and coordinators to make sure every student can have a fantastic time an be accounted for, and this truly does not go unnoticed by the students there. PCSS is an incredible opportunity to improve as an artist, meet other like-minded people, and all in all have an amazing time. In short, put yourself out there. You will make incredible friends, connections, and the understanding of what college is like. Be open minded, and try everything you can, you won’t regret it.