Sunday May 27, 2012
OA Welcomes the Princeton Class of 2016!
Dates for Frosh Trip 2012 for the Princeton Class of 2016
Application materials will be mailed out to all incoming students in early June. All the materials will also be available online.
- Late May 2012 - Information and application materials for the Frosh Trip availlable on the OA Web Site
- Late May 2012 - Online Application available online through the Outdoor Action Web Site. The trip is filled on a first-come, first-served basis based on postmark or Web application date.
- June 30, 2012 - Application Deadline. The trip is filled on a first-come, first-served basis based on postmark or Web application date and often fills before June 30.
- Mid-July 2012 - Acceptance information letter and equipment list mailed/emailed to all accepted participants.
- Saturday, September 1, 2012 - Arrive at Princeton - students can move into their dorm rooms. The Housing Office will be from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM for students to get their room keys.
- Saturday, September 1, 2012 - Outdoor Action Check-in at Dillon Gym
- Sunday, September 2, 2012 - Frosh Trip Departs
- Friday, September 7, 2012 - 4:00 - 8:00 PM - Frosh Trip groups return to campus
- Saturday, September 8, 2012 - Freshmen Orientation Week Begins
Frosh Trip Activities
OA has trips for everyone.
Apply Now
- Backpacking
- Backpacking trips will hike anywhere from 6–10 miles a day (~5–8 hours). You will hike in one of a number of wilderness areas such as: the plateaus of central Pennsylvania, the crags of the Catskills in New York, the scenic Appalachian Trail in Connecticut, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, or the summits of the Green Mountains in Massachusetts and Vermont. Most Frosh Trips are all-backpacking. (~50 trips)
- Biking
- Bike Touring trips will explore back roads on the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal and the Great Allegheny
Passage–recreational bike paths in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Participants will bike 30-50 miles per day (~4–8 hours). Each night you will camp along the trail in state parks or private campgrounds. Bikes provided by OA. (2-5 trips)
- Backpacking & Rock Climbing
Backpacking & Rock Climbing trips trips combine backpacking and one or two days of rock climbing. You will hike from 6–10 miles a day (~5–8 hours) on the Appalachian Trail. 1–2 days will be spent at a climbing site learning basic rock climbing techniques. (6 trips)
- Canoeing
- Canoeing trips travel anywhere from 8–20 miles per day (~4–8 hours) and range from quiet water canoeing on the lower Delaware River in New Jersey to easy whitewater canoeing on the upper Delaware in New York. Each night you will camp along the river in state parks or private campgrounds. (2 trips)
- Backpacking & Canoeing
- Backpacking & Canoeing trips combine three days of hiking and three days of canoeing. You will cover anywhere from 6–10 miles hiking a day (~5–8 hours) or 8–15 miles canoeing per day (~4–8 hours). The trips explore the quiet flatwater or easy whitewater on the Delaware River in New York and New Jersey and backpack on the Appalachian Trail. (5 trips)
- Base Camp & Community Service
Base Camp & Community Service trips are an option if you prefer to experience the outdoors while staying in one location. Groups camp out in a state park campground for the week. You will spend several days exploring the park through easy day hikes and two days working on an environmental service project in the park. Bathrooms are available at the campground. (5-10 trips)
- Base Camp & Outdoor Adventure
Base Camp & Outdoor Adventure are an option for those who prefer to experience the outdoors while staying in one location. You can try out a range of outdoor activities while staying at a rustic summer camp in northern New Jersey. Your group will get to try different outdoor experiences on the camp property and the nearby Appalachian Trail including day hikes, rappelling, high ropes course, and a trail restoration service project. Participants camp outside and cook outdoors. Bathrooms are available at the camp. (5 trips) - Sustainable Farming
Sustainable Farming trips will spend the week at a local organic farm and help with daily work while learning about the importance of local food. From picking vegetables, to baking bread, to planting new crops, you'll experience first-hand the life of a small organic farmer, and learn about how growing and eating locally enhances the environmental health of a community. (2-4 trips)
- Nature & Spirituality
- Nature & Spirituality trips are a new option this year. These trips will be either backpacking or base camp trips that will put a strong emphasis on exploring our interaction with the natural world and how nature is reflected in different spiritual traditions. Students will explore how different religious traditions connect with nature. (1-2 trips)
Learn More About Frosh Trip
Find out more about this year's Frosh Trip
The Outdoor Action (OA) Frosh Trip Program is Princeton's oldest and largest preorientation program for incoming freshmen and is a great way to begin college. The OA Frosh Trip is a six-day outdoor trip held the week prior to Orientation Week. Along with hundreds of other freshmen you’ll be in one of over ninety small groups of 8 to 10 freshmen and 2 to 3 OA leaders. OA Leaders are Princeton sophomores through seniors who will help introduce you to life at Princeton. The small OA trips provide a unique opportunity to meet an incredibly diverse group of your classmates from across the U.S. and from around the globe. If you’ve ever wanted to explore the outdoors, this is a special opportunity to try something new and see a different part of the United States. You’ll camp together, hear everyone’s stories, and along the way form friendships that continue back on campus. For many students, the Frosh Trip becomes one of the highlights of their freshmen year and one of the most memorable of their entire four years.
