Saturday November 07, 2009  

Frosh Trip 2009 Acceptance Letter

 

(Note: students who have been accepted for the program will be notified by mail and email. If you have not received notification, please call 609-258-6230).

 

This is the general acceptance letter that goes out to all students participating in a backpacking trip. Other specialty trips (like Sustainable Farming or Biking) receive a slightly different letter and equipment list.

July 2009

Dear Outdoor Action Participant,

Welcome to Princeton and your first Princeton activity, Outdoor Action Frosh Trip 2009! Over 800 members of the Class of 2013 have applied for this year’s trip. We hope you’re excited about coming to Princeton, and we’re thrilled that you chose to join us on this year’s Frosh Trip. You can look forward to a fun outdoor experience while meeting new friends and learning about Princeton. Frosh Trip runs from Sunday, September 6, to Friday, September 11. You need to arrive on campus on Saturday, September 5, by 2:30 p.m. at the latest. Check-in for Outdoor Action is at 3:00 p.m. at Dillon Gym (see the online campus map at www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/map.pdf). If you will be unable to arrive by 3:00 p.m., please contact the Outdoor Action office at 609-258-6230. If you are receiving need-based financial aid from the University, the cost of Frosh Trip is fully subsidized.

ACTIVITIES: Participants are divided into co-ed groups of seven to eleven incoming students. Each group is led by 2-3 upperclass student leaders trained in outdoor skills, group dynamics, and wilderness first aid. OA activities will end in time for you to participate in all aspects of Orientation Week, which begins on Saturday, September 12. You will be on a backpacking trip, possibly with some canoeing or rock climbing. With so many participants there are always changes made throughout the summer (students cancel, others are taken off the waitlist, etc.), so we do not place students into specific trip groups until later in the summer. You will find out the exact trip to which you are assigned when you arrive on campus. If you indicated a special need (such as a returning early on Friday to observe the Sabbath) or if you have a disability, we will place you on an appropriate trip. You will be placed on one of the following types of trips:

  • Backpacking: Almost all OA trips will involve some backpacking. Backpacking trips are an excellent way to bond with your group as you explore a wilderness area together. You'll carry all your personal gear and a portion of the group equipment and food in an internal- or external-frame backpack, which allows you to carry more weight more easily than a typical bookbag. If you are bringing your own pack, it is important that it fits you and has enough room to carry your belongings, a sleeping bag, and some group equipment; see the equipment paragraph below for more information. Backpacking trips hike in many areas along the East Coast, from Vermont to Virginia: you may be hiking the Catskill Mountains or Harriman State Park in southern New York; the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut or Massachusetts; state forests in central Pennsylvania; Shenandoah National Park in Virginia; or the Long Trail in Vermont. The trips will cover an average of seven miles per day, about 6 to 7 hours of hiking depending on the terrain.
  • Backpacking & Canoeing: Some trips combine three days of backpacking with three days of canoeing on flatwater or easy whitewater. Canoeing trips take place on the Delaware River between New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. You can have fun on the water while practicing basic canoeing skills during the day and camping skills at night. If you wear glasses, bring an eyeglass strap to secure your glasses and a spare pair of glasses. If you wear contacts, bring a spare pair or glasses as a backup. Canoeing trips paddle about 6 to 8 hours each day (8-20 miles depending on river current). Outdoor Action provides all canoeing gear including life jackets, canoes, paddles, and waterproof bags for your personal items.
  • Backpacking & Rock Climbing: There are several trips that backpack for five days and climb for one day. You will learn basic climbing and belaying techniques while climbing at a climbing site along the trail. Outdoor Action provides all climbing gear included climbing shoes, harnesses, ropes, and hardware.

