Perhaps the idea of a five day canoe trip in Algonquin Park has caught your imagination, but you’re not sure if Trailhead is the right program for you.  Why attend?  Well, the purpose of the program is to help strengthen skills and build a network of friends that will get you through your first year of university and beyond!  Here’s how the program will be meaningful for some different groups of students.

Living in Residence this September

No matter which building you’re in, residence is a communal experience.  Even if you have a single room, you’ll be living in close quarters with other students and have shared living space (e.g. washrooms, lounges and hallways).  The Trailhead program exposes you to that communal experience for a short period of time to help you get in tune with how to make things work, how to sort things out when there’s problems and how to avoid difficulties in the first place.

Living Off-campus in the fall

Whether you’re commuting from your family’s home or renting in the local Guelph community, you’ll have to work a little bit harder to build those really deep, long-lasting friendships.  Trailhead gets you started through a shared experience with common goals.  You’ll overcome challenges together and support each other – there’s no better way to build important friendships.

Looking for a fresh start

For many students, leaving high school (as well as transferring or going back to school after time away) gives you the opportunity to leave behind people who have narrow ideas about you and your potential.  Entering university gives you exactly that – a chance to start fresh.  Trailhead will help you build new friendships and maybe even help clarify the type of person you want to be.

Involved in leadership activities

If you were involved in your student council, clubs, sports teams, volunteer opportunities or other leadership experiences, then you might already have a sense of some of your unique skills that can help to make a difference in the community. Trailhead will help you broaden your leadership abilities and get you ready for the opportunities that await you on the Guelph campus.

Rarely involved

Up until now, maybe you’ve been more focused on friends and school without being particularly involved in a lot of extra-curricular activities.  If you remain entirely uninvolved while at university, it’ll likely be a long and difficult experience, but at the same time you don’t want to go too far in the other direction by overextending yourself.  Trailhead will expose you to ideas about how to find balance in your life and help you to find ways to make the Guelph campus your home.

Living away from home for the first time

Virtually everyone experiences homesickness at some point, but you can inoculate yourself and make it more manageable by intentionally taking on challenges that help you to expand your comfort zone.  Through knowing yourself better (your limits, your needs, your dreams) and having a strong support network, you’ll more easily adapt to university life.

Experienced Adventurer

Maybe you’ve been on trips into the wilderness before.  Perhaps you’re a seasoned traveler to many interesting places.  If you are, then you know that each experience is unique because of the people you encounter along the way.  Trailhead will challenge you to think differently about yourself, your goals and the people around you.

Space is limited!  Register by July 11 to avoid disappointment »