"I had never camped before and I had a fantastic time on the trip. It was a great way to get to know other frosh. It turned out to be just the thing I needed to start my adjustment to Princeton."
 "The trip was a wonderful experience. My group was a conglomerate of very diverse people. Had we all not been thrown together in the wilderness for six days, I probably wouldn’t have met and become friends with them. It was a great way to begin Princeton.'
 "The most important thing that my Frosh Trip gave me was a sense of community. Before I went on the OA trip, I didn’t really feel like I was a part of Princeton yet. However, the trip gave me a sense of belonging and community. It also gave me friends that I still hang out with!"
In addition to making new friendships, participants learn an incredible amount about Princeton from their experienced trip leaders who pursue a full spectrum of academic and extracurricular interests back on campus.
Over the past 37 years, over 17,100 incoming students have started Princeton on this fun-filled week with Outdoor Action, Princeton’s most established preorientation program and one of the country’s largest outdoor orientation programs. Last year 788 incoming freshmen (over 60 percent of the Class of 2015) participated in 97 different trips traveling to areas such as the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut and Massachusetts, the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey, the Catskills Mountains in New York, and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. OA offers a variety of different trip activities: biking, hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, as well as base camp and sustainable farming trips that stay in one location. There are a range of trip activity levels, so you can find a trip that’s right for you.
Most participants have never camped before and no previous outdoor or camping experience is necessary. We’ll teach you all the skills you’ll need to be comfortable in the outdoors and OA can provide any special equipment you will need (e.g., backpack and sleeping bag). The program is open to all members of the Class of 2015 including all incoming international students. Students with special needs or physical disabilities can often be accommodated. Please contact the OA office directly to talk with us about your specific needs so we can help you find an appropriate trip. This year’s trip will take place over Rosh Hashanah. There will be a number of options for Jewish students wishing to observe the holiday.
There is a separate fee for participating in the program to cover all trip expenses (food, transportation during the trip, and equipment). Princeton is committed to making sure that the Frosh Trip Program is available to all members of the Class of 2016. If you are receiving need-based financial aid from the University, your cost for the OA trip is fully subsidized as an addition to your aid package.
Application materials and detailed program information will be mailed to all entering students in late May, and the online application will be available on the Web around June 1. Participants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis based on postmark or Web application date. The application deadline is June 30. Note: The program often fills before that date.
Dates for Frosh Trip 2012 for the Princeton Class of 2016
Application materials will be mailed out to all incoming students in early June. All the materials will also be available online.
- Late May 2012 - Information and application materials for the Frosh Trip will go live on the Matriculation Web Site.
- Around May 21, 2012 - Applications available online through the Outdoor Action Web Site. The trip is filled on a first-come, first-served basis based on postmark or Web application date.
- June 30, 2012 - Application Deadline. The trip is filled on a first-come, first-served basis based on postmark or Web application date and often fills before June 30.
- Mid-July 2012 - Acceptance information letter and equipment list mailed/emailed to all accepted participants.
- Saturday, September 1, 2012 - Arrive at Princeton - students can move into their dorm rooms. The Housing Office will be from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM for students to get their room keys.
- Saturday, September 1, 2012 - Outdoor Action Check-in at Dillon Gym
- Sunday, September 2, 2012 - Frosh Trip Departs
- Friday, September 7, 2012 - 4:00 - 8:00 PM - Frosh Trip groups return to campus
- Saturday, September 8, 2012 - Freshmen Orientation Week Begins
Outdoor Action Sustainability Initiative
video by Evelyn Tu - Office of Communications
Participants in Outdoor Action not only make new friends and learn about Princeton but also learn about how Princeton is making sustainability a critical part of campus life. With support from the High Meadows Foundation, Outdoor Action has launched a new initiative to become as sustainable as possible, both on and off the trail. The goals behind this initiative are twofold: first, to evaluate and reduce the program’s carbon footprint by reducing packaging, post-trip waste, and the distance our food and gear have to travel in order to reach us; and second, to use the Frosh Trip itself as a way of prompting students to think about the importance and fragility of the environment and their role in present-day environmental issues. Students return to campus with new information about how they can act more sustainably on campus and at home. Find out more about the Outdoor Action Sustainability Initiative.
