Sophomores and chaperones returned from the annual Costa Rica trip this past Saturday. Students now have a chance to reflect on the different aspects of the trip such as service, hiking, community meetings, and experiencing traditional Costa Rican culture.

“Going into Costa Rica, I think I based my personality on being from the city and having access to the internet and my electronics,” sophomore Caitlin Lane said. “After Costa Rica, I see that I don’t really need my phone everyday and I can just live in the present,”

The trip was created by President Ann Marie Krejcarek in 2014, and calls on students to stretch beyond their comfort zone while immersing themselves in new cultural experiences. All cell phones and other electronics are left behind in the Bay Area, according to C&SH. 

“This trip really allowed me to be more open to trying new things and meeting new people,” sophomore Nora Weltman said. “I feel way more bonded with my classmates, especially after our night in the hostel,”

While in Costa Rica, students engaged in morning and evening meetings. During the meetings, students  stretched, learned about the schedule, and were allowed quiet time for reflection, according to sophomore Jessica Kramer. 

“My mindset definitely shifted in Costa Rica — I feel more comfortable with my grade and I think I know them better now,” Kramer said. “I am so glad that we have the opportunity to go on this amazing trip with our classmates,” 

School trips are important because as different classes bond, they create their own dynamic, which will hopefully make students less shy and more open to trying new things and bonding with new people, according to Cohesion.  

The trip was a once in a lifetime experience and helps students to prepare for the upcoming years of coed classes, as well as allowing students gain the experience of  doing new things in a new place, according to Weltman. 

“In Costa Rica, I realized that I can just pick up a book or talk to people who I have never had conversations with before,” Lane said. “I realized I don’t always need technology and without it, I can actually be more social.”

Full Costa Rica album can be viewed here.