2009 Suspending Your Assumptions, August 18-21

All first year Honors students begin with a week-long retreat. First year students move into their dorms a week early, giving them the chance to get settled into their dorms before classes begin.

The retreat has proven time and again to be a valuable tool for Honors students, successfully easing each student's transition from high school to college. Additionally, most students have such a great time.  The retreat is a required activity for all incoming freshmen, but it is often considered to be one of the greatest advantages of becoming an Honors student at UNF. During the week students get a feel for what Honors is about through various activities and team building events.

One of the many highlights of the retreat is a day full of physical and mental challenges at the local YMCA Challenge Course. This challenge course is a physical representation of the obstacles that Honors students will be overcoming throughout the course of the program. At this site, students become acquainted and begin to trust one another through a series of trust–building activities. These activities conclude in the ultimate trust activity, climbing the 50–foot challenge tower with only a rope, a harness, and the student's faith in his or her peers.

"Orientation is an opportunity for incoming freshmen to learn not only about the Honors Program, but about themselves. Through various activities, the students experience all aspects of Honors learning environments. The students learn to challenge themselves physically and emotionally. For me, Orientation was one of the highlights of the Honors Program because I was able to see how unique this program is from conventional university programs. I realized how much I was going to learn and grow from this experience." Alison Oberne, Honors Alumni.

In addition to social activities, the retreat is the starting point of your next four years. The Honors Program faculty and staff will provide information sessions so students will understand all the different opportunities we have to offer.

Please click here regarding the agenda with dates and times.