Tufts Wilderness Orientation (TWO)
two@tufts.edu | 617-627-0529 | 44 Professor's Row, Medford, MA 02155
Follow us for behind the scenes content, deadline reminders, and more on @twostagram!!
Documents for Participants
- Equipment/Packing List
- Additional Gear Information (photos, examples, and tips for all of the gear items listed on the packing list!)
- What to Expect on TWO/FAQs
- Program Policies Form
- Fun Form
Tufts Wilderness Orientation (TWO) is a five-day, student-led experience for incoming First-Years. The program includes backpacking, canoeing, hybrid (a combination of backpacking and canoeing), trail crew, and camping trips through which incoming students can experience the outdoors while creating lasting bonds with each other.
All trips are designed for beginners; no prior outdoor experience is needed! We recommend that all TWO participants are prepared for a moderate level of physical activity that may include hiking for multiple hours at a time or extended days paddling. Once you have a spot in TWO you’ll have the chance to rate your preference for trip type and level of difficulty. Please note that we have a limited number of each type of trip and cannot guarantee you your first choice.
All of our student leaders have been trained in outdoor living skills and are Wilderness First Aid certified. Groups are completely self-sufficient for the duration of the trip in remote locations in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. This means all trip participants carry food and equipment, cook for one another, and set up camp.
Even if your favorite outdoor experience is at your local park, we hope you sign up for TWO!
Meet our 2024 Student Coordinators!
Lina Fang, she/her, 2024
Lina graduated in May and is from Monterey, CA, with majors in Psychology and Spanish and a minor in Linguistics. She loves going to different movie theaters in the Boston area with friends, singing acappella with Tufts sQ!, and is on a mission to learn how to cook. She is so excited to coordinate TWO this year and can’t wait to meet the incoming first-years!
Claire Bolash, she/her, 2024
Claire graduated in May and is from Connecticut majoring in Political Science. At Tufts she on the ski team, Tufts Dance Collective, and Burlesque! She likes to crochet, bake, and read. Claire has loved her time on TWO staff and is so excited to coordinate the program this year!
Eleanor Tyne, she/her, 2026
Hi! My name’s Eleanor, and I’m the support staff coordinator this year. I’m a rising junior studying English and am on the frisbee and climbing teams at Tufts. I'm from Orono, Maine, and I love reading and playing outside with things like jump ropes and pogosticks. I love TWO and am so excited to coordinate the program this year!
Program Schedule
| August 23 | Arrival & Check-in! You'll be greeted by our excited Support Staff, checked-in, and have your gear checked by our Leaders. You'll also have an opportunity to move your belongings into your dorm and say goodbye to your families. |
| August 24 - August 28 | Trips Out! |
| August 28 (evening) | Program Closing! Back on campus, you'll have the opportunity to shower, change, and re-join your group for dinner and a closing ceremony with the rest of the TWO program. |
Doing TWO was the perfect bridge into college. It helped me gain confidence in what I was capable of, discover an amazingly supportive, welcoming, and accepting community, and learn about a lot of resources on campus from upperclassmen that helped me so much in my transition into life at Tufts.
Zach Woods, Class of 2023
Tufts Wilderness Orientation was an amazing introduction to essential skills that I needed to get through college. The trip gave me time to practice tackling unfamiliar challenges and asking for help before starting school. TWO informs how I build and sustain community to this day.
Meira Downie, Class of 2023
TWO as a program is committed to being a safe and inclusive space for all students including our own staff. We are always trying to push against the historically exclusive nature of outdoor activity. That being said, we know it can be intimidating to sign up for an outdoors program, especially when you’re not sure if you’ll fit in. These staff members have offered their stories with TWO to hopefully comfort those who share similar identities.