Start College with New Friends from Around the World
The Outdoor Action Frosh Trip Program is without a doubt one of the best ways to start college. Over the past 37 years more than 15,580 new students have started at Princeton by making new friends before school starts and learning about life at Princeton on a fun-filled week with Outdoor Action, Princeton’s oldest and largest pre-orientation program. For many students it was one of the best parts of their first year at Princeton and one of the most memorable of their entire four years.
University Announces Expanded Program Opportunities for International Students
Princeton University is committed to making the Outdoor Action Frosh Trip available to all incoming students. Incoming international students can opt to participate in both the International Pre-orientation program run by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students and participate in the Outdoor Action Frosh Trip or the Community Action program. Numerous international students now participate in the
Financial Aid Support for Frosh Trip
Princeton University is committed to ensuring that all students can participate in the Outdoor Action Frosh Trip and has a significant financial aid program in place for this purpose. Students receiving need-based financial aid from Princeton will have the full cost of the trip covered completely by the University.
Application Materials
The materials for the Class of 2016 will be available to all members of the incoming class in late May.
Here is what some participants have had to say about the Frosh Trip.
“I cannot tell you how glad I am that I participated in OA. I’ve made some really good friendships. It was a wonderful way to be introduced to Princeton, and I would strongly recommend it to everyone!”
“I had never camped before, and I had a fantastic time on the trip. It was a great way to get to know other frosh. It turned out to be just the thing I needed to start my adjustment to Princeton.”
“I think it is a great program. I got to know my group really well, and the leaders were great. It was the perfect way for me to start off Princeton life.”
“The trip was a wonderful experience. My group was a conglomerate of very diverse people. Had we all not been thrown together in the wilderness for six days, I probably wouldn’t have met and become friends with them. It was a great way to begin Princeton.”
With over 60 percent of the incoming class participating, we get a wonderful cross-section of the diversity of the class, including students of all backgrounds from across the U.S. as well as international students from around the globe. Princeton values diversity and that is one of the things that makes an OA trip so special. You’ll get a chance to make friends with an incredible range of people.
The Frosh Trips are fun six-day camping trips. You’ll be part of a small group of 8-10 freshmen and 2-3 OA leaders, current Princeton sophomores through seniors, who will help introduce you to life at Princeton. We offer a variety of different trip activities, from hiking or canoeing trips to base camp trips that stay at our summer camp in northern New Jersey. There are a range of trip levels, so you can find a trip that’s right for you. Students make lifelong friends on the trip, and many students continue to participate in other OA activities throughout the school year including training to become OA Leaders. The fact that over 220 Princeton students come back each year to help run the program for the incoming class tells you how popular it is on campus.
No previous outdoor or camping experience is necessary. In fact, most of the participants on the Frosh Trip have never been camping before. We’ll teach you all the skills you’ll need to be comfortable in the outdoors and Outdoor Action can provide any special equipment you will need (e.g., backpack and sleeping bag). You’ll just need to bring personal clothing items.
The program is open to all members of incoming freshmen class. Students with special needs or physical disabilities can often be accommodated. Please contact the OA office directly to talk with us about your specific needs so we can help you find an appropriate trip. For observant Jewish students, we can arrange to have you back on campus before sundown on Friday.
The cost covers all trip expenses (food, transportation during the trip, and equipment). Any student receiving financial aid from the University can apply to Outdoor Action for additional aid to participate. Application materials and detailed program information will be mailed to all entering students in late May, and on line applications will be available on the Web starting June 1. Participants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis based on postmark or Web application date. The application deadline is June 30. Note: The program often fills before that date. For more information including videos, photos, and stories from past trips, please visit the OA Frosh Trip Program Web.
Find Out More
- Learn about Outdoor Action Leaders
- Photo Winners from Frosh Trip 2008
- Photo Winners from Frosh Trip 2007
- Photo Winners from Frosh Trip 2006
- Photo Winners from Frosh Trip 2005
- Photo Winners from Frosh Trip 2004
- Stories from Frosh Trip 2008 - Tiger Trails Alumni Newsletter
- Stories from Frosh Trip 2007 - Tiger Trails Alumni Newsletter
- Stories from Frosh Trip 2006 - Tiger Trails Alumni Newsletter
- Stories from Frosh Trip 2005 - Tiger Trails Alumni Newsletter
- Stories from Frosh Trip 2004 - Tiger Trails Alumni Newsletter
- Stories from Frosh Trip 2003 - Tiger Trails Alumni Newsletter
- Frosh Trip Video - Windows Media (256K)
- Frosh Trip Video - Windows Media (56K)
- Frosh Trip Video - RealPlayer
- Frosh Trip Video - Quicktime
- Quotes from previous participants
- Leave a Trace Program
A first year student talks about her Frosh Trip Experience
I was extremely scared about beginning college and the OA trip really helped to allay my fears. I got to become really close with a group of 10 people, all of whom I’ve remained friendly with on campus. In the wilderness atmosphere you get the chance to learn so much about these people who all seemed so strange and different. I learned that all ten of us had the same fears and insecurities about starting college; making new friends, handling schoolwork, becoming small fish in an incredibly large pond. The OA trip really taught me that first impressions mean absolutely nothing, that I should place more faith in my physical abilities (I never thought I could survive a backpacking trip), and interpersonal abilities (I usually consider myself shy and reserved, but my group members didn’t see me that way at all), and that no matter how alone I may feel sometimes, everyone is really feeling just as scared and unsure of themselves as I am.
