Reflection on C2R
By TONY WANG ‘20
On March 30th, the entire junior class embarked on a one-day trip to Camp Bournedale in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The objective of this retreat involved class bonding. In preparation for our departure, we asked our seniors what to expect and how to approach the time at Bournedale. The answers were mixed; some enjoyed it last year while others lamented the loss of a weekend. After experiencing C2R for myself, I hold a similar mix of opinions on the day-long séjour. While I understand doubts regarding its purpose as a true bonding experience, I also appreciate the valid effort to bring Class II students together and the chance to relax. So what happened at C2R? Let’s dive into the details to find out.
The Saturday of C2R comprised of dinner, a speaker, a dance, and some free-roam time around Camp Bournedale, which is next to a small lake. The scenery is serene and pleasant, so our liberty to wander was well-appreciated. On the flip side, free-roam time coincided with the dance, resulting in a sparse crowd of a few dozen on the dance while everyone else chatted outside as they took in the scenery (there were S’mores near the beach). Throughout the evening, I saw numerous friend groups congregated, and the realization soon dawned on me that they had simply transposed themselves from the Stu to this camp. The students in each group remained near-identical. I recalled the goal of C2R as helping us connect with unfamiliar faces, but my time walking around on Saturday led me to recognize the difficulty of achieving this objective. Indeed, friends form groups for a reason. Common backgrounds, interests, and beliefs bring them together, providing topics to discuss and activities to explore. Attempting to shake up these established links within the course of a day is unrealistic at best. Students don’t suddenly start socializing with an entirely new group of peers simply because they’ve been transported to a lakeside camp. That said, existing friend groups did not stop Class II from having fun and unwinding together on Sunday, thus fulfilling the purpose of a retreat.
Sunday was packed with activities. From capture the flag and lawn games to blindfolded tasks, my team communicated and cooperated throughout the day. Though we weren’t all close friends with each other, we still collaborated almost seamlessly. During that time, I felt a form of unfamiliarity melting away. I would rarely find the opportunity to converse with some of these team members on regular school days, but now we were engaged in common tasks that mandated communication. For me, the synergy and the entertainment embodies the proper purpose of a retreat. C2R should not be about feeling compelled to engage in extensive conversations with peers who don’t share common topics; it should simply encourage us to work together, to set aside our differences and participate in stress-free activities. As we got off the bus on Sunday afternoon, I could almost envision those around me reclaiming their background, their beliefs, their specialties. Afterwards, we returned to the same friend groups as before. And that’s okay. We should approach C2R as a time to come together and put aside our differences, not discard them. It’s a trip to show that we can and have enjoyed this common experience belonging to Class II.