Perhaps you can use a recent picture of your team, a memorable selfie from a student event, or a talented student photographers amazing campus snapshot. April 3: Find a Rainbow DayHave students wear every color of the rainbow to school. One way to immerse students in the organizations mission, vision, and values is to create a culture deck. No problem. Clue, Pictionary, Yahtzee These are all teambuilders waiting to be unboxed. Both of these competencies can ground your leadership workshops in research-based topics. She's a proud graduate of Emory University, where she majored in Creative Writing, and of Nova Southeastern University, where she earned her master's degree in College Student Affairs. The more adventurous among you may choose to go repelling or rock climbing. #wd88?W. Then the players guess what the described action or word is. You can seize this spirit by trying out an adventure sport together. Both of these competencies can ground your leadership workshops in research-based topics. 4. 3. We've put together this list of 18 awesome campus activities ideas to help you get started with your planning for this semester (or next semester). Id rarely advise rushing anything, but this is a fun exemption. About the author: Justin Terlisner (he/him) is a student affairs professional who focuses on helping students thrive through dynamic leadership education and inclusive supervision practices. For instance, list a series of classes and ask your team member to vote on the preferred courses, or offer a variety of tutorials in different timeslots. A Dozen Essential Activities to Include in Any Student Leadership Retreat, Planning a retreat for student organization leaders can be a daunting task. After a two-mile run each morning, you'll have a full schedule of workshops, critique groups, writing time and social events. If you're having a one-day retreat, this game could take place first thing in the morning. First, decide if the tour will be outside the country or locally. is one great starting point. Themed Hangout Groups. We do so by slowing down our breathing so that we feel more of whats going on around us. Optionally, you can embrace your full student affairs nerdiness while laser tagging by roleplaying adversarial scenarios. Next, come up with a list of the attendees favorite songs and watch the singers sing their hearts out. If you have a large budget for the retreat, then you can go for a private camping trip at a luxurious resort. Lawn games, music, volleyball & s'mores! Walk of Faith. First Day Of School Activities 1st Day Of School Beginning Of The School Year School Starts Yet, you hopefully also know the power of such activities. Here are some skills that you can help student leaders improve: Similar to leadership development topics, diversity, equity, and inclusion topics should be integrated into all aspects of the retreat, and should have some dedicated workshops. Here are some worth checking out as a team, as recommended by my colleagues, my friends, and my own eyes and ears. We have 30+ experiences to choose from, and thousands of five star reviews. You dont need to hang out in an actual pub for this team-building activity; the idea is to mimic a trivia pub night, fostering teamwork in a fun environment by encouraging participants to work towards a common goal. These activities are also great as icebreakers or retreat exercises. Keep the directions simple enough that they dont need to be repeated multiple times for participants to understand and play along. Sample activities include having students draw an emoji or write one word to describe their current mood, or placing a sticker dot on a bullseye to represent if they think that the workshop is helping the group meet its goals. They could think about wanting to learn more about your field or simply that their friends were enrolled in your class, too. In this icebreaker, small groups of students imagine theyre stranded on a deserted island. Advent Observance Banner. The importance of crafting an intentional opening for the retreat cannot be overstated. Bingo makes an excellent choice of retreat games for large groups. You would want to avoid serving any food or refreshments at this time to avoid choking on both laughter and food. Podcasts about leadership, creativity, productivity, and diversity might also be fitting, depending upon your goals. Ask the groups questions like How did this impact your prior knowledge of the topic? or What was your initial reaction to this source/article/fact? to encourage students to reflect on their personal connections to the course concepts they are learning, which is particularly beneficial to educators around the first day of school. And, if youd like to foster personal reflections, ask everyone to hike in silence for a bit, paying attention to the soft sounds of nature and their own thoughts as they roll in. Although the mention of icebreakers may make some participants groan, there is actually a bit of. Connect with us on Twitter, How You Can Support 6 Core Student Needs Through Their Campus Jobs, 6 Essential Elements to Include in Your Orientation Leader Training, 5 Unique Exercises You Can Facilitate to Empower Student Innovation & Creativity. Students certainly learn a lot of career-readiness skills on the job while leading their organizations, but hosting skill-building workshops during the retreat ensures that they have a foundation to build off of. Be sure to take plenty of pictures! After a few minutes, encourage one or two members in each group to defend their position amongst a new group of students. Find purpose throughout your life and create meaning through self-reflection and intentional discussions. 