Posted September 1, 2016 by
Tags: My Wheaton Global and Experiential Learning
My HoneyRock Passage Experience
I had no clue what to expect when I officially signed up for Wheaton’s Passage program at HoneyRock, the Outdoor Center for Leadership Development of Wheaton College. I initially wasn’t going to do Passage because I grew up near HoneyRock. I’ve spent countless hours at HoneyRock attending church, going canoeing on a summer day, and even attended HoneyRock’s residential camp program in elementary school. I thought I was familiar with everything that went on there, and wasn’t sure if it would be worth it to go for a whole week before starting college at Wheaton. After encouragement from some friends, I decided to attend. Passage turned out to be a whole different experience than what I had originally thought it was going to be.
Words cannot describe the beauty of the place. Our first night was spent by a fire under the northern Wisconsin stars, singing hymns. The excitement I felt is still indescribable. As I glanced around the fire at my classmates, I knew I made the right choice. The same faces I saw around the fire were the ones I got to develop friendships with and do fun activities with throughout the whole week. Six of those faces were in my cabin. The deep relationships we formed through teambuilding activities and around campfires will last throughout college.
There were moments where having so many people around all the time was very overwhelming. There was constantly something going on and people to hang out with. If you walked from your cabin to the Chrouser Dining Hall you saw so many activities. From gaga ball, volleyball, frisbee, basketball, and even ceramics, people were everywhere. At times it was challenging for me to interact all the time. But, the great thing about HoneyRock is the ability to just break away and find a quiet place to put up your hammock and spend time with the Lord, free of any noise. HoneyRock provides perfect opportunities to just recharge.
My favorite part of Passage was being immersed in God’s beautiful creation. We were able to worship our God while hearing the wind blow through the nearby trees and the birds singing in the distance. We had deep, meaningful discussions in canoes in the middle of the lake with our professor. I ran around the thick pine trees while playing outdoor games with my classmates. Having the great outdoors as my “classroom” was amazing. I was able to truly see God’s beautiful canvas and the nature He made.
Passage has definitely made my transition into my first year at Wheaton easier. While walking around campus during my first day of class, I recognized multiple people I met at Passage. I still hang out with my friends from Cabin 2 and others I met along the way. The community we have developed since Passage is encouraging and fun.
I am so glad I got to participate in this awesome experience, and I highly encourage everyone to do it! HoneyRock will always have a special place in my heart.
Rachel Kane ’20 is an environmental science major who participated in the Wheaton Passage program last month. To learn more about Passage and other HoneyRock programs, visit HoneyRock’s website. Photo captions (from top): Rachel with her “Cabin 2” group discussing life and transitions on Long Lake’s waterfront at HoneyRock; Cabin 2 members during their service day project with Associate Professor of Theology Dr. Keith Johnson (center). The Cabin 2 group was able to do trail maintenance for the town of Three Lakes and help make the trail easier to ride on for local bikers and runners.