Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program
The Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program (COÖP) is a pre-orientation program for first year students in Columbia College and SEAS. It is geared towards those students that are interested in a non-traditional orientation program and enjoy the outdoors. The program was originally divided into two parallel programs, COBOP and COHOP, one for biking and one for hiking, respectively. For 2007, the orientation program has added, COROP, the rafting orientation program. Alumni of the outdoors program tend to develop an attachment to one another that lasts throughout their undergraduate experience, or at least NSOP week.
COOP is much loved by current leaders, attracts almost half of the participants each year to apply to be a leader the following year, and is wonderful way to begin your time at Columbia, get to know a group from each entering class, and get out into the woods.
And remember children, there is to be no sex amorous conduct in the champagne room on COOP trips. Seriously, it's official policy!
Official description
From the COÖP mission statement[1]:
The Columbia University Outdoor Orientation Program (COÖP) is an optional pre-orientation program for incoming first-year students entering Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. COÖP is designed to ease the anxieties of transitioning into the college environment through a four-day outdoor camping experience. The COÖP experience is divided into three trips, biking, hiking, and river, each of which pairs a small group of first-years with several upperclassmen trip leaders. The leaders act as mentors for the first-years, ensure safety on the trip, and create a comfortable environment in which first-years can ask questions, express concerns, and get to know one another.