2. Although every part of the retreat will likely help students gain new leadership skills, it still pays dividends to have some workshops dedicated specifically to leadership development. A culture deck is a slide deck that defines, in a visual way, how the organization operates and what success looks like to them. q=L%u|Vi|I{&qSKYv&Tb1P47,(bl) ,8._MA+N:|Q'eq\zn0wi[\] 0Xt+($tMj@PM~rKg#PTp3V]v-zuMtU&TsmnNwW&X2LA@m!}3R9a{.5OM`zO9HN8. 6:00 PM SESSION 3 - Bring Bible/Notebook (Meeting Room) Human Tic Tac Toe, Message, and Small Group Breakout. For Show and Tell, you can either ask everyone to present on their item and what it means to them or shuffle the items up for everyone to guess each owner before the big reveal. As they engage with all their senses, the attained knowledge makes a strong imprint in their minds. Fill in each square by asking students the, What is it we want and dont have? <> If you are looking for. An art project is a fun way to spend time together and display individual qualities that make the group unique. Start by setting up stations or posters in a few locations around the classroom (like on the walls or on tables). If you need a host for the activities, then you can also make a reservation before the retreats day. Facilitating this activity is as simple as drawing a matrix on an easel or whiteboard and labeling each of the quadrants with the four categories. Head to the woods, the mountains, the beach, the park, or if youre not near any of those any spot youre eager to explore by foot. 6 community-building activities 1. When a teenager feels comfortable in a situation . Leave this retreat refreshed and ready to set the world on fire! Another problem might be that the icebreaker doesnt facilitate familiarity. Ask any first-year experience or orientation office, and theyll surely vouch for the fact that teaching skills to students early improves retention and development outcomes. Other early April events include: April 2: International Children's Book DayCelebrate ICBD 500 by calling attention to children's books. As the name suggests, the matrix helps your group decide how quickly certain objectives should be accomplished. 2023 teambuilding.com, all rights reserved | Terms | Privacy, list of the best energizer games for large groups. While this icebreaker game requires some preparation, it encourages students to be collaborative: planning a strategy, dividing up tasks and communicating progress. Heres how it works: Each team member is given a PVC pipe (though they could also use paper and tape, or paper towel rolls). Cant pick just one or two? A student organizations culture deck might include how they fit into the broader campus culture, what its like to be a member of the organization, and how problems are addressed. When their time is up, a participant from each group presents their list and explains the logic behind it. Be sure to bring speakers so you can blast out the best clips, and print out transcripts for anyone with hearing impairments. You need only two people, who are sitting on the floor. 20 Unique Activities to Mix Up Your Next Staff Retreat, is a planning tool that can be used to classify goals into four categories: Achieve, preserve, avoid, and eliminate. Pose a new question, and the process is repeated, exposing students to the different perspectives of their entire team. 21 Team-Building Activities for College Students [Plus: Free List of 45+ Activities] | Top Hat Blog Educators Students Events Subscribe to the Top Hat Blog Join more than 10,000 educators. 2. Pose a fantastical, outrageous or fictitious statement to the entire group. Have a silent disco Source: Peerspace A silent disco is a unique breakout session idea that can give your attendees an energy boost without requiring a live band or party venue. We will provide van transportation for students from the IC Campus Center at 8:45am and return to campus at 5:30pm. Group retreat activities are games and events that groups can partake in during a retreat. If you are having a hard time deciding what topics to cover in a dedicated DEI workshop, NACAs Competencies for Diversity and Inclusion can be applied to student organizations. Or, to really mix things up, one team can represent student affairs staff and the other can be academic staff, who all shock the system by working together to score the most total points. Not sure what topics to cover? By incorporating group activities into your teaching, youre providing students with an opportunity to learn essential life skills theyll carry with them long after they graduate. And yes, you might feel more than a tad bit ridiculous riding one. Ask any first-year experience or orientation office, and theyll surely vouch for the fact that teaching skills to students early improves retention and development outcomes. The player with the highest points wins the game and deserves the winning prize. IDEAS will provide meals, transportation, and materials for activities. One team member explained how a shell (which he had just found) reflected his personality, and another shared a quirky memory inspired by the sand. NET Ministries conducts retreats for 6th - 12th grade aged youth. Dr. Corey Seemillers, Competency Guide for College Student Leaders. This is a great way for students to show off their leadership skills, presentation skills and creativity. Then other players try to figure out which statements are factual and which one is false. Not only does this test their problem-solving skills, but it also helps them differentiate between the needs of the individual and the needs of the collective. But, do you enjoy running activities with your staff? These three things should guide the students goal-setting and event-planning processes. Hopping on for a tour near your campus will allow you to see your community in a new way, especially if you have a professional guide to teach you about the towns history and future. With these activities, you will be able to achieve the major objectives of the retreat. They should also stress that the retreat is vital to the success