CAMPING: Camping along the trail is one of the most enjoyable parts of a backpacking trip. While some members of the group set up a tarp for everyone to sleep under, others prepare dinner over backpacking stoves. After a full day of hiking, it’s great to sit around with new friends enjoying a hot meal, talking about the day and what to expect at Princeton. You can also look forward to playing games and talking together under the tarp before the group goes to sleep. Outdoor Action provides all food as well as group gear such as stoves and tarps.

Two of the most common questions about living on the trail have to do with bathrooms and bathing. In most of the places we camp, there are no outhouses or bathrooms. We’ll explain the proper methods for relieving yourself in the woods. You won’t have access to showers during the trip, but you’ll be able to wash your face and hands. Sometimes there are also streams or lakes to swim in. We know it’s a step into the unknown, but since the OA Frosh Trip began in 1974, over 14,840 Princeton freshmen have made it through the week without bathrooms or showers—you can too!

EQUIPMENT: The Equipment List is available at www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/equipment/equipment.shtml. This list is based on thirty-five years of experience—if you bring all the gear on the list and only the gear on the list, you will be well prepared. Along with the personal equipment listed, remember that you will be carrying some group equipment and food. Don’t over-pack! You won’t need any items that are not on the list. Your personal gear (not including pack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, or boots) should be able to fit in a five-gallon garbage bag. Words of advice: be creative, improvise, and borrow! Before you go out and make a major investment on equipment, make sure you really need the item and that you can get some use out of it after Frosh Trip. The only item you absolutely must have is a pair of hiking boots. Hiking boots that extend over the ankle provide increased support on trails, essential when carrying the extra weight of a backpack. A number of reasonably priced, lightweight hiking boots are appropriate for Frosh Trip (see the enclosed equipment list for some sample boots). These boots are comfortable, long-lasting, and a good investment since you can use them around Princeton during rainy or snowy weather.

EQUIPMENT DISCOUNT: Please review the online equipment list carefully. If you need to purchase clothing or equipment for the trip, we’ve set up a special discount for all incoming Frosh Trip participants with Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), a nationwide outdoor goods retailer. The discount applies only to purchases made online at the EMS website (www.ems.com ), and is effective from July 15 to August 30, 2009. The discount entitles you to a 15 percent discount on anything available online and a special 30 percent discount on particular items that we’ve identified. These items are listed on the online Equipment List. Get your discount coupon code and see the list of specified 30 percent discount items by logging into the Frosh Trip Equipment Web page at https://oa2.princeton.edu/applications/ft/frosh/

PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP: The best way to prepare for your trip is to do some physical conditioning during the summer. Frosh Trip involves hiking or canoeing for 6 to 8 hours each day. To have the best time you can on the trip, you should be in good aerobic condition. Any regular physical activity such as walking, jogging, swimming, biking, or playing an aerobic sport will help prepare you for the trip. You should participate in a physical activity for at least 30 minutes, three times per week. You should begin this program by the beginning of August, at least four weeks before the trip. This activity increases the efficiency of the cardiovascular system, allowing you to hike or canoe more easily, which means you can enjoy your trip even more!

Another way you must prepare for your trip is by breaking in your boots. You must break in your boots before you arrive at Princeton; boots that are not properly broken-in invariably cause chafing and blisters. Every year, freshmen suffer needlessly from painful blisters because they did not break in their boots–you don't want to be one of them! If you need new boots, buy them early so you can wear them as much as you can before Frosh Trip. Even old boots need to be broken in again because they have likely stiffened up since you last wore them. At minimum, you should walk in your boots for 30 minutes at a time, four days a week, for the two weeks leading up to Frosh Trip. Wear the same liner sock/wool sock combo you plan to wear on the trip. This will help the boots conform to your feet and get your feet used to the boots. If you find areas of chafing, you can experiment with different types of socks, or you can apply tape or moleskin to the hotspots. If areas of the boot are pinching, you can get the boots stretched at a local shoe repair shop.

