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In the beaming mid-afternoon sun, Jenn Polish ran across Queens College’s quad to a makeshift tent consisting of a clear tarp and a few hunks of wood. She shook up a can of black spray paint and scrawled “War is over, if you want it” along the tent’s side.

Decades have passed since Queens College’s hum of activism during the Civil Rights era. But dozens of students like Polish have picked up the torch with a “Refugee Campus.” The five-day, four-night camp-in was organized in tandem with STAND, a nationwide student activism organization, and hopes to raise awareness for the genocide in Darfur.

“We’re bringing back the notion that students can make a difference,” Polish said.

The camp will host various educational events, discussions with scholars and occasionally break out into song. Drums, guitars and two didgeridoos lay scattered around on the floor.

Along the way, the students are gathering signatures for a petition, with the unique inclusion of a space for the signee’s own comment, dubbed “My message.”

According to the students gathered, fellow classmates offered a mixed reaction, ranging from full-on support to skepticism.

“Some people have said we’re just trying to get a reason to camp out and party at school during finals week, but that’s not at all what this is about,” said Doug Leresche, a participant and native of Zimbabwe.

The students have had to experience a life much simpler than their own. All their food – a smattering of spreads, bread and snacks – was provided by classmates. The makeshift tents weren’t the most comfortable digs either. No open fires were allowed, so they had to take a trip to the nearest microwave for hot food. The library was open 24 hours, so it offered warmth and a rest room. Showers are available in the gym.

“When we were thinking of this, we were debating with that idea of ‘How far do we go with this?’” Leresche said. To remain true to the spirit of the refugee camps, the group decided to only allow women to fetch the water.

“Men, when they leave a camp [in Darfur], often get killed. Women are raped, but they come back with water,” Leresche said.

Their first night was admittedly rough as temperatures dipped down to the low 50s.

“It was freezing,” Leresche said. “We all woke up at around 4 a.m. and just kept on freezing.”

The group created a master list of students’ final schedules, to assure that the campsite would not be unmanned at any point. Nine students committed to stay for all four nights, despite having to study and take their end-of-semester exams.

“We’ve been studying, or at least trying to,” said Polish, who then started reviewing for a biology final.

The entire venture was supported by the college itself.

“We came to the school’s administration prepared. We went point by point over any objection they might have, but they immediately supported us,” Polish said.

“Our goal is plain and simple, that the genocide stop and never happen again,” Polish said.