New students at Principia College began the semester with a required orientation retreat called “Bridging the Gap,” held at  CedarS Camps, a summer camp in Lebanon, Missouri. The multi-day program was designed to help incoming freshmen and transfer students connect, build a sense of community, and adjust to campus life. 

Students and resident assistants shared mixed experiences about the retreat, ranging from positive reflections to calls for more flexibility.

Freshman Anita Igoki described her experience at  CedarS Camps as enjoyable and community building. “My time at CedarS was fun,” she said. “I got to meet other people and connect with them.” 

While she found some activities too long and repetitive, she said the retreat helped her form lasting friendships and feel “comfortable” and “included.” 

Igoki said her favorite moment was the Dawson Hollow concert. “I felt pure happiness, and seeing others express joy made me happy,” she said.

Igoki isn’t the only one who enjoyed the concert. Freshman Genevieve Higman said she loved “being in a group function with people dancing and having fun; [it] brought everyone together, and made things feel less uncomfortable.” However, she said parts of the camp felt overwhelming and restrictive. 

With the packed schedule, Higman said she had little room to rest or connect with others on her own time. While she appreciated the opportunity to meet people, she said she wouldn’t attend the camp again unless the rules were changed.

Although some students found the retreat overwhelming, others, such as freshman Gage Vanlandingham, saw it as a welcoming opportunity to connect with new classmates. He described his experience as mostly positive, enjoying the range of activities and the chance to learn better communication skills. However, he wished for more free time, noting that some activities felt “forced.” 

Vanlandingham said his favorite memory was watching a group of students form a human pyramid and collapse into laughter moments later.

For some, the camp’s packed schedule made it harder to relax and settle into the new semester, a feeling freshman Danielle Vargas understood well. She described her experience as “interesting” and rushed, especially since she had to move into college just two days before leaving for camp. 

Vargas said some activities felt forced and made her uncomfortable, particularly those that required sharing personal views. While she also appreciated making new friends, she said the retreat might have been more effective if held at a later time.

While new students were still adjusting to college life, resident assistants saw the camp as a chance to guide and grow alongside them. Junior Natalea Clark said it was her first time attending  CedarS Camps as a leader and described the retreat as more “interactive” than the previous year. She said it offered an opportunity to connect with students and build a sense of community. 

Clark said she enjoyed the experience overall, despite the heat, and noted that sometimes the camp “felt more like Love Island.” She also noted that most students found it valuable for personal growth.

Senior and resident assistant Ariana Williams shared a similar perspective to Clark, saying the retreat offered meaningful ways for students to connect. While the retreat was mainly for new students, RAs such as Williams also took part in the activities. 

Williams said her favorite moment was spending time with the horses. She said the retreat created opportunities for students to meet new peers and build long-lasting relationships.

For both students and resident assistants, the retreat offered not only a chance to unwind but also to understand what it means to begin a new chapter at Principia.