READINGS: If you are interested in learning more about backpacking and the outdoors before your trip, pick up a copy of The Backpacker’s Field Manual, written by Outdoor Action Director Rick Curtis ’79 and published by Random House. It’s available at major bookstores and online at Amazon.com. It has all the information you might need about what to expect in the backcountry, what to bring and why, how to hike comfortably, and more.

SUSTAINABILITY: The experience of living in the outdoors naturally encourages students to be mindful of their impact on the environment. We feel that OA provides an ideal setting for learning about sustainability. This year, OA has taken a new initiative to become even more sustainable, both on and off the trail, by reducing the program’s carbon footprint and sharing its research on sustainability. OA is committed to providing a memorable frosh trip experience, and we hope that this experience will give students a new perspective on their relationship with the environment that will stay with them long after they’ve returned to Princeton. You can learn more about OA’s Sustainability Initiative at www.princeton.edu/~oa/sustainability.

MEDICAL FORMS: In order to participate in Frosh Trip, you must have submitted the Health History forms from the matriculation website to University Health Services. We are not permitted to take anyone who has not been given medical clearance from Health Services. All required tests and immunizations must be up-to-date and recorded on the form before you submit it. The hepatitis-B vaccine is administered over a 6-month period; as long as you have begun the immunization series before the trip, you are approved to participate. It is required that you have had a diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccinewithin the last five years (unless you specify a religious exemption). Please complete your University Health History form as soon as possible if you have not already done so. If there are any changes to your medical information, or if you have any significant medical illnesses or injuries that arise between now and your arrival for Frosh Trip, please update your application online (https://oa2.princeton.edu/applications/ft/frosh) or call the OA office at (609) 258-6230 so we can update your medical information. This will ensure that you are placed on an appropriate trip.

H1N1/SWINE FLU: In light of continuing cases of H1N1 (swine) flu around the world, the University wants to ensure that individuals planning to come to campus for the Outdoor Action program be aware of the steps to be taken should you develop flu-like symptoms. Please read the enclosed information sheet about flu-like illnesses. If you develop flu-like symptoms seven or fewer days before your expected arrival on campus you should stay at home and not participate in the Outdoor Action Program, as you may be contagious. Those who are traveling to campus by public transportation may want to consider travel insurance in the event that you have to cancel your travel plans. If you are forced to cancel your participation because of a flu-like illness in the week leading up to the trip, you will receive a full refund.

TRANSPORTATION: If you are arriving by car, you can enter campus via Faculty Road (see the campus map at www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/map.pdf). If you are traveling by air, Newark-Liberty Airport is most convenient. There is also a shuttle bus service between Newark/Kennedy Airport and Princeton. For information and reservations, call the Olympic Airporter (800-385-4000). Shuttles run about every hour and the rate is roughly $33.00/Newark and $53.00/Kennedy, depending on the number of pieces of luggage you are travelling with. New Jersey Transit also provides train service from Newark Airport to Princeton University with a transfer at Princeton Junction for about $16.00. A complete train schedule can be found at www.njtransit.com.

ARRIVAL & MOVING INTO YOUR DORM ROOM: When you arrive on Saturday, September 5, go to Baker Rink to sign your housing contract and pick up your room key. Staff from the Undergraduate Housing Office will be at Baker Rink from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. Outdoor Action will have a table at Baker Rink with information about your trip assignment and where to meet your group at OA Check-in (see below). To view the University campus map, see www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/map.pdf.

Some buildings or rooms may not be available for move in until after September 5 due to construction projects occurring in dormitories and courtyards or due to summer housing program use. In the event that your room is not available on Saturday, September 5, there will be storage available for your belongings. All freshmen will be staying in one of their leaders’ rooms on Saturday night, so no one will lack a place to sleep. If anything changes, the updated information about dorms unavailable for move-in due to summer construction will be posted on the OA website (www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft). Keep in mind that although you may be the first person to arrive in your room or suite, specific rooms and common space should be distributed fairly after all members of the room or suite have arrived.

