I have plenty of things to worry about as an incoming freshman. “Where are all of my classes?” “What is my chemistry professor talking about?” and personally, “Why do I keep locking myself out of my dorm?!” These questions aside, we are all thinking about one main worry: “Will I be able to make friends?” Unlike the previous three questions, this one has a simple answer: S.O.A.R! Being able to “soar” like an osprey before starting the semester is a great way to become comfortable with new peers before setting foot on campus as an official Stockton student.

S.O.A.R (Stockton Outdoor Adventure Retreat) is a three-day camping trip intended to bring students together through activities such as high elements, “Big Black Pony,” and our favorites, the mind-twisters. S.O.A.R. includes eight tribes in total: green, navy, sky, red, pink, orange, yellow, and purple. After coming up with their individual chants, the tribes then split up for scheduled activities. For instance, the low elements activity was made up of various challenges, such as walking across a log to get in birthday order, without falling off. Another activity, the high elements, included more fear-inducing tasks, such as rock climbing and the tight rope. Between making up skits, meeting the T.A.L.O.N.S, and playing blind dodge ball, all tribes can agree that SOAR has proven to be one of the most effective activities at Stockton. Coming back from the trip, we were able to easily transition to our new lives here at Stockton, excited for the next step.

One more intention of this trip is to open minds; since we are all new to this setting and to each other, this is the perfect opportunity to become acquainted through new activities. Along with an open mind comes a well-rounded college experience. In other words, the skills learned in S.O.A.R. will be applied to a countless number of experiences, from learning names as freshmen to finding career interviews as seniors. Meeting people outside the classroom also proves to be influential due to the fact that each person is interested in different activities, whether it be athletic, academic, or just for fun. Each student has a way to get to know the various clubs Stockton has to offer by communicating interests.

Upon returning to Stockton at the conclusion of the trip, there is already a sense of unity. This unity will provide students with long-lasting friendships, in addition to new experiences. Communicating interests to different people, therefore, is another way in which S.O.A.R. makes the college experience at Stockton even more influential than it already is.