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Freshmen Retreat
posted February 13, 2009
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From the bus ride over to a dreary campsite in the middle of nowhere Maryland on a Friday afternoon, through the bus ride back to American University on Monday morning, the Freshman Retreat was beyond unforgettable. It was “Kick ass, and [it provided] long lasting friendships” according to Nick Armstrong.
The nightlife provided the new SPA Leaders with much entertainment from a dance party and plenty of icebreakers taking place on Friday night, to scary stories and a long midnight hike taking place on Saturday night.
And to top it all off, there was plenty of great food.
“The food was great” Amanda Merkwae noted, “Dave and Professor Marr are extraordinary grillers, they were ballin.” With an abundance of meat and vegetarian alternatives, topped off with s’mores on both nights, “The food was great!” notes another Leader.
On Saturday morning, the SPA Leaders woke up early to embark on a trip to the Antietam Battlefield. Though some members kind of fell asleep or dozed off during the main trip, most can agree that the interactivity and an in-depth look at a historical landmark was definitely a unique thing to see. Topped off with an unplanned bonding session after the bus wouldn’t start for quite some time, the trip to Antietam was a huge success.
Upon returning to the campsite, a long discussion on Abraham Lincoln began.
Though it received mixed reviews, the freshmen SPA Leaders can all agree that everybody finally bonded soon after, when the animal groups were assigned.
The Peacocks, Koalas, Owls, and Lions together presented the TAs, Dave, and Professor Marr with presentations they would not forget. To make sure they wouldn’t forget them, they were recreated and filmed upon the next class.
“I really enjoyed doing it twice, especially as a Peacock!” said a Peacock.
The Lions, though few in numbers, participated in one of the most original and compelling presentations in their rap and song, the Peacocks presented in a dramatic fashion, the Koalas explained why they believed they made great leaders, and the Owls spread their knowledge and gave new insight to leadership.
“They were all wonderful!” Professor Marr quipped.
The trip included a variety of bonding activities, some of which included nonverbal communication, another involved physically untying a very large human knot, and of course, lest we forget the very entertaining skits.
Allison Kays remarks, “I thought it was hilarious putting makeup on Mark [Bittner], though I think he enjoyed it way too much.”
It was on Saturday night that the issue groups got to meet together for the first time.
One thing will always remain a mystery on the retreat, and that is: What happened in one of the boys’ cabins on the second night? Only the boys who resided in that cabin will ever know. “It was a once in a lifetime experience…” noted one of the boys
In the end, Carol Foster notes, “The end of the retreat only marks the first of four years we will spend together.” Everybody is very excited to get working on their projects, and the year to come looks very bright. “We will always remember the retreat.”
By Mark Bittner
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