UChicago offers many programs to welcome students to campus. The Phoenix Outdoor Program (POP) is a camp-based program giving students a chance to explore the great outdoors, have experiences that are not possible on campus, while also forming small group bonds with new classmates and upper-class mentors. Whether you have never slept in a tent before or you're already comfortable navigating the outdoors, there is a place for you in POP.
Details for All Trips
- Applications will open on April 4, 2025
- Applications close on Monday, June 10 at 10 AM CDT
- Applicants will hear back by the end of June regarding their application status
- Spots are limited
- Students may apply to as many Pre-Orientation Programs as interested, but if accepted, will only be offered a spot in one program.
Dates: September 17-22, 2025
Spaces Available: 150
Cost: $500. Housing, meals, transportation, and any applicable admissions fees are included in the cost of the program. Students are responsible for incidental/personal expenses and transportation to campus before the start of the program.
POP is a need-blind program—financial assistance is available for qualifying students and there is a place to request financial aid on the program application.
Gear: Participants will need all items on the gear checklist but there's no need to purchase any items that you do not expect to use after the POP Trip. Group gear is available and there is plenty of extra gear for participants to borrow, free of charge. Students accepted into the program will be able to submit requests to borrow gear.
Timeline
General Information
All students participating in a Pre-Orientation program will stay in one residence hall for the duration of their program. For the Phoenix Outdoor Program, participants will stay on campus for the first night and depart for the trip on the second day.
Upon arriving on campus, students will be given a chance to drop their term-time items into a storage room in their residence hall before checking in for their program at the Pre-Orientation residence hall. If you are participating in a Pre-O program, you may bring all of your belongings for the academic year with you, though you will be responsible for getting those items into your term-time rooms upon arrival, so we recommend limiting how much you bring with you. All items you bring should be labeled with your name and phone number. Students should pack a separate bag for the week to bring to the Pre-Orientation residence hall.
The campground we have reserved for POP Base Camp has accessible lodging designed for campers with varying needs. We also have hiking poles available for those who require them and can discuss other accessible gear - please feel free to reach out to College Programming and Orientation at college-programming@uchicago.edu if you have any concerns around accessibility!
POP Camping Trip
POP Camping takes place at an established camp located about two hours south of the city. During the program, small groups of incoming first year students will be paired with upper-class student leaders who will lead them through outdoor skill development, different forms of outdoor recreation, and preparation for the first year at UChicago and beyond. Students will have access to washrooms, a kitchen, and have the choice of sleeping in tents or cabins.
- Recall and understand hazards and risks previously explained by group leaders or support staff.
- Warn other participants and/or leaders about impending dangers.
- Effectively signal or notify group leaders or other POP participants of personal distress, injury, or need for assistance.
- Understand and follow the direction given by others to avoid hazards and/or manage risks, including in an emergency and/or under stress.
- Be able to stay alert and to focus attention for up to several hours at a time while traveling in wilderness terrain, being taught by group leaders, or receiving instructions.
- If taking prescription medications, maintain proper dosage by self-administering without assistance from group leaders or others (except possibly in emergency situations).
- Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially challenging conditions. You will be living closely with your tent partners and with all members of your group in close quarters. There may be limited personal time. POP will require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.
- Contribute to a safe learning environment—no verbal or physical abuse will be tolerated.
- Be able to willingly and equally share responsibility with your group in daily camp chores. Each participant may not do an equal share each day, but over a period of several days each participants should do a proportionate share.
- Effectively communicate ideas and concerns on an individual and group level.
- Learn and then practice Leave No Trace camping and travel techniques.
- Remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed so as to remain generally healthy and strive to protect themselves from environmental injuries such as hypothermia, heat illness, or sunburn.
- Be able to move about the campsite in order to participate in group activities, attend to toileting needs, and contribute to camping tasks as necessary.
- Live in a sometimes physically demanding, wilderness environment for the five days of the POP trip. Conditions of this environment may vary from 40 to 90 degrees and may include, but not be limited to, rain, thunderstorms or hail, uninterrupted sun and/or wind.
- Be able to travel over diverse terrains or alert your leaders if you are unable to do so.
- Check out the POP packing list here
The Phoenix Outdoor Program (POP) is designed to introduce new students to the UChicago community and to develop outdoor skills through wilderness exploration. In order to do so, we must take steps to ensure the health and well-being of all participants. In order to do so, we must ensure all participants are able to successfully meet the demands of camping in an outdoor environment where outside assistance is not immediately available.
All POP Base Camp participants must meet the following Essential Eligibility Criteria:
Safety and Judgment
Each participant must be able to…
Leadership and Trip Behavior
Each participant must…
Outdoor Skills
Each participant must…
Open the packing list below for a list of items all participants need for their POP Base Camp trip. At the end of the gear list, there is helpful information about why you need certain pieces of gear and any additional guidelines, as well as information on how to obtain the gear you need.
If you have any questions around what type of gear we're asking you to bring, just ask! You can contact College Programming and Orientation at college-programming@uchicago.edu