Thursday - "off-campus team building activities"
On Thursday we had "off-campus team building activities". This was sort of fun, and really reminded me of a summer camp. I think that it was very important that our group got along fairly well... that made the day worthwhile, in my opinion.
We left campus at 8:15 in yellow school buses, and drove for about an hour to the Glenbrook Day Camp, where we got to go through the traditional "ice-breaker" games. Again, I was surprised at how well our team worked together... so still keeping my fingers and toes crossed and hoping that this is what's going to keep happening for the rest of the semester.
The next activity of the day included rock-climbing. Now, I'm not one for heights or rock-climbing for that matter... I'm more of a couch-potato type person... Sitting watching TV, or sitting at the computer, or maybe lying on a beach... but rock-climbing... well, all of the activities were optional, and I definitely wanted to opt-out of this one... but it did look like fun, and seemed pretty easy... I actually tried it. Not that I got high up on a wall, but still, I was pretty proud of myself for trying it (and may I add, more than once).
After rock-climbing, we had a little discussion and went on to the next activity - "speaker". Each of us had to go up and speak for 15 seconds on a given subject. Obviously without any preparation. It's funny how some of the people thought that 15 seconds lasted longer than they expected, and some (including moi) thought that it was shorter. Then the presentations grew a bit, and we had to do a minute long presentation on any subject chosen by us... Then we had lunch :)
After lunch - "conflict-resolution" activities - one in which they tried to make us bet for a $10 bill... Apparently, our group was the only one that they've worked with that didn't get hooked on it, and didn't want to bet. The activity that was the most fun happened last - it was called the "obstacle course" and took place in the "woods". This is basically where we had to come up with solutions to seemingly impossible problems
1. all 8 of us trying to swing on a rope from one "island" (3 wooden crates stacked next to each other) to another "island" (1 wooden crate). The end result was supposed to be all 8 of us having both of our feet completely and firmly on the 2nd island. Have you every tried getting 6 guys & 2 girls onto such an "island" (probably 3'x3')? No? Neither have we... but now we know how :)
2. imagine 5 trees in a zig-zag shape. good. now imagine that there're 4 cables hanging between the trees a few inches of the ground (each cable is probably 10 feet long). There are 3 ropes hanging above the first cable (about 2-3 feet from each other). Nothing above the second cable (this one was shorter, though, maybe 6-7 feet long). A rope from tree to tree over the 3rd cable. Nothing above the 4th cable, but a rope was tied around the last tree (so you could only get it if you finished the whole course). Our objective in this was to walk on the cable without touching the ground (obviously) while holding on to each other at all times. I'm still amazed that we managed to do this. We all met only a day before, but we already seemed to work very well together - helping each other out and supporting each other... we made it through without anyone falling (though there were a few close calls).
We left campus at 8:15 in yellow school buses, and drove for about an hour to the Glenbrook Day Camp, where we got to go through the traditional "ice-breaker" games. Again, I was surprised at how well our team worked together... so still keeping my fingers and toes crossed and hoping that this is what's going to keep happening for the rest of the semester.
The next activity of the day included rock-climbing. Now, I'm not one for heights or rock-climbing for that matter... I'm more of a couch-potato type person... Sitting watching TV, or sitting at the computer, or maybe lying on a beach... but rock-climbing... well, all of the activities were optional, and I definitely wanted to opt-out of this one... but it did look like fun, and seemed pretty easy... I actually tried it. Not that I got high up on a wall, but still, I was pretty proud of myself for trying it (and may I add, more than once).
After rock-climbing, we had a little discussion and went on to the next activity - "speaker". Each of us had to go up and speak for 15 seconds on a given subject. Obviously without any preparation. It's funny how some of the people thought that 15 seconds lasted longer than they expected, and some (including moi) thought that it was shorter. Then the presentations grew a bit, and we had to do a minute long presentation on any subject chosen by us... Then we had lunch :)
After lunch - "conflict-resolution" activities - one in which they tried to make us bet for a $10 bill... Apparently, our group was the only one that they've worked with that didn't get hooked on it, and didn't want to bet. The activity that was the most fun happened last - it was called the "obstacle course" and took place in the "woods". This is basically where we had to come up with solutions to seemingly impossible problems
1. all 8 of us trying to swing on a rope from one "island" (3 wooden crates stacked next to each other) to another "island" (1 wooden crate). The end result was supposed to be all 8 of us having both of our feet completely and firmly on the 2nd island. Have you every tried getting 6 guys & 2 girls onto such an "island" (probably 3'x3')? No? Neither have we... but now we know how :)
2. imagine 5 trees in a zig-zag shape. good. now imagine that there're 4 cables hanging between the trees a few inches of the ground (each cable is probably 10 feet long). There are 3 ropes hanging above the first cable (about 2-3 feet from each other). Nothing above the second cable (this one was shorter, though, maybe 6-7 feet long). A rope from tree to tree over the 3rd cable. Nothing above the 4th cable, but a rope was tied around the last tree (so you could only get it if you finished the whole course). Our objective in this was to walk on the cable without touching the ground (obviously) while holding on to each other at all times. I'm still amazed that we managed to do this. We all met only a day before, but we already seemed to work very well together - helping each other out and supporting each other... we made it through without anyone falling (though there were a few close calls).