Several journalism students visited New York City for the annual Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Spring Journalism Convention. Student left Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, March 17 at 5:00 AM and spent the next three days in the “Big Apple.”

“I woke up about 2:45 [AM] because I didn’t want to be late,” said senior Clara Peebles. “I had coffee though so it was fine.”

Students arrived at Penn Station and made their way to the convention on the Columbia University campus. A portion of the trip to New York was used as instructional time. Students moved around the Columbia campus attending various lectures and learning sessions taught by reporters, digital media specialists, photographers and media legal advisers.

“I went to a lot of photography classes,” said senior Evan McGurrin. “It was good to touch up on the basics,” he said.

The convention closed with an award ceremony for the best national student publications. The A-Blast newspaper was nominated as a national finalist for the Columbia Crown Circle, and won the Silver Crown award.

The remainder of the trip was enjoyed by students to take in the sights and scenes of the city. Students visited Time Square, Rockefeller Center, Ground Zero’s 9/11 Memorial, the Museum of Modern Art, saw a show and shopped on Fifth Avenue, among other activities.

“I just wanted to go to the Apple store,” said senior Michael Armstrong. “It made me so happy.”

“My favorite part of the trip was when we saw Thirty Rock and got to see the New York skyline at night,” said senior Lisa Best.

Just as students began adapting to the hustle and bustle of New York City, they boarded a train to return to Annandale on Friday, March 19.