The Outdoor Action Frosh Trip is a 6-day wilderness trip for entering students that takes place the week before Orientation Week. For the past twenty-eight years, this program has been many student’s first exposure to Princeton. The experience of backpacking along the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, or canoeing on the Delaware River, or rock climbing in the Delaware Water Gap with a group of first-year students and two OA Leaders is a unique and special way to enter the University community.
The purposes of the trip are multifold: to give first year students the opportunity to meet other members of their class and make new friends before school begins; to serve as a transition experience to help reduce anxiety about starting college; to help students learn about Princeton through the experiences and role modeling of upper-class leaders; to teach self-reliance and increase self-confidence through learning new and challenging outdoor skills in the context of a supportive group environment.
One participant commented, "I had never camped before and I had a wonderful time on the trip. It was a great workout, great exercise, and 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 richness and beauty of the outdoors and the small group size provides an atmosphere for developing close friendships and group cooperation. The Frosh Trip introduces you to being a part of a supportive community. "By living with the same group of people for four or five days, by doing everything together—cooking, cleaning up, eating, hiking, sleeping, setting up camp, making daily decisions—a community is formed."
At the same time, the trip fosters respect for others and the diversity within the group. It is your first opportunity to interact closely with your new classmates from a wide variety of backgrounds. As one student noted, "It was a great introduction to a small portion of the Princeton community which is incredible in its talent, diversity, and perspective."
OA often becomes a lasting part of the Princeton experience. For many students, friendships made on the Frosh Trip last all four years. One participant stated, "I can’t believe I even considered passing up this wonderful experience. At the end of the trip, I knew I had eleven true, wonderful people I could call friends. I encourage all entering students to participate."
Another goal of the Frosh Trip experience is to encourage an understanding of the natural world. Outdoor Action is committed to protecting the environment and preserving our valuable natural resources. You will learn all the basic outdoor skills you will need to be comfortable on the trip. Your leaders will also emphasize "leave no trace" camping and recycling as a vital part of the wilderness trip. "I loved the lunch breaks when we would sit outdoors, relax, feel the wind through our hair, and enjoy the sunlight. I really had a great time learning about the outdoors."
Each group consists of 8 - 10 participants and two OA Leaders trained in wilderness camping skills, group dynamics, and first aid. The groups are independent for the week, carrying all their own equipment and food as they hike, canoe, or bike through backcountry areas in the Delaware Water Gap, the Pine Barrens, the Catskills, and the Black Forest.
Since its beginnings, an important aspect of the Frosh Trip has been the inclusion of faculty and staff members on the trips. This gives the first-year students a greater exposure to the breadth of the University community. We would like to encourage you to participate in this outdoor experience. Specialized camping equipment will be provided by OA. You will only need personal clothing items. The fee for the trip will be $125.00, which covers all food, equipment, and transportation costs. No previous outdoor experience is necessary. All trip planning and instruction is handled by the OA Leaders.
We hope you will be able to join us on this unique trip. If you wish to participate, please fill out an application form and return it to Clio Hall. Applications are available at the OA Office on on the OA Web site (www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/) If you have questions about the program, please contact the Outdoor Action Office at 8-3552. Decisions about participation will be made in early July after all the frosh applications have been received.
I think the trip was the best thing that could have happened to me. I learned more about myself and Princeton and got to know ten terrific people. It made the transition of coming to college a whole lot easier.
I wanted to say that the leaders deserve a lot of credit. They made the trip such a fun experience. They were fantastic!
Nothing could have prepared me better to make the jump from a class of 45 to one of 1100.
This was one of the best ways I can think of to meet some other freshmen. It was great! Thanks.
I really enjoyed my Outdoor Action trip and would recommend it to any incoming frosh. Even more than the beauty of the wilderness I enjoyed the instantaneous camaraderie that developed in our group. I feel it will continue throughout the year. All of our numerous questions about Princeton were knowingly and gladly fielded by our leaders. We learned a lot, worked together, and had a great time.
I cannot tell you how glad I am that I participated in OA. I’ve made some really great friendships. It was a wonderful way to be introduced to Princeton and I would strongly recommend it to EVERYONE!!
I had heard from a friend who went on the trip last year that it was a great experience and that I should definitely go... It definitely met my high expectations. I learned a lot more than expected. The most valuable part was getting to know people really well and becoming friends with them.
For more information on the Frosh Trip see: www.princeton.edu/~oa/
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