Members of the class of ’16 are settling in to life on the Hill, classes have begun and the new semester is off and running. One of the members of Hamilton’s newest group of students, Cassidy Dennison ’16, took time to reflect on the value of pre-orientation program Adirondack Adventure in helping students make the adjustment to college life.

We started off college with a dangling participle. This may seem regressive to our high school and college education, but it actually furthered our knowledge of ourselves and our group. Our dangling participle was not a grammatical error; it consisted of a rope, two harnesses, two people and total trust. Though slightly intimidating, rock climbing at Chapel Pond in the Keene Valley was one of the best ways to begin college. Adirondack Adventure helps people make friends, try new things, and break free of the initial fears associated with college.

S0me 280 members of the Class of '16 arrived on the Hill on Aug. 17 to prepare for pre-orientation. Adirondack Adventure (AA) and Outreach Adventure (OA) give incoming students the chance to spend a week getting to know their new classmates in an informal setting, interacting on an equal basis and learning something new. The rest of the Class of '16 will arrive on Aug. 25 when new student orientation begins.

Adirondack Adventure (AA) and Outreach Adventure (OA),  Hamilton’s pre-orientation programs for new students, will welcome 283 members – representing 60 percent – of the Class of 2016 on Friday, Aug. 17. This year marks the largest AA/OA participation ever, with 240 first-year students going on AA trips plus 43 taking part in OA.

Adirondack Adventure (AA), Hamilton's eight-day outdoor program for incoming students, and its sister program Outreach Adventure (OA), will welcome members of the class of 2015 on Friday, Aug. 12, for pre-orientation.

Campus slows down markedly during the summer months, with only about 10 percent of the student body remaining, conducting research with faculty or working at jobs in various offices. Three Hamilton students, Christine Roback ’12, Helen Higgins ’13, and Bobby Finan ’13, are working tirelessly alongside Director of Outdoor Leadership Andrew Jillings and Director of Outreach and Orientation Amy James in preparation for the August arrival of more than 200 first-year students participating in Hamilton’s pre-orientation programs.

Since first-year students arrived for Adirondack Adventure and the Urban Service  Experience on August 13, the Hill has come to life, as Hamilton begins its 199th year. Move-in day, Hamilton Serves and Convocation were among highlights of opening week, pictured here.