Adirondack Adventure, one of Hamilton's pre-orientation programs for first-year students, celebrated its 19th year with a record number of participants. According to program director Andrew Jillings, the 2002 program was both the largest and the most diverse. "This year we had 192 students from as far away as Azerbaijan and Bulgaria and sent out 22 trips, which is the largest number in history. We also saw a 60 percent increase in registration," said Jillings.
Student participants arrived on campus a week before the rest of their class for a four-day trip in the Adirondacks, followed by several days at a ropes course center. Trip options included mountain biking, rock climbing, backpacking, canoeing, kayaking and community service.
One of the goals of Adirondack Adventure is to facilitate the adjustment from high school to college. On their trips, participants have many opportunities to ask questions of their student, faculty and alumni leaders, and they return to Hamilton knowing a little more about what to expect from their college experiences. Groups range in size from six to nine students, giving participants the opportunity to get to know several people very well before returning for orientation.
Catherine Rennie, an exchange student from Edinburgh, Scotland, participated in a backpacking trip in the Seward Range. According to Rennie, one of the best parts of Adirondack Adventure was returning to campus having made friends already. "It's good to start off having good friends," she said. "The people in my group are the only people I know really well. Being in the woods with people is so intense that it's impossible not to get to know each other really well."
Students looking to explore the Adirondacks further and spend more time outside can join the Hamilton Outing Club, which meets Monday and Thursday nights from 7-9 p.m. in the basement of Benedict.
Next year, as Adirondack Adventure celebrates its 20th anniversary, Jillings and the Adirondack Adventure leaders are planning a reunion and trip to celebrate 20 safe, challenging and rewarding years in the Adirondacks.
--Meg Smith '03
