Most students probably do not imagine spending the end of summer at the college they will attend in the fall. Most students imagine luxurious summers filled with friends, parties, and sleeping in. What if I told you that all of that was possible with New Maroon Camp? (Although, there is no sleeping in, but I promise it is worth it.)
New Maroon Camp is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that gives its participants the unique opportunity to experience campus and college life before everyone else. I could babble endlessly about all of the fantastic events that were put on by the miraculous staff at New Maroon Camp.
Since the first camp in 2014, New Maroon Camp has been welcoming incoming freshman classes with open arms. According to the New Maroon Camp website, “New Maroon Camp is a week-long, student-led retreat that prepares first-year students for the transition to Mississippi State University. At New Maroon Camp, students learn what it really means to be a Mississippi State Bulldog.”
The counselors create a home-away-from-home environment, and the staff works hard behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly. I really cannot sing the praises of the camp counselors enough. They were awake long before us, and they were always still there when we left. The counselors executed fun activities and group discussions with such positive attitudes and genuine optimism that you could not help but feel welcome.
The fun starts the day you arrive. Picture it: you are done moving in, and your family is headed back home. You find yourself with several hours to kill. You take a look at the schedule that they handed you earlier that day (you threw it on top of the refrigerator while moving in) and realize there is an event called the “opening ceremony” in the Joe Frank Sanderson Center. You might as well give it a shot.
When you arrive, you are greeted by a group of the most enthusiastic, hyper college students you have ever seen. They are your camp counselors, and they will carry that same energy throughout the next week. I will not spoil the activities, but between their ceaseless buzzing and the energy you expend, you leave the Sanderson Center absolutely exhausted and excited for the next day.
The New Maroon Camp page on Mississippi State’s website has an entire page dedicated to the testimonials of counselors and campers alike.
Jada Hardy, a 2019 New Maroon camper, said “My counselor became like a bigger sister to me. I immediately had a friend the first day. New Maroon Camp not only gave me new friends, it gave me a new perspective on college life in general. I am involved in so many organizations simply because I attend New Maroon Camp.”
John William Ables was another 2019 camper, and he expressed a similar sentiment, stating that “New Maroon Camp is special because in a sense, it never ends. Camps of all kinds can be enjoyed for a week or a matter of days, but the bonds formed in NMC remain with campers throughout their college careers.”
Between the counselors and the community it brings, New Maroon Camp is an invaluable experience for new students at MSU. Beyond getting to know the school, beyond easing your transition, New Maroon Camp is truly a good time. Either you already know what I mean, or you do not. You just had to be there.