Preparing for Your Program

We'll spend mornings in class, writing individually and with fellow students, under the direction of our writing instructor and Overland leaders. We will provide writing materials and laptops for every student's use in class. 

In preparation for your week with Overland, please spend about twenty minutes responding in a spiral bound notebook to our writing prompts.  Many of these prompts have been drawn or adapted from the supplemental essay prompts you will encounter as you prepare for your college admissions applications.  Please bring the completed prompts with you when you travel to Williamstown.  Your notebook will be collected the first day you are here and will help us to better direct you with your college essay.

2010 College Essay Program Writing Prompts

Afternoons will be active and fun; we will go for bike rides and hikes.  We encourage you to get out for some walks and rides this spring. The more you prepare, the more you'll enjoy your program and the better able you'll be to hike and ride safely this summer. Once your program starts, commit yourself wholeheartedly to your group and all of its activities.

Luggage

On Overland trips, we travel light. Please bring just one carry-on size rolling suitcase and one small backpack. Experience has shown that this is the only way to go. Dimensions of the carry-on rolling suitcase should not exceed 22"H x 14"W x 9"D. Use your backpack to carry essentials on the plane (do not use as additional luggage space).  Your backpack will be used for carrying your materials to class, as well as for afternoon day hikes.  Be sure to tag all items with your name, address and phone number.

Packing for Your Program

Please stick to the following guidelines when packing for your program; your group will have access to laundry. Bring clothes that are comfortable and suitable for outdoor activities. Overland provides linens (sheets, pillowcase, towels), a blanket and a pillow.

Clothing

• Tennis Shoes or Sneakers. Comfortable shoes to wear around all day and while on day hikes and bike rides.
• Waterproof Raincoat. Must be waterproof (not just water or wind resistant); GoreTex is one of the better-known waterproof and breathable fabrics but there are many to choose from.
• Long Pants. One pair.
• Fleece Pullover or Sweatshirt. One only.
• Comfortable Shorts. Two pairs; comfortable to hike and bike in.
• Shirts. Four short-sleeve shirts or tank tops; two long-sleeve shirts.
• Underwear. Seven pairs.
• Socks. Six pairs.
• Pajamas. One pair.
• Bathing Suit. One only.

Gear & Miscellaneous

• Small backpack. For everyday adventures and hikes.
• Bike Helmet. Overland will provide bikes.
• Toiletries. All travel size.
• Beach Towel. Medium size.
• Water Bottle. Any kind, to stay hydrated out in the sun.
• Flashlight. Small.
• Sunglasses & Hat. With visor (e.g., baseball hat).
• Sunscreen (SPF 30+), Chapstick (with SPF protection) & Insect Repellent.
• USB Flash Drive (any size). For saving your writing projects.
• Camera/Batteries/Memory Card
Optional. Interested in seeing your photographs or videos on Overland's website next year? Bring a camera with lots of pixels (10 or more) and lots of memory (4GB or more). Buying a new camera? One of our favorites is the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS digital camera.
• Journal & Pen. Optional.
• Personal Spending Money. $50 is a suggested amount for souvenirs, gifts and necessities.

Note: Please do not bring any type of knife or multi-tool (e.g., Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman).

We do not permit personal electronics on our programs (for example, cellphones and iPods). We do, however, allow students who fly to their program to carry a cell phone while traveling; on arrival, Overland's leaders will collect all cell phones for the duration of the program and return them for flights home. Perhaps, a better option would be to bring a pre-paid phone card so that the leaders do not have to carry cell phones for the duration of the program.