Hello everyone I am an incoming freshman looking for some help. I am looking at all the options available before classes start. I am in Honors College would like to start with some of the volunteer work they run before classes. I am at a loss between all the options, what they are, and recommendations as to which are worth attending. I know of Camp 1861, Alabama Action, Black Belt Action, Outdoor Action, Bama Bound and rush week. What else is there before classes start, what do these entitle and which are worth going to/not worth attending? Thank you all who help!
They are all “worth going to”. What interests you? If you are female, do you plan to rush?
Bama Bound is orientation/registration and is required for all incoming students.
Rush would apply to young women planning to join one of the sororities that participate in formal rush during their freshman year. It would not apply to young men as the fraternities have a different process. As I have a son, it is not a process I have experience with, but there are many threads here with details if you search.
Outdoor Action. Alabama Action, and Black Belt Action are honors college courses that take place before fall semester classes start. They each provide 1 honors credit. They are worth attending to get early move in and get settled and get familiar with campus before it gets too hectic. Also its a good way, especially for out of state students to meet other students. Each has a community service component. Many times Alabama Action works at schools and can do tasks such as painting, outdoor action does their community service in outdoor areas, the year my son participated they were doing clean up from the 2011 tornado, black belt action does their community service portion in the ‘black belt’ region of Alabama which is a lower income region. Which is ‘best’ to choose is the one that is the best fit for the individual student. =- http://honors.ua.edu/honors-action/
Here is a news article about the action courses from a few years ago: http://blog.al.com/tuscaloosa/2013/08/university_of_alabama_freshmen.html
Camp 1831 is open to all incoming freshman. It was started after my son started at Bama, so I don’t have many details. I do know some honors students now choose to do both Camp 1831 and one of the ‘action’ classes. - http://fye.ua.edu/tcamp.cfm
Some other summer programs that I am aware of for incoming students include early college http://uaearlycollege.ua.edu/ and the Million Dollar Band begins practices the same week as rush and the ‘action’ courses.