One component of NYU's Office of Student Activities is their Alternative Breaks program. Alternative Breaks is a national program (under the larger umbrella of Break Away) which provides students with alternative (drug/alcohol-free), direct service opportunities during their winter or spring break in various parts of the country (and even globally!). Though I have wanted to participate since being a student at NYU, there has always been some sort of scheduling or financial conflict which has restricted me from doing so. However, as the RA on the community service floor, I finally get to be involved with Alternative Breaks this year!
One component of our floor this year is to provide residents the chance to participate in an Alternative Breaks trip. My Co-RA and I researched numerous different organizations and finally decided to work with Essential 2 Life in Atlanta, GA. We are really excited about customizing the trip to fit everyone's interests and to spend the week with 12 of our residents!
And, in order to prepare for that awesome week, we had to spend this past weekend at the Shawnee Inn in PA at the NYU Alternative Breaks Site Leader Retreat. There were about 50 students there and we received training in diversity, fundraising, education/orientation/training, and reorientation. We also played some team building games outside in the gorgeous weather. Saturday night we had a campfire where we made s'mores and then played Capture the Flag and then on Sunday we canoed with our co-Site Leaders along the Delaware River. It was an amazing weekend. I met some really great people, had tons of fun, ate lots and lots of (yummy) food--everyone knows that's my favorite part, and got even more excited about my trip.