SPECIAL ARRIVAL NEEDS: Students with special arrival needs such as students flying in from the West Coast, students coming from overseas, or students who observe the Jewish Sabbath should contact the OA office to make special arrival arrangements. Your written request and explanation must be received by our office or sent to oatrip@princeton.edu by Monday, August 10.

LATE ARRIVAL: If you will be arriving after 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 5, please notify the OA office (609-258-6230) no later than Wednesday, August 26, so that we can let your group leaders know and arrange for you to rendezvous with your group later that evening.If you arrive after 6:00 p.m. on September 5, contact the Public Safety Office at 200 Elm Drive (609-258-1000). Public Safety is open 24 hours a day and officers will be able to let you into your room or inform you of alternate housing arrangements. They do not, however, have keys to give you, so be careful not to lock yourself out of your room. (Should you do so, call them again to be let back into your room.)

OA CHECK-IN: Check-in for the Frosh Trip will be in the lobby of Dillon Gym at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 5. Please be on time! During check-in, you will meet your leaders and the other members of your group, as well as receive any equipment that you need for the trip. You do not need to bring any of your personal equipment to check-in at Dillon Gym; please leave it in your dorm room. Groups should be finished with the check-in process around 5:00 p.m. In most cases, you will stay with your group for the rest of the evening so you may want to say goodbye to family members before check-in. If you need to meet with family members, you should plan to do so after 5:00 p.m. and talk with your trip leaders about when and where to meet up with your group later on Saturday evening. Trip groups go out for dinner on Saturday and spend the evening packing and preparing for the trip. Your group will all stay together in one of your leader’s rooms on Saturday night so you will be ready for an early departure on Sunday morning.

STORAGE: You should bring whatever you need for the trip with you to campus. Do not ship items you will need for the trip via UPS or other shipping companies; these companies do not begin dorm delivery until after Frosh Trip is over. General items such as clothes, books, and furniture may be stored in your room during the trip. Valuable items like computers and stereos may be left in a secure storage area in Gauss Hall. The Gauss Hall storage area will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 5, for you to store your belongings. Gauss will be open again on Saturday, September 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Sunday, September 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. so you can retrieve your belongings. On Sunday, September 6, just before the trip leaves, we will collect any small personal valuables such as cell phones, wallets and room keys just before you board your bus. These items will be locked in a secure storage area until you return.

PARENTS’ RECEPTIONS: Parents of participants in the Outdoor Action Frosh Trip are invited to receptions held in each of the residential colleges on Saturday, September 5, or on Saturday, September 12. The receptions will provide an opportunity for parents to meet members of the Residential College staff. More complete information about reception locations and times will be available at Housing Check-in on September 5 and online at www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/parents.

MEALS: Outdoor Action will provide meals from breakfast on Sunday, September 6, through lunch on Friday, September 11. Your OA trip group will go out for dinner together on Saturday evening, September 5, and again after the trip on Friday, September 11. Group members pay for these two meals, so be sure to have your wallet on hand when you show up for check-in at Dillon Gym on Saturday, September 5. University dining facilities begin serving brunch on Saturday, September 12, after you return from Frosh Trip. If desired, there are a variety of restaurants within walking distance from campus on Nassau Street and Witherspoon Street as well as grocery stores and delicatessens.

Special Dietary Needs; Vegetarian, Vegan, Kosher, and Halaal meals: OA’s basic menu uses a limited amount of meat (chicken and salmon) for some meals. If you are vegetarian, it is easy to prepare your food before any meat is added. OA also provides some non-meat protein sources such as cheese and peanut butter. You may wish to bring other protein sources such as tofu. If you are vegan or have other special dietary needs such as food allergies, please contact the OA office by Friday, July 31 so that we can discuss your particular needs. The menu will be posted on the OA website starting July 15 (www.princeton.edu/~oa/ft/health).

For students who keep kosher, OA uses brand-name products marked as kosher whenever possible. However, there are some items that are not marked. The list of foods and brands will be posted on the OA website starting July 15. Some meals may include both meat and dairy products, but these meals can always be prepared with some ingredients left out to accommodate those who do not eat meat with milk. Students who keep strictly kosher may need to bring some extra food items such as peanut butter. For those who request in advance, we are able to provide kosher pots, stoves, and utensils. If you require separate kosher pots or have other special needs or questions, please contact the OA office by Friday, July 31. Students who keep Halaal should also call the OA office by this date to discuss the menu for Frosh Trip.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES:

  • The Princeton University Chapel will be open on Sunday, September 6, starting at 6:00 a.m. for students who wish to worship before departing on the trip.
  • Catholic services: There will be a Catholic Mass on Saturday, September 5, at 7:00 p.m. at the Aquinas House on the corner of Library and Stockton Streets, within easy walking distance of campus. For more information and directions to Aquinas House see www.princeton.edu/~aquinas.
  • Jewish services: On Friday, September 4, there will be an Orthodox Ma’ariv (evening service) at 7:15 p.m. On Saturday, September 5, Orthodox Shacharit (morning service) will be at 9:15 a.m., Mincha (afternoon service) at 6:55 p.m. and Ma’ariv (evening service) at 8:14 p.m. Services will be held at the Center for Jewish Life, 71 Washington Road. For additional information, visit www.princetonhillel.org. Students interested in participating in Shabbat meals on Friday, September 4, and Saturday, September 5, should contact Marnie Blitz, Assistant Director of the CJL at 609-258-3635, or mblitz@princeton.edu. If you indicated that you wished to return for Sabbath observance, you will be placed on a trip close to Princeton so that you return before sundown on Friday, September 11. Your return time will typically be 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Muslim students: Iftar will be available on the evening of Saturday, September 5, and those observing Ramadan will be placed in low-activity base camp trips during the trip. For more information see www.princeton.edu/~msa/index.html.
  • For information regarding other churches and houses of worship in the local Princeton area, visit: http://web.princeton.edu/sites/chapel/houses_of_worship.htm.

TRIP FEE & CANCELLATIONS: The $545 Frosh Trip fee will be billed directly to your student account in August. It will show up on your University bill as Outdoor Action. If you are receiving need-based financial aid from the University, your cost for the Outdoor Action trip is fully subsidized. Those receiving aid will receive a credit for the total cost of the trip from the Office of Financial Aid also on your August statement. If for any reason you are not able to participate in the trip, please call the Outdoor Action office at 609-258-6230 as soon as possible. Cancellations should be made by July 31. There will be a $100 non-refundable cancellation fee for any cancellations made between August 1 and August 15. If you are not able to participate and do not cancel by August 15, you will be charged the full $545 trip fee. These fees apply to all participants, including those on financial aid. We have students on the waiting list for the program and your failure to cancel in advance would mean another student cannot participate in Frosh Trip. If there is an emergency and you cannot attend at the last minute, we must be informed by 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 4. Special cancellation messages can be left on voice mail over the weekend at 609-258-5621.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS: During the trip, in the event of an emergency, families should call the Outdoor Action office at 609-258-6230 or the Public Safety Office at 609-258-1000 (open 24 hours). An Outdoor Action staff member is on call twenty-four hours a day during the trip. Please call only in case of an emergency.

We hope this letter has provided you with all the information you need to be prepared for Frosh Trip. If you have questions about the program, please feel free to contact us by phone at 609-258-6230 or by email at oatrip@princeton.edu. We look forward to meeting you in September. Have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,

Sam Borchard ’10
Laura Kergosien ’10
Mary Reid Munford ’10
Doug Sprankling ’10
Frosh Trip Coordinators

Jennifer Bornkamp
Administrative Assistant

Eric Cielinski
Program Coordinator

Rick Curtis ’79
Director