On Friday September 7^th there was a clear buzz of excitement at the Pine Crest campus at the early hours of the morning. The annual Freshmen Focus class trip had arrived, and this time, the class of 2016 was headed for Islands of Adventure in Universal Orlando. The main purpose is class bonding, as students from Pine Crest’s Ft. Lauderdale and Boca Raton campuses, plus new PC students, will all form one Freshman class. Every year there seems to be a general separation between those coming from Boca Raton and those from Ft. Lauderdale. The Freshmen Focus trip is Pine Crest’s effort to bring the two groups together and emphasize that union.

The freshmen may have been boarding the buses before daybreak, but many displayed a great energy. Julia Chui, who recently entered Pine Crest after moving from Indonesia to South Florida, was highly enthusiastic about the trip. When asked what she thoughts were on it, she responded that she was very excited to meet new people in the grade. While it is unsure how much bonding actually occurred in the park, as most stayed with the same group of friends throughout the day, there was definitely some bonding on the long bus rides. Sitting together in such close quarters in large segments of time gave the students no choice but to bond, and friendships slowly began to develop on the road to and from Pine Crest.

After a fun-filled day in the parks, everyone arrived at the buses exhausted, ready to go home but nevertheless content about the memories they made. Everyone made the most out of their time at Islands of Adventure, and enjoyed it in the best way they found possible. Roxy Ackerman, a freshman class officer and part of the ambassador committee, stated the trip was “awesome and a great experience for both of the campuses and new students to bond.” She thought the trip served as a great ice breaker for the entire grade and that it allowed many people who did not previously know each other to meet. Overall, the Freshmen Focus trip was an exciting day for all who took part in it, whether they were meeting new people or simply enjoying the many attractions Islands of Adventure had to offer.