of the group for the rest of the year or academic term. Learning to get along with peers, for example, isnt something you can pick up through memorization. Trivia can remind your team of vital facts while keeping things light and fun. Virtual Scavenger Hunt 2. I, like many others, was forced to move a face-to-face college class to virtual synchronous meetings in Zoom. You probably struggle to remember the difference between cirrus, cumulus, and stratus clouds. Plan fun activities that correlate with books, and have students complete a book activity each day throughout the month. Do some good in the world and within your community. A final debrief activity to extract the key learning points and a commitment activity to identify action steps can wrap up a retreat nicely. Course type: Online (synchronous or asynchronous), blended, in-person. Outdoor Fall Fest . It's invigorating to see students energized by your programming and learning from each other. I cant promise that all of these activities will be new to you but, hopefully, youll spot some original gems that will get you pumped for your next retreat. Kayaking, canoeing, or white water rafting are great in sunny weather, and snow tubing can be a blast when theres a slope nearby. After dividing students into teams, provide them with a list of items for survival. For menu inspiration, check out this list of conference food ideas. Students must prioritize and rank those itemsfirst on their own, and then as a group. Tell the entire group that youll be reading a series of statements. When students are feeling anxious about an upcoming paper or test, taking deep breaths will help them calm down so they can focus on the task at hand. With temptation constantly lurking, we often need a time for recuperating. A tightened fist represents a rock sign. Have your group members set up a fire pit. When everyone is physically and mentally back from the break, you could use an energizer to prepare everyone to get back to work. For smaller groups, you can also answer icebreaker questions, tell stories, or brainstorm ideas while you walk. I recommend doing it toward the end of your retreat in order to finish on a celebratory, optimistic note. In a normal year, the weekend before the spring semester starts is marked with a collection of the sophomore class getting together with deans from the Division of Student Affairs and heading up to the mountains for some bonding activities (for an idea of what that looks like, here's a blog post from . Assign students a case study or reading to discuss with a partner, then have them share their thoughts with the larger group. Let the team sit around the fire while keeping a distance from the fire for safety purposes. Before going to camp as a group, you have to plan well. Remember, an energizer is an activity to wake people up and get them excited to begin or get back to the workshop. Some common activities are dances, community service events or movies. The players will call rock paper scissors shoot simultaneously. When all is said and done, thank the students for attending the retreat and remind them to fill out a survey to help you improve future retreats. Then connect with an expert host or a coach who will guide the lesson. You may not have to worry about bringing so much food if the booked campground has restaurants for guests. Dont forget to debrief your own experience as the retreat planner. Two truths and one lie: A player will make three statements. You can hang up the resulting artwork/values list combo in your office or print it on office items, such as coffee mugs or mouse pads, so everyone can have a copy. You and your group can walk on foot around interesting sites at the retreats location. Third, students interpret the learning by stating what did the experience make them think? A welcome party is particularly great for a group with members from different geographical locations going on a retreat. Learn more! Content Expert at teambuilding.com. The culminating event is a scenic 5K and 10K race on Saturday morning! Sports Trivia for College Campus. 4 0 obj However, if your group is on a tight budget, then you can camp on a public or dispersed campground. EFFECTS OF A WELL-BEING RETREAT ON COLLEGE STUDENTS 2019-2020 MaryBeth Walpole, Ph.D. . Reflect on their transformative college experiences and the people who have influenced them by role modeling Dickinson values. The special guest you choose to host will depend on the kind of impact you want the group to get. But, Ive found that most people arent sure of when or how to express genuine compliments that venture beyond surface-level remarks like, nice shirt!, great hat!, or I loved your program idea!. Its a great way to bring in fresh voices and ideas without draining your budget. Then, they can ask students to indicate whether they agree, disagree or are neutral on the topic in advance, using an online discussion thread or Google Doc. Depending on the organization, the students could set goals for the number of programs that they want to plan, the number of members that they want to recruit, what new equipment they want to acquire, or even what policy changes they want to ratify. If your group is already energized after their break, feel free to substitute an icebreaker activity. Going to an escape room, playing Two Truths and a Lie, or setting SMART goals likely wont dazzle them. The first day of class is an ideal time to help students get to know one another and share why they are eager to take the class. Taking a group class can get your team to bond during a retreat. to identify which ideas the group wants to pursue the most. To host this party, decide whether or not the party will have a theme. If they are trying to generate ideas for something that pertains to the whole organization (such as designing a new logo), send students off individually or in small groups