On Sept. 12, nearly 500 first-year students spent their weekend at the First Year Experience retreat held at Camp Wyldewood in Searcy, Arkansas. The retreat was reconstituted three years before, and for the first time, all new students were required to attend. Events such as the First Year Experience retreat, Impact and the Freshman P(Reunion) are all hosted by the HU Square 1 office, a facet of the Center for Student Success. Dean of Student Success and head of First Year Experience Kevin Kehl said the retreat focused on issues new students faced during the first week of school such as finding their identity and getting plugged in on campus. "It made a lotofsenseto address alot ofthat through a retreat," Kehl said. "Get people off campus, expose them to something outside ofthe quad and introduce them to some beautiful spots that are very close by." To prepare students for the newness of college life, the FYE implemented peer guides. These 60 upperclassmen sat in on freshmen Bible classes and were accessible on campus to help and mentor the first-year students. Junior peer guide Kyle Dingus said the goal ofthe retreat was to build camaraderie with the freshmen and transfers, while giving them an opportunity to reflect on their first few weeks as college students. "As a peer guide, my job is to help the professor with whatever he may need," Dingus said. "But even more so to be a friend to the freshmen and make sure they feel welcome." Freshman Macy McClung said she gained new perspectives on ways to engage fellow students and the importance of forming meaningful relationships. 'The First Year Experience retreat has really helped me get a head start on developing connections in ways that I probably wouldn't have initiated on my own," Mcclung said. "It's so natural to get into a routine and not break out of your comfort zone, but I feel like the First Year E>..'Perience equipped me with a more open mind to trying to form bonds outside of my set friend groups and roommates." At the retreat, organizers split the first-year students into three large groups to rotate through different spots around Wyldewood for various activities. There was a devotional at Bee Rock, a popular hiking destination Freshman Brune/on Gomez break dcrnces ut the throu>hack prom, ''Throm." themed dinner on the Fnrnt Lmt•n on Aug. 25. "Nintendo" served as the theme.for the second of two themed dinners during Impact. I Photo by Becca Riley Freshmen and peer guides enjoy the view from Bee Rock on Sept. 12. The relreat fe(ltlll'ed guest speakers President Bl'uce AlcLarty and C1!11m1111s B. Chris Simpson. I Pholo courtesy n.f J\fryu11 Albe,·s :~ 0 S T l' I> E ~ T L I F E at Wyldewood, a dubstep remix ofthe Harding alma mater, a guest lecture by young adult minister B. Chris Simpson, games hosted by the Campus Activities Board and several lectures addressing pertinent topics. Head of the FYE Committee for the Student Association sophomore Cole Swearengen said he had a great Harding experience and wanted students to see all of the things Harding had to offer - if they were willing to give themselves to it. "At the beginning of school there's a little lull in the events on campus," Swearengen said. "Freshmen don't really know what to do, so this retreat kind of gives them an opportunity as they're starting to miss home to get together with everybody and kind of come back to that original statement of 'you are here' (the theme of Impact 2015)." Swearengen said he was glad Harding hosted the FYE retreat and wished it had started when he was a freshman. "Freshman year can be weird and it can be awesome, but this gives us a way to come back to the thought that we are united by Christ and we are united through Harding," Swearengen said.
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