You can stay with us! We will be either camping out under the stars on the (fenced in) practice field, or inside the Recreation Center in case of bad weather. We can still pick you up at the airport, train station, or bus terminal. Please arrive no earlier than 12pm the day prior to your trip. Outdoor leaders will pick you up once you arrive here in Baltimore.
-If you are flying into BWI airport, pick up your luggage and look around for someone with a Pre-O sign in that same baggage area. We will come to the baggage claim area for the airline you tell us you are flying on, so make sure to tell us if any of your travel plans change.
-If you are arriving at Penn Station, the train terminal, a leader will be waiting by the center information and ticketing desk with a Pre-O sign.
-If you are arriving via bus, let us know if you are coming to the downtown Greyhound station or the Bus Terminal. A leader canbe waiting inside either station once you have arrived. If you have any trouble finding the leader, please call the Pre-Orientation office at 410.516.4417 Once you return back to Hopkins after an amazing week in the wilderness, the entire group will assist in putting away the group gear. You then collect your belongings, and meet up with your parents! Pre-O officially ends at 3pm the day you return to Hopkins. For those arriving back on the 29th you can spend that afternoon and evening unpacking and meeting new friends at your dorms. For those returning on the 30th, after you get settled in your dorms, go and check out the Freshmen Orientation beginning that day! There will be plenty of times that week to reunite with Pre-O friends and meet tons your fellow students, before classes begin! If you really enjoyed Pre-Orientation and the feel of the wilderness, join us this fall semester on Outdoor Pursuits trips. Outdoor Pursuits is the group that runs Pre-Orientation. During the semester the same leaders that were on Pre-O also lead climbing, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and hiking trips on weekends. The fun doesn't stop with Pre-O. We have a whole semester of great trips planned to get you out and enjoying the outdoors! University Housing will not allow students to move in before Pre-O, but we do arrange it so that you can move in the day you get back from Pre-O, regardless of what dorm you're living in. This means that you can't store your things in your future dorm room while you're on Pre-O. However, we do have a small amount of room per person - about two or three bags' worth - for you to store some things while you are on Pre-O. What usually works well, logistically, is if you come down to Baltimore with a couple of bags and store them while you are on Pre-O in our available storage space. Then, your parents can meet you at the end of your Pre-O trip in the afternoon with the rest of your things, and help you move in to your dorm room. Your parents can then stay for some of the programs that the University runs for them during the first couple days of Orientation. These logistical issues can sound like a pain, but trust us when we say that Pre-O is totally worth it. Official registration is from 8am-10am the morning of your trip (either August 23rd for non-Multi participants, or August 24th for Multi participants). It is possible to arrive the day before anytime after 12pm and we can provide you a place to stay for the night. Let us know if this is what you prefer. The trips arrive back at Hopkins for move-in on August 29; only Multi-Element trips arrive back at Hopkins a day later, on August 30. All trips will be done by 3pm on the 29th and 30th, giving you plenty of time to meet with your parents and begin moving into your dorm. Please consult the following gear lists for trip specfic gear: Canoeing and Hiking
Backpacking
Climbing
Multi-Element
White Water Kayaking Multi Day Hiking Backpacks are needed for the Backpacking and Canoeing/Hiking trups. Multi-element and Climbing trip participants need a day pack along with a duffle bag. Participants on kayaking do not need a backpack but should pack all their stuff is a soft side duffle. Electronics of any kind will not be needed and can get damaged in the backcountry. The only exception is for participants arriving at the bus station, train station, or airport who may need a cell phone to contact us. We can hold onto your cell phones during the trip so they don't get lost, destroyed, or damaged. And of course, a flashlight and a camera are allowed! Please do not bring any shampoo, soap, make-up, deodorant, perfumes, etc. You will not be showering on any of the trips and wearing deodorant is unhygienic if it cannot be washed off frequently. Synthetic clothing is a better option than cotton fabrics which do not dry quickly. This doesn't mean to buy lots of (expensive) top-notch outdoor clothing, but be smart when packing and choose non-cotton clothing over cotton. Any valuables or unneeded items that you bring to school will be left in a secure location while you are on your trip. The course fee for Classic Backpacking and Backcountry Backpacking is $395. The course fee for Multi-Element, Canoeing and Hiking, Whitewater Kayaking and Climbing is $450. There are a limited number of scholarships to offset the Pre-orientaion course fees. Please send in a letter explaing your need for a scholarship and a copy of your Hopkins financial aid package. There will be two rounds for awarding scholarship: First round applications will be due on June 11th and the second round applications will be due on July 2nd. Please have your application mailed to our office before the due date.
Some equipment, like climbing ropes, kayaks, canoes, life jackets, paddles, and helmets, are included in the course fee. If your trip requires certain other equipment, like backpacks ($40), sleeping bags ($20), and sleeping pads (free), they can be rented from us. The other gear you should bring is trip-specific, and can be found in the gear lists which will be available by mid-June.
Registration forms must be postmarked by July 6th. Remember to include payment of the course fee as a check made out to 'JHU'. Please get your forms in early to ensure registration on your first choice trip. Also all medical forms and waivers must be postmarked on the same date. If we do not receive these your spot will be given to someone on the waitlist. The drop deadline, July 20, is the last day you can cancel your Pre-Orientation registration and still receive a full refund. If you cancel after this date we cannot give you a refund. | 