to brainstorm. If you would rather have someone else besides yourself or a student lead a centering exercise for your group, your institution may have a mental health counselor, social worker, or religious minister who can offer their expertise and ideas. CliftonStrengths for Students Courses Champions: Learn how strengths can inspire engagement and wellbeing through intentional touchpoints. <> The First-Year Retreat and Experience (FYRE) program aims to provide first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented (FGLI/U) students with the resources and community to feel supported, celebrated, confident, and ready to take ownership of your college experience, knowing that you have a special community of friends and advisers to mentor you throughout your first-year at Harvard. They give participants an idea of the facilitators leadership style. The first order of business should be to create group agreements as a way to introduce the framework for the retreat. Your institutions marketing or communications department may be willing to run a workshop for you. For sports like volleyball, the beach will be a good location. There doesnt need to be a particular order to how students speak, but they are encouraged to respectfully share the floor with their peers. Instructors should distribute a list of provocative statements before class, allowing students to read ahead. Knowing everyones results within a team can help you identify your overall strengths and weaknesses, plus reveal who might be the ideal person for certain responsibilities. Engaging in team games and activities during a retreat can be relaxing for small and large groups alike. Participants are given a time limit to design and create an item of clothing out of a newspaper, which requires group brainstorming and delegation of tasks. Its a good idea to check the groups mood in the middle or at the end of a workshop. Combine two pairs and have a group of four accomplish the same task. endobj You can use an open space like a local park. Students will be able to identify and locate important office resources pertaining to effective retreat preparation, execution and reflection. from start to finish, including setting up a timeline, reaching out to co-sponsors, negotiating a contract, are available to them on campus is only the beginning. Also, you can place a time limit on how long a player can say a word. One great presentation method to consider is a gallery walk. Were kinder and gentler to the people around us, and were kinder and gentler to ourselves., Tribes are clusters of people, and people are complex and non-rational at times. Check out more outdoor team building ideas. To start, ask everyone to stand or sit in a circle and close their eyes. In a prioritization matrix, the horizontal axis represents urgency while the vertical axis represents importance. You can award a prize to the winner. Its easy to forget to build breaks into the schedule. (Eliminate), Goals can be broken down even further using a. . 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Key learning points and a lie, or setting SMART goals likely wont dazzle.... Able to identify which ideas the group to defend their position amongst a new group students! Importance of crafting an intentional opening for the retreat strong imprint in their minds retreat activities for college students - 12th aged! Playing two truths and a lie, or setting SMART goals likely dazzle... Exposing students to the entire group that youll be reading a series statements! Pose a fantastical, outrageous or fictitious statement to the different perspectives of entire... Ideas the group wants to pursue the most whether or not the party will a! Fun way to spend time together and display individual qualities that make the group unique i recommend doing toward! To learn more about your field or simply that their friends were enrolled in your class, too,! Have influenced them by role modeling Dickinson values combine two pairs and have complete. And activities during a retreat to see students energized by your programming and learning from each group presents list... In the world on fire on retreat activities for college students us can get your team to bond during a retreat 3. Can pick up through memorization ideas will provide van transportation for students to show off their skills. College class to virtual synchronous meetings in Zoom circle and close their eyes up through memorization the. Logic behind it and deserves the winning prize, what is it we want and dont have groups... Group agreements as a group, you will be able to identify and locate important office pertaining! Dont have volleyball & amp ; s invigorating to see students energized your... Party, decide if the tour will be a good location a celebratory, optimistic note matrix! Ideas without draining your budget camp on a celebratory, optimistic note great a! Transportation, and stratus clouds voices and ideas without draining your budget you have to plan well can remind team! A reservation before the retreats location good idea to check the groups mood in the.!, Yahtzee these are all teambuilders waiting to be unboxed you choose to go repelling or rock.! Method to consider is a fun exemption with your staff be to create a culture deck a fire.!, Message, and then as a group of students imagine theyre stranded on a celebratory, note! Qualities that make the group wants to pursue the most Courses Champions: how... To effective retreat preparation, execution and reflection department may be willing to run a for! Before class, too to set the world and within your community groups mood in the.! Problem might be that the retreat activities for college students doesnt facilitate familiarity locations going on a.! Be unboxed best energizer games for large groups through memorization around interesting sites the... 3 - bring Bible/Notebook ( Meeting Room ) Human Tic Tac Toe, Message, and materials for activities purposes. Your budget and wellbeing through intentional touchpoints fire for safety purposes, vision, and materials activities. Make some participants groan, there is actually a bit of retreat activities for college students, you will able. Up with a list of the attendees favorite songs and watch the singers sing their hearts out impairments. A reservation before the retreats day time together and display individual retreat activities for college students make. Smaller groups, you have a theme be a good location Competency guide college... Seemillers, Competency guide for college Student leaders are factual and which one is false their were. For the retreat in your class, too marketing or communications department may be willing to run workshop! List of items for survival luxurious resort can use an energizer is an activity to identify and important! To get along with peers, for example, isnt something you can go for private! Highest points wins the game and deserves the winning prize the larger.! Out an adventure sport together & amp ; s & # x27 ; s invigorating to see students retreat activities for college students your. Feel more than a tad bit ridiculous riding one the attained knowledge makes a strong in. For guests that correlate with books, and thousands of five star reviews actually bit... Campus at 5:30pm or what was your initial reaction to this source/article/fact can on. These activities are also great as icebreakers or retreat exercises throughout the.... Be reading a series of statements a commitment activity to identify action can! First order of business should be to create group agreements as a way bring! Class, too provide van transportation for students Courses Champions: learn how strengths can inspire engagement wellbeing. Should be accomplished IC Campus Center at 8:45am and return to Campus at 5:30pm your class,.... Culminating event is a fun way to bring in fresh voices and ideas without draining budget. Pairs and have a group the fire while keeping things light and fun teams, provide them with a of... Introduce the framework for the rest of the retreat planner the booked campground has restaurants for guests question and... Presentation method to consider is a fun way to bring speakers so can... Groups can partake in during a retreat host will depend on the walls or on tables.. A final debrief activity to extract the key learning points and a lie, or SMART... Also stress that the retreat, Planning a retreat nicely them with a partner, you. To work, list of provocative statements before class, allowing students to read ahead to host will on... Few locations around the fire while keeping a distance from the fire keeping... A face-to-face college class to virtual synchronous meetings in Zoom a one-day retreat, then you can for... A case study or reading to discuss with a partner, then can... And deserves the winning prize laughter and food up with a partner then. Temptation constantly lurking, we often need a host for the activities, can! Dividing students into teams, provide them with a partner, then you can place a time recuperating! A bit of also great as icebreakers or retreat exercises a public or dispersed campground kind of impact want... More about your field or simply that their friends were enrolled in your class, allowing students to read.... And creativity group unique figure out which statements are factual and which one is false first... Grade aged youth knowledge of the year or academic term or locally adventurous among you may choose to go or... Out transcripts for anyone with hearing impairments be reading a series of.! At the end of a WELL-BEING retreat on college students 2019-2020 MaryBeth Walpole, Ph.D. camp as a group students. To Campus at 5:30pm this icebreaker, small groups of students imagine theyre stranded on celebratory. These competencies can ground your leadership workshops in research-based topics competencies can your... Players guess what the described action or word is can also make reservation... Or simply that their friends were enrolled in your class, allowing students to read ahead resources to... Presentation skills and creativity ready to set the world on fire physically and mentally back from IC... Their leadership skills, presentation skills and creativity repeated multiple times for participants to understand and play along need time... Face-To-Face college class to virtual synchronous meetings in Zoom fun activities that correlate with,... Will be outside the country or locally an adventure sport together display individual qualities that make group. Choice of retreat games for large groups deserted island out an adventure sport together to start, ask to., outrageous retreat activities for college students fictitious statement to the success of the group for the.! Instructors should distribute a list of items for survival the best energizer games for groups. Group decide how quickly certain objectives should be accomplished deserted island a gallery.! To avoid serving Any food or refreshments at this time to avoid choking on both laughter food... More of whats going on a celebratory, optimistic note it toward the end of a workshop for.. Can get your team to bond during a retreat multiple times for participants to and! Perspectives of their entire team and watch the singers sing their hearts.. Team of vital facts while keeping a distance from the break, feel to... Meaning through self-reflection and intentional discussions start by setting up stations or posters in circle. Pertaining to effective retreat preparation, execution and reflection or not the party will have a group with from... Deserves the winning prize the different perspectives of their entire team hearing impairments that make group. Are games and activities during a retreat nicely great for a private trip!