One of the most valuable aspects of the trip for me was the nightly debriefings. These really gave our group a chance to reflect on the challenges and triumphs of the day and observe how our relationships with each other and with ourselves were changing. Our final night debriefing on the trail, during which we all went around saying things we liked/admired about each other, was especially valuable. So much of your self-view depends on how you think others view you, and hearing positive feedback from the people you’ve opened up and exposed your vulnerabilities to was just so incredible.
The most incredible part of my trip though, had to have been my fearless leaders, Andrew and Erin. I have so much respect for them and for the way they handled themselves throughout the trip. I really feel like we all became good friends with them, we joked around on the trail and genuinely had a good time. But both knew when and how to appropriately assume the role of leaders. They carried far more than their share of weight on the trail, responded to our complaints, motivated us, made sure we ate and drank enough, mediated small disputes that arose....What really amazed me about these two was how they fit perfectly into the dual roles of friend and leader, and could transition effortlessly between the two without compromising either. Erin and Andrew were also invaluable resources for everything we wanted to know about Princeton. They tirelessly fielded all our questions answering honestly and helpfully.
In conclusion, I want to reiterate what an absolutely incredible experience OA was for me. I am so glad I decided to participate in the program. The trip exceeded my highest expectations in every way. Thank you for facilitating such a wonderful program here at Princeton.
Read on to find out more information about Frosh Trip.
OA Frosh Trip Participation
| Year | Participants | Leaders | Total | # of Trips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 788 | 223 | 1,021 | 95 |
| 2010 | 793 | 227 | 1,020 | 94 |
| 2009 | 744 | 223 | 977 | 93 |
| 2008 | 686 | 183 | 879 | 83 |
| 2007 | 643 | 164 | 807 | 74 |
| 2006 | 577 | 145 | 726 | 67 |
| 2005 | 556 | 156 | 712 | 66 |
| 2004 | 548 | 183 | 731 | 69 |
| 2003 | 599 | 202 | 801 | 75 |
| 2002 | 603 | 189 | 792 | 71 |
| 2001 | 613 | 163 | 776 | 68 |
| 2000 | 583 | 143 | 726 | 63 |
| 1999 | 605 | 153 | 758 | 66 |
| 1998 | 603 | 156 | 759 | 67 |
| 1997 | 612 | 165 | 777 | 72 |
| 1996 | 592 | 181 | 773 | 72 |
| 1995 | 581 | 150 | 731 | 67 |
| 1994 | 558 | 135 | 693 | 56 |
| 1993 | 530 | 130 | 660 | 53 |
| 1992 | 456 | 119 | 575 | 46 |
| 1991 | 430 | 106 | 536 | 43 |
| 1990 | 396 | 110 | 506 | 40 |
| 1989 | 388 | 105 | 493 | 39 |
| 1988 | 350 | 105 | 455 | 35 |
| 1987 | 290 | 80 | 370 | 29 |
| 1986 | 350 | 80 | 430 | 35 |
| 1985 | 390 | 90 | 480 | 39 |
| 1984 | 350 | 80 | 430 | 35 |
| 1983 | 320 | 70 | 390 | 32 |
| 1982 | 230 | 45 | 275 | 23 |
| 1981 | 220 | 44 | 264 | 22 |
| 1980 | 220 | 44 | 264 | 22 |
| 1979 | 200 | 40 | 240 | 20 |
| 1978 | 200 | 40 | 240 | 20 |
| 1977 | 180 | 36 | 216 | 18 |
| 1976 | 150 | 30 | 180 | 15 |
| 1975 | 120 | 25 | 145 | 12 |
| 1974 | 100 | 15 | 115 | 10 |
| Participants | Leaders | Total | # of Trips | |
| TOTAL = | 17,164 | 4,559 | 21,723 | 1,908 |