This fall break, students from the Class of 2024 were given the unique opportunity of attending an Adirondack Adventure (AA) orientation-style trip as sophomores. Orientation trips are typically meant for first-year and transfer students to help them transition to college life while making new friends and gaining new experiences. However, due to circumstances around COVID-19, students from the Class of 2024 were unable to participate in a conventional orientation, as all AA trips were cancelled. Instead, orientation for last year’s first-year students was adapted to be held entirely on campus. Sarah Jillings, the Assistant Director of outdoor leadership, attested that “what we’re trying to do this year is make up for those experiences.”
This year, Hamilton’s professional outdoor leadership staff, including sophomore trip student coordinators Shelby McVey ’22, Margaret McDow ’23 and Lena Schneck ’23, provided the class of 2024 the opportunity to go on an AA trip and partake in a similar experience to the one they missed. Basil Brown ’24 expressed “when the Adirondack Adventure makeup trips for sophomores got announced, it was the best surprise I could have gotten.” Sarah Jillings told Hamilton News and Events that the trips were met with an eager response, with 40 members of the sophomore class signing up and enrolling in trips.
This year’s sophomore trips were shorter than the typical first-year orientation trips, lasting two
nights and three days, beginning on Fri., Oct. 15 and ending on Sun., Oct. 17. Participants began preparing on Thurs., Oct. 14 with their new groups, getting their dry bags ready and making sure they had all the necessary gear gathered for the weekend excursions ahead. Groups were led by AA orientation leaders, and their efforts were spearheaded by Andrew Jillings, Director of Outdoor Leadership, who volunteered as well to help with the trips. These student orientation leaders, ten of whom were upperclassmen, dedicated themselves to ensure trips ran smoothly and provided a safe and fun environment in which everyone could enjoy themselves.
Each AA trip held a different intensity level and offered varying activity within the Adirondacks, allowing students to pick what they preferred. Students had a variety of choices in trips, such as hiking, canoeing and sea kayaking, regardless of experience level. Trips also had a variety of destinations, which included the Ausable Club area, Raquette Lake and Blue Mountain Lake, Long Lake, the Giant Mountain Area and Stillwater Reservoir. Each provided a unique experience for the groups camping there, as they worked with each other to set up tents, collect water and prepare food for three days.
Students were given the opportunity to explore and enjoy the outdoors while growing closer to their classmates. Conditions were not perfect with rainy weather persisting throughout the weekend, but as Sarah Jillings articulated, “The worst conditions make for the best adventures…they have this really cohesive way of bringing a group together.” When the orientation trips concluded, students returned to campus and de-issued any gear they borrowed from the Glen House for their trips. Afterwards, everyone who participated or helped coordinate the trips gathered for a banquet dinner together to celebrate an accomplished three days in the woods.
The sophomore orientation trips provided a successful bonding experience for students. Many made new connections with their peers that will continue during their years at Hamilton and beyond.
