Ideas for a GREAT Retreat
 

Just curious on ideas for a great retreat, themes, and activities that works, what does not. This is my first time and I am not getting a lot of help from past officers. Thanks for your help.
Christina

Go to your school's library and find a book on teambuilding exercises. There should be several books on that -- at least enough for you to build a weekend around.

We went to the St. Louis Zoo for ours, it was day long and we spend enough time out of the room that we got to see the animals and chat too.

i think a fiesta theme is fun, and pretty easy...you could have mexican food and wear sombreros. and maybe decorate with chili peppers or something. we had a popular place where people can make their own beaded jewelry come to our retreat and that was a big hit. you just have to make sure to do something that will excite everyone. :) good luck!

What is your goal in hosting this retreat? Is it just a time for sisterhood bonding and fun? Is it intended to fulfill a requirement to review sorority rules, policies, scholarship program or ritual?

If it's a "fun" retreat, consider spending the day outdoors at a park, playing field games. What about a beach day, canoe/boating, hiking or a supervised ropes course? Or a local amusement park, zoo or other local attraction.

If it is a retreat designed to remind current members of sorority policies and teach new members, open with an ice breaker, and then break out into rotating stations where smaller groups of members go through trainining sessions together. At each stop they receive some small component of a craft and learn about 1) Standards, 2) Academic Program, 3) Respecting Yourself and Your Letters, 4) Responsible Alcohol Management, 4) A History of our Founders, Etc. Break a few sessions in for "recess" so members can mingle with others and grad some snacks, break in the middle with lunch, and have a song practice at the end where you teach songs.

Have plenty of food and snacks for members to enjoy throughout. For a sample craft, you can make "Classy Clasps." Members are given a safety pin and along the stations, they receive ribbons and beads to affix to the pin. At the end of the retreat, everyone is encouraged to place her Clasp on a backpack so she can be reminded to always be a Classy XYZ Lady and remember the lessons of the sisterhood retreat.

Retreat is also a good time to do a Big/Lil reveal and to take the time for a MASCOT pass (IE: a stuffed animal that symbolizes your sorority). Everyone sits in a circle and shares a sisterhood story or a reason they are glad to be a member of XYZ.

You can wrap things up with a craft activity or team building activity.

An Avon or Mary Kay party can be fun. You can get facials and makeovers and such. One of my housemates was an RA and she did it for a program and it was very succesful.

Get outdoors and away from the norm
 

Some schools are near rivers with organized rafting trips. You have to pull together to get down a ripping river. And trip companies have places to stop for lunch, rural and quiet. Length can be arranged. I favor finding a new element and turning down those cell phones.