As Richard Ryan, professor of psychology, has noted, “Nature is fuel for the soul.”
Since freshman orientation is a busy time for new students, it’s no surprise that some of them seek reprieve in the outdoors. Through University of Rochester Freshman Orientation Outing Treks, informally known as UR FOOT, they are able to experience a wilderness respite before beginning college life.
The program was founded in 2005 as a small-scale offshoot of the University of Rochester Outing Club (UROC). UR FOOT is now an official club, recognized by the University’s Students’ Association (it also continues to collaborate with UROC for coordinating and borrowing camping gear).
Each year, the club’s upper-year leaders organize several different three-day, overnight, outdoor treks slated for the weekend before the University’s orientation program. With 32 available leaders this year, UR FOOT is able to accommodate 98 freshmen from the Class of 2019 (that’s an increase from 75 participants last year).
The freshmen identify their preferred outings, but then are randomly placed in one of nine different treks. These vary in their itinerary and difficulty, from biking in Letchworth State Park to canoeing in the Adirondacks, hiking in Allegany State Park to caving in Chimney Mountain’s Eagle Cave. Most treks comprise about six “trekees,” the informal term for the freshmen. The registration fee ($180 this year) covers food, lodging, and transportation for the duration of the weekend.
The only prerequisite is a passion for the outdoors, explains UR FOOT co-president Sara Peterson ’17. “We have some freshmen who’ve never seen woods before and others who are backpacking pros—it’s a real mix.” Before coming to Rochester, Peterson used to camp with her father and take hikes with her friends. She embraced the chance to participate in UR FOOT as a freshman in 2013.
That’s where she met co-president Vito Martino ’17. “For some of our trekees, it’s their first time away from family, but getting to know everyone else on the trek—especially during the car or bus rides there—keeps them busy,” he says.
The weekend starts when the trekees move into their dorm rooms on the Friday before orientation. (“The biggest perk of UR FOOT is moving in early,” confides Martino.) On Saturday morning, everyone has breakfast together at Wilson Commons before departing to their respective basecamps all over beautiful New York State. Sunday is generally reserved for the main hike or expedition, while during the evenings the groups bond over campfires, sing-alongs, and s’mores.
Each trek is as unique as the trekees involved. During Martino’s freshman outing, his group took a spontaneous polar plunge on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, Peterson recalls swimming in the waterfalls of Stony Brook during her trip. In addition, the trek’s leaders often impart words of wisdom to the new students, preparing them for their undergraduate years at Rochester. “I found out about one of my first University jobs through my UR FOOT leader,” recalls Peterson.
Like Peterson and Martino, many of UR FOOT’s participants return as leaders. Others go on to join related clubs at Rochester, including UR Rock Climbing Club or UROC. However, the UR FOOT experience leaves its own mark.
“I met a lot of my best friends during UR FOOT,” says Martino. “Truth is, the bonds formed during that weekend often last beyond freshman year.”
Learn more at the UR FOOT website or follow UR FOOT on Instagram: @UR_FOOT
