Students take to the desert

Dinosaur National Monument served as a classroom for students enrolled in a Weber State University course called Creative Writing in the Desert offered as part of the study abroad program.

After spending an intensive week on campus studying the genre of creative nonfiction, 11 WSU students and professor Hal Crimmel loaded on a bus for a week of camping in Southern Utah.

Crimmel said he believes getting away puts distance between people's busy daily lives and distracting electronics, giving them a chance to experience nature without interference. Under these conditions, people can let their ideas flow.

"It gives students a chance to think differently," Crimmel said. "It helps them get a new perspective."

The students varied in gender, ages and majors, but all looked forward to a week to devote to writing. On May 9, they arrived in the parking lot below the Social Science building and loaded the small bus with tents, sleeping bags and gear.

Hours later they arrived at Echo Park in Dinosaur National Monument. The Green and Yampa Rivers, as well as the surrounding canyons in Echo Park, became their classroom for the second half of the course.

The students took turns leading daily writing activities, in addition to Crimmel's exercises, offering everyone a chance to learn from each other's strengths, talents and insights.

Looking for shapes in the rocks, walking silently in the dark and sketching objects, were some of the ways to force students to think of writing in a new or different way.

"I was surprised how helpful it was to write about small details in Echo Park," student Kim Adams said. "It opened my eyes to the depth simple details can have."

Learning a little about the local geography, geology, astronomy and history was also included in the course.

The students kept a journal so their ideas could be used later in the final 20-page essay assignment.

The highlight of the week, for many students, was the opportunity to raft down the Green River. Students described it as a thrilling way to experience the river and the park that they had gotten to know through their readings and week of camping.

Many students found the whole experience worthwhile.

"I am a student with a career and family," said student Heidi Johnson. "The class forced me to take time away from my crazy life and reach deep inside myself as an author and create work that is more personally significant than any other I've done."

You can reach reporter Deborah Ramsay by calling